Herbals as a Way of Life

Prepping for most of us has become a way of life. We stock up on food and goods to take us through any disaster that may be common to our particular area such as an earthquake, tornado and blizzard. We have gathered whatever tools necessary for the safety of our family to make it through these difficult times should we be caught in the midst of such storms.

With the precarious world situation we have advanced our prepping to cover the economic melt down and the possibility of war on a large scale as well as a Civil War within our own borders. The thoughts of an EMP attack sends chills down us because we know we will be thrown back into times long forgotten. These horrific possibilities, should they come to pass, could isolate us from the many modern day essentials we have become accustomed to.

If such times arise, what are we to do for medical treatment? We are so used to the convenience of the local medical center or the doc in the box waiting to clean and stitch our wounds and prescribe the newest medication. We may not, depending on the disaster, have the means to get the treatment in a reasonable amount of time, if at all.

Like the vegetable garden and fruit trees we have planted to sustain us, we should all have an herbal garden and learn the use of the planted herbs to maintain our health. Along with herbs we need to learn what grows wild in our immediate area, how to identify and use these ‘wild things’ as a source of vitamins and minerals to add to our daily diet.

We have grown up in a society where we turn up our noses at the prospect of eating such things as the common dandelion. Most of us at one point or another in our life have done battle against the dandelion because society has deemed it an undesirable weed. Yet, the dandelion contains more beta-carotene than carrots which helps lower the risk of heart disease.

God has been good to us by giving us what is needed to sustain us right in our own back yards. An Herbalist once told me all that you need, you will find within a mile radius of your kitchen door. Sadly, for the city dweller that is no longer true today.

Most people have a misconception of herbs and their uses. Popping opens a bottle and taking our daily dose of vitamins has become the norm, we trust the manufacturers to deliver what the bottle says. In truth, if we take the recommended dose we usually do not get beneficial amounts of the vitamin or mineral. Then there is the pesky little fact that a lot of vitamins on the market leave our body almost the same way we swallowed them.

Herbs on the other hand, especially if used as food or a daily infusion or decoction deposit the total vitamin and mineral content into our system. Most true Herbalists do not recommend tinctures and capsules on a regular basis. Infusions and decoctions are preferred because there is a message sent from the tongue to the intestinal track for the proper amount of gastric juices needed to do the job and get the properties into the blood system. Tinctures are usually used for a specific problem. Capsules, like pills have to dissolve in the stomach, sometimes too late to be taken into the blood stream and to the body part where they are needed. Some herbs, like St John’s Wort, in capsule form can have an adverse effect with some nasty side effects.

Tinctures are usually made by allowing the herb to set in vodka or brandy for several weeks while the alcohol extracts the vital medicinal elements. A tincture in an alcohol base will last for several years. A tincture is measured out in drops, sometimes taken directly under the tongue and other times in a glass of water.

Infusions are usually made by pouring hot water over leaves or flowers then steeping for a short time before drinking. Short brewing times are used to extract vitamins and volatile ingredients from leaves and flowers, such as you would a tea. A decoction is boiled for a short time and left to steep for several hours then sipping for a couple days. Infusions and decoctions are only good for two-three days.

Let’s first look at ‘wild things’ that grow in our back yards, the ones we’ve done battle with over the years only to find out they grow there for a reason. There will be only a brief explanation about each, their content and how to use them in our daily life.