Herbal Remedies
Listed below is a list of several herbs, their common names, parts used and for what. Some will also tell how to prepare them and dosages. I will try to keep them in alphabetical order.
Alfalfa
Common Names: Buffalo Herb, Lucerne, Purple Medic.
Parts Used: Leaves
Used as an appetizer, diuretic, and tonic. Alfalfa tea can be used to improve your appetite, relieve urinary and bowel problems, eliminate retained water, and even help cure peptic ulcers.
Aloe
Common Names: Barbadoes Aloe, Curacao Aloe.
Parts Used: Leaves
Used as an emollient, purgative, or vulnerary. Causes constipation and should be used with a carminative when being used as a purgative.
The fresh leaves of the aloe can be split to expose the gelatinous juice and then rubbed on the skin for sunburn and other minor burns, wrinkles, insect bites, skin irritations, and minor cuts and scratches. The fresh juice is also said to help heal wounds by preventing or drawing out infections. A tea made from the dried juice makes a good wash for wounds or for the eyes.
Preparation and dosage:
Powder: A dose is from 1 to 5 grains.
Fluid Extract: A dose is from 5 to 30 drops.
Wash: Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon aloes in 1 cup water. If desired, add 1 teaspoon boric acid as a preservative and to help in healing.
Anise
Common Names: Anise Plant, aniseed, Common Anise
Parts Used: Seeds
Used as an antispasmodic, aromatic, carminative, digestive, expectorant, stimulant, stomachic, or tonic. It promote digestion, improves appetite, alleviates cramps and nausea, and relieves flatulence and colic. Anise water promotes milk production in nursing mothers and can also be used as a soothing eyewash. It is also said to promote the onset of menstration when taken as an infusion. Anise oil helps relieve cramping and spasms and is good as a stomache tonic. For insomnia, take a few seeds in a glass of warm milk before going to bed. Anise can also be made into a salve to use for scabies and lice.
Preparations and dosage: Alcohol extracts the medicinal properties of anise more effectively than water.
Infusion: Use 1 teaspoon crushed seed to 1/2 or 1 cup boiling water. Steep 10 minutes and strain. Take 1 to 1 1/2 cups during the day, a mouthful at a time.
Decoction: For colic, boil 1 tablespoon seed in 1/2 pint milk for 10 minutes: strain and drink hot.
Tincture: To prepare, add 2 onces seed to 1/2 quart brandy. Add some clean lemon peels and let stand in a sunny place for 20 days, then strain. Take 1 teaspoon at a time.
Anise Water: Boil 1/2 teaspoon seed in a half pint of water, then strain.
Basil
Common Names: Common Basil, St. Josephwort, Sweet Basil
Parts Used: The Herb
Used as an antispasmodic, appetizer, carminative, galactagogue, or stomachic. Can be used for stomach cramps, gastric catarrh, vomiting, intestinal catarrh, constipation, and enteritis. As an antispasmodic, it has sometimes been used for whooping cough.
Preparations and dosage:
Infusion: Steep 1 teaspoon dried herb in 1/2 cup water. Take 1 to 1 1/2 cups a day, a mouthful at a time. Can be sweetened with honey if taken for a cough.
Blackberry
Common Names: Bramble, Cloudberry, Dewberry, Goutberry, High Blackberry, Thimbleberry
Parts Used: Roots, Leaves, (Berries are good to eat, but have little health related value)
Used as an astringent or tonic. The leaves and roots can be used as a home remedy for diarrhea. Prolonged use of the tea is also beneficial for enteritis, chronic appendicitis, and leucorrhea. It is said to also have expectorant properties. A tea from the dried root can be used for dropsy and chewing the leaves can be used for bleeding gums.
Preparations and dosage:
Infusion: Use 2 teaspoons dried leaves to half cup water. Take half to 1 cup a day.
Decoction: Use 1 teaspoon root or leaves to 1 cup water. Take 1 to 2 cups a day, cold.
Tincture (of root): Take 15 to 40 drops in water, as needed.
Camomile (1)
Common Names: Roman Camomile, Chamomile, Garden Camomile, Ground Apple, Low Camomile, Whig Plant
Parts Used: Flower
Used as an anodyne, antispasmodic, aromatic, bitter tonic, stimulant stomachic. Camomile tea is good for flatulent colic, dyspepsia, and for fever and restlessness in children. It also makes a good wash for open sores and wounds. Camomile oil can be taken internally for colic, spasms, and stomache cramps. The flowers can also be made into a rubbing oil for swellings, callouses, and painful joints.
Preparations and dosage:
Infusion: Use 1 tablespoon flowers with 1 cup water; steep for a half hour. For children, give 1 teaspoon every half hour.
Tincture: Take 10 to 20 drops in water, three or four times a day.
Oil: Take 6 drops on a sugar cube.
Rubbing oil: Steep 1 ounce fresh or dried flowers in olive oil for 24 hours or more. Strain before using.
Camomile (2)
Common Names: German Camomile, Chamomilla, Wild Camomile
Parts Used: Flowers
Used as an anodyne, antiphlogistic, antispasmodic, calmative, carminative, diaphoretic, tonic. German camomile tea is valuable in many nervous conditions, insomnia, neuralgia, lumbago, rheumatic problems and rashes. It also tends to reduce inflamation and to facilitate bowel movements without acting directly as a purgative. Use it as a wash or compress for skin problems and inflammations, including inflammations of mucous tissue. Keeping a mouthful in the mouth for a time will temporarily relieve toothache. To help asthma in children or to relieve the symptoms of a cold, try a vapor bath of the tea. German camomile can also be used as a relaxing, antispasmodic, anodyne bath additive. Use it for a sitz bath to help hemorrhoids, or as a foot- or hand-bath for sweaty feet or hands. For hemorrhoids and for wounds, the flowers are also made into a salve.
Preparations and dosage:
Infusion: Use 2 teaspoons dried or fresh flowers with half cup boiling water. Take a mouthful at a time. Or add 2 tablespoons flowers to 2 cups cold water and heat to just short of boiling.
Bath Additive: Use 1 pound flowers with 5 quarts cold water. Bring to a boil, then steep covered for 10 minutes. Strain and add to bath water. A less affective way is to hang a linen bag containing the flowers in the tub. Use proportionately smaller amounts for partial baths.
| I found these on a site called Pagan News (link can be found on links page) and since I'm not sure when I'll be able to complete this page, I thought these might come in handy. Enjoy :) | | |
These remedies are from "The Herb Book". I don't plan on posting every remedy, but there are several more I intend on adding. Please be patient with me, I will add more soon.
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