learn the edible and medicinal uses of plants

After procrastinating on this goal for a loooong time, I’m determined to start my herbal education. (Sorry Elerah!) Last night, I started reading Healing Wise by Susun S. Weed. I’ve had this book for years, leafed through it a couple of times, and then put it back down. Last night, I read part of the first section and “Burdock Speaks”. I figure I’ll work through this book and then, using the skills I’ve developed, begin studying other herbs. I also plan to supplement the information given by Susan S. Weed with other reputable sources. I plan to take a week, give or take, to study an herb.

I bought myself a 3-ring binder to keep my herbal notes in. I plan to print a photo of the herb, have a written description of it (and how it’s different from any plants it could be confused with), any general useful information, what parts of it are used, what it’s used for, and how to use it.

So, my first herb is, obviously, BURDOCK. Next weekend, I’ll post some info about it.

I’ll put a picture up when I can find a good one of the American species. I believe European and American Blue Vervain are interchangable insofar as their use in herbalism but they look totally different. The American species has a gorgrous crown of deep blue flower heads bursting from a tall, upright plant. The European version has longer spikes of flowers and sort of resembles giant wild hyssop. I know- Much good that does you without a picture.

What I’ve tried of this plant has been very helpful to me with PMS. In fact, Matthew Wood writes that it is good for women whose PMS symptoms resemble influenza symptoms as it was used first as a remedy against the flu. I’ve had the tincture of flower heads relieve nausea and a bit of my cramping and generally calm me down without sedating me.

I’ve found it has a bit of a nervine effect on me but that might be because I have something of the blue vervain personality- Driven, stubborn, strong sense of personal right and wrong, holds tension in the neck and shoulders. Me. ;) But the plant speaks of working with the nerves, getting everything in the proper rhythm. To me, it has a similar feel to skullcap (my favorite nervine) in this regard and like skullcap, I’ve had it relieve pain- but only in the neck, head, and shoulders. I’ll point out that blue vervain is also used for epilepsy but I don’t have it, so I can’t report personal findings.

I believe I read that blue vervain is also used in menopause and for gravel, also I think it is used for prostate problems but I’d have to go refresh my memory on that if anyone asks.

Traditionally the root is used but the leaves and flower heads can also be used. The flower heads are commonly dried for tea. I used flower head tincture to get a feel for this plant as well as the flower essence (which can substitute well for the tincture).

I met teasel today. I had been looking at it in the fields for several weeks. To be honest, I hadn’t known what it was until last month when I first read Matthew Wood’s The Book of Herbal Medicine, though I’ve been seeing it for about six years.

Since I couldn’t find any teasel plants that had not yet bloomed- the root is the part used in herbal medicine- I cut several flower heads with the intent to make a flower essence. Hitherto I have not posted about flower essences but with teasel it was either make an essence or hope to find some plants in a good place at some point. Being an impatient person but rather well-versed in making my own essences, I chose that route.

There was enough sun left in the day for me to set out the flower in spring water to imprint. I checked on the essence a little before dark and had the impression that it wanted to be left in the dark for a while, I honored the feeling and left it for about an hour. When it felt “done”, I brought the glass into my cottage and, per my usual practice in proving the essence, took a hit off of the mother essence.

I felt very warm and then felt the sensation of a large teasel flower head beginning at my heart and growing to the top of my head. The flower enlarged until it was the size of my entire body. My knee hurt- my bad knee but it felt like things were moving inside. My injured back also felt like the muscles were being manipulated- rather like when I had physical therapy and the therapist was stretching the fascia. I felt more connected to myself than I have for a long time.

Matthew Wood says that teasel “restores what is broken”. Whether you believe it is a placebo- I feel like some of my ability with my back and knee have been restored. I feel like parts of myself have been restored. I am looking forward to finding a first year plant to tincture the root so I can see if its properties hold up to the essence.

One last note- Teasel is sometimes successful in helping to cure Lyme disease. I’ll probably write another entry on teasel in herbalism after I meet the tincture.

Having taken a long, somewhat involuntary break from posting on this goal, I thought I’d add some of what I’ve learnt about Yarrow.

Yarrow is a very good wound medicine. It heals deep cuts and slashes, sealing them up from the outside in. I know this firsthand as I have used it with great success on my husband. Last week, he was bringing one of our cats out to the cottage when someone lit off a firecracker, scared the cat, the cat leaping out of my husband’s arms, scratching his hand very deeply across the palm. My husband was worried about the cut as he would be playing in a golf outing the very next day. I had some golden yarrow tincture started in vodka out in the cottage and though it wasn’t “ripe” yet, I offered to dress his hand with it.

The cut sealed itself up and he was able to play in his outing with minimal discomfort. I re-dressed his hand for him after his golf and the day after that, he exclaimed how quickly the cut healed.

Also, I have read that yarrow moves stagnant blood and Maria Treben, an Aussie herbalist, recommends that women take a cup of yarrow tea monthly to keep their reproductive systems clean. I can tell you that yarrow tincture will start you bleeding if you are near to your period or late as I have twice spilled some of the tincture on myself and began bleeding 3 hours later… so I suppose pregnant women should be careful near it.

I must also point out that while you can use the ornamental yarrows for tincture, the further you get from the wild white variety, the less medicinal action you’ll have but, as you can see from what happened to me- golden yarrow seems potent enough even though it is thrice-removed from the official variety.

I just wanted to mention what happened at my parents’ house yesterday.

We are having a 5 day gathering with my Auntie and Uncle, my Great Aunt, and a cousin. My auntie was sitting on the swing on the porch, reading the afternoon paper and when she went to pick up one of the next sections that she had laying on the cushion beside her, she got stung by a wasp. OW! OW!

She came into the house holding her hand; I jumped up and grabbed my mother’s baking soda to put on it and told her I would go get her something even better than baking soda. I went out into the lawn to look for some plantain but, since my parents’ lawn is quite sterile (but still lovely, only more like a golf course than a lazy woman’s herb patch ^^ ) I had to bound across the street to pick plantain out of my own yard. I had my aunt chew up about three leaves and apply them to the sting. And I’m not making it up but after three minutes, she said the pain was totally gone.

So I told her to change the poltice in half an hour and today it is as if she wasn’t even stung.

Go plantain!

I’m toying with the idea of taking a correspondence course on herbs or the Wise Woman herbal tradition from Susun Weed. They can be found them here if anyone’s curious.

I would like to deepen my understanding of herbs, especially the ones native to my area by using more than my books and intuition. I’d like to have a stronger foundation to work from. I don’t use complicated or hard to get herbs now and I’d like to continue in that fashion. The problem is- giving up some of the last money I have saved from working at Borg-Mart. I have the money… I just have a problem spending it when it’s currently difficult, if not impossible for me to become employed.

I enjoy using herbs as food and medicine and it makes me feel more alive to use them. I think a course would benefit me.

One of Plantain’s charming little nicknames is “Band-Aid Plant” for its ability to stanch bleeding cuts. I myself have tried this and can testify that it is true.

Two days ago I was playing with my 22-toed baby Thurien and he got a little slap happy with his claws out. I had left off trimming his claws because he had been so good at not slicing us open and it’s hard to catch him when he’s sleepy enough or schmoopy enough to nip them off. He caught my left ring finger and whacked me open but good. The blood welled up and, because I have rather thin blood, refused to clot in what I thought was a timely manner. I high-stepped out my front door and hunted down some plantain in my front yard. I chewed up a leaf and applied the green mush as a poltice- 30 seconds later the stinging was gone and perhaps 30 seconds after that, the bleeding stopped. While I knew that it would work, still, I was amazed at how well it worked.

Plantain does have some antibacterial properties and you can dry it and save it for later to chew as you would as fresh leaves. It is also said to soothe insect stings and bites- while I haven’t been stung this year, I can attest that it will soothe nettle stings if you’re an idiot like me and think you can touch the plant without gloves. ::Dur::

Another “annoying weed”, plantain (not to be confused with the little starchy cooking banannas) can be eaten young as salad greens, taken as a tea or infusion, or cooked like spinach. Make sure to get young leaves as the more mature they are, the stringier they become. The seeds can be ground for flour.

Plantain is very high in beta carotene (A) and calcium. It also provides ascorbic acid©, and vitamin K.

There are two types of plantain most commonly found in the US: Plantago Major, which has fat, rounded leaves and Plantago lanceolata, which has longer, spear-shaped leaves. They can be harvested from early spring to first frost. They will grow anywhere but please, if you decide to use them, don’t harvest them from near the road- they’ll be full of chemicals from car exhaust and runoff from the road.

Plantain helps relieve skin and scalp irritations, reduce inflammation heal minor injuries. Plantain oil is well tolerated by any type of skin and traditionally was utilized as a restorative and anti-aging skin remedy. It was used to nourish and treat sensitive, irritated skin and scalp, help restore injured or tired skin and for daily revitalizing treatment. Plantain oil is also believed to be helpful in the treatment of conditions of mucous membranes.

Plantain infusion (tea) can also be used as a soothing wash for sunburn, windburn, rashes, or wounds.

Plantain has mild anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antihemorrhagic, and expectorant actions. The German Commission E officially recommends using 1/4-1/2 teaspoon (1-3 grams) of the leaf daily in the form of tea made by steeping the herb in 1 cup (250 ml) of hot water for 10-15 minutes (making three cups (750 ml ) per day). The fresh leaves can be applied directly three or four times per day to minor injuries, dermatitis, and insect stings. Syrups or tinctures, approximately 1/2 teaspoon (2-3 ml) three times per day, can also be used, particularly to treat a cough. Finally, 1/2-1 1/4 teaspoons (2-6 grams) of the fresh plant can be juiced and taken in three evenly divided oral administrations throughout the day.

Resources: Susun Weed’s Wisewoman forum and Prarieland Herbs’ article on Plantain

Dandelions are high in calcium, iron, Vit. C and vitamin B Complex. They also provode Vit. A, choline, and trace minerals, making them an excellent liver-supporting plant. Judith Berger says that eating 3 leaves a day will bring a marked increase in vitality. A six week vinegar infusion can reverse anemia and reduce premenstrual sugar cravings, taken in 1 teaspoon doses with every meal.

Dandelion can lessen adolescent acne. Dandelion blossom ointment can ease premenstrual swelling and tenderness in the breasts. I have found that dandelion root coffee taken 1 tbsp of coarsely-grounded root to 1 cup of water can do the same thing. I should have read more thouroughly this month as Judith asserts that the blossoms as a tea have the ability to relieve headaches, stomache aches, and menstrual cramps. She says the blossoms soaked in white wine for an hour or two nourish the digestion and bring on a deep, restorative sleep.

Dandelion tone the kidneys, can dissolve kidney stones, and strengthen kidneys weakened by diabetes. They have a diuretic effect that does not affect the potassium levels in the body. Taken over a six-to-nine month period, the tincture of the root rejuvinates damaged liver tissue. Judith mentions that dandelion is a good choice for those recovering from chemotherapy, radiation, hepatitis, or jaundice. It alleviates constipation, can dissolve cholesterol-related gallstones.

On an emotional level, dandelion helps to loosen and express anger- whether you are having flashes of rage or can’t seem to summon anger when it is appropriate to a situation. Sometimes, however, dandelion loosens old rage and when it all comes up, you can feel overwhelmed (been there). So perhaps it is best to have a therapist you can talk to, just in case, if you decide to use dandelion to discharge calcified anger.

Dandelion has been known to help with depression- but don’t stop taking your meds because you’re eating your lawn. Always check with a professional if you think your meds need adjusted.

- Dandelions have had a reputation as being effective in promoting weight loss and laboratory research indicates that there is some support for this reputation.

- In 1979 a Japanese patent was filed for a freeze-dried warm water extract of dandelion root for anti-tumor use. It was found that administration of the extract markedly inhibited growth of particular carcinoma cells within one week after treatment

- ( http://www.leaflady.org/health_benefits_of_dandelions.htm )

http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html%253fASIN=0312243014%2526tag=sparklingglen%2526lcode=xm2%2526cID=2025%2526ccmID=165953%2526location=/o/ASIN/0312243014%25253FSubscriptionId=0EMV44A9A5YT1RVDGZ82" title="View product details at Amazon">Herbal Rituals by Judith Berger

Today I started violet leaf oil.

Violet leaf oil is very good for dissolving hardnesses in the body. It is especially good for fibrocystic breasts and, according to Judith Berger’s Herbal Rituals, it can prevent breast cancer and the infusion has been known to shrink breast cysts and tumors. The infusion also soothes and decreases premenstrual breast swelling.

Violet eases inflammations, headache, and sooths external wounds, especially burns. Where was Violet after my dental nightmare? Judith says that it eases gum pain and the pounding headache that accompanies dental work.

The blossoms are high in Vit. C and are mildly laxitive. They are also very sweet- I find the lavender-streaked white blossoms the sweetest, almost like candy.