Backyard Medicine - Plantain

What many consider a nuisance weed, I consider a miracle herb.

Plantain

Grown throughout lawns all across North America and Europe, it really is an amazing gift from Mother Nature.  Known as a "cure-all" because of it's healing properites, and is one of the nine sacred herbs in Anglo-Saxon medicine.  It's anti-microbial, anti-toxic, anti-inflammatory, and an astringent.

Crush or chew a few of the fresh leaves and apply to wounds to stop bleeding or take out the pain, sting, and inflammation from bee stings and other insect bites.  Mash fresh leaves and mix with a little cool water to relieve sunburn.

Dry the leaves, steep 1 tablespoon in 1 cup of boiling water for 10 minutes to make a tea.  Drink to help calm indigestion, treat asthma, bronchitis, sinusitis and coughs.  Helps to lower blood pressure and control blood sugar.  Can help protect against tumors, and can help the liver to resist damage from toxic chemotherapy drugs.

Infuse in oil to help treat a large amount of skin disorders.  Rashes, wounds, ulcerations, swelling, bruises, burns, eczema, poison ivy, insect bites, blisters, chapped lips, diaper rash, chapped skin.  Will help draw out poison from bee stings, snake and spider bites, splinters, thorns, and infections.  Makes a nice night cream to help reduce wrinkles.

About 6 weeks ago, we harvested a large bowl of plantain.  Dried half of the leaves for tea and infused the other half in olive oil.  After letting it infuse, this weekend we strained the oil, squeezing the leaves to get out every drop, and made a salve.  Really easy!  1 cup of oil mixed with 1 1/2 ounces of beeswax, heat until the beeswax in melted.  Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of Vitamin E oil and 15 - 20 drops of lavender essential oil*, pour into sterilized jars, and let cool on the counter.  Cover and keep in a cool, dry area.  Use any time you need to heal your skin.

*Lavender oil adds a really nice scent, and many medicinal benefits.  It's anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal.  An antiseptic, helping to reduce chances of infection when treating cuts, scrapes or insect bites.  Is a circulatory stimulant, and helps to rejuvenate skin cells, speeding healing and reducing scars.

swirls in the middle from little fingers that were too anxious to put it on a barely-there bug bite

This weekend also contained a huge step for me.  Something that I've wanted to do for a long time, but other things always took priority.  I was finally able to submit the enrollment forms to study to become a Certified Master Herbalist.  So, after 2300 hours of study and clinical time, I'll be one step closer of starting my own apothecary business of my handmade, all natural, herbal medicine and beauty products.  So far, I've only been self-taught.  While I've learned a lot through my own readings and research, this is just too important to me, and I want to do it right.  Make sure I don't miss anything, or make any mistakes.  I fully believe in natural health, and I want to help spread this ancient way of life.  A way that is so connected to Nature and Mother Earth.   A way that is free of all the chemicals and toxins from the modern drug industry, of which profits are their priority, not better health.

Touching the Earth and Weekending