Medicinal Mysteries

One area of my homestead education has been lacking to such a degree that it’s been nagging at me: natural home health care.  Has anyone else had a hard time keeping eye of newt, root of dried fern, and pulverized sycamore bark in their cupboard?  I’m exaggerating a bit on the ingredients, but any time I've approached herbal health or medicinal plants the elements sounded uncomfortably similar.  The truth is that I've been paralyzed by the sheer magnitude of the subject and the not insignificant reality that an incorrect implementation could be detrimental.  For the longest time I didn't know where to start, so I set my interest aside like a gift waiting to be opened on Christmas morning.  I tip-toed around it, eyed its shape and size, sniffed it, shook it, and peaked in the folds of the wrapping; but it wasn't until recently that I finally began tearing into it.  I know I’m only scratching the surface of what there is to learn, but I’m scratching like a kid with chicken pox…and boy, does it feel good!  Taking one simple step at a time, I find the subject fascinating and not nearly as overwhelming as I expected. 

Weldon and I have spend considerable effort implementing a lifestyle that focuses on balance and nutrition as our main proponents of health.  If the Creator made human bodies to function with awe-inspiring precision, then I intend to assist rather than impede this function.  We don’t make it an obsessive strain, but a mindful acceptance that we should steward our bodies to the best of our ability.  This has been our “big picture” approach; but the broad, long term framework doesn't always answer my concerns about acute illness or minor issues that pop up every now and again.  What can we do for the rare colds, flu, gut health/indigestion, cuts, bruises, aches, muscle tension, and such? Wanting to keep doctor visits to a minimum, I've been left pondering how to incorporate (let alone make) herbal teas, oils, salves, tinctures, and poultices.

There are countless “common” plants on our windowsills and near our roadways that, unbeknownst to many of us, have traditionally been used for medicinal purposes.  Tragically, our culture doesn't foster the oral transfer of such knowledge; much of it has been demoted to superstition and quaint relics of pre-pharmacological existence.  What a shame!  One of the beauties of living in the age we do is that we are gifted with copious amounts of biological, chemical, and anatomical knowledge that our ancestors could never have fathomed.  Rather than allowing their perceptive expertise and time-proven medicinal traditions to fade away and be replaced by modern, dissociative medicine, we should seek the best of both worlds!  I believe our Creator made our bodies with the miraculous capability to regulate and heal.  The plant world has been infused with useful tools that can aid us in doing so.  Now I’m dedicated to figuring out how to make use of this marvelous combo.

It’s a simple fact that you can’t take on calculus if you don’t first understand addition.  (Then again, taking on calculus can be a bear no matter what.)  In this case I’m grateful that I've already dedicated a lot of time studying nutrition and the body’s optimal functioning.  My segue into herbs and natural healing, though daunting, is a cousin to my previous research.  Unfortunately, I don’t have a tribal medicine man or an Aunt Bea to teach me all I need to know about medicinal plants and their many transfigurations, but I do have resources to show me the yellow brick road.  I've gathered a number of books, particularly those written by Master Herbalists.  A good one is Rachel Weaver’s How to Be Your Own “Doctor”.  Books on plant foraging have also been helpful to expand my knowledge on what may be available in my particular area.  I've also kept my eyes on certain periodicals known for alternative/natural living, like Mother Earth News and Countryside Magazine.  Of course, having a trusted local source for herbal salves and such is ideal -- these persons are gold mines of information and may be perfectly happy to keep me stocked until I can make my own!  I know that I often learn best when I surround myself with a slew of information and then sit still, letting it steep.  When the time feels right I can digest and absorb it.  Because of this “pre-digestion” phase, I’m usually much more capable of putting the information into practice in a timely manner.  I think I’m finally in this stage – the tearing open of the Christmas gift. 

Instead of worrying about complex potions with exotic-sounding ingredients, I started a few months ago with items that are familiar and easily accessible.  No surprise, those in my kitchen were on top of the list.  Did you know onion can be used to draw out infection or to heal earaches?  Apple cider vinegar can detoxify your body of metal and toxin build-up.  Real Salt in the bath can also detoxify the body while depositing essential trace minerals into the bloodstream by osmosis.  Powdered cayenne pepper packed into a bleeding cut or abrasion will slow the flow of blood and promote coagulation and healing.  Garlic has powerful antibacterial properties that can kick respiratory issues.  Ginger is fantastic for aiding the gut with digestion, nausea, and absorption of minerals/vitamins.  This is just the tip of the iceberg!

After the culinary options, I began looking for already made salves, oils, teas, and a few supplements to easily incorporate into our routine.  Lavender oil is perfect for relaxation and for relieving respiratory congestion.  (Sinus congestion or post-nasal drip anyone?)  Chickweed salve is wonderful for insect bites, cuts, and general healing ointment.  Clove oil is handy as an oral antiseptic and relieves canker sore/mouth pain.  Fermented Cod Liver Oil (CLO) is a superfood supplement providing Vitamins A & D to make up for our culture’s severe dietary lack of both these essentials – the list of CLO benefits to the body is too long to include, but I highly recommend this one (www.greenpasture.org).  Some of the above are used regularly as preventative measures, others I keep on hand for when a bee stings or nose gets stuffy.  There are more to come, but these were the “lowest hanging fruit” in my estimation. 

I see this herbal realm as a healthy challenge (pun intended) for my autodidactic, self-starting nature to thrive in.  Eventually, I hope to make medicinal concoctions at home and to become confident enough to address more complex issues – sprains, infection, acid reflux, migraines, and the like. Whether or not Weldon and I are struck by these personally, remedies may come in handy for our families and community.  In the meantime, taking things slow allows me time to cross-reference my research and ensure that what we use is administered properly.  Every conventional pharmaceutical can be detrimental or toxic (lists of side effects come to mind!), so herbs and natural remedies, when accurately understood and utilized, are no cause for concern or intimidation.  I plan to study thoroughly while enjoying the process and the results.  As I go, I’m letting myself digest -- literally and figuratively -- before rushing into the next level of complexity.  I don’t need to be an expert, I just need to keep learning and doing.

As a quirky teenager I bought a puny aloe vera plant.  Thankfully, it was very forgiving.  Not only is my plant still alive fifteen years later, but a few months ago I needed a crane to haul the pot from the porch into the spare room for winter hibernation.  Though juvenile curiosity brought my aloe plant to me, many homes are graced with this succulent beauty because of its abilities to sooth and heal minor burns.  Instead of seeing herbal and natural home remedies as overwhelming, my monstrous aloe is a happy reminder that they can be simple, inexpensive, highly effective, and within arm's reach.  I just need to learn where to look and how to use them!