Herbal First Aid Kit
by Stephanie Zetah from Wise Women Australia
Have you ever sipped chamomile tea for a better night’s sleep or eaten lots of citrus in the winter for more Vitamin C? Using food and herbs to maintain health was once a common practice within our culture. One need not be a naturopath to understand and to utilise this ancient knowledge. All that is required is a bit of time and willingness to build a relationship with the herbs in your life.
In permaculture, there is an enormous emphasis on building food systems and regenerating soils. With little effort you can incorporate medicinal herbs into your systems for added resilience. If you have animals in your systems, consider growing medicinal herbs for maximizing their health as well.
Here is a start on building a Herbal First Aid Kit in your garden and food forests:
Immune Support: Astragalus, Echinacea, Gotu Kola
Lymph Movers and Blood Cleansers: Red Clover, Cleavers, Poke
Urinary Tract Support: Yarrow, Juniper, Cornsilk Uva Ursi
Anti-Parasitic: Garlic, Wormwood, Spilanthes, Black Walnut
Pain Relief: Valerian, Silk Tassel, Wild Lettuce, Skullcap
Stress/Shock: Hops, Lemon Balm, Passion Flower, Valerian
Anti-Infective: Yarrow, Mullein, Rosemary, Garlic
Respiratory: Plantain, Horehound, Mullein, Elecampane
Digestive Aids: Centaury, Dandelion, Fennel, Calendula
Burns: Aloe, Comfrey, Yarrow, Grindelia
Skin: Calendula, Comfrey, Aloe, Honey
Sprain: Arnica, Comfrey, Lobelia, Goldenrod
*Some of these plants will need full sun and do best on the edges of your food forest or in the garden.
Want to learn more about using herbs? Join us 20-22 January, 2017 for the first annual Wise Women Gathering- an educational herbal conference for women and children. www.WiseWomenAu.com
