Medicinal Herbage

A couple weekends ago I took a very interesting class at Ecoversity called Backyard Medicine Chest. It was taught by Carole Tashel, and in it we discussed five plants that could be grown (or found) in your backyard. First we talked about the different ways to prepare herbs: tea, poultice, extract (tincture)—both oil and alcohol, salve, as well as eyewash and bath. Then we looked at some of the healing properties of the following five herbs: Chamomile, Yarrow, Mullein, Peppermint, and Comfrey. Carole showed us what each plant looked like; she had dried leaves and flowers with her as well as some prepared tinctures with the roots or flowers inside. We also took a walk around Ecoversity and found many of these and other healing herbs growing wild and in their gardens. I enjoyed tasting some wild plants I would never know to be edible let alone healthful. Carole even cooked us up some Mallow right there in the outdoor kitchen. It was actually quite tasty.

Before I begin on the details, I just want to say that the way I imagine this working for most urban people (since I wouldn’t count on finding the three herbs that grow wild -mullein, mint, and yarrow- everywhere) is to grow these herbs in a small garden. From what I understand the tinctures can last up to 10 years! I have read about something called a spiral herb garden, which I think would work great in a small garden and when I learn more about it, I will post it here.

The following is taken from Carole’s handout FIVE HERBS IN HEALING:
Topical Healing—
Yarrow: (leaf) antibacterial, heals cuts, stops bleeding, anti-inflammatory (wash, salve, fresh-leaf poultice) stops nosebleeds (crushed fresh leaves up nostrils)
Mullein: (leaf, flower) shingles (poultice)
Chamomile: (flower) anti-inflammatory (strong tea)
Comfrey: (root) astringent, prevents scarring, stops bleeding, pain reducer, heals bruising (“drawing” poultice, wash of tea or tincture)

Pain Relieving—
Yarrow: headaches, cramps (tea or extract internally)
Peppermint: (leaf) cooling for burns, sunburn (tea wash or bath)
Chamomile: poultice for pain, strong tea for cramps, nerve pain
Comfrey: (root) bone pain, cracked bones, ligament pain (poultice)
Mullein: (leaf) poultice or salve

Muscles/Bones—
Comfrey: (root) fractures
Mullein, Yarrow: (flower) use oil on sore muscles, stiff neck
Mullein: (root) bone pain, cracked bones, ligament pain

Cardiovascular/Fluid Balance—
Yarrow: tea (cold) or extract, internally for fluid retention; extract for high blood pressure

Eyes/Ears—
Mullein: flower oil for earaches (even better w/ garlic; treat earache only if eardrum is intact); will soften and dissolve impacted wax
Chamomile: steeped teabag for eye inflammation (over lid)

Nervous System—
Chamomile: relaxing tea for anxiety, frazzled nerves or insomnia; tension headaches, nerve pain. Balancing to emotions.
Mullein: (flower) antispasmodic, sedative, facial nerve pain, TMJ pain, inflamed nerve tissue
Peppermint: relaxes body, clears mind, senses

Gastrointestinal System/Liver—
Peppermint: (tea or extract) gas, nausea, vomiting, mild cramps
Yarrow: indigestion, poor appetite (unsweetened cool tea, small sips)
Chamomile: indigestion, nausea, stomach flu, mouth ulcers, stomach ulcers, IBS. Try w/ fresh ginger root.

Respiratory System/Colds & Flu—
Mullein: (strain the tea) inflamed, tight lungs, coughs, bronchitis, asthma, excess mucus (tea or extract, especially the flowers). Mild expectorant.
Peppermint & Yarrow: (leaf/flower) cold/flu/fever (hot tea)
Peppermint: clogged sinuses (tea as steam inhalation)
Chamomlile: nervous cough (tea as steam inhalation)

Urinary Tract—
Mullein: (root) incontinence, dribbling, strengthens trigone muscle; painful urination
Yarrow: tonifying for urinary tract infections/inflammation; diuretic

Women’s Issues—
Yarrow: menstrual cramps (unterine/ovarian sedative), delayed menses (not due to pregnancy), excessive menstrual bleeding (cold preparations), inadequate progesterone (extract). Prolapsed uterus (DO NOT USE DURING PREGNANCY)

Kids—
Chamomile: (2 months or older) teething pain, colic, ADHD, stomach cramps, colds, anxiety, irritability; may bathe in tea.


Gathering and Storing Your Harvest—
General rules: don’t pick when they’re wet; don’t dry or store herbs in direct sunlight.
-Flowers: pick individually every morning, place one layer think in straw baskets line with paper towel (or on screens).
-Leaves, Flowering Stalks: cut large leaves off near the stalk, string with needle and thread, and hang to dry. If there is a stem, group 6-8 stalks together, and rubber-band at the cut end. Hang herb bunches upside down out of the sun, where air circulates.
-Roots: dig after the first fall frost, or in the spring before the plant leafs out. Allow dirt to dry, then brush off (don’t rinse). Chop into quarter-inch pieces at a diagonal, spread to dry or prepare your extract.
When herbs are bone dry, break up minimally to fit into dry glass jars, discarding stems. Label and date the jars; replace herbs in one year.

Making & Taking Medicines—
General rules: Use glass, enamel or stainless steel only.
-Tea: boil 1 cup water. For flowers, seeds and leaves, add 1-3 teaspoons (smaller amounts for children) dried, crumbled herb (twice that amount of fresh herb), turn off heat, cover and steep about 10-15 minutes. For roots, simmer 1-2 teaspoons per cup water for 10-15 minutes. Strain.
-Infusion: This is an overnight method, which yields a stronger medicinal tea. Place 1 tablespoon dried roots or 2 tablespoon dried leaves/flowers/seeds in a pint mason jar. Pour 8 oz. boiled water over plants and seal well. Allow to sit overnight (or at least 4 hours), strain.
-Eyewash: Boil 1 cup purified water, add ¼ teaspoon salt. Turn off heat, add 1 scant teaspoon desired herb. Cover, steep 10 minutes. Strain through paper filter. Wash eyes with warm solution using sterilized glass eyedropper. Make fresh batch every 2 days. Must be stored in refrigerator. Use 3 times daily for 2 days.
-Herbal Bath: Boil 2 quarts of water, place a rounded handful of dried herbs (twice that if fresh) into the water, turn off heat. Cover, steep 20 minutes, strain into warm bath. Bathe 1-2 times daily for 15-20 minutes.
Poultice: Pound or bruise fresh herbs slightly. If using dry herbs, crumble moisten with boiled water, Add some comfrey root powder (or flour, or ground flax seed) to help herbs
stick together. Oil skin to prevent sticking. Place herbs on skin, cover with a clean cloth, remove after 20 minutes. You can also wrap herbs in a cheesecloth and place on skin. Use 2 times daily for 2-3 days.
Infused Oil: Fill a clean, dry, small glass jar with fresh herb or chopped fresh root and cover with olive oil. Stir with a chopstick to remove air bubbles. Cover loosely with muslin or cheesecloth, leave in warm, dark spot. Wait 4-6 weeks, then strain through filter paper.
Simple Salve: Put infused oil into small pan (reserve some on the side in case you need to adjust the thickness). For every ounce of oil, add ¾ to 1 tablespoon grated beeswax. Warm over low flame until was melts, pour into small container, let harden. If consistency is too soft, add wax; if too hard, melt again ad add oil.
Simple Alcohol Extract: Use clean, healthy plants. Fill a jar with chopped plant parts, loosely packed, then fill again to the top with Everclear or Importer’s Grain Alcohol (Vodka ok). Label the jar with the date and plant name. Let sit (out of direct sunlight) for 4-6 weeks. Strain by pouring through a funnel into coffee filter over second jar (brown glass).

Here are some random notes I took, which I hope is helpful to anyone who may read this…

Good books: Medicinal Plants of the Mountain West (Moore)—if you live in Santa Fe, and The New Age Herbalist (Mabey).

Sprinkle comfrey root powder right on to a (clean) cut to stop the bleeding.

To strip leaves easily, make a triangle with your thumb and first two fingers and pull them down along the stem (which you’re holding with your other hand).

Add vitamin E to a salve to act as a preservative.

Eat a few dandelion leaves a day for general health (vitamin A, C, Bs, iron, zinc, etc.)
-Make a yummy salad dressing by chopping up and covering the leaves in some apple cider vinegar, blend, and keep in a jar for 4-6 weeks, strain, add some garlic and olive oil.

Dandelion root enhances the binding capabilities of probiotics and is good for digestion. It is also a mild laxative.

Good Eatin’ Weeds: Mallow, Dandelion, Purslane, Amaranth, and Lambsquarters. Fight our demineralization (our soil and produce has become less healthful) by eating wild herbs.

Whew, that’s a lot of typing! Thanks Carole!

Overall, I learned that there’s a lot to be done with only 5 herbs. I look forward to a time when I can grow these myself and then put ‘em to good medicinal use.