Thanks to Christine Chang DAOM, L.Ac most appreciated professor at Emperors College for the kind words she had for cicadas. They were some of her childhood friends in Taiwan when their bright colors and gentle nature entertained her like living jewels. 

In Traditional East Asian Medicine the periostracum or husk of the cicada which is molted is collected and used to relieve a sore throat, hoarse voice, reddened sore eyes or blurry vision, speed recovery from measles and calm nightmares and spasms.

The calming nature of the medicinal increases the effect of antihistamines, sedatives, narcotics and reduces the effect of caffeine. It is usually combined with other herbs as part of an effective formula. 

Cicada is said to have a pleasant sweet and salty taste like corn or asparagus with a cooling effect. The husk is not usually eaten but the newly risen creature is. They’re in the same phyllum as lobsters and shrimp according to Jenna Jadin, entymologist and author of Cicada-licious, available in PDF format for free online. 

Dogs enjoy plucking them from the trees and bushes like tasty berries but they offer about as much protein as beef. NPR and National Geographic had fantastic articles about them including recipes seven or eight years ago when another emergence occurred. Insects should replace mammals in our diets yesterday to benefit the environment and these seem like a winner. 

Just remember “Everything in Moderation,” we don’t really know why the cicadas only emerge every so often and we do not want to disrupt an important feature of nature. 

Southeast Ohio is one of my favorite places, rolling hills, woods and family farms with rocky outcrops and waterfalls, abundant with wildlife and songbirds. Arrived to help with the gestation and birth of a new god daughter just as the pandemic shut down travel across the country. Then when that was on the mend went back to Maine to cover maternity leave at Jade, After that high tailed it south before winter and landed back in Athens again.

I look forward to being of service to the community and to individuals seeking a complementary method of health repair and maintenance. Hopefully after the holidays the pandemic will settle down and we will be able to safely engage in one on one care. For now it is probably best to wait.