Backyard Medicine
Mood:
lazy
Now Playing: Dandelion by the Rolling Stones
Topic: Herbs
Once upon a time I used herbs, and overcame sooooooo many problems I had. Then I ran out of money. Uh-oh! But you know what? I had a thought, and then I went to school and one of my instructors (Dr. Phil Fritchey) said the very same thing:
HERBS DON'T GROW IN A CAPSULE IN A MANUFACTURING FACILITY SOMEWHERE IN UTAH! HERBS GROW RIGHT UNDER OUR FEET!Why do the simplest things sometimes take such a long time to sink in? I knew that all along, but it somehow just didn't hit home.
So what's in my yard? All sorts of wonderful things! And I'll bet they are in your yard, as well...or at least I hope that they are!
I know some people pay lots of money to kill all those terrible "weeds." The weed killing companies do a good job of convincing us that weeds are nooooooo good!
Well, they're no good in a garden, perhaps...But then again...My garden is nothing but "weeds!" Hahaha! I wish I had a digital camera! I'd take a few pictures! You'd see! I mow all around the
good weeds! For instance, take a look at
common plaintain. Everyone has it, unless they use herbicides to poison their yard.
(I would strongly suggest that if herbicides/pesticides are used in the yard, not to go barefoot outside. What a shame, too, because God put really good medicine into the plants that were meant to be walked on in barefeet. People were not born with shoes!
Click here to view the risks.)There are two types of common plaintain: Broadleaf and lanceleaf. Both types grow plentiful in my backyard!
Plantago Major
Plantago Lanceolata
Plantain staunches bloodflow, encourages repair of damaged tissue, can be used in place of comfrey to treat bruises and broken bones, and is also used to relieve bee stings, insect and spider bites, poison ivy and rashes. What a nice thing to grow in the yard! Step on a bee? Grab plantain! It also has anti-inflammatory and anti-tumorous properties, and it works as an expectorant, demulcent and diuretic. The seeds are a mucilagionous laxative and anti-diabetic (psyllium). It is extremely useful to have!
Then there's my favorite! The dandelion! It's my favorite flower, I swear! They look so happy with their yellow faces, smiling in my yard everywhere!
Taraxacum Officianale
Dandelion is one of the most nutritionally dense plants that there is! It is very beneficial while breastfeeding. It is also very cleansing and healing to the kidneys, liver, gall bladder and spleen. It opens passages and is effective in removing obstructions. It is an excellent diuretic, and does not deplete minerals from the body, but rather supplies them. As dandelion works to reduce excess fluids in the body, it helps to control blood pressure. It is a bitter herb and is a very good aid to digestion when eating a few leaves before meals.
You can use them to make wishes, too!
When picking herbs from the yard to use in preparations--whether tinctures, teas, tossed salads, or ointments--it is best to stay at least 50ft from the road, so as to avoid car pollution contamination, particularly when using the leaves or other arial parts. Other than exhaust fumes, most herbs you'll find in your yard are safe. A good rule of thumb is to watch what the bunnies all eat!
Peppermint is a good herb we all recognize, but how many of us know it is more than a candy, or a flavoring for chewing gum? Peppermint is one of my most commonly used herbs in medicinal formulas, due to its activating effects upon the other herbs--It acts as a catalyst.
Mentha Piperita (Labiatae)
Peppermint is good for the digestion, and may be used for nausea, colic, vomiting, and spasmodic pain in the bowels. It provides symptomatic relief of asthma and chronic bronchitis, as well as being useful for toothaches and headaches.
Besides all of that, peppermint smells good to people and bad to mosquitos! What more can you ask for than that?!
A cousin of peppermint is the herb, Melissa, which is also
referred to as Lemon Balm, or Bee Balm.
Melissa Officinalis(Labiatae)
Bee Balm is easy to grow, and is very useful for treating bee stings, among other things. It has long been revered as a remedy for nervous system complaints, and as an effective treatment for mild depression, anxiety, restlessness, and irritability.
Melissa is said to lift the spirits and lighten the heart. Interestingly enough, it is also used to relieve heart palpitations. It has carminative, nervine, anti-spasmodic, anti-depressive, hypotensive, diaphoretic, anti-microbial, hepatic, and anti-viral actions.
Another herb good for both heart palitations and a heart heavy with meloncholy is the herb known as Motherwort.
Leonurus Cardiaca(Labiatae)
Motherwort is one of the best herbs to strengthen the heart and make the mind cheerful.
It is also a rememdy for the nerves and kidneys, and is useful in relieve premenstrual tension and pain. It is known to promote relaxation without bringing about drowsiness, making it a desirable anti-anxiety herb.
Motherwort is useful in cases of delayed menstruation, and should be avoided during times of heavy menstruation and pregnancy.
Another rather grand statement in my yard is made by the plentiful burdock plants that are growing quite large!
Niu Bang Zi (Chinese) This is the name for Burdock.
Burdock is widely used in both Western and Chinese herbal medicine as a powerful detoxifying herb. It helps the body to cleanse itself of waste products, and is thought to be particularly useful in eliminating heavy metals from within the blood. It has antibacterial and antifungal properties, is a diuretic, and has hypoglycemic effects. It is thought to strengthen the immune system and has anti-tumorous properties. Burdock is usueufl in any condition where toxicity is a key factor.
The only thing bad about burdock is all the burrs! They don't come out of hair too easily without using scissors...That goes for human as well as dog hair, so be careful when you harvest them! (The seeds are used to remove toxins in fevers and infections, such as measles and mumps.)
Poke is an extremely effective purgative herb, which is very useful, if you are trying to purge. However, if you are not trying to purge, you might want to go easy with poke!
Phytolacca Americana(Phytolaccaceae)When dealing with blocks, there is no more effective herb in all of nature to help clear the body of these. It works on the bowel, blood, lymphatic system and lungs. Poke was a traditional remedey for gout, fevers, and kidney stones, and today is recognized as one of the most promising cancer fighting herbs in existence and is currently the object of a great deal of study. It is excellent for cleaning lymphatic congestion as well as the liver.
The greens may be steamed and eaten, but drain water off 2-3 times duering cooking, due to the purgative effect. Poke is usually used in combination with other herbs, to balance the strong cleansing effects. Dandelion is a good choice. The berries of the poke plant are toxic. They can be cooked to remove the toxins and make preeparations, but other herbs are a better choice.
Isn't it nice that God put a safety feature into herbs such as this, which are powerful medicines, by making us vomit if we use too much of the herb? That makes me feel safe to know!
Comfrey, known also as knitbone, is a very highly regarded herb said to "heal all inward wouinds and ruptures." (K'Eogh, 1735)
Symphytum Officinale(Boraginaceae)
Comfrey is an extremely useful herb with a rich history of great healing, but it has come under scrutiny lately due to one of its alkaloids. The FDA advises against taking comfrey internally, due to the presence of trace amounts of phrrolizidine alkaloids. These same akaloids are found in greater amounts in spinach, as well as beer. It is advisable to use all of these products with care. The highest concentration, by far, is found in the root. The leaves are considered safe.
Historically, comfrey has been used both externally and internally with great success to treat a variety of conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome, ulcers, and respiratory complaints. Its reputation as an injury healer is unrivaled, as it has been used for thousands of years to promote the healing of brusies, sprains, fractures, and broken bones. It has also been used in the treatment of scars. In relation to skin, it has also been used effectively in the treatment of acne and boils as well as rashes and fungal skin infections.
Comfrey's healing power is so rapid and great, that it is not advisable to apply it directly to puncture wounds. In such cases, the wound may begin to heal so quickly that tissue may form over the wound before it is healed deeper down, with abscesses possibly forming. With deep wounds, Ajuga Reptans (Bugle) is a much better choice; otherwise, comfrey cannot be beat for bruises, boo boos, and breaks!
The last herb I am going to introduce you to from my yard this evening is the delicate little sweet tasting Ground Ivy!
Glechoma Hederacea(Labiatae)
Ground Ivy is one of those little herbs that the bunny rabbits just love so much! Do you know why? Because it is nice and sweet, and so totally safe...It's a very good choice for children.
Ground ivy was a popular treatment for chronic cough in medieval times, and was considered a valuable remedy for tinnitus, as well.
Ground ivy is a tonic, diuretic, and a decongestant. Throat and chest problems benefit from its use, and it is particularly well suited to problems involving the mucous memberanes of the ear, nose, throat. Additionally, it is useful in working with problems relating to the digestive system, such as gastritis, acid indigestion, and diarrhea. It is also considered to be of benefit to the kidneys. And it's a most pretty color of vibrant purple, as well!
I encourage you to take a closer look at the medicine you have in your own yard. What are those things you call weeds? Could the be God's gift to you, for use when you need some kind of answer to healing prayer? Has the answer been there all along?
Proper identification is very important, but remember, the body rejects what's not safe when the danger comes (in small doses) from a natural source. The roots of a plant are generally the strongest. If a rabbit can get to it, and if it goes back for more, then chances are you'll be safe. Either that, or you'll throw up or otherwise eliminate.
As a beginner, I would recommend that you stick with what you know. We all know dandelions, I'm sure! Dandelions, red clover, peppermint, lemon balm...these kinds of herbs are sure bets!
May I recommend that you obtain a couple of books to help with identification. It's good to have more than one, due to differences in photography. A few books that I like a lot are The Enclycopedia of Medicinal Plants, by Andrew Chavalier, and the Peterson Field Guide along with A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants
Herbs are God's gifts to us for providing the nourishment our bodies need to sustain our good health. They were given to us as food.
~Genesis 1:29
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
If you have a few more dandelions or other "good weeds" than you'd like, they may be effectively dealt with in a way so as not to harm the environment and expose yourself and others, including children and animals, to the hazards of chemical intervention. Please treat your lawn naturally! Here is some help in learning how!
Newsletter featuring ways to make your yard chemical free!.
Enjoy!
And remember...Good Health is a Natural Thing!
Mary Jo Eshelman, ND, CTN, CNHP
All Natural HealthWorks!
Holistic Education and Research Unlimited...
The information presented is the author's personal and professional opinion, and is intended for educational purposes only. Nothing printed here is designed to take the place of a physician's advice. If you are experiencing problems with your health, it is recommended that you consult with a licensed health care professional. All Natural HealthWorks! is not responsible for any damages or ill-effects resulting from the information presented herein, nor do we make any recommendations regarding your health. We are simply here as a resource for you in making your own choices for your health yourself.