What Exactly Is Plant Medicine?
Most of us get pleasure from looking at beautiful flowers growing in our gardens. But did you know that many of them are not just beautiful but also have the power to solve many health problems. And not just the lovely flowers and herbs but some of the weeds in our backyards are also useful. Using plants as medicine is something we should all consider.
Using plants as medicine is nothing new. Our ancestors were well aware of the healing power of plants and the many health benefits that many of them have. They didn’t have a pharmacy in every high street and were using plants as cures on a daily basis.
So why don’t we hear more about these amazing benefits. Well the drugs and medicine industries are huge and powerful. These are money making institutions and they have no incentive to promote the fact that there are freely available natural cures available. In fact many of the medicines produced commercially are based on the active ingredients in plants.
Aspirin
Probably the best known example of the usefulness of plant derived medicine is that of Aspirin. The active ingredient of Aspirin comes from the willow tree. But there are many other plants which possess natural healing properties. They can feed our bodies with essential nutrients and at the same time heal our bodies of many ailments.
For those of us who maintain a healthy scepticism of putting chemicals in our bodies, plants as medicine are an attractive alternative.
Some of these plants are superfoods. There are plants to fight infection, some are antibacterial and antiseptic. There are plants to aid digestion and some we take as laxatives. Others can calm us down, relieve anxiety and help us sleep.
Not all these plants have to be eaten to get benefit. Some you can use in aromatherapy and inhale from a diffuser. Others you can apply to your skin to help soothe and heal skin problems.
However we use these herbal remedies, they work to heal us from the inside out. Unlike some of the commercial products most herbal remedies have no nasty side effects. Now don’t get me wrong some plants are poisonous so it is important to make sure you know what you are picking. Correct identification is essential if you are using plants as medicine.
Some pharmaceutical drugs alleviate or even just mask symptoms but cause other problems. Many of the plant medicines deliver nutrients to our bodies that actually nourish us while helping to heal.
Is It Safe To Use Plants As Medicine?
Plant medicine is safe to use, much safer than medicine found at the drug store. Plants nourish our body naturally, giving us vitamins and minerals that have beneficial healing properties.
Plant medicine can be viewed akin to eating our vegetables daily, but on a much larger scale. One of the fundamental truths is that sometimes our bodies are just crying out for the necessary tools they need to help heal themselves. Our diets these days are not as healthy as they should be. Herbal medicines can deliver the nutrients we may be missing.
This is especially true in the winter months. We often eat less fruit and vegetables in the winter. This can predispose us to getting colds. We need to give our immune systems a little help to fight off the infections.
Plant Effects On Our Mental State
There are plants that have a beneficial effect on our mental well-being. Plants can relax us and also help us get to sleep. Improving all aspects of our mental health can make us feel happier and give us more energy for life. When our whole being is improved our immune systems are strengthened and make us more resilient to fight off health problems.
Health Benefits Of Using Plants As Medicine
The main benefits of using plants as medicine is that they are completely natural. They help your body heal naturally. Some pharmaceuticals cover up symptoms which return when the drug effect wears off. Take plant medicines and you address the main issue at source.
Plants are not artificially made drugs from a laboratory with synthetic materials in them. Many pharmaceutical medicines can have side effects. Sometimes these have proven to be fatal. If you read the information sheet that comes with some of these manufactured drugs it lists numerous side effects. Often the last side effect listed is “could cause death”.
When taking plant medicine for any health or healing issue, you’ll be treating the problem itself. Unlike when you go to the doctor with a problem. Often doctors treat the symptom and make that go away, but not always the underlying problem itself.
That’s why you have to keep going back to the doctor over and over again. They keep increasing the dose or adding more drugs which just causes more issues in your body than you had when you began.
The issue might go a way for a while only to come back when the drug wears off.
Heal And Nourish
Plants heal and give nourishment to your body. You can flush toxins out of your body every day. These toxins are all around us from the air we breathe, the heavy metals in our environment to the junk food we may eat.
Herbal plants work together to remove these toxins. Repairing and flushing out toxins will help you heal faster and become healthier.
Many prescription drugs just clog up your system, making you feel tired and worn out. They can cause more problems than they solve. One of the main problems is that they can actually kill off the good bacteria in your body. This can make it harder for your body to repair and heal itself.
You might end up taking several prescriptions and feel no better, often worse than when you started.
When you take plant medicine it works with your body to help it repair itself, it goes after the problem and fights off infections. Your immune system is bolstered not destroyed by synthetic chemicals.
Plant medicine is a safer alternative to healing your body more quickly and efficiently. You’ll be better prepared to fight off any infection before it starts.
How To Make Plant Medicines
Many home remedies can be created easily with just a few items you have in your kitchen. Other than the plants all you need are some empty jars, olive oil, vinegar and boiling water.
Making your own plant medicine is really easy and satisfying. When you make your own natural medicine, then you know for a fact what you are giving to your family.
You’ll get the benefit of all-natural ingredients, and no synthetic additives that can be harmful to you and your family.
That’s the main reason people are clearing out their medicine chests and replacing the store bought drugs with more natural plant medicines.
Preparing Plants as Medicine
There are various ways to make and use plant medicine in your home.
Capsules are convenient and easy to take. You can buy empty capsules that you add dry crushed herbs to before closing it up. Then you have a handy medicine which is easy to take on your travels.
Tinctures can be made with vodka or vinegar, to preserve the herbs and to draw out the goodness of the herbs. The alcohol will draw out more properties than vinegar will. You can get rid of the alcohol by adding some to warm water.
Teas are a simple medicine that can be made very quickly and is comforting to take if you are already unwell.
Infusions are a step up from the tea. Pour boiling water over the dry herbs again but then make them stronger by leaving them to steep in a dark place for a few hours. You can use them the same day but they will also keep until the next day.
Salves are traditionally made with melted beeswax mixed with herbs. You can just mix with some Vaseline for a simpler version. Put in a small container they are ideal to carry with you.
Poultice is crushed or mashed up herbs that you place on an injury. Many of us learn as kids that plantain can be put on a bee sting and dock leaves on nettle stings. Scrunch up a leaf so the sap comes out then place that on the sting. It cools and draws out the pain at the same time.
Oils can be mixed with the dry herbs. Using a carrier oil makes a fantastic plant medicine that can be added to many things, such as salves or soaps. You can save these for a few months but they may go rancid if kept longer.
Syrups are used for colds and flu symptoms. Make sure you collect some elderberries when they are in season and make a syrup to see you through the winter months.
Boiled Mixtures may be needed if using roots. Roots are tough, and if you just add them to hot water you really won’t get enough of the active ingredient out of the plant. You really have to boil them in water to extract the healing properties out of them.
Soaps and Bath Salts are among the things you can make and add to your plant medicine cabinet. Home-made soaps and salts are expensive to buy online. You can make amazing gifts to give as presents for the holiday season. That’s if you can bear to give them away. They are a little luxury that you and your family will love.
Start Slowly And Get The Benefits
By slowing replacing store-bought items with your hand made medicines you are helping your family heal naturally. You’ll feel better knowing that you are reducing your family’s exposure to artificial harmful additives.
By using plant medicine you are actually healing your body, not just masking the problem with store-bought items and possibly causing more damage to yourself in the process.
You’ll be surprised at how many uses you can find for your home produced herbal plant medicines.
Start with one and then expand as you get experienced. You’ll soon be an expert at healing yourself and your family naturally with local plants from your own backyard.
Discover some recommended ways you can use plants as medicine in the follow up article which reveals 17 of the best natural cures you can make at home.
