Please check the Cautions and Warnings page before proceeding further!!
Check
the HERBAL INDEX for warnings and
cautions about specific herbs and plants as well as directions for harvesting
and drying.
Our Earth is a wealth
of medicines, cosmetics, cleaning aids and insecticides if we only know how to
find and use them!! Modern Science is increasingly confirming that what our
ancestors once knew about everything from cranberries to herbs was valuable
knowledge. Even on the pharmacy shelves there are many drugs that are actually
natural remedies in clever disguise! Digitoxin used to treat cardiac conditions
is derived from the foxglove plant, cortisone mimics an ingredient in
sarspirilla, even aspirin is a synthesized version of salicin which was
originally obtained from willow and poplar bark!!
It becomes increasingly evident that some herbal know-how is
extremely beneficial to us all. It helps us create a more independent and
earth-friendly place on this earth. This is not to say that we should abandon
our doctors completely but instead help them out by taking better care of
ourselves.
One important thing to remember, Mother Nature can harm as well
as heal so always respect your ingredients. Always follow directions carefully
and use the part of the plant specified and the correct amount. Keep in mind
that certian people have sensitivites to certain plants and watch your
reactions carefully. Always know your plants well before putting them in your
body! You are your own pharmacist, treat that job seriously!!
| Identifying and Harvesting
Plants Unless you are growing your own, it is usually best to trust a health food store for ingredients. If you are growing your own, double check the Latin name on the seed packets, some common names can be deceptive. Also, some seeds are sold pre-treated with insecticides, make sure that your seeds and fertilizers are organic or you may get some unwanted results!! Harvesting in the wild is best left to the experts. Many medicinal plants are very difficult to discern from their more toxic relatives. Also watch out for possible contaminants. While most everyone can correctly identify dandelion, are you equally sure that that area hasn't been treated with a weed killer? Once you have fully identified plants the trick is to harvest them at their peak. If you are gathering the leaves of the plant, harvest when the flower has budded but is not yet open. If it's the root you need the general rule is to harvest them in the autumn. Bark should be gathered in late winter or early spring, flowers when first opened and seeds when first ripe. It is best to dry plant parts slowly in the shade and make sure they don't get wet or they will ferment or mold. Annuals should be harvested completely and perrenials pruned by about 1/3. Hang the herbs in small bunches or strip the leaves and lay them on clean paper or screens. They should be left outside in the shade during the day but brought inside at night to avoid moisture. Once the plant parts are brittle and dry, bottle them to preserve their flavor. |
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| Infusions and Tisanes Making an infusion or a tisane is like making tea with a long steep time (10 to 20 mins). It is used when the soluble elements of a plant need to be "unlocked" to be useful. The hot water in an infusion helps this process along. Not all infusions are meant to be taken internally. SOme are meant to be put in a compress or simply inhaled so always read directions carefully! |
Decocotions For tougher plants, like barks and roots, you need a decocotion. For this process you bring the plant to a boil and simmer for 10 to 20 mins. Some herbalists reccommend that you soak the plant overnight in cold water before boiling. Both infusions and decoctions can be refridgerated for several days and re-heated for use. |
Tinctures A tincture is another method of extracting the beneficial substance from a plant. With tinctures you soak the plant in a solvent such as alcohol. Alcohol based tinctures are usually highly concentrated and are used by the drop. Alcohol is also a wonderful preservative, so tinctures can be kept unrefridgerated for up to two years! |
| Poultices and Plasters A poultice or a plaster is a mixture of dried or fresh herbs, dampened with water and applied externally to the affected area. A poultice is usually a hot application while a plaster is sometimes room temperature. Sometimes a poultice can be a single broad leaf such as cabbage, bound with a hot damp cloth and applied to the skin, some poultices are best applied between layers of cheesecloth to protect the skin. A compress, also called a fomentation, is made of a clean cloth dipped in a liquid. |
Salves and Ointments Salves and ointments are essentially creams or lotions. Most start with an herb or herb blend macerated in oil then mixed with warm beeswax, petroleum jelly or a water based lotion. Liniments are simply oil-based formulas that are massaged into the skin. They may contain heat producing agents such as cayenne. The idea of a liniment is to increase blood flow to an affected area so that it is cleansed through more stimulating circulation. |
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| Remedies and Recipes | ||
| Arthritis | Asthma | Catarrh |
| Colds | Coughs | Earache |
| Fever | Insect Bites and Stings | Itching |
| Poison Ivy | Rheumatism | Sore Throats |