Do You Remember Your Grandmother's Herbal Remedies?
Photo of glass cup with tea and natural herbs and flowers on a wood table by Lisa Hobbs on Unsplash
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Remember when Grandmother used to strap a warm mustard pack to our congested chests when we had a cold? Or used a warmed tea bag to relieve pink eye, a clove of garlic to relieve earache, or a mixture of chaparral and olive oil to treat itchy skin? I do.
Distances between townships, limited funds, and a lack of readily available medical professionals and facilities all required a woman to be more than just a wife, mother, and housekeeper. Folklore healing practices, herbal curative uses, and other medicinal "family secrets" were carefully guarded and passed down from generation to generation.
Of course, some of the lauded cures of the past were not truly cures at all. Superstition and mythical "remedies" with no practical application crept in. Little by little, and over time, skepticism about the efficacy of any natural, herbal remedy began to take root.
For example, witch doctor practices such as hanging herbs resembling tears around a child's neck to aid in tooth cutting. Many people were prejudiced against the genuine curative uses of herbs because they believed that "reading" tea leaves could predict future love interests and that putting certain spices under the pillow would improve memory.
That is why some modern-day practitioners regard herbal medicine as "quackery," or nothing more than old wives' tales. However, a growing number of otherwise conventional medical professionals are recognizing what Grandmother had known all along. Natural, herbal remedies are effective for maintaining health and curing certain diseases. Nature's Pharmacy is making a comeback.
And why should that come as a surprise? After all, we are organic, just like plants. Today's synthetic drugs were designed to mimic their natural counterparts, not the other way around. Natural means were the only way to treat illness and discomfort, heal wounds, and cure bodily dysfunctions in the past.
Early man discovered the medicinal "powers" of herbs while living in harmony with nature and studying wildlife. Animals bitten by a poisonous snake survived by chewing snake root, a wounded bear rolled in mud to better heal and avoid infection, and old, rheumatoid deer relieved their misery and made their joints more limber by resting under the sun's therapeutic rays.
Animals exhibit Nature's well-thought-out plan for good health and disease-free living. People have deviated from nature's medicine cabinet to create man-made remedies, some of which are less effective, more expensive, and fraught with negative side effects.
Animals exhibit Nature's well-thought-out plan for good health and disease-free living. People have deviated from nature's medicine cabinet to create man-made remedies, some of which are less effective, more expensive, and fraught with negative side effects.
Working with nature, rather than against it, increases our chances of living a healthier life, while decreasing our risk of disease and premature bodily limitations and dysfunctions.
If we just open our eyes to the possibilities, we can access a wealth of healing resources.
To demonstrate this point, consider the numerous medicinal applications of a single herb, which is commonly regarded as a noxious or disposable weed.
The common burdock grows wild and competes for the sun and soil nutrients in the Midwest United States, where it is sometimes found inter-cropped with corn and wheat. Though it is frequently overlooked as a native weed, it has the potential to benefit the bearer's health and alleviate skin ailments when harvested for its root.
Burdock is unrivaled in the herbal world as a blood purifier. It is also known as the "King of Herbs" when it comes to treating chronic skin conditions such as eczema, acne, psoriasis, boils, syphilitic sores, and canker sores.
Here are a few simple herbal medicinal tea recipes that use burdock root that you should try.
Bring 1 quart of water to a boil to make a medicinal tea. Reduce the heat. Add 4 teaspoons dried burdock root, chopped or cut, and simmer for 7 minutes, covered. Remove from the heat and set aside for 2 hours to steep. Drink at least 2 cups per day on an empty stomach, or more if the problem persists. This concoction can also be made in bulk and applied topically to affected skin areas as needed.
Burdock root, when combined with catnip and brewed into a tea, is effective in removing stubborn kidney and gallstones. 4 cups of water, brought to a boil, add 2 tablespoons fresh or dried burdock root, chopped or cut, and simmer for 10 minutes on low heat. Turn off the heat. Allow 3 teaspoons chopped or cut fresh or dried catnip leaf to steep for 1 hour.
Finally, a detox two-tea combination I use during a fasting cleanse to allow the organs and digestive system to purge, rest, and heal.
For the first week of the cleanse, I recommend eating only fruits and vegetables. After the first week, you can gradually resume your regular meal plan.
Most of these herbs can be found at your local health food store but I've included links to purchase items online for your convenience.
First Tea Combination:
Combine 1 tablespoon of each herb, except blessed thistle, in a gallon of water and bring to a boil for 7-10 minutes. Reduce heat to low then add 1 tablespoon of Blessed Thistle and let simmer again on low for 7-10 minutes. Turn off heat and let tea cool. Strain and then refrigerate.
Second Tea Combination:
Combine 1 tablespoon of each herb, except bladderwrack, in a gallon of water and bring to a boil for 7-10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and let simmer again on low for 7-10 minutes. Turn off heat and let tea cool. Strain and then add 1 tablespoons of Bladderwrack, stir and refrigerate.
Drink 2 cups of each tea, hot or cold, daily for a total of 4 cups total.
Please make sure to comment and let me know if these old family secret remedies have been a good addition to your traditional natural home remedy secrets.
Please let me know if these old family secret remedies have been a good addition to your traditional natural home remedy secrets in the comments section. I'd be interested in hearing about your stories too!
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