I did a search within this site to see if anyone has posted any medicinal herbs. I didn't find anything, although 'herb' apparent brings up roscoe who loves his herbs.
I did not compile this information. My sister in law copied from somewhere and sent it to me years ago. I'd suggest printing it out.
Peppermint (Mentha Piperita)
USE: Peppermint is one of the best all around herbs going. It has antispasmodic qualities that help cramps and stomach pain. It aids digestion and lessens the amount of time food spends in the stomach by stimulating the gastric lining, and it also relieves gas. It is good for stomachache, nausea, heartburn and vomiting. Anyone who has had the flu knows how bad your mouth starts to taste after a while. We, sometimes, mix a drop or two of peppermint oil into water, stir and sip it when we have been sick. It makes your mouth taste better, and it helps calm your upset stomach. This herb calms the body, and it even works on coughs. A strong cup of tea and lying down for a bit can reduce migraine symptoms. It works on colic in kids and babies, and I had read in an old Herb book called Culpeper's Herbal, which was written back in the 1700's, that it can reduce fevers. A friend of mine, who had a daughter of 4 yrs., had been battling a fever with the child for over three days. They were alternating between tylenol and some other fever reducer, so that they could give it to her every two hours. She was running between 102 and 103 degrees, and my friend was afraid the doctor would put her in the hospital. I remembered reading that it could help, so I suggested it to my friend. She made a cup of hot peppermint tea for her daughter, and within three hours the fever broke. I have never seen anything about that in more modern herbals, but it worked. Peppermint has a very refreshing quality about it, so drinking it as cold tea can give you a mental pick-me-up, and amazingly, it can help with insomnia. Lastly, you can mix peppermint essential oil into a carrier oil to help relieve sore muscles by stimulating blood flow to a problem area or injury. An example of carrier oils would be, Almond Oil, Sesame Oil, and even Mineral Oil, but that one goes rancid quicker. Most essential oils are too strong to put directly on your skin, because they are highly concentrated and will burn or cause irritation, so it is necessary to mix ten or so drops into 2 or 3 ounces of the carrier oil, and use that way.
GROWING: It is very easy to grow. It loves all soil types, but especially rich soil that gets lots of water. It is a perennial, so it comes back every year with little or no effort. Cut stems as they get long and dry thoroughly. Crunch the leaves off the stems, once dried, into a large paper bag, so you have room to work. Then put them in smaller bags and label. To use, simply put leaves in a tea ball, place in your cup and pour boiling water over them.
Let them steep for about 5 minutes, and you have your tea. Adding sugar or honey helps to take the herb straight into your system, because the herb piggy-backs the sugar and is absorbed directly.
Garlic (Alluim Sativum)
Garlic has been called the herbal world's version of a wonder drug. One of the main ingredients in garlic is Allicin, which works like an antibiotic, and reacts by changing itself into many sulfides and sulfur compounds. Boiling, and I believe cooking at all, will weaken or kill the allicin, and cause the garlic to actually benifit bacteria. Throughout the history of the world, Garlic has been used, even as far back as the Egyptians, who fed it to their slaves to give them stamina and keep them healthy. (An interesting side bar here ... I read an article in which they did research on garlic using hunting dogs, and half the pack was fed garlic in their food, the other half wasn't. To exercise the animals they use to get them to run behind a farm truck, chasing a decoy inside, for a couple of miles. After three months, the dogs that had been fed the garlic were able to stay with the truck, and were much less exhausted, while the half who did not get the garlic, were about 150 yards behind the truck and very tired.) Dr. Schweitzer treated amebic dysentery, cholera and typhus, back in the 50's, when he was a missionary in Africa with Garlic, and it was widely used on the battlefields during the 1st and 2nd World War, before antibiotics became readily available. Today, one of the main uses of Garlic, is as a preventive for heart disease. Scientists have found that it opens blood vessels and thins the blood, as well as lowering levels of cholesterol. Garlic is known to kill some harmful fungi and bacteria, and works like an broad range antibiotic on minor health problems like: bronchitis, laryngitis, sinusitis, sore throat, coughs, colds, Candida, and even athlete's foot fungus. During the 1st World Was it was used with sphagnum moss that had been sterilized and soaked in garlic oil, to cover infected injuries, and it had much success in preventing gangrene. I have seen an article somewhere, though I can't find it, stating that Garlic juice was used as a disinfectant, and I think the ratio stated a few parts per million, would kill virus and surface bacteria. At the very least, I would be confident that three or four severely mashed up cloves in a bucket of water, would do the trick. Modern science has even seen evidence that it can destroy some cancer cells and research is currently being done in that area. It works as a digestive aid, relieves gas, and heats the body to help promote sweating, thereby expelling toxins from the system. CAUTION: Eating 10 or more raw garlic cloves in a day can be toxic. According to "Earl Mindell's Herb Bible", two or three cloves a day will give optimum benefits. Personally, eating the cloves raw was a little harsh for me, until my dad taught me to cover the clove in peanut butter. Makes it a lot easier to chew up and swallow, and I have no problems doing it that way. When I feel a cold coming on, I reach for the garlic cloves! I can't begin to cover all the things garlic benefits here, but if you are interested in learning more, get a copy of the book, "The Garlic Book ... Nature's Powerful Healer", by Stephen Fulder, Ph.D. , and read up! It is available for about $8.95 from Avery Publishing Group.
Growing: They grow well in containers or gardens, and like rich, free draining soil. Plant single clove buds 3-4 inches apart and 1 inch deep. They take 6-8months to grow to harvest size and planting can vary. There are many varieties to coincide with varied climates. Some plant in early November to be harvested in July, others plant in September for a summer crop, or plant in February for a fall harvest. It depends on the type of garlic, so read up! Additionally, the growing shoots can be cut for salads or cooking, and they can be planted in with fast growing salads to maximize your growing space.
Catnip (Nepeta Cataria)
Catnip, which is in the mint family, is a wonderful herb. Some of you are familiar with it, because you have cats, and like to watch them act crazy when they are around it, but Catnip has the opposite effect on people. When taken by humans, it has a calming action, because it is a mild sedative, that can relax and bring about sleep. It isn't like a drug sedative that makes you groggy, but it relaxes naturally. A hot cup of Catnip tea with some cream and a bit of honey can really be great after a stressful day, and Catnip has a very pleasant flavor. In Europe, the herb is used to treat diarrhea and bronchitis, and because it has a warming effect on the body, it can promote sweating. Another use for this herb is for cramps and stomach upset, as it can ease gas and indigestion.
Growing: Catnip is very easy to grow, just like most mints, it will grow like crazy just about anywhere it has some moisture, and it is a perennial, so it comes back year after year. I harvest it throughout the growing season, once the stems get some height to them. See my other post on "Harvesting Herbs and Making Tinctures and Syrups".
Lungwort (Pulmonaria Officinalis)
This herb, in a combined tincture with Marshmallow Root is my remedy of choice for chest congestion, bronchitis and upper respiratory infections. Lungwort works to break up lung congestion, as it has good expectorant qualities, and helps with coughs and hoarseness. It is very soothing to the throat, and as an added benifit, can cure diarrhea. This works well on a stomach virus that has a cough with it. One caution here, I said above that I mix the Lungwort and Marshmallow Root together, but I would suggest that if you are interested in trying these herbs, harvest and tincture them out seperately, and try each seperately, before you attempt to mix them, to make sure your system isn't sensitive to them. Then only mix a portion of your herb or tinctures, about what you think you will use for the illness. I have said previously, I am not a doctor, but am relating to you information I have learned by my own trials. It is always best if you see an herb you want to try, to do some research on your own, and learn all you can about the herb in question.
Growing: I can't give you much advise on growing this herb, as I have always bought the dried herb and made my own tincture out of it. I have, however, purchased seed this year, and I intend to start a crop to go with my Marshmallow, so hopefully I can update this part by mid summer. The leaves are the part used, and I can tell you that Lungwort is a perennial, so once planted, it will return every year.
Marshmallow (Althea Officinalis)
Marshmallow has a variety of applications. It is used to treat ulcers, colitis and enteritis, because when combined with water, it's high mucilage content makes a gel-like substance that is very soothing on irritated mucous membranes thus helping to relieve the pain. It also works great on a sore, raw throat and chest, caused by coughing and bronchitis. It is a wonderful expectorant for coughs, and it helps to calm the body. I use the root of this plant to tincture out, and mix equal amounts of Marshmallow and Lungwort tincture for my upper respiratory infections. Works great for me, and I will take about half a dropper full, four or five times a day of the tinctured liquid, until I am better.
Growing: This is an easy plant to grow, and it is another perennial, so it returns every year. The stalks get about three and a half feet high, and the roots increase yearly. I have it planted in my back border, which gets a medium amount of afternoon sun, and it flourishes.
Dandelion (Taraxacuм Officinale)
Dandelion is a truly remarkable herb, although most people look at is as being a weed, but then again, most herbs are weeds ... at least to those, ignorant of their true value. To begin with, Dandelion greens are totally edible, although the younger leaves tend to be more tender for that purpose. Cut the leaves off close to the ground, but don't damage the heart of the plant. In the summer, the leaves have a slight bitter taste, but in the winter they are mild and smooth. They cook up like salad greens, and with a little seasoning, ham bouillon cubes maybe, are quite good, especially if you are hungry ... and they are good for digestion! Additionally, they have a cleansing effect on the blood, which helps to detox your body. These pesky little "weeds" are rich in minerals, Vitamin C, silicic acids, tannins, aklaloids, iron, potassium, and lecithin. The iron may be enough to prevent iron-deficiency anemia. The lecithin helps lower cholesterol, and it is believed by researchers that lecithin can protect against cirrhosis of the liver. It is a natural diuretic, which unlike prescription fluid pills, contain large amounts of potassium, which it puts into your body. One of the harmful side effects of fluid pills, is that they deplete the body's levels of potassium, which is needed in conjunction with sodium, to regulate your body's water balance, which in turn normalized the heart rhythms. Lowering the body's fluid levels may also aid in lowering blood pressure, by reducing the amount of fluid the heart has to pump. Dandelion has been found to enhance gallbladder and liver function, and has been used on patients with liver disorders and jaundice. Eating the fresh stalks for a couple of weeks can help with skin rashes, diabetes, rheumatism and kidney stones ... or drink a cup of the tea to achieve the same effect. The root of the plant can be taken, washed, cut into small pieces and roasted in the oven for between 10 and 15 minutes at a temperature of 450-480 degrees, and then ground to produce a caffeine-free coffee substitute. Digging the root for this purpose is best done in the spring and fall. (One note here - some people are allergic to dandelion)
Growing: Duhhh! Look out your back door! (Sorry, I just couldn't resist joking for a second there) One tip though, don't gather them from road sides or places where they could have come in contact with pesticides, fertilizer, or contaminents. There are some species that you can grow on purpose, a couple being the "Vollherziger", "Lyonel" and the "Nouvelle". These last two grow well in winter, and all in this group have been grown for vegetable gardens, with a less bitter taste. They grow well in full sun to part shade, with rich, deep, loose soil > or anywhere you don't want them to grow!
Milk Thistle (Cardus Marianus)
Here is an interesting herb that is fairly unknown in this country, which is more the pity, but in Europe it is a well known tonic for the liver. It contains something called, Silymarin, which is a flavonoid that has a direct effect on liver cells. These substances work with Vitamin C. Now basically, your liver is what cleans and filters the poisons out of your body, and that is critical to maintaining good health. The liver produces bile, which your body needs to break down fats, and it detoxifies the poisons in our bloodstream, like alcohol, nicotine, pollutants, etc. Basically, it takes substances that are lethal, and converts them into less harmful substances. Vitamins A, D, E and K are also stored in the liver. Now the liver is the only organ that can regenerate itself, and if part of the liver is removed, it will grow back. How cool is that? Milk Thistle detoxes the liver and improves overall liver function, along with helping stimulate the production of new liver cells. This is especially helpful in people who have inflammation of the liver, hepatitis, cirrhosis or are around pollutants or smoke. When my dog's got sick over the Diamond Dog Food Recall a year ago, I lost two of them. Their liver was so poisoned that it killed them. The vet told me there was nothing that could be done, and that it would have to run it's course. I was frantically doing research trying to find a way to save them. Sadly, I lost the two females, and even sadder, I learned about the Milk Thistle too late. According to the Homeopathic Vet books, it is advisible to put dogs over 5 or 6 years old, on Milk Thistle for one month out of the year to clean out the poisons that are in the commercial dog foods. I believe this is true of humans as well. I think the longer you live, the more toxins your liver absorbs, and once our bodies are full of toxins, cancer and a million other terrible things follow. I, personally, take Milk Thistle in capsule form, for at least a week or so out of every month. I haven't found seed for Milk Thistle, so currently, unless I buy the commercial capsules or find it in the wild, I don't have it. Milk Thistle is also being used as a treatment for Amanita Mushroom poisoning, which kills you by destroying your liver. According to the information, the treatment only works if you give if shortly after the poisonous mushrooms have been ingested. I can't say for sure, but I would imagine that this herb would be helpful in most poisoning situations where the liver was involved. I am still searching for the seed, so I really can't advise you on growing this herb. ]
Topic: Medicinal Herbs (Read 1263 times)