It’s a new year and in 2014 we’re going to help provide you with even more valuable info you need to prepare for whatever may happen down the road. This is the first in a two part series on Medicinal Herbs. With the wonderful “Affordable Care Act” officially in full swing as of January 1st, these may be some pretty handy preps to have around! Just kidding… sorta.
Herbal Medicine
Modern medicine has tried to ridicule it, but the real truth is that herbal medicine has always been around. The natural cycle has only been altered because of modern man.
However, there are countries in many parts of the world that still use herbal medicine and if something catastrophic were to happen we’d be on our own for medical supplies just like those countries. This is why, when prepping for a world-altering disaster, it’s a fantastic idea to start an herbal garden. You just never know when that day will come and we’d all be cut off from medical care. You should start by focusing on developing an herbal library; this will help you learn what each herb and herb combinations can do for you.
There are a lot of terrific books about herbal medicine out there. But there’s one that tops them all and is thought to be the bible of herbs. If you decide to buy two or three herbal medicine books, this book, PDR for Herbal Medicines, 4th Edition
It’s impossible to create a complete list of every effective herb that 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 on Monday!
Aloe Vera
This plant is exceptionally useful for treating you internally as well as externally.
For external treatment, the gel is well-known for soothing the damaged skin caused by burns, like sunburns; just rub aloe on the affected skin and it will minimize the chance of blistering. 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, if you have to use it as a laxative, drink only a small amount because some people could experience bad cramping from it. It’s also said to be good for ulcers, strengthens the immune system, colitis, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and an aid to manage cancer.
Cayenne Pepper
Not only is this a great source of Vitamin C and a popular chili spice, but 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.
If you add cayenne pepper to tea, it helps relieve congestion that comes with a cold and also can relieve symptoms caused by the flu. You can gargle with it if you have a sore throat; it’s a powerful blood flow stimulant and when it’s mixed with parsley and garlic, helps to lower blood pressure. Cayenne pepper is also very effective in repelling heart attacks. It helps to reduce asthma symptoms; assists with digestion problems like gas, stomach aches and cramps; it can be utilized as a control for 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. As an oil, it can be applied 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 assist in alleviating the pain of cystitis and hemorrhoids.
Used as a tea, chamomile can help a variety of symptoms such as gas, menstrual cramps, diarrhea, morning sickness, stomach cramps, fever, headaches, indigestion, colds, vomiting, poor digestion, nausea, nervousness, congestion, stress and as a warm compress for eye and ear problems. For babies, it’s great for teething pain and colic.
Chamomile flowers can be inhaled as a steam which will help with asthma, respiratory problems, sinusitis and hay fever.
Dandelion
Did you ever imagine that the dreaded lawn weed could be good for you? Well, it is!
It’s extremely 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 the dandelion root into a tea, coffee or mix it with warm milk and a bit of sweetener and it’s very safe for you to drink and enjoy—as a coffee you can have as much as you want and not have to worry about caffeine! As a tea, it’s known to improve pancreas, liver, stomach, gallbladder, intestines and spleen; reduces inflammation of cirrhosis and hepatitis and enhances bile flow. Dandelion tea also assists with gastric disorders, indigestion, constipation, blood cleansing, basic fatigue and sluggishness. It regulates blood sugar levels and deals with the discomfort of digestive disorders.
The white sap from the roots or stems of the dandelion may be put right on the skin in order to ease the discomfort of bee stings and sores; it can eliminate acne, warts and calluses as well as alleviate the signs of gout.
Echinacea
This is one powerful herb! It assists in strengthening the immune system; thus, allowing you to be able to fight better against sore throats, colds, bronchitis and flu. Plus, it helps clear mucus from the respiratory tract for specific conditions, is a strong anti-inflammatory and treats urinary tract infections.
When used topically, this is also great for wounds and is utilized to alleviate arthritis pain.
This is a terrific start for the herbs you’ll need for your garden. If you had this post forwarded to you, be sure to sign-up using the box in the right sidebar for more prepping information including Part II when the other five herbs are explored next week!
At *your* service,
