Herbal remedies when modern meds not available

[OKIE LADY]

You know, growing up here in Oklahoma (and Thank God I still live here), most of us have lived through a fairly good and wholesome life (give or take). Over the past 6 years, though, it's like we've been forced to board some sort of run-away train that will NEVER return to that same peace we used to know.

Most of us are not seeing the end of the world, BUT what we do see is the closing of one era and the birth of another. It's like a transition of the ages (ie: Stone Age to the Bronze Age), the difference being, up until now we've pretty much progressed. If you're like me though, it's becoming more apparent we may have reached the pinnacle of the mountain and are suddenly backsliding into a deep crater.

If you're over 55 years old perhaps you're “feeling” a strange change on the horizon; and it DOESN'T feel good! If you had told me 10 years ago I'd be writing these words, I'd have called you a “crazy paranoid Hippie” but who, more than Baby Boomers, can deny the constant unpredictable climate changes, increasing crop failures, the disappearance of Honeybees, economic insanity, GMO gone wild, chemicals in our food, water, and medications; not to mention our government becoming a Socialistic Police State!

Working as a Pharmacy Technician for over 25 years, I wasn't particularly fond of herbal meds or cures (I considered most of them quackery or poison). But waking up in a world full of shortages, etc., and the fact that I have Grandchildren I feel a responsibility to, their health being of the most importance, I'm giving herbal remedies a serious chance. After all, where in the heck do we think the majority of drugs (past and present) have come from------plants!! The drugs that do not come from plants, or are synthetics based on plants, BUT instead are those drugs manufactured solely from man-made chemicals, are the majority of medications that have been recalled or have had serious side effects. Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, I know, my Pharmacist friends will give me a dozen good meds from chemical-based synthetics (like the particular chemotherapy that helped my Mom die faster than Cancer would have) but, okay, I'm becoming older and wiser.

Finally, I'm realizing my Grandmother's home remedies weren't so stupid after all, and most were considerably more Healthy! So, if you'd like to share some of YOUR herbal remedy recipes or basic information, then please add to the thread. I am interested in conversing and learning from others who share my interest in herbs, herbal remedies, herbal cleaners, lotions, etc. Thanks for your input!

 

[OKIE LADY]

THE WONDER OF MINT

Mint is one of the easiest herbs to grow; in fact, if you're not careful, it can quickly take over a garden or space. It has a wonderful aroma, makes healthy teas, fragrant potpourris, and can even help in the ridding of bugs. Because mint has soothing and anesthetic properties, it is excellent for homemade body-care products. Mint doesn't reproduce true from seed, so get a cutting from someone or purchase from your local plant provider. Here are some great reasons to add mint to your herb list. NOTE: To be safe, use ONLY Peppermint.

Mint helps fill your yard with beneficial insects. The small flowering clusters on mint are very rich in pollen and nectar so insects, like honeybees and hoverflies, stay nearby.

Mint is refreshing in iced tea. Add sprigs of fresh mint to pitchers of water or iced tea. See NOTE at bottom.

Two tablespoons of freshly chopped peppermint added to chocolate chip cookie dough adds a wonderful twist. See NOTE at bottom.

Peppermint Tea is a wonderful way to ease an upset stomach. Peppermint helps calm the digestive tract and curb indigestion, gas and abdominal cramping. See NOTE below.

To soothe hiccups, pour a glass of lukewarm water, add a couple of squeezes of fresh lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and a few mint leaves. Drink to get rid of the problem. See NOTE at bottom.

Peppermint Essential Oil can boost your mood and reduce feelings of nausea. Just add a couple drops to a clean handkerchief and breathe in.

Mint soothes aching feet thanks to the pain-relieving properties of menthol, a compound found in mint. Combine 1 cup of sea salt, 1/3 cup olive oil,and 6 drops Peppermint Essential Oil. Scrub feet then rinse.

CAUTION &
NOTE: Mint has over 600 varieties. While most mint is safe, PENNYROYAL
can be very harmful if ingested. Pennyroyal contains Pulegone, a powerful
Insecticide. While Pennyroyal can be planted in the garden for bugs, NEVER
consume it. It is toxic to humans and animals and can cause death and liver
damage. Pennyroyal Essential Oil is so concentrated it should be considered
a poison. Consuming just a few teaspoons can cause death in humans or pets

** KNOW which mint is in your yard, WHAT your friend gives you, or WHAT you purchase. NOT knowing could be a BIG mistake! To be on the safe side, I use ONLY Peppermint.

 

[OKC9-12LEDR1]

Thanks for starting this thread Okie Lady. I share your passion for herbal and essential oils as alternatives to modern medicine. My mother has been involved with a host of different supplement and 2 essential oil companies. All of these were MLM (Multi level marketing) businesses and for that reason above all others, I steered away from getting involved. First off because I detest MLM businesses and secondly I was young and dumb and took my health for granted. I got my slap up side the head moment a few years ago when I developed a hypertension condition (high blood pressure). My wife of going on 40 years now had already been dealing with MS for over 20 years and was also being adversely effected by a thyroid condition. She was really starting to decline from the effects of these auto immune diseases. Despite the MS, she loved to spend time at the gym. She did aerobics for years, loved to run, but we could see a marked decline in her abilities to live something of a normal life. All of these problems we were developing in our later years prompted me to look into alternatives to taking the pink pills modern medicine was pushing on us. I have found a whole new world I didn't know existed, nor cared for that matter until it effected me / us directly.

I am what I call a serous prepper, to most I am just paranoid. To each his own. Having the prepper mindset that I do, being reliant on how many pills I could store up in case things go bad in this country didn't make a lot of sense. I set off on my own journey of discovery. Right off I realized that this was something that would take time, a lot of time to learn.

The first herb I looked at to help with my wife's thyroid condition was Kelp. Like any herb, the list of possible herbal actions was quite long. The thing that caught my eye was the amount of natural iodine that it contained. My wife determined with a quick self test that she was extremely deficient in iodine. A drop of iodine on the skin should take roughly 24 hours to disappear and dissolve into the skin. Hers was gone in 3 hours. She looked at some online sources and found she had 28 of the 30 symptoms of a hypothyroid condition. Most anyone else would have gone to the hospital, ended up on a cupboard full of expensive pills and been a slave to them for the rest of her probably shorter life.

I had already started to buy up several herbs, both cut and powdered. I made up several capsules of powdered Kelp, and made a tea consisting of
Calendula - which is also high in iodine
Chamomile - high in vitamins B1, B2, B3, calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Niacin, Selenium and Zinc
Peppermint - high in vitamins B1, B2, B3, C, Chromium, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese and Selenium
Spearmint - This one is added for taste
Dandelion - E, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Zinc
Yellow Dock - B1, B2, B3, B5, C, Chromium, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Selenium
Licorice - B3, Magnesium

I saw a marked improvement in her in just 48 hours, in 72 hours she was a different person. That was over 2 years ago. Fast forward to now, my wife can now spend time at the gym once again. I often find her running through the neighborhood on my drive home from work. This fall, once it cooled down, she ran a 10K in 59 minutes. That is 1 minute for each year of age. She started that when she was 45. I could see the smile on her face, the excitement in her voice that she was able to once again reach her goal. Now she is talking how she will some day run a 10K in 80 minutes. I hope we are both around here in 21 years to see her do that.

It has been a daily regime for me for over 2 years now to make us both an herbal tea in the morning, along with refilling a host of herbal capsules. I recently went to see a lady friend of mine who is a master herbalist. I met with her to ask her opinion on the herbs and oils we were both taking. She agreed with all of what I was doing, but did tell me that was combining some herbs that should not be combined. Not that that caused any real problem, it was that certain herbs will negate the effects of others if taken at the same time. Some herbs contain Tannins, those will prevent the absorption of other vitamins and minerals if taken together. Now I am combining herbs like Spirulina, beat root and hawthorn leaf into a single capsule rather than individual ones. Those I take in the morning and those with the Tannins like Bilberry, Nettle and Valerian I take at night. I mix Kelp, Black Walnut Hull and Chamomile together in capsules. I also have a blend of the hot herbs, Cayenne, Garlic and Cinnamon that I take after lunch. An excellent heart herb for those with BP conditions is Hawthorn Leaf.

My herbalist friend suggested that I look into getting more Omega 3 oils into my system, that would help with my heart health. I started eating Chia seeds but I have found that that is only half of the equation, I have just ordered some Krill oil supplements, many say that is a better source for Omega 3 than salmon oil.
Make sure if you are taking salmon oils, find out where the fish being used are harvested. Many of them are taken from the waters near Alaska. Those regions have been extremely polluted by the Fukushima disaster and you should look for an alternative. Krill comes mostly from the waters around the antarctic and are more pure than those in Salmon.

One of the biggest challenges I ran up against in my quest for knowledge in herbs and oils was how many different actions there were for each herb. How do you know which one will work for you, the answer was you don't. In most cases it comes down to personal experimentation. Most of the time you don't know for several weeks or even months if what you are doing is really helping. We were fortunate to have seen the virtually overnight response we did to those herbs I gave my wife for her thyroid, but that is a rarity.

That is main problem I see in modern medicine. So they can package and sell the pills, they try and derive a single element in an herb that they feel is causing the change. What I have learned is that it is never a single element that we are deficient in, but rather a host of them. They combine to cause the health problem, and you cannot address that problem with a single element. That often results in another side effect, like the body becomes reliant on a certain element that it would normally produce on it's own if it had the right combination of things present to do so. Those things are often not there any more, mostly due to the poor quality of our foods these days, or the typical fast food diet of the average American. That is a whole different subject.

I realize I have spun off topic to an extent, but hopefully those that bothered to read it all will understand that there are alternatives to the health challenges we face today. Most won't put forth the effort but choose to put their health in the hands of others. I made the decision to do just the opposite. If you think things will be anything but much worse under the new health care system being implemented, you are sadly mistaken. I have a close friend who's business is programming software for the medical industry, mostly small DR's offices. The conversation we had a couple weeks ago should scare the hell our of all of us. The end result of the coming health care system will be a person who inputs your medical conditions / symptoms into a data base and the computer program will decide what medications you will be prescribed. That is unless you are too old and not a benefit to society any longer and they choose to give you something to end you life rather than prolong it. The doctor is being taken out of the loop.

To me prepping is a mindset more than just stocking up shelves, buying beans, bullets and band aids. The one prep that most choose to ignore is yourself.

 

[OKIE LADY]

WOW; thanks for all of your info OKC9-12LEDR-1. You have given some really great info to get a grip on. When I saw the amount of B vitamins in Peppermint that made perfect sense why it is such a good oil and dried herb to prevent insect bites and use afterward. Your wife's re-vamped condition is remarkable. You know, it only makes sense as well. I see just how many meds people pop at once, especially older people, and it reminds me of a toxic waste dump being ingested. I'm certainly not telling people to stop man-made meds, but even if a person can exchange one or two with herbs (like I'm going to do with your remedy for thyroid; mine being a mild case), it would seem to make sense. I do hope to see more from you; you are certainly knowledgeable and a good source for what to keep on hand during shortages, as well the combinations to use.

Would you mind listing some good books you use, have read, etc. that would be a good starting point for beginner, or novice herbalists. Thanks for your help. Okie Lady

 

[OKC9-12LEDR1]

Just to clarify, I am not prescribing any herbs for specific conditions, all the information I give out is what my family does on a personal basis. I would recommend that anyone looking to start taking bulk herbs like we do should do their own research.

There are a host of good books out there on herbs, one of the most recent ones to come on the market is called Herbal First Aid and Health Care. I have listened to several interviews with the author, Dr Kyle Christensen. When I heard he had published a book, I immediately bought it. If a person was to buy one single book on herbs, this would be the one. The cheapest place to buy it is on Amazon, here is the link. Its around $12, incredible price for what this book offers I would have paid 10 times that knowing what it has inside.
http://www.amazon.com/Herbal-First-...303&sr=8-1&keywords=dr+kyle+christensen+herbs

Dr Christensen is one of the partners in Western Botanicals. This is the site from which I buy most of my herbs from. Here is a link to the bulk herb page on their site. It won't take you but a moment to realize how many different herbs this company offers, and not just cut herbs, but they also offer powdered herbs, tinctures and even essential oils derived from particular herbs.
http://www.westernbotanicals.com/singles/bulk-herbs

One fantastic resource on the WB site is a free health analysis page. You check the boxes on the different symptoms listed, the program analyzes them and gives you a list of herbs or supplements that would benefit you. It might also show you that you actually have a weakness in a particular area that you didn't even know you had that was causing the symptom.
http://www.westernbotanicals.com/healthanalysis.php

Back on Dr Christensen's book for a second, this is the only book I have found that actually gives you the breakdown of the ingredients that are in their supplements. They even list the percentage of each herb that is in the formula. This helped me a lot to better learn how to combine different herbs.

Another good source for herbs is
http://www.bulkherbstore.com/Herbs?id=5VNkzgjL
This site has a search engine, put in a symptom or disease and it will give you a list of herbs that would help. Their prices are a little better than WB, but they don't have near the selection. Both companies have good quality products. Customer service has been excellent with both as well.

Since you brought up Peppermint, that is one herb that everyone should have in their cabinet. I would suggest having both cut peppermint herb and essential oil. I use Peppermint in a variety of my herbal teas. When it comes to essential oils I take internally, I only use the Young Living oils. I believe they are the most highly refined on the market. Oils I use externally I don't have a problem experimenting with other companies products. I buy 5 different oils from WB that I combine for muscle and joint relief.

When I started to research herbs, I built myself a spread sheet and put in data I collected from books and web sites. I have over 60 herbs that I own that are listed out on this spreadsheet. I have several different pages in this spread sheet, one on the single herbs and their actions. A page where I list those herbs I have that are good for making tinctures. A page with herbs for Teas, a page for herbs for making capsules, a page with cooking herbs and what goes well in different dishes and finally a page that lists all the different vitamins and minerals and then what herb contain each of these.

Here is an example of the information I have on Vitamin A
Enhances immunity, prevents eye problems and skin disorders. Important in bone and teeth formation. Protects against colds and infection.Slows aging process.
HERBAL SOURCES: Alfalfa, borage leaves, burdock root, cayenne, chickweed, eyebright, fennel seed, hops, horsetail, kelp, lemongrass, mullein, nettle, oat straw, paprika, parsley, peppermint, plantain, raspberry leaves, red clover, rose hips, sage, uva ursi, violet leaves, watercress, yellow dock.

The herbs that are italicized are the ones I have that contain this vitamin.

Here is the general info on Peppermint.
Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C
Digestion, Diarrhea, Stomach
Internally for nausea, morning sickness, indigestion, gastic ulcer, gastroenteritis, irritable bowel syndrome, colic and colds.
Externally for upper respiratory tract infections, sinusitis, excess mucus, asthma, itching skin conditions, burns, ringworm, neuralgia, rheumatism, and as an insect repellent.

I use peppermint EO on a daily basis. First thing in the morning I inhale Peppermint oil through my nostrils. If you have the sniffles, or your sinuses are giving you trouble, Peppermint EO will definitely open you up. If I have an upset stomach for what ever reason, a drop of peppermint in a glass of water or ice Tea will help calm your stomach.

I also use two other EO along with the Peppermint, one is called Thieves and the other is RC. All three of these oils are from Young Living. Thieves is a overall disinfectant. You can inhale it, take it internally, you rub it on the bottom of your feet to help cleanse your body organs. If you feel a sore throat coming on, a drop of Thieves on the back of your tongue and you can wipe out the cold before it gets a change to take hold. RC has powerful anti viral properties. You don't want to take RC internally, but you can inhale it and rubbing it on the bottoms of your feet helps it get into your system.

My wife and I have both been taking these three oils each morning for quite some time now and we are both going on our 3rd season with neither of us has had even so much as a common cold. We had the flu go through my office each year and I never caught it. My brother was down with it last year for over 2 months and I sailed right through the season with barely more than a sniffle. On those days I would keep the Peppermint and Thieves on my desk and breath them in several times a day, 2 days later, any symptoms were gone.

 

[dennishoddy]

I have also not been a fan of herbal things, etc.

My mind has been changed by a friend that is Native American. His mother was diagnosed with type II diabetas. After several years of insulin, she went to a medicin man of the tribe.
With her diet, and herbs from the Medicin Man she no longer requires insulin.

 

[dennishoddy]

I have also not been a fan of herbal things, etc.

My mind has been changed by a friend that is Native American. His mother was diagnosed with type II diabetas. After several years of insulin, she went to a medicin man of the tribe.
With her diet, and herbs from the Medicin Man she no longer requires insulin.

 

[OKIE LADY]

dennishoddy, I know what you mean about not believing THEN believing. Using plants and herbs makes sense; the Native Americans are a great example of that. I'm sure they went through a lot of trial and error through the hundreds of years discovering what's what though. Just for interest, I've listed a few of the plants they used:

American Elderberry: Astringent, diuretic, laxative. Inner bark used in pain killer; crushed leaves act as insect repellant.

Burdock: Chippewa used the plant in medicines for coughs

Cattail: The roots can be dried and ground into a flour. The sticky sap used to thicken soups. The pollen is hemostatic and astringent. Place directly on a cut to control bleeding. Drink root flour in cup of warm water or eat young flowerheads to bind diarrhea and dysentery.

Goldenrod: Leaves and flowers are made into a tea for intestinal and urinary disorders.

Ground Pine: Used as a medicine for stiff joints

Jewelweed: Chippewa made a medicine from the plant for sore mouths.

Nettle: Root and boiled leaf decoctions used to soothe symptoms of rheumatism; a Nettle tea helped clear lungs.

White Willow: Bark and leaves are rich in a chemical similar to aspirin (Salicylic Acid).

WARNING: These plants are not necessarily endorsed, guaranteed, or authorized for the uses described. Many plants are okay in smaller doses but toxic in large quantities, or even poisonous without correct preparation. Native Americans of different tribes have various ways of procurement. Native Americans also believe if a plant is not honored properly with prayers, the medicine won't be effective. ALWAYS do research, and research again before using plants as a source of medication or food.

**Any other remarks, pro or con, regarding the above plants, or others are welcome. All info is important to share. For most Americans, trying to trust in a homemade concoction is, to say the least, scary; especially if it to be ingested. To be honest, I have to do a TON of research before I take internally. BUT, in days ahead if things REALLY get to the "Hunger Game" stage, I think we'll ALL be praying for info and willing to do anything!

 

[OKIE LADY]

OKC9-12LEDR1, Thanks for the book and site info. I'm ordering Dr Christensen's book; I took a look at it on Amazon and couldn't believe that it had just about EVERYTHING. The Western Botanical site is good too. I really liked your spreadsheet ideas. That would seem to keep most everything clarified and more orderly (ie: teas, tinctures, hydrosols, etc).

I, most likely, will never get to the depth of herbal knowledge you and your wife have, but that won't keep me from researching (which I really enjoy). For now, I'm probably more likely to learn about an herb and just purchase already made caps from the health food store (if the stuff is made in the USA); BUT I realize too some of the herbs, even those just used on an everyday basis, nothing exotic, could eventually have a shortage, not to mention OTC meds in stores.

This morning my husband and I were listening to FOX News regarding North Korea and their growing paranoid, preemptive attitude; you know, I'll get you before you get me. We discussed China being a “good” friend to No. Korea and backing them up, which could cause tons of shortages in the US. Then we thought, if China did that, it would break them financially because the US buys so much from them. Who knows! My point is, Americans have this “it's never gonna happen” attitude BUT it is becoming more and more apparent this kind of thing can happen in a heartbeat!

I guess I'm saying all of this, mainly convincing myself to get some EO's, some basic herbs that I DO know about, and to learn and feel more prepared! Sure, I can make a run on CVS and get a bag full of cold, cough, aspirin, antacids, etc but they, UNLIKE herbs won't last so long. I mean, archeologists have found seeds in ancient Egyptian tombs, planted them and they sprouted. That gives me the idea that herbs WILL stay potent for pretty long.

 

[OKIE LADY]

THE HEALING POWERS OF VINEGAR

According to the New York Daily News, vinegar is one of the top 20 home remedies. For 10,000 years vinegar has been praised all around the world. Vinegar is known as a “functional food”; that is, it has been linked to the prevention and treatment of diseases like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Below are a few Home Remedies for Vinegar.

FOR MUSCLE CRAMPS: (I know adult ball players who swig pickle juice/vinegar for this)
Take 2 tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar and 1 tsp. Honey in a glass of water three times a day.
This works by allowing precipitated acid crystals in your circulatory system to pass out of the body.

TO STOP SWIMMER'S EAR: (I swear by this)
Use 1 part white distilled vinegar to 1 part rubbing alcohol and instill 2-3 drops in ears 3 times a day until itch is gone. The vinegar is anti-fungal and the alcohol dries moisture in ear.

TO RID TOENAIL FUNGUS & ATHLETES FOOT: (My husband swears by this)
Soak feet in a solution of 1 part white distilled vinegar to 2 parts water for 15 minutes per day until fungal problem is resolved. Don't get impatient, just use it daily.

SHINGLE RELIEF:
Dab apple cider vinegar directly onto shingles four times a day and 3 times at night if necessary. You'll find instant relief from itching and burning of the skin and shingles heal faster.

SOOTHE JELLY FISH STINGS; (my daughter swears by this)
Pour 2 liters (2 qts) of white distilled vinegar directly onto affected area. The vinegar helps relieve some of the throbbing redness.

ENERGIZER:
Take 1 Tbsp (of naturally potassium rich) apple cider vinegar in a glass of water 3 times a day. This is especially good in the afternoon when fatigue creeps in. The drink will give you energy without the up and down effects of caffeine and sugar.

HEALING HINTS TO REMEMBER:
1. Apple Cider Vinegar contains lots of healthy nutrients
2. Potassium, the miracle worker of Apple Cider Vinegar keeps sodium-potassium balanced
3. Apple Cider vinegar helps your body excrete toxins, which purifies your system
4. Apple Cider vinegar can aid in maintaining your body's acid/alkaline balance
5. Hydrochloric Acid in apple cider Vinegar can help aid digestion
6. Apple Cider Vinegar contains beta-carotine, boron, calcium, enzymes, fiber, and iron
7. The total ingredients of apple cider vinegar can help prevent health ailments such as fatigue and poor digestion and ward off heart disease and cancer.