Ten Great Medicinal Herbs for Prepping Your “Doomsday” Garden (Part I)

This article is the first in a two-part series on Medicinal Herbs.

Herbal Medicine

Modern medicine has tried to ridicule it, but the truth is that herbal medicine has always been around. The natural cycle has been altered only by contemporary man.

However, many countries still use herbal medicine in many parts of the world, and if something catastrophic were to happen, we’d be on our own for medical supplies just like those countries. So, starting an herbal garden is a fantastic idea when prepping for a world-altering disaster.

You never know when that day will come, and we’d all be cut off from medical care. It would help if you started by developing an herbal library; this will help you learn what each herb and herb combination can do.

There are a lot of terrific books about herbal medicine out there. But there’s one that tops them all and is considered the bible of herbs.

If you decide to buy two or three herbal medicine books, PDR for Herbal Medicines is essential to add to your collection. It has current research on every herb, folk remedy effects, scientifically documented effects, and prescription drug interactions.

It’s impossible to create a complete list of every effective herb you need to grow, but this is a partial list of the top must-have medicinal herbs that could be grown in almost any garden. The other half of the list will follow in my next post.

Aloe Vera

This plant is beneficial for treating you internally and externally.

For external use, the gel is well-known for soothing damaged skin from burns, such as sunburn, and for minimizing the risk of blistering. It can also be used to soothe skin rubbed with aloe. However, it’s also great for minor skin infections, acne, treating cuts, eczema, itching, hair loss, dry skin, arthritis, insect bites, and fungal infections.

You can also drink the aloe vera juice. But be warned, the juice is quite bitter, so you’ll want to mix it with something to hide the taste. Drinking aloe vera juice helps with digestion and is a good laxative.

However, drink only a small amount if you have to use it as a laxative because some people could experience bad cramping. It’s also said to be good for ulcers, strengthen the immune system, treat colitis, diabetes, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and aid in managing cancer.

Cayenne Pepper

This is an excellent source of Vitamin C and a popular chili spice, and Cayenne Pepper has many medicinal uses.

If applied topically, it relieves headaches and eases toothaches on a short-term basis, and it’s a good aid for arthritis and rheumatism.

Adding cayenne pepper to tea helps relieve congestion associated with a cold and can alleviate flu-related symptoms. You can gargle with it if you have a sore throat; it’s a powerful blood flow stimulant and, when mixed with parsley and garlic, helps lower blood pressure.

Cayenne pepper is also very effective in repelling heart attacks. In addition, it helps reduce asthma symptoms and supports digestion, including relief from gas, stomach aches, and cramps; it can be used to control external and internal bleeding.

Chamomile

We’re all familiar with chamomile tea and how chamomile can aid in better sleep. But did you know that it has other uses?

It’s also used topically as a paste for rashes, ulcers, burns, and infections. It can be applied as an oil and helps treat eczema and neuralgia. If, after a catastrophic situation, you’re lucky enough to gather enough water for a bath, you can hang some chamomile flowers in a mesh bag on the tap and let the water run over the bag. Chamomile added to your bath water will help relieve the pain of cystitis and hemorrhoids.

Used as a tea, chamomile can help with various symptoms, including gas, menstrual cramps, diarrhea, morning sickness, stomach cramps, fever, headaches, indigestion, colds, vomiting, poor digestion, nausea, nervousness, congestion, and stress. Chamomile can also be used as a warm compress for eye and ear problems. For babies, it’s excellent for teething pain and colic.

Chamomile flowers can be inhaled as steam, which will help with asthma, respiratory problems, sinusitis, and hay fever.

Dandelion

Did you ever imagine that the dreaded lawn weed could benefit you? Well, it is.

It’s incredibly high in Vitamin C and Vitamin A, and while some people put it in salads, there are various things that this weed is good for.

You can make dandelion root tea or coffee, or mix it with warm milk and a bit of sweetener. It’s very safe for you to drink and enjoy — like coffee, you can have as much as you want without worrying about caffeine. As a tea, it’s known to improve the function of the pancreas, liver, stomach, gallbladder, intestines, and spleen, reduce inflammation associated with cirrhosis and hepatitis, and enhance bile flow.

Dandelion tea also assists with gastric disorders, indigestion, constipation, blood cleansing, basic fatigue, and sluggishness. In addition, it regulates blood sugar levels and deals with the discomfort of digestive disorders.

The white sap from the roots or stems of the dandelion can be applied directly to the skin to ease the discomfort of bee stings and sores; it can eliminate acne, warts, and calluses, and alleviate the signs of gout.

Echinacea

Echinacea is one powerful herb. It helps strengthen the immune system, allowing you to fight off sore throats, colds, bronchitis, and flu more effectively. Plus, it helps clear mucus from the respiratory tract for specific conditions, is a potent anti-inflammatory, and treats urinary tract infections.

When used topically, this is also great for wounds and helps alleviate arthritis pain.

You now have a terrific start on the herbs you’ll need for your garden. You can find Part II here.