How to Heal with Herbs

With the growing cost of commercial pharmaceuticals, many people are turning to their own backyards when it comes to healing minor ailments. If you have access to traditional herbs and are willing to put a small amount of effort into concocting your own remedies, herbal medication can save money and the potential negative side effects of over many store-bought medications. Here are a few tips for healing with herbs.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Fresh or dried herbs
• Stove
• Pot for cooking
• Lard
• Pure, non-aromatic oil
• Benzoin or preservative
• Cool space or refrigerator to store Preparations

1. Since fresh leaves are the most effective in herbal medications, growing your own herb garden is recommended, although you may also purchase dried herbs from a health-food store or other company.

2. To create an ointment, mix four parts hot lard to one part powdered herbs, and stir. If you are not planning to consume the herbal remedy immediately, be sure to preserve the mixture with a few drops of tincture of benzoin or other preservative.

3. Pour boiling water over dried herbs to create medicinal herbal teas. A good mix is 2 tbsp. herbs to 1 pint of water. If you are planning on drinking the tea, steep it for about 10 minutes. If you are planning to pour the infusion over a wound, steep it for 3 hours.

4. Create healing aromatic oils. Steep flower petals in pure oil for up to 2 days, replacing the petals with a new batch until the oil’s aroma is as strong as the actual flowers. This may take up to 10 days.

5. Store infusions in the refrigerator, and consume them within 3 days unless they have been preserved. Store oils and ointments in a dark, cool place to preserve them for up to 6 months.

Tips & Warnings

• Use Rosemary for dandruff and to improve your memory.

• Comfrey helps to mend bones.

• Garlic is said to help with earaches, diarrhea and low blood pressure.

• Camomile helps with insomnia and toothaches.

• Almonds can be used as a facial scrub when ground into bits.

• Honey is a sedative, as well as an energizer. It is also good for the skin.

• Lanolin helps with dry skin.

• Rose water makes a great moisturizer.

• Basil repels insects and can cure headaches.

• Clove makes a great breath freshener, as well as an edible antiseptic. It can also help with nausea and toothaches.

• Ginseng was once considered an aphrodisiac. It is widely used as a stimulant and is said to promote long life.

• Aloe can heal minor burns and bites. It was once used to prevent baldness and wrinkles.

• Picking wild herbs and plants for consumption can be extremely dangerous, as many plants are poisonous or might have been sprayed with insecticides.

• Although herbal remedies are natural, they must still be treated as medicine, and caution must be taken to prevent an overdose or ingestion of the medications unnecessarily. Be sure to research any herbal remedy before use, as it may interact with other medications you are currently taking.

Resources

• A list of medicinal herbs and their uses