Natural Remedies

Guide to Herbal Medicine:
Plants and stuff you can eat to feel better

Even with all the hi-tech gizmos, people still get lost in the woods. When lost in the woods, us city folk tend to panic and get depressed. But fear not. You can make this little excursion useful by picking up some 'plants and stuff you can eat to feel better'.

Equipment:

Knife, or you can use two stones, one as holder and the other as a cutter.

Zippo, it's very useful to star a fire, especially if you have lighter fluid.

Light aluminum plate and cup.

Fresh water, boil to disinfect if not sure.

Every flower, tree and plant has a medical property that can be used if you inform yourself by going to your local library to get books about herbal medicine... but please respect nature, all living things, and our natural medical kit!

PLANTAIN

Description:

Plantains have a rat tail-like flower spikes and basal rosette of fleshy, lance-shaped leaves with three to five fibery ribs. Its flowers are dark rust with clear white feathery stamens. This common plant is seen as a bad weed in many gardens and you may recognize it easily.

Parts used:

Leaves.

Preparation:

Chew well the plant and when it gets a gummy kind of consistence apply in the wound.

Properties:

Small cuts, coughs and digestion. Stops bleeding, softens and sooths inflamed surfaces, helps urine flow, helps to breathe easier and to vomit. Reduces muscle spasms.

Extra:

For deep cuts- Disinfect with cold water, keep a pressure point where the artery is and apply some chewed plantain with a clean tissue. Change every 2 days.

BEARS BREECH

Description:

Dark green and pinnate leaves. The flower spikes are white, pale blue or pale purple tube shaped flowers.

Parts used:

Leaves.

Preparation:

Crush leaves, soak them in cold water and drink the juice or apply to burns. It's useful to improve appetite after vomiting.

Properties:

Bile stimulant, mild burns, mild laxative and mild stomach burn.

YARROW OR ACHIMILLE MILLEFEUILLE

Description:

Long tige with feathery white flowers in clusters. This is one of the most used plants in white magic and in herbal medicine.

Parts used:

Leaves and flowers when full bloomed.

Preparation:

Leaves can be use as tea for colds and hey fever .Nosebleed- Insert fresh leaves into the nostril. Stomach cramps can be relieved by chewing.

Properties:

Stomach cramps, muscle cramps and wounds. Reduces inflammation and muscle tension, stops bleeding when cut, helps urine flow, reduces fever, lowers blood pressure and stops external bleeding.

Note:

Do not use when pregnant.

RAMSONS

Description:

A scented garlic plant with a white cluster, six petaled and star-like flowers.

Parts used:

Whole plant while flowering or leaves after flowering.

Preparation:

Disinfects cuts and corns (chew and apply to the wound with water), you can eat it for chest pain but always remember to chew well.

Properties:

Destroys bacterias, fungi, increase sweating, regulize digestion and lower blood pressure.

MARSHMALLOW

Description:

An erected soft, downy round plant with a large pink flower in the summer. The plant produces a sweet-tasting rich sugary taste.

Parts used:

Whole plant while flowering or leaves after flowering.

Preparation:

It's a natural cough syrup. Boiled with a little water to make a syrup.

Properties:

Getting rid of body waste in intoxication, helps stop coughing, pain reliever for stomach intoxication, heartburn, blood purifier, helps urine flow, soothes the skin.

DAISY

Description:

Low-growing with a basal rosette, oval leaves, white and yellow and often pink petals.

Parts used:

Top of the flower during flowering and leaves.

Preparation:

Boil the leaves for stiff necks and other muscle pains. Also a cough syrup.

Properties:

Natural cleanser, skin and muscle pain reliever, stops bleeding, relieves and helps breeding.

SHEPERD'S PURSE

Description:

Long branches with a tiny white flower. The plant is a long green heart-shaped seed.

Parts used:

Little flower and bottom plant.

Preparation:

Drink as a tea.

Properties:

Helps to stop bleeding and irregular discharge, circulatory stimulant, helps urine flow.

CORNFLOWER

Description:

Gray green leaves and a striking blue flower, it can also be white or purple depending on the season.

Parts used:

Flower.

Preparation:

A digestive stimulant for indigestion when drink as a tea.

Properties:

Reduces stomach inflammation.

HAWTHORN

Description:

Small tree or shrub with deeply obovate leaves and pink or white flowers in spring. Dark red oval tree in autumn.

Parts used:

Top of the flower and fruit when ripe in autumn.

Preparation:

Tea -- Diarrhea, high blood pressure, gargling for sore throats and heavy menstrual bleeding.

Properties:

Normalizes blood pressure, a sedative and stops bleeding.

ROSE-BAY WILLOW HERB

Description:

A shiny pink tall flower with spikes and long, narrow toothed leaves.

Parts used:

Top of the flower during spring and roots collected in autumn.

Preparation:

Tea -- Roots and leaves are used for stomach upsets and diarrhea. Should be taken three times a day for better results. Flower is used for throat and mouth ulcers, taken only when urgently needed.

MEADOWSWEET

Description:

Usually found in damp ditches, the plant has pinnate leaves and large fluffy flower head which smells like aspirin.

Parts used:

Flower.

Preparation:

Crush flower and chew for easing pain and cold fever. Tea -- stomach upsets and after a meal is great for indigestion.

Properties:

Relieves mild pain, anti-acid, prevents stomach infection, increases sweating and helps urine flow.

CLEAVER

Description:

a weedy scrambling with whorls and stem leaves. Tiny green white flowers with round purple-green fruits.

Parts used:

flower before fruiting.

Preparation:

Chew and apply to wound for skin rash. Tea -- urinary infection and mild laxative.

Properties:

Laxative and cleans skin.

HERB ROBERTS or WILD GERANIUM

Description:

Red-tinged stems and divided palmated leaves. Shiny five petal flowers.

Parts used:

Whole plant, even roots.

Preparation:

Crush leaves and apply to skin, very effective to repulse insects Tea -- counters diarrhea, apply to skin for minor cuts and bruises.

WOOD AVENS

Description:

Slender long stems and spaced leaves with a small yellow flower. Purple fruits covered by a hairy bristles. The roots have a clove smell.

Parts used:

Flower and roots.

Preparation:

Tea -- relieves diarrhea and improves appetite after vomiting. Roots tea -- pain reliever for tooth and sore throats, must gargle. Tea can be use for external wounds.

Properties:

Prevents infection, reduces inflammation, restores weak stomach and reduces fever.

TOADFLAX

Description:

Slender thin pointed leaves and yellow flower in yellow and orange.

Parts used:

Whole flower.

Preparation:

It's a very effective liver flower and as a tea it stimulates digestion. Leaves chewed treat skin rash, wounds and sores.

Properties:

laxative stimulant and helps urine flows.

PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE

Description:

Long with shiny spiky purple flowers and hard fibery shiny leaves.

Parts used:

Flowers.

Preparation:

Tea externally -- apply to clean cuts and grazes.

Properties:

inhibits bacteria, helps urine flow, stops external bleeding and soothes skin.

BUTTERBUR

Description:

Long (200 cm) with 90 cm leaves, bell shaped pink or purple with dense reddish spikes.

Parts used:

Roots.

Preparation:

Tea -- boil with a little water to make cough syrup. Pain reliever for tension headaches and migraines.

Properties:

Helps urine flow, reduces tension and stops bleeding.

YELLOW DOCK

Description:

Purple flower with a robust tap root and long ovated leaves, with black hooked fruits.

Parts used:

Roots (don't eat the fruit)

Preparation:

Tea -- stimulates liver, relieves diarrhea and irritated sore throats; apply externally for itching skin.

Properties:

Laxative and stimulates gall bladder which aids the digestion of fats.

CHICKWEEED

Description:

Low-growing weed with a slender stem with round and small white star-shaped flowers.

Parts used:

Flowers.

Preparation:

Chewed to make ointments for skin rashes and burns.

Properties:

Counters itching and cooling.

DANDELLION

Description:

Looks like a margarite but without white middle and a pluffy hairy seed.

Parts used:

Roots and leaves.

Preparation:

Roots tea -- strong laxative and stimulates liver for digestion. Flower tea -- eye-bath for eye inflammation.

FENNEL

Description:

Long stems with multi-separated thin stems with yellow flowers.

Parts used:

Seeds.

Preparation:

Tea — helps digestion, flatulent reliever, mouthwash and cleans your teeth.

Properties:

Helps urine flower and circulatory stimulant.

CHAMOMILE

Description:

Another look-alike margarite with a hint smell of apple. Very popular as tea.

Parts used:

Flower.

Preparation:

Tea -- nervous stomach, nausea and insomnia. Chewed -- apply to skin wounds, muscle pains and skin rash.

Properties:

Anti-vomiting, reduces tensions and relieves flatulence.