Letter Re: Medicinal Herb Gardening-Making Herbal Balms

After reading “Medicinal Herb Gardening” by Mrs. Celena J. I was prompted to write more about making medicinal herbal balms and ointments. They are easily made once you get the hang of it and different ingredients can be used for different applications. My two favorites are Healing Muscle Balm and Rose Balm for the lips and skin. My family and friends also love these two combinations and have found them very effective. Healing Muscle Balm is a combination of infused oils of Arnica, Meadowsweet, and Comfrey leaf. These particular herbs help with reducing the inflammation and alleviating the pain of muscle injury and arthritic problems as well as encouraging healing of the injury. I add beeswax to harden the oils, coconut oil for increased absorption into the skin and Vitamin E. oil for a preservative. Rose Balm is a combination of infused oils of rosebuds/petals and rosehips as well as…




What To Do and Not Do When a Pandemic Starts- Part 2, by Scientist69

…the autism spectrum? A closeness to suffering can be healthy for the mind and heart. There is something quiet off-putting about a person who insists that he has the corner on truth. It completely shuts down the conversation. Marie Joy For more info on world wide flus and pandemics, go to www.recombinomics.com and go to news. It’s a very informative site. NMsourdough Agreed that herbal remedies should not be over-looked. Goldenseal is a great external antibiotic, and there are other herbs that can be used to help treat other external and internal aliments. sis Science has taught us a lot about the world and our bodies but it’s not infallible. Just look at past history. As a teenager they said cramps were just in a womans head. Now we know otherwise. Doctors can’t do much about colds unless there is a secondary infection. I make an herbal infusion based on…




Book Review: Physician Desk Reference (PDR) for Herbal Medicine

(Third Edition, 987 pages.) This is a huge book. The price is huge too, at $59.95. This book has information on over 700 botanicals as well as a new section on nutritional supplements. Each botanical entry gives common names and scientific names. A plant description is given. (Though not good enough to help you recognize the plant in the wild.) It tells the chemical compounds found in the herb and the effects of the compounds. A very strong plus! There is usage (both proven and unproven) for each entry. Mode of administration and sometimes dosage amounts are given. The reason I really like this book is for the section on precautions and adverse reactions. Remember the Hippocratic oath—Do thy patient no harm! (There are many books on herbs out there which say nothing about overdoses and adverse reactions.) There is a section of color photos of 300 or so of…




Letter Re: Herbal Medicine and Chevy Suburban Restoration

Howdy, Hope all is well with you and your tribe. I have two books you should check out if you have not seen them. 1.) Herbs to the Rescue, by Kurt King M.H., This book is a must to have in the G.O.O.D. pack. 2.) Ditch Medicine by Hugh L. Coffee, also has a video, a good book. My wife and I are both in an Master Herbalist course.It is fun lots to learn, my goal is to be doc-free.The school name, School of Natural Healing in Springville,Utah. My brother and I were talking trucks, I just got a 1983 Chevy Suburban–it runs good and has a good body. We paid only $900 for it so far so good. My plan is to go bumper to bumper, “born again” Chevy. Any ideas on what to do would be nice, and I try to stay on top of the site. As…




Guarding Your Mental and Emotional Health, by C.T.M.

…most people will not be able to store large quantities of prescription medications used for treating the acute onset of mental illnesses; the suggestion would be to stock up on a few of the herbal remedies known to be affective. If you are already taking medications for chronic medical problems or nursing it would be wise to consult your primary care provider to see if any of these medications would interact poorly with the herbal remedies suggested. There are quite a few prescription medications that I give on a routine basis; just like prescription medications, the effects of herbal remedies are dependent on an individual. Outlined here are only a few basic herbs available out of the numerous herbal remedies that could be taken, it would be best to consult a more complete herbal remedy guide for all of the possibilities. As well as work with your primary care provider…




The Pharmacy Around Us – Part 3, by Jen R.

…The aforementioned plants and other substances are available in the wild or at the grocery stores across the country and the medicines are easily produced. However, there are a lot more available locally. In addition, there are dozens if not hundreds of other plants that will treat less threatening illnesses and conditions. Your best bet is to acquire some fantastic general references like Stephen Harrod Buhner’s books Herbal Antibiotics and Herbal Antivirals. Another good book is Sam Coffman’s book The Herbal Medic, though it is more heavily weighted to plants growing in Texas. Pick up a reference that focuses more on the area where you live. And finally, the hardest item to get, believe it or not, may be the medicinal alcohol. For some of the tinctures, 190-proof alcohol, like Everclear or Mohawk, makes the strongest medicine. If you can’t get it, then use the strongest proof available to you….




A Review of OnPoint Tactical’s Off-Grid Medicine Course, by JR

…the equivalent of prescription strength meds –Checking vitals –Various medical bags, what he carries, what is pointless, how to package and pack supplies for ease of use, etc. –Where to get supplies, especially reusable supplies –Dehydration, and how to hydrate without an IV (because inserting an IV is a perishable skill, and it’s really hard even for trained personnel to put an IV into someone who is seriously dehydrated) Unlike the attached picture suggests, this class is all indoors, other than the brief plant walk we took with the herbal medic Sam Coffman. The herbal portion of the class covered two days. It covered the process of making herbal tinctures, the importance of understanding the herbs you use (do no harm), combining herbs to achieve the best results, herbal antibiotics. Again, this is not first aid. It’s not EMT school. This is stuff most parents would love to know before…




Comfort for the Burned and Wounded, by C.J.

…or wounds. Professional medical care should be consulted. If professional care is not available, then keep the burn or wound as clean as possible and use over the counter (OTC) antibiotic ointments or herbal remedies to prevent it from becoming serious. I hope you have found this book summary informative and that will get a copy of the book if this subject interests you. It has some very valuable lessons for treating minor injuries during normal times and addressing more serious injuries if modern medical care is not available. Footnotes: i. Christopher, J.R. (2010). Herbal Home Health Care. Christopher Publications, Springville, UT ii. Personal Conversation with David Christopher, M.H. iii. www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/septicemia iv. Clinical Pearls News, vol. 8, no. 8, August 1998. (By I.T. Services, 3301 Alta Arden #2, Sacramento, CA 95825 v. https://www.healthline.com/health/shock vi. Ellis, S.K.L. (2009) Dr. Mom’s Healthy Living, Christopher Publications, Springville, UT vii. Christoper, J.R. (N.D.) https://herballegacy.com/Shock.html…




Prepping with Healing Herbs, by Bonnie Blue

…for your prepping supplies! Tinctures are more time-consuming to make, but if storage is a concern, a tincture packs a lot of punch in a small bottle. To make a tincture, pack a clean jar with your selected fresh herb, and cover with vodka. Make sure to pour slowly, tapping the jar as you go along to remove air bubbles, and fully submerge the herbs in vodka. Cover the jar with a secure-fitting lid and let steep in a warm place for 4 to 6 weeks, gently shaking the herbal mixture daily. After 4 to 6 weeks, or more, strain the herbal-infused vodka into a clean jar. I like to then pour the tincture into small (4-ounce) bottles, with a dropper. The tincture will be quite strong and should be used in small amounts of only a dropper full at a time, adding to water or juice to consume. This…




Antibiotic Synergism: More Bang for Your Bug, by ShepherdFarmerGeek

…as I can tell, is that variations in individual genetics and personal biochemistry make predicting the degree of synergism impossible, not to mention that grapefruit could synergize other medications that the patient is taking as well! ANOTHER EXAMPLE As modern medicine began to treat malaria parasites (“the most deadly disease in the world,” killing nearly 500,000 people annually), the parasites began to develop a resistance to the most commonly used medications (including quinine and doxycycline). Now, a new approach called “Artemisinin Combination Therapy” (ACT) uses an herbal extract of the sweet wormwood plant (which also kills the malaria parasite by itself) at a 50/50 concentration with a known antiparasitic drug, and has been proven superior to using just one medication at a time (monotherapy). Synergism! Synergism is happening all the time between the foods and supplements we eat and the medications we take. We’re just not used to the idea…




Kitchen Cupboard Medicine, by Barefoot Yankee Gal

…licensed health care professional. Do not use this information for treating a disease or to make a self-diagnosis. Should any of the symptoms or signs noted and described in this presentation be present, seek the advice of your primary care physician for testing and diagnosis. A serious medical condition could occur if left unattended. Resources: Celsus, Aulus Cornelius. (1478). De Medicina. Retrieved from: http://maps.thefullwiki.org/De_Medicina Hobbs, Christopher, L.Ac. (1998). Herbal Remedies for Dummies. California. IDG Books Worldwide, Inc. pp 167-189 Leonard, David Bruce, L.Ac. Medicine at Your Feet. ( 2012). Kitchen Alchemy. Retrieved from: http://www.kitchenalchemy.com/ Pollard, Ted (founder). Health911 Media, Inc. (2010). Health Conditions. Retrieved from: http://www.health911.com/healthconditions The Guardian Society 04/12/2007 Randerson, James (4 December 2007). “Honey ‘beats cough medicine’”. The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2007/dec/04/health.medicalresearch Wellspring School for Asian Bodywork. (2003) Lecture Notes: Herbal First Aid. Rylen Feeney, Instructor.  Boise, ID Bananas:African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 8 (7), pp. 1176-1182, 6 April,…




Being Prepared, by JRR

…of what to use for a healing salve or how to make it? This book will show you how with “weeds”. (Many weeds ARE herbs). Herbally Yours by Penny C. Royal is a good, solid, herbal reference book to have on hand. It has what herbal combinations help with healing. It contains no photos, but it’s good for a fast look-up on a variety of herbs and their healing properties. Ball Blue Book is a must for canning foods properly and has plenty of recipes. There are a myriad of editions out there; any newer one will do and is usually not expensive. Fanny Farmer Cookbook (also known as The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book) by Fannie M. Farmer: there are 13 editions available. Getting a depression-era or before is good. This is because around the late 1930’s is when “modern agriculture/mass food production” started coming about and pre-packaged items (soups,…




Medicinal Herb Gardening by Mrs. Celena J.

…– Decreases risk of stroke, Alzheimer’s, and Lou Gehrig’s disease.  Smearwort – Used as an ointment (hence the name) to heal chronic sores. Spearmint – Anti-oxidant.  Treats fungal infections.  Can be used to make candy. Thyme – Treats sore throat (by gargling).  Treats wounds, skin and mouth infections.  Used as mouthwash (main ingredient in Listerine).  Yarrow – Counteracts poisoning.  How to Prepare Herbal Remedies Tea Infusion: To begin, throw in a cupped handful of the herb/leaves.   Pour 2 cups of boiling water on top.  Brew leaves and flowers for about 10 minutes; seeds and roots for about 20. Typically, you don’t  need to strain herbal teas because the leaves go to the bottom.  You can also often reuse the leftovers (don’t throw them away!)   Boiling:  Begin with cold water instead of already-boiling water.  Again, a cupped handful of plant to 2 cups of water.  This works especially well for roots,…




Letter Re: Maggots for Wound Debridement

…not be used. To get information concerning types and uses of herbal medicines in a particular area, talk to the natives. But remember, it is preventive medicine (PM) that must be stressed. Proper hygiene, care in preparation of food and drink, waste disposal, insect and rodent control, and a good immunization program can greatly reduce the causes and number of diseases. b. All of us—patients and doctors alike—-depend upon wonder drugs, fine laboratories, and modern equipment. We have lost sight of the “country Doctor” type of medicine—determination, common sense, and a few primitive treatments that can be lifesaving. Many areas of the world still depend on the practices of the local witch doctor or healer. And many herbs (plants) and treatments that they use are as effective as the most modern medicine available. Herbal medicine has been practiced worldwide since before recorded history, and many modern medications come from refined…




Wildcrafting Healing, by Peggy S.

…eat again”. An excellent book for beginning herbalist’s is Today’s Herbal Health: The Essential Reference Guide by Louise Tenney, my copy of her book is falling apart I use it so much. She also has a book on just children’s remedies,too. The Herb Book by John Lust or Jude’s Herbal Home Remedies by Jude C. Williams are also excellent choices. There are also some excellent books by Wildman Steve Brill, such as: Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and Not So Wild) Places What grows wild here in the mid-west, won’t grow wild in the southern states and so on. I titled this “wild-crafting”, but have ended up talking more about growing your own. For those of you who don’t know what wild-crafting is, I’ll explain. It means going out into the woods or fields and finding your own herbs, picking them and using them. This is…