FIRST AID

TROUBLE BREATHING?

Barberry, lemongrass, calamint, capers, new jersey tea, wild basil, coriander, yellow jasmine & raspberry leaf.
Horseradish tea vapors reduce congestion.

ANTI-ASTHMATICS
Most alliums, elaeagnus, snakeroot, common reed, American plum, apricot, nectarine, coltsfoot.

Khella (Ammi visnaga) can lessen the frequency of asthma attacks.

For allergies, take khella daily during  allergy season. Side effect: sun sensitivity may develop, wear sunblock, sunglasses.

Steam from mint or eucalyptus can clear the sinuses. Eating hot peppers or hot mustard can do the same.

Eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis) appears to make your immune system less reactive to allergens.

COUGH SUPPRESSANTS
Mullein, elaeagnus, winter cherry, rum cherry, wild cherry, beech, sea buckthorn, Japanese pepper, marshmallow.

COLDS AND FLU

Two drops Thyme essential oil placed in hot water, inhale the steam for cold, flu, or bronchitis.
Angelica leaf tea soothes bronchitis, and the symptoms of colds & cough.
Gargle coriander tea or drink horseradish root tea for relief of cold symptoms.
Garlic is an effective fever reducer. Also, like onions, increases immune response to fight off colds and flu. Topically, rub cut cloves of garlic and onions to break high fevers.
Caraway treats bronchitis, colds, cough, sore throat and  fever.
Lemon verbena tea soothes symptoms of colds and fevers.

EXPECTORANTS
New jersey tea, wild basil, coriander, most alliums, angelica, snakeroot, american spikenard, milkweed, pleurisy root, fennel, sunflower, barley, hyssop, mallows, flax seed, white mulberry, sweet cicily, greek oregano, parsley, ginseng, black bamboo, elderberry, savory, yew, coltsfoot, nasturtiums, thymes and sweet violet are expectorants
Horehound soothes sore throats and quiets coughs, and is a natural expectorant.

ACHES, PAIN RELIEF, ANTI-INFLAMMATORY

Liniment for external use: Arnica tincture, or one of the creams or rubs, for bruises, strains and sprains (may cause contact rash. Do not use arnica on broken skin).

Lovage or dandelion root tea can help prevent muscle cramps. Yarrow poultice for slight sprains.

Also: Witch hazel and St. Johnswort tinctures in combination with essential oils of camphor, eucalyptus, rosemary or clove bud reduce pain, swelling, and morning stiffness of arthritis.

Angelica tea eases the symptoms of arthritis.

Parsley as an external poultice to decrease swelling,  effective on sprains and strains.

Lavender soothes neuralgic pains, rheumatism, sprains, and sore joints.

Cabbage poultices raise boils to a head and breaks down the trapped blood that forms bruises.

Caraway tea can be used externally as an astringent wash for acne-prone areas. Arthritic joints can be soaked in the tea.

Meadowsweet tincture or aspirin. Willow bark tea works as well.

2 drops of thyme essential oil in 4 ounces of water for mouthwash for toothache or sore throat. Same recipe used externally for crabs, lice & all external parasites.

HEADACHES
*Dehydration is the largest cause of headaches, so drink lots of water!

Headaches can be treated with chamomile, catnip, oregano, mint, lavender, in steam or tea.

Migraines can be treated with feverfew by relaxing constricted blood vessels. Place between bread & butter, the butter helps coat the mouth & throat to prevent contact  dermatitis that may occur with feverfew.

Turmeric can be anti-inflammatory, anticancer, anti-mutagenic and antioxidant.

Valerian eases migraine, intestinal and menstrual cramps.

Internally, Marigold soothes sore throat, menstrual cramps, fever.

Mullein infused in olive oil is a remedy for bruises, insect bites, hemorrhoids, earache, and poultice from the leaves or flowers is a treatment for burns and boils.

ANTI-MICROBIAL HEALING

Comfrey helps heal bruises, cuts, sprains or dislocations, aids the growth of scar tissue after cuts, speeding the healing process. Root  in a gargle tea to ease sore throat or gum disease.

A comfrey based salve, with tinctured combinations seem to work best and are applied directly to the skin.

Plantain, grindelia, St. John's wort, calendula and echinacea  soothe, accelerate healing and disinfect.

Essential oils of lavender and rosemary strengthen the effects. Use for any breaks in the skin and for burns.

*(Do not use on puncture wounds, use an antiseptic such as echinacea tincture instead)

BODY ODOR

Sage tea calms overactive sweat glands.
Lycium (wolfberry) is high zinc & forms a thin layer on the skin and keeps the growth of bacteria in check. Cashews, eggs & oysters have  similar effect.

Eating sugar and sweets increases your attraction to many insects!

Essential oils of lavender, citronella, eucalyptus, cedarwood, lemon grass suspended in a base of water and alcohol, are noxious to bugs.

Sprinkle rosemary tea in areas where ants frequent to discourage the insects.

Strong chamomile on skin to prevent insect bites.

For bee sting or spider bite, bruise fresh plantain and apply as a poultice.

Feverfew is an effective insect repellent & poultice for insect bites.

Echinacea is helpful when it comes to snakebite.

OTHER HERBS FOR BITES & STINGS
Alliums, fig, jewelweed, parsley, dock, savory.

BUILDING RESISTANCE

Flax seed is an excellent herbal source of omega-3 fatty acids, an immunity builder.
Echinacea and astragalus are immune-system stimulants for increasing resistance.  Don't take long term- if you don't take breaks, they won't work as well. Use 2 weeks, stop a week, use 2 weeks, etc.

Echinacea tincture provides temporary boost to the immune system. Good in case a cold threatens. Also antidotes poison.

Astragalus can decrease the duration of the common cold.
Pack a  bottle of echinacea tincture & some slices of astragalus root to use on travel.

Garlic is a great immune booster and lowers blood pressure and can help block carcinogen absorption.
Caraway is an immune booster. *Caraway taken as an oil infusion, risks liver or kidney damage.

INTERNAL & EXTERNAL CLEANSING

Ginseng to increase endurance & resistance. Used in China to normalize various body functions  like blood pressure, blood sugar, energy to increase strength and stamina (increasing Yang). Also strengthens your adrenal glands. Eleuthero ginseng protects the liver, which is important if overindulging in unusually rich foods and beverages.

Milk thistle seed extract protects the liver from damage and helps regenerate liver cells damaged by toxins and disease such as hepatitis.

St. Johnswort is anti viral and antibacterial.

Urinary Problems: avoid caffeinated, sugary drinks, which increase urinary tract bacteria.

Saw palmetto reduces the symptoms of enlarged prostate.

Chervil has a cleansing effect on the urinary ducts & the bacteria that cause infections.

Parsley tea is also is effective in treating urinary tract infections and helps treat gallstones.

Urinary tract infections respond to caraway tea. Also: tea of angelica, chicory root, coriander, dandelion root or leaf, fennel seed, hops, licorice, or sweet bay tea.  Lovage, marjoram, oregano, cranberry juice, horseradish, garlic, dill, tarragon and rosemary have a similar effect.

St. Johnswort & marjoram help with bladder control.

Mushrooms block the excess estrogen that can lead to breast cancer. Shiitaki mushrooms are anti-cancer.

PURIFIERS

CHOLESTEROL- Reduce the build up
Guggul (Commiphora mukul), leeks, garlic, silver birch, cardoon, artichoke, hibiscus, safflower, oats, citrus, box thorn, ginseng, evening primrose, Chinese rhubarb, common rhubarb, aubergine, fenugreek.
High c-reactive protein (CRP) inflames artery walls & raises the risk of heart disease.  Lower this risk by eating beta-carotene, apricots,  carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, cantaloupe, broccoli, spinach, walnuts, flax seed and fiber!.

BLOOD PURIFIERS
Agrimony, burdock, mormon tea, crow garlic, day lily, sea buckthorn, walnut, wood sorrel, yerba buena, yerba mansa, dandelion,  staghorn sumac, viburnam.

Angelica stimulates the production of red blood cells.

Horse chestnut helps reduce varicose veins, prevent future ones,  soothes  the pain and swelling. May also relieve tiredness, tension, itching, and water retention associated with edema. Cherries, blackberries, blueberries, and other dark berries  tone the walls of veins, for treatment for varicose veins.

REDUCE BLOOD SUGARS
Onions, shallots, burdock, chicory, Job's tears, Siberian ginseng, globe artichoke, barley, Chinese boxthorn, white lupin, mulberry watercress, spinach, fenugreek, nettle huckleberry, bilberry.
Gymnema may reduce  diabetes symptoms by stimulating the pancreas.
Chromium might help keep blood sugar levels normal by improving the way our bodies use insulin, benefiting people with diabetes. It seems to be more likely to help people with diabetes who have a chromium deficiency.


LOWER THE BLOOD PRESSURE
Giant reed, most alliums, chervil, borage, Shepherd's purse, New Jersey tea, hawthorn, quince, persimmon, buckwheat, peppergrass, white mulberry, evening primrose, Sacred water lotus, french bean, self heal, Mexican tarragon, lime, fenugreek, sweet corn, yarrow, pleurisy root, chamomile, Huang Qi, ginseng, hyssop, mint, sage, sassafras, box thorn, feverfew, Szechwan pepper.

OTHER TOXIN ELIMINATORS AND SYSTEM PURIFIERS
Akebia, borage, wild garlic, chinese cabbage, gotu cola, chicory, buckwheat, daylily, columbine, great burdock, walnut, mahonia, watercress, dropwort, common reed, ground cherry, purslane, sikkim rhubarb, blackberry, sorrel, soapwort, china root, white clover, goatsbeard, nasturtium

Peppermint & fennel are good digestives, which reduce gastric acidity and increase stomach-emptying speed.

Peppermint oil can soothe symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and relieve constipation.
Licorice root works for acid reflux, though it raises blood pressure.

Deglycyrrhizinated licorice eases inflammation, pain of ulcers.

If you have bacterial ulcers, use goldenseal.

Dandelion leaves stimulates appetite, relieves cramps and other digestive distress.

Rosemary & parsley soothe coughs & stomach aches. 


Lemon verbena, chicory root, garlic, sassafras and catnip and hops  alleviate stomach ache.

Angelica combats gas and increases appetite. Lemon water during meals moves food and gas through the digestive system, also helps prevent kidney stones from forming

Yarrow tea is used to soothe stomachache and indigestion, also used to stimulate appetite.

DIARRHEA

Raspberry leaf  or garlic are a mild remedy.  Blackberry &  strawberry root and leaf will relieve diarrhea and reduce internal hemorrhaging 
Other astringents are bistort root, white oak bark.

A few bites of peeled green apple,   bentonite clay or charcoal tablets for diarrhea and assist with detoxifying, in case of poisoning.

For constipation. Try senna or cascara sagrada, both stimulant laxatives for temporary relief when needed.

PARASITES

Caraway, thyme, barberry, love lies bleeding, juneberry, serviceberry, artimisias, wild cabbage, nutmeg, swamp milkweed, cherry birch, hazel, carrot, Chinese yam, persimmon, Perennial buckwheat,