Chicory – The Painkilling Plant You Should Grow in Your Backyard
This is the wild plant that Native Americans used to look
for more than any other. They’d harvest and use chicory to make a natural
painkilling extract for a wide range of physical discomforts, especially stiff
and achy joints. And so can you! The root is rich in chicoric acid (CA), a
plant compound with potent anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties but no
risk of addiction. If our pharmacies ever run dry, having even a small patch of
chicory growing in your own backyard will provide relief.
Quick Backyard Remedy
Add 1 Tbsp of ground chicory root to your coffee or tea.
It’s a prebiotic and natural laxative that will help move things along and
regulate your bowels.
Garden Uses
Chicory is a very good soil builder in your garden, pulling
nutrients up from deeper in the soil with its long taproot and then returning
them to the surface when it dies back.
Yarrow – The Backyard Wound Healer
You always want to have a quick and reliable way to stop a wound from bleeding and help prevent infection. Yarrow does both, and it really saved my knuckle. On day 42 of Alone, I accidentally cut my hand while gutting a fish. The wound was very deep and most likely would have gotten infected since I had no antibiotics with me.
Luckily, I found some yarrow and wrapped it around the
wound. The bleeding stopped in minutes, and my wound healed so well that now
there’s barely a scar left. Since then, I always carry a pouch of dried yarrow
with me, just in case. A yarrow tincture, when applied to your skin, acts as a
natural and effective way to repel mosquitos and other insects.
Quick Backyard Remedy
If you ever get a toothache, try chewing on a fresh yarrow
leaf as it will numb the area and provide needed relief.
Garden Uses
The beautiful yarrow flowers attract beneficial insects like
bees and ladybugs, which eat aphids and other pests and also help pollinate
your plants.
Can Also Be Used For
Infused Yarrow Oil for Swelling and Varicose Veins; Stop
Bleeding Poultice; Yarrow Tincture for Burns, Cuts, Bruises, and Insect Bites;
Yarrow Salve for Old Scars; Yarrow Elixir for Menstrual Cramps and Heartburn;
Yarrow Tea for Digestive Upsets
California Poppy – Better Than Sleeping
Pills
California poppy helps support a restorative, deep sleep like we enjoyed as children, when falling and staying asleep for at least eight hours each night were both effortless. Why risk the addiction of prescription sleeping pills when you can make your own Sleep Tea from this plant?
I usually drink it before bed and then doze off soon after,
while I’m reading or watching TV. You could not wake me up easily; my kids have
tried a few times. Now, if your bout of insomnia is of the more serious nature
or you’re suffering from PTSD, just turn California poppy into a more
concentrated sleep tincture. That should do it.
Quick Backyard Remedy
Gather any of these: leaves, flowers, or stems. Cut finely,
add to a cup or pot, and pour hot water. Let it steep for about 10 minutes.
Drink warm just before bed for deep, uninterrupted, and restful sleep that
night.
Garden Uses
With extremely high levels of pollen production, the poppy
is an important food source for beneficial insects. It also needs very little
water, so the other plants will get more.
Other Ways to Use
Deep Sleep Tincture, Analgesic Salve, Sleep Tea Blend,
California Poppy Decoction for Head Lice, California Poppy Vinegar, California
Poppy Infusion
Marshmallow
– The Most Powerful Plant for a Healthy Digestive System
When most people hear marshmallow, they tend to picture the white fluffy treat commonly roasted over a campfire. Traditionally these were made from the root of the marshmallow plant, a powerful medicinal herb that you’ll want to grow yourself at home. Its leaves and root are antibacterial, and most importantly, they contain a sap-like substance called mucilage.
Pull out a few marshmallow roots, wash off the dirt, and add
them to a glass jar or cup. Cover with ice-cold water and let the mucilage
extract for a few hours. Drink for a soothing and restorative effect all along
your digestive tract, from mouth to colon.
Garden Uses
Painted lady butterflies are attracted to it, and native
pollinators cover its blossoms all summer long.
Other Things You Ca Do
Cold Root Infusion for Heartburn and Reflux, Stomach Tea,
Marshmallow Poultice for Skin Repair, Decoction for Stubborn Coughs, Throat
Syrup, Marshmallow Salve
Chamomile – The Natural Antibiotic
It’s very soothing, and it helps relax your digestive
muscles. You can also use this plant to make your own chamomile oil, which is
still probably one of the best natural skin remedies out there. Researchers
believe that’s because chamomile oil can penetrate even the deep layers of your
skin, where true healing takes place.
Quick Backyard Remedy
Take a handful of dried or fresh chamomile leaves and add
them to a warm bath. Step inside to relax your entire body, especially sore
muscles, and aching joints.
Garden Uses
Chamomile is known as “The Gardener’s Doctor” as it has the
power to heal and enhance the growth of the plants around it.
Other Things You Can Do
Chamomile Compresses for Irritated Eyes, Stomach Tea,
Infused Chamomile Oil for Wounds and Skin Ulcers, Chamomile Tincture for
Sciatica and Rheumatic Pain, Eczema Salve, Chamomile Sitz Bath for Hemorrhoids
Evening
Primrose – A Natural Remedy for Skin and Nerves
This plant is called evening primrose because its flowers open at sunset. Each bloom lasts for only one night. Our forefathers would use it to make a poultice for bruises, wounds, and skin eruptions. Turns out they were right. This plant contains two substances our skin needs but cannot produce on its own (gamma-linolenic acid and linolenic acid).
They’re also very important for the membranes of nerve
cells, and that’s probably why more and more people with unresolved nerve pain
are turning to this plant. Evening primrose can also help to balance out
hormone levels. If you ever feel like you’re constantly fatigued, you gain
weight inexplicably, or you’re simply unable to tolerate hot or cold
temperatures like you used to, then you might be dealing with a hormonal
imbalance.
Quick Backyard Remedy
Grab a leaf or root of the plant and crush it to make a
poultice. Apply it directly to a wound or skin rash to promote healing.
Garden Uses
This plant provides food and attracts numerous species of
hawk moths, which tend to move pollen farther than bees or birds, as well as
butterflies and bumblebees.
Other Things You Can Do
Infused Evening Primrose Oil for Skin and Nerves,
Anti-Bruise Poultice of Native Americans, Evening Primrose Tea for Digestive
Issues and Mood Swings, Revitalizing Body Balm, Lung Tonic, Cough and Sore
Throat Mixture, Cold-Pressed Seed Oil
Lavender
– The Perennial Anti-Inflammatory Herb
You’re probably familiar with how this aromatic plant can keep moths from dining on your winter wardrobe. But if you use it medicinally, it can offer so much more! A recent double-blind study concluded that lavender oil cuts down anxiety to the same extent as taking a 0.5 mg daily dose of Lorazepam, a popular anxiety drug.
A lavender tincture used alongside a regular antidepressant
can help you recover from mild to moderate depression a lot faster and lower
the chance for a relapse. And if you just rub a few drops of lavender oil on
your scalp every day, it will improve blood flow, strengthen hair follicles,
and even help with lost hair. That and the divine scent it has is why I like to
mix it with my shampoo.
Quick Backyard Remedy
Gather some fresh lavender from your garden and put it in a
small herb pouch. Place the pouch inside your sleeping pillow or under your
mattress. It will ward off mosquitos and other insects and help you fall asleep
faster.
Garden Uses
Just as it banishes bugs from your closet, it also banishes
pests from the garden. It’s also one of the best companion plants out there,
helping many others reach their full potential. It attracts many species of
butterflies, including painted ladies, woodland skippers, and tiger
swallowtails.
Other Things You Can Do
Lavender Sleep Tincture; Lavender Tea for Anxiety; Lavender
Oil for Fungal Infections, Acne, Dry and Blotchy Skin, and Psoriasis; Lavender
Hair Mask; Lavender Salve for Chapped Lips, Cracked Cuticles, Rough Elbows, and
Feet
Echinacea
– The Most Powerful Immunity Plant You Should Grow
When it comes to our health, the immune system is king. A strong one might save you even if you’re very sick and have no medicines available. A weak immune system might not, even if you have all the best medicines and doctors by your side. There’s no better plant for taking care of your immune system than echinacea.
Quick Backyard Remedy
Dig up some echinacea roots and slice them rather thinly.
Put them in a pot with water and let everything simmer for 30 minutes. Drink
hot for an immune boost at the first sign of a cold or any other illness.
Garden Uses
Echinacea helps keep plants moist and prevents weeds from spreading
and taking over your backyard pharmacy.
Other Things You Can Do
Immune-Stimulating Echinacea Tincture, Antiseptic Mouthwash,
Echinacea Tisane, Echinacea Oil for Inflammation, Anti-Germ Skin Salve, Root
Decoction for Pains and Aches
Calendula
– The Herb You Need to Keep Close During Dark Times
Before I ever came across calendula in my natural practice, I had heard about it from my grandfather. He was always working around the house, tinkering on his projects, and one day he accidentally cut his leg to the bone. Stubborn as he was, he refused to go see a doctor. He tied it with a thick cloth and just poured my grandmother’s calendula extract on it each time he would dress the wound. Believe it or not, it healed in weeks!
I later found out about other uses for this powerful
backyard helper. I make a calendula salve to speed up healing and minimize
scarring for wounds, scrapes, cuts, sores, burns, and scalds and to deal with
all manner of rashes or insect bites. As a tea, calendula does something really
unique and important. It moves lymphatic fluid and cleanses your lymphatic
system from the mucky remnants of old infections and the metabolic waste we all
accumulate over time. This is absolutely vital for continued good health and
something no modern drug does, to the best of my knowledge.
Quick Backyard Remedy
During the Civil War, calendula flowers were packed directly
into open wounds, and they were used by surgeons when dressing wounds to
promote healing and prevent infection.
Garden Uses
Calendula helps repel insect pests and benefits the soil by
forming active relationships with soil fungi.
Other Things You can Do
Calendula Flower Infused Oil for Most Skin Problems,
Calendula Salve to Rub Over Wounds and Scars, Calendula Soak for Itches and
Rashes, Calendula Tea for Sore Throat and Mouth Ulcers, Calming Calendula Spray
for Burns, Tea for Irritated Eyes and Stomach, Protective Skin Lotion,
Calendula Extract for Skin Ulcers and Eczema, Anti-Inflammatory Ice
Feverfew – Nature’s Aspirin for Fevers and Migraines
But it is not the most effective. A few drops in your coffee
or tea should be enough for some headaches as well. An extract from feverfew flowers can prove a
potent pain reliever for articular and neuropathic pain.
Quick Backyard Remedy
Chew some of its leaves raw whenever you have a fever or
feel a migraine attack is about to strike (very important to use before it does).
Garden Uses
Feverfew repels pests, hides other plants from them, and
also attracts beneficial insects such as hoverflies and tachinid flies to your
garden.
Other Things You Can Do
Oil for Inflamed Joints, Natural Insect Repellant,
Anti-Migraine Tincture, Salve for Eczema, Rosacea and Acne, Feverfew Tincture,
Feverfew Febrifuge Tea, Feverfew Compress for Bruised Skin
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