Herbs, there preperation and what they are used for

Okay guys,I rarely post a thread but I figured some of you guys might find this useful. I am 29 years old and suffering from major back problems as well as other issues. I very rarely take meds of any kind but the doctors have prescribed me boat loads of meds ranging from steroids to heavy duty pain killers. I refuse to take any of the meds, which in turn has sparked my interest in natural remedies. I am going to share what i have learned ranging from herbs and there uses to the preparations of them. Here goes.....

First off lets start with the preparations then we'll get into herbs and animals.

BBolus: is a suppository used as an internal poultice in the vaginal or rectal areas. It draws toxins and poisons to bolus or carrier. You make a bolus by adding powered herbs to cocoa butter until it forms a thick consistency. Refrigerate it to make it harder. Before using the bolus it is best to take out of the fridge bout 10 mins. before use.

Compresses: Used to provoke the circulation of blood or lymph in the body and can be applied either warm or hot. When applied cold they soothe pain and reduce swelling. They are also used for afflictions that may include aches, colds, flu, pains and swellings. Herbal compresses may accomplish the same effect as an ointment combined with the benefit of heat which is a healing action. Take one or two tbl. spoons of an herb or herbal combination. Bring boil in 1 cup of water. A cotton pad or gauze is important since it is natural. Dip in the strained liquid. The extra liquid is drained and the pad is placed on the affected area while it is warm. It's best to cover the cotton with wool or something to trap the heat. When it cools just redip and apply again.

Tincture:Are alcoholic extracts of vegetable or animal substances that can be stored for long periods of time. To make you need alcohol like gin, rum vodka, ect. Combine four ounces of a powdered or cut herb(s) with one pint of alcohol. Allow the herbs to settle and shake it once a day for a couple of weeks so the herbs can extract. Then after a few weeks have passed strain off the alcohol from the herbs and store in a brown container. You can drink it or use it as a liniment.

Salves: A salve is an ointment that is applied to wounds, cuts or abrasions. A salve is a fat, oil, petroleum jelly or a resin. Olive oil is usually the base that most people use. To make herbs are covered with water and brought to boil then simmer for about 30 minutes. Then strain it and add to an equal amount of olive oil or the base you choose. Then it is simmered until the water has evaporated and only the oil remains. Beeswax is added to give the mixture salve consistency and poured into a dark glass jar with a tight lid. Salves are usually good for a year.

Oils: Fixed oils: Castor oil, olive oil,ect. These oils in plants and animals are glycerol esters of fatty acids. These oils are nonvolatile and contain no acid.

Volatile oils : peppermint or rose. These oils have an odor and produce taste. These oils are used in flavors, perfumes and healing remedies. They are usually complex chemicals that are difficult to purify.
Oils are prepared by pounding the fresh or dried herbs. The oil of choice is then added. About 2 ounces of an herb to one pint of oil. The mixture is then put in a warm place around four days, then it's good to use. It's REALLY important that you store it in a dark container and also you can added some vitamin E to preserve it.

Infusions:Infusions are made by pouring the hot liquid over the herb and steeping it to extract the active ingredients. The usual amounts are about a half to 1 ounce of herbs to a pint of water. Pour it all in a glass jar while it is still warm and cover it so it dosent evaporate, let it sit for about 30 mins.. Allow it to cool a little so you don't burn yourself when drinking it and you probably should strain it before you drink it.

Extracts:Some extracts are rubbed into the skin for strained muscles and sprains. Some are used for the relief of inflammatory issues like arthritis. Extracts usually contain herbs that are stimulating like cayenne.Extracts can be made by adding approximately four ounces of dried herbs or double of fresh crushed herbs. Add pint of massage oil, rubbing alcohol or vinegar and allow it to extract. The jar is shaken a few times a day. The extract is made after about 4-6 days if the herbs are powdered and about 15-17 days if the herbs are fresh. Then just rub on your affected areas.

Powders: Powders are made from fresh parts of plants which are ground until there are fine particles of the herb. By making a powder the herb can be taken in water, in herbal teas, or sprinkled onto food. It's a really good way of figuring out the proper amounts for your body. If you want to apply it externally you can add the powder to oils, petroleum jelly, aloe vera or just apply directly to abrasion.

So there are a few ways to prepare your herbs, now on to some herbs and animal and there uses.....

Cayenne:Cayenne stimulate circulation and digestion. It also helps maintain healthy blood fat levels. arthritis, bleeding, equalizes blood pressure , circulation, diabetes, heart, high blood pressure, and kidneys.

Basil: Basil has strong anti-bacterial and anti-spasmodic properties which makes it good for coughs and in extracting poisons when there has been a wasp, bee, hornet or venomous bites or stings.

Dandelion:Natural diuretic and digestive aid. Dandelion helps to detoxify the liver. Dandelion is considered a valuable survival food source because it contains all of the nutritive salts you need to purify the blood. The juice from the broken stem can be applied to warts, cuts and abrasions. Warts should fall off in a few days after using.

Thyme: a really good antiseptic. It's also used to treat anemia, intestinal problems and bronchial conditions. It is used as an antiseptic for tooth decay. It destroys fungal infections in athlete's foot. It can be used to kill skin parasites like as lice and crabs.

Horseradish: great natural antibiotic which is really good for urinary tract infections and respiratory problems. Horseradish is used orally to decrease asthma symptoms, sinus congestion,relieve cough. It's also used as an treatment for urinary tract infections, improve kidney function and kidney stones.

I'm out of room, I'll continue in a second post...........


[edit on 26-3-2010 by freeyourmind1111]

[edit on 26-3-2010 by freeyourmind1111]

Continuance.......


Lavender: Everyone knows about it's calming effects but it is also a really great analgesic and anti-inflammatory with potency comparable to non steroid anti inflammatory drugs. It can be used in aromatherapy, added to bath but also topically for muscle, bone and joint pain.

Garlic:is a powerful antibiotic herb. Garlic works wonderfully fighting infections both internally and out. It can be used by mouth for fighting bacterial infections inside your body for throat infection, ear infection, sinus infection, kidney infection, bladder infection and so on.

Echinacea: A good antibiotic used in treating ear aches, strep throat and lymph gland problems. This herb also helps to prevent colds and flu symptoms from becoming as severe, and lessening the length of suffering time during cold and flu season. It is also a sterilizer.

Emu oil: It's very important to make sure the emu oil is 100% pure emu oil. The Aborigines have been using it to treat literally hundreds of things. Some of those things are burns, wounds, bruises, and as a pain reliever for bone, muscle, and joint disorders. It is said to have anti inflammatory properties and speeds up healing time. I can personally attest that is a awesome thing and really knocks excruciating pain out of my back. It is also very fast acting.

Black walnut: kills parasites, balance sugar levels. When Black Walnut is used as an extract it is great for poison oak, ringworm and skin problems of all kinds, especially acne. Has antiseptic properties. Black Walnut has also been known to restore good tooth enamel.

Bee pollen:There have been some studies that found Bee Pollen helps the condition of pernicious anemia and conditions associated with the gastrointestinal system like constipation. Bee Pollen has been useful in hormonal balance, hypertension and conditions that have to do with the glands or endocrine system. Bee Pollen improves the appetite. It also contains a large amount of protein.really important:do not feed honey or anything that contains bee pollen to any child under 2 years old, It can kill them

Juniper:Juniper is used when the body is high in uric acid( excellent for gout). In ancient times it was believed that Juniper warded off the plague. It is believed to help restore the pancreas as long as there is no permanent damage. It is also useful for infections.

Okay guys, I'm honestly tired of typing, so please add to the conversation what you know. I will add more herbs and there uses later.

One serious note: as with all medicines and herbs, please do your research, some herbs can be toxic or cause adverse reactions if not taken properly or if taken with other herbs or medicines. Please consult your doctor or a compound pharmacist before trying.

I hope you guys can use this info, I think everyone should know how to heal naturally. Thanks for reading!!!








[edit on 26-3-2010 by freeyourmind1111]

Something else I was thinking about which indirectly deals with my original post is....

Antioxidants:Antioxidants are a group of nutrients that aid in the protection of free radicals which are tiny atoms that can and do damage our cells and decrease our immune system.Antioxidants act as "free radical scavengers" and prevent and repair damage done by these free radicals. Health problems such as heart disease, macular degeneration, diabetes, and cancer are all contributed by oxidative damage. The end result may lead to infection and other processes that can result in disease, illness, syndromes, aches and or pains. Natural ways of getting your antioxidants are.....

Vitamin C
Vitamin A
Vitamin E
Ascorbic Acids
Beta carotene
Bilberry
Ginkgo Biloba
Gluthathione
Grape seed extract
Lutein
Lycopene
Zinc
Co-enzyme Q10

Where can they be found? In foods we eat like citrus fruits, veggies and especially green leafy veggies. It is also found in fish, shellfish, garlic, red wines, teas, nuts, grains,seeds, soy,pomegranate, strawberry's, tomatoes, chicken.

I don't know about you guys but this is all food I like to eat and what's even more awesome is if you like alcohol( which I do not) you can enjoy some red wine and not feel guilty( also red wine is good for your digestion and blood).

There are so many ways to heal your body. We are always complaining about TPTB controlling our lives but there are ways of taking it back, learning to heal yourself naturally is one place to start.

Thanks for the stars and flags guys but it would be really awesome if someone would chime in with whatever they would like to share. I'm always eager to learn new things and I'm sure there are a lot of people who know way more about this than me. Anyway, thanks for taking the time to read my long thread, I know sometimes the length of a thread turns people off. Take care all!!

[edit on 26-3-2010 by freeyourmind1111]

...how nice - thx...

...sorry to hear about your back... my right disk is wearing out - gettin' old is a pain, lol... best thing i've done for my back was to stop sleeping on a traditional mattress / box springs... i sleep on an air mattress - it works and its cheap (15 bucks for a queen size at your local walleyworld)...

...to add to your list - my house aint home without aloe vera, garlic, ginger root and red onions... they're super easy to grow in most climates...

...aloe vera is the perfect burn healer and facial mask... garlic, you've already mentioned, has tons of wonderfully healthy uses...

...make a tea with a little chunk of boiled ginger root to combat allergies, colds, congestion, flu - and - its the best air freshner / deoderizer - kills dog stink, man stink and when company visits they think i've just polished all the wood in the house cuz it smells like lemon pledge, lol... peel, shred it and stuff a chicken, then bake - yummy...

...eating raw red onion gives you good skin - dont know why, just know it does...

Thanks for the list! I've saved it!

I don't know whether you will find this information useful but with regards to your bad back, have you tried Wild Oregano oil.

I used this oil to fight an infection.

I had no idea it could help with anything else BUT ten days after I started taking it I could move my right arm better than I have for three years.

Three years ago I went to the doctor with a bad arm and was told I had damaged all of my elbow and other than surgery there was nothing I could do about it.

OK. I didn't want surgery so I have suffered for years.

Ten days after beginning to take Wild Oregano oil I used my arm as if nothing was wrong with it. I can carry shopping again, pull a trolley, I have started to lift light weights. So I read up on Wild Oregano oil and lo and behold it heals damage to ligaments, it is anti inflammatory and, as a to my own experience I would say it is a 'miracle' if there is such a thing. As an experiement I stopped using it for four days and my arm started to ache again. I take it that the healing had not completed and so I have carried on now and am on my third week of using it. You do have to take good probiotics with it as it kills all germs and bacteria including good bacteria.

I hope you'll look it up.

I hope you will be able to give it a go and see if it helps your back!

Good luck!

Don't forget to talk about adaptogens. I take schisandra, lycium and licorice, which are both adaptogens, from my morning herbal tea. It's called, traditional medicinals daily detox tea. Excellent to clear the head, lighten the mood, and start the day refreshed.

Schisandra: Balances the nervous system, antioxidant, hepaprotective

Licorice: Immune amphoteric, heals stomach and bowel

Lycium: Antioxidant, immune tonic, supports the liver, kidney & eyes



reply to post by Elliot


Oregano oil is some of the strongest stuff you can take to naturally wipe out an infection. I recommended it to someone on ATS who had a staph infection. He/She had already tried a few different types of pharmaceuticals, but no dice. She replied back two or three days later, saying she was amazed and the infection was nearly gone! It's a miracle worker for sure.

Originally posted by Wyn Hawks
...how nice - thx...

...sorry to hear about your back... my right disk is wearing out - gettin' old is a pain, lol... best thing i've done for my back was to stop sleeping on a traditional mattress / box springs... i sleep on an air mattress - it works and its cheap (15 bucks for a queen size at your local walleyworld)...

...to add to your list - my house aint home without aloe vera, garlic, ginger root and red onions... they're super easy to grow in most climates...

...aloe vera is the perfect burn healer and facial mask... garlic, you've already mentioned, has tons of wonderfully healthy uses...

...make a tea with a little chunk of boiled ginger root to combat allergies, colds, congestion, flu - and - its the best air freshner / deoderizer - kills dog stink, man stink and when company visits they think i've just polished all the wood in the house cuz it smells like lemon pledge, lol... peel, shred it and stuff a chicken, then bake - yummy...

...eating raw red onion gives you good skin - dont know why, just know it does...

Yeah,getting old sucks dosent it. I feel like I'm getting old a little too fast for my likening though. My problem is I put off going to the doctor until it's unbearable,and now I have a whole host of issues from spinal stenosis, degenerative discs, one huge bulging disc in the lower lumbar and to top it off the say I have adult scoliosis which is easily treatable with a brace( wonder why they didn't catch that one in high school?), I had to laugh about that one because all I could think of was Quazimoto from The hunchback of Notre Dame. I'll be like a little old Quazi, lol!
I have a air mattress for guests, I think I'll try it.
Yes, all the herbs and veggies you mentioned are really good to have around but I didnt know that ginger root is a great air freshener,and I didn't know about the raw onion and good skin. Thanks for teaching me something new and thanks for sharing!!



[edit on 26-3-2010 by freeyourmind1111]

[edit on 26-3-2010 by freeyourmind1111]

Originally posted by Elliot
Thanks for the list! I've saved it!

I don't know whether you will find this information useful but with regards to your bad back, have you tried Wild Oregano oil.

I used this oil to fight an infection.

I had no idea it could help with anything else BUT ten days after I started taking it I could move my right arm better than I have for three years.

No problem, I defiantly want to pass on what I have learned so it could come in handy for others. In regard to the wild oregano oil, I have never used it before but I certainly will now. I will try just about anything to avoid taking pharmaceuticals or having surgery.
That is really awesome that it has helped you so much. What amazes me is how quick people jump on synthetic meds from pharma companies but fail to realize that you can get the same benefits going all natural with less side effects.
You might be interested in that emu oil, my neighbor who suffers from MS swears by it and she was the one who actually put me on to it. It's pretty great stuff but can be a little pricey. About 5 mins. after I use it I can feel it taking effect and it really diminishes the pain considerably. One awesome thing about the emu oil is because it is so fast acting you can mix powdered herbs into it and get the added benefit of the herb that is added. Pretty good stuff, but I will defiantly look into and try the wild oregano oil and post back at a later date on my outcome. Thanks for sharing that with me!!








[edit on 26-3-2010 by freeyourmind1111]

[edit on 26-3-2010 by freeyourmind1111]

I havent tried Schisandra or Lycium but I have taken Licorice. I took it when I had a mouth ulcer once,I might be wrong but I think it is also good for Crohn's diseases, which is a stomach problem, and like you said is good for the stomach. One of my friends has Crohn's and I believe she takes it.
That does sound like a good combo you take there and is a excellent add to the conversation. Thanks!!!!
Oh, just in case some people don't know what adaptogens are it's basically a way to refer to herbs that help the body's reaction to trauma, stresses, tiredness ect. Just like Unityemissions said to feel refreshed and they also make you feel rejunavated.
Unityemissions, it sounds like a really great way to start you day! Thanks again and Take care!

Great post, thanks for it.

I'd like to add that Plantain(Plantago leaf herb not the banana) is a great healing herb.

Here's a bit about it;
It is found all over the world and may grow in your back yard.
It's used as an anti-inflamatory, antiseptic, anti-microbial, anti-histamine and more used as a spread(smashed up a bowl to prepare it) or with bandage on insect bites, sores and rashes. Can be eaten in salads or made into tea to be ingested internally to help heal a cough or consitipation problems. Great in conjuntion with Chamomile.

More info and some References from:
Plantago Herb- Wiki