Natural Remedies That Work Wonders

natural remediesI don’t think that many people would argue against the fact that modern doctors have become sales-people for the giant pharmaceutical companies. They get rewarded with golf trips and cruises when they prescribe a lot of a particular drug. This leads to a major conflict of interest, and the reason that many drugs are known to be “over-prescribed”. More on that here.

If you want to avoid all that, along with the harsh side-effects (you know, the ones they say really fast in the commercials), here are some natural herbs that you can prepare on your own to help whatever ails you.

The earth is our natural medical kit!

What you’ll need:

  • Knife or you can use two stones, one as a holder and the other as a cutter
  • Zippo, it’s very useful to start a fire and make sure it has lighter fluid
  • Light aluminum plate and cup
  • Fresh or bottled clean water

Here are some plants you can look for:

Plantain

Plantain

Description: Plantains have rat tail-like flower spikes and the basal rosette of fleshy, lance-shaped leaves with three to five fibrous ribs. Its flowers have dark rust hues with clear white feathery stamens. This common plant is seen as a bad weed in many gardens and you may recognize it easily.

Parts used: Leaves.

Preparation: Mash the leaves well (or you can chew) until you it turns into a gummy poultice.  Apply onto the wound.

Properties: It can treat small cuts and wounds, stops bleeding, softens and soothes inflamed skin surfaces. It reduces muscle spasms relieves coughs, promotes better digestion, helps urine flow, and induces vomiting when needed.

Extra: For deep cuts- Disinfect the wound with cold water, keep a pressure point where the artery is and apply some mashed plantain using a clean tissue and cover wound with a sterilized dressing. Change dressing every 2 days.

Bears Breech

Description: Dark green and pinnate leaves. The flower spikes are white, pale blue with pale purple tube-shaped flowers.

Bears Breech

Parts used: Leaves.

Preparation: Crush leaves, soak them in cold water and drink the juice or apply to burns. It’s useful to improve appetite after vomiting.

Properties: Bile stimulant, treatment for mild stomach burns, and used as  a mild laxative

Yarrow or Achimille Millefeuille

Yarrow

Description: Long tige with feathery white flowers in clusters. This is one of the most used plants in white magic and in herbal medicine.

Parts used: Leaves and flowers when fully bloomed.

Preparation: Leaves can be used as a tea to treat colds and hay fever. For nosebleed treatment, insert fresh leaves into the nostril. Stomach cramps can be relieved by chewing the leaves and ingesting its juices.

Properties: For treatment of stomach cramps, muscle cramps, and wounds. It reduces inflammation and muscle tension, stops bleeding, helps urine flow, reduces fever, lowers blood pressure, and stops external bleeding.

Note: It is not advisable for pregnant women.

Ramsons

Ramsons

Description: A scented garlic plant with a white cluster, six-petaled and star-like flowers.

Parts used: Whole plant while flowering or leaves after flowering.

Preparation: Disinfects cuts and corns (mash/chew and mix with a little amount of water, then apply to the wound). You can eat it to relieve chest pain but always remember to chew it well.

Properties: Destroys bacteria, fungi, encourages sweating, regulates digestion and lowers blood pressure.

Marshmallow

Marshmallow

Description: This is not the junk food you buy at the stores. This is an erect, soft, downy round plant with a large pink flower that blooms in the summer. The plant produces a sweet-tasting, rich, and sugary product.

Parts used: Whole plant, flowers, and leaves after flowering.

Preparation: It’s a natural cough syrup when boiled with a little water to make the syrup.

Properties: Gets rid of body waste to relieve intoxication, helps stop coughing, a stomach pain reliever during intoxication, relieves heartburn, a blood purifier, helps urine flow, and soothes the skin.

Daisy

Description: Low-growing with a basal rosette, oval leaves, white and yellow and often pink petals.

Parts used: Top of the flower during flowering and leaves.

Preparation: Boil the leaves as a tea to relieve stiff necks and other muscle pains. It can also be used as a cough syrup.

Properties: Natural cleanser, skin and muscle pain reliever, and stops bleeding

Shepherd’s Purse

Shepherd’s Purse

Description: Long branches with tiny white flowers. The plant has a long, green heart-shaped seed.

Parts used: Flowers and bottom part of the plant

Preparation: Brew and drink as tea

Properties: Helps stop bleeding and irregular discharge, circulatory stimulant, helps urine flow

Cornflower

Cornflower

Description: Gray-green leaves and a striking blue flower, it can also be white or purple depending on the season.

Parts used: Flowers.

Preparation: A digestive stimulant for indigestion when taken as a tea.

Properties: Reduces stomach inflammation.

Hawthorn

Hawthorn

Description: Small tree or shrub with deeply obovate leaves and pink or white flowers in spring. Dark red oval tree in autumn.

Parts used: Top of the flower and fruit when ripe in autumn.

Preparation: Tea — to relieve diarrhea, high blood pressure, heavy menstrual bleeding, and as a  gargle for sore throats

Properties: Normalizes blood pressure, a sedative and stops bleeding

Rose-Bay Willow Herb

Rose-Bay Willowherb

Description: A shiny, tall, pink, flowering plant with spikes and long, narrow-toothed leaves.

Parts used: Top of the flower during spring and roots collected in autumn.

Preparation: Tea — Roots and leaves are used for stomach upsets and diarrhea. Should be taken three times a day for better results. The flower is used for throat and mouth ulcers, taken only when urgently needed.

Meadowsweet

Meadowsweet

Description: Usually found in damp ditches, the plant has pinnate leaves and large fluffy flower head which smells like aspirin.

Parts used: Flower.

Preparation: Crush flower and chew for easing pain and cold fever. Tea –relieves stomach upsets after a meal and is great for indigestion.

Properties: Relieves mild pain, anti-acid, prevents stomach infection, increases sweating and helps urine flow

Cleaver

Cleaver

Description: A scrambling weed with whorls and stem leaves. Tiny green-white flowers with round purple-green fruits.

Parts used: Flower before fruiting.

Preparation: Chew and apply to wound for skin rash. Tea — urinary infection and mild laxative.

Properties: Laxative and cleans the skin.

Herb Roberts or Wild Geranium

Description: Red-tinged stems and divided palmated leaves. Shiny five petal lowers.

Parts used: Whole plant, even roots.

Preparation: Crush leaves and apply to skin for minor cuts and bruises.  It is also very effective to repel insects. When taken as a tea, it counters diarrhea.

Wood Avens

Description: Slender long stems and spaced leaves with small yellow flowers. Its purple fruits are covered by hairy bristles. The roots smell like cloves.

Parts used: Flowers and roots.

Preparation: Tea — relieves diarrhea and improves appetite after vomiting. Roots tea — pain reliever for tooth and sore throats, must gargle. Tea can be used for external wounds.

Properties: Prevents infection, reduces inflammation, restores weak stomach and reduces fever.

Toadflax

Description: Slender, thin pointed leaves with yellow and orange flowers.

Parts used: Whole flower.

Preparation: It’s very effective to stimulate digestion. Chewed or mashed leaves treat skin rashes, wounds, and sores.

Properties: laxative stimulant and helps urine flow.

Purple Loosestrife

Description: Long with shiny spiky purple flowers and hard fibrous shiny leaves.

Parts used: Flowers.

Preparation: Tea externally — apply to cleansed wounds.

Properties: Inhibits bacteria, helps urine flow, stops external bleeding and soothes skin.

Butterbur

Butterbur

Description: Long (200 cm) with 90 cm leaves, bell-shaped pink or purple with dense reddish spikes.

Parts used: Roots.

Preparation: Tea — boil with a little water to make cough syrup.  It is used as a pain reliever for tension headaches and migraines.

Properties: Helps urine flow, reduces tension and stops bleeding.

Yellow Dock

Description: Purple flower with a robust taproot and long ovate leaves, with black hooked fruits.

Parts used: Roots (don’t eat the fruit)

Preparation: Tea — stimulates the liver, relieves diarrhea and irritated sore throats; apply externally for itching skin.

Properties: Laxative and stimulates gallbladder which aids the digestion of fats.

Chickweed

Chickweed

Description: Low-growing weed with a slender stem and round, small white star-shaped flowers.

Parts used: Flowers.

Preparation: Chewed to make ointments for skin rashes and burns.

Properties: Counters itching and cooling.

Dandelion

Description: Looks like a margarite but without the white middle and a fluffy hairy seed.

Parts used: Roots and leaves.

Preparation: Roots tea — strong laxative and stimulates liver for digestion. Flower tea — eye-bath for eye inflammation.

Fennel

Description: Long stems with multi-separated thin stems with yellow flowers.

Parts used: Seeds.

Preparation: Tea — helps digestion, flatulence reliever, mouthwash and cleans your teeth.

Properties: Helps urine flow and circulatory stimulant.

Chamomile

Description: Another look-alike of margarite with a hint fragrance of apple. Very popular as tea.

Parts used: Flower.

Preparation: Tea — upset stomach, nausea, and insomnia. Mashed– apply to skin wounds, muscle pains, and skin rash.

Properties: Anti-vomiting, reduces tensions and relieves flatulence.

Despite what modern prescription-pushing (and incentive-getting) doctors say, you can cure a lot of ailments on your own – the healthy way. Definitely worth a try.

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