My Top Ten Medicinal Herbs

In the comments last month on the post Deciding Which Herbs to Use, Exile 1981 asked for a list of my top 10 or 20 favorite herbs.  It’s like asking which child is your favorite.  Brutal.

I will list my favorites below.  However, my favorites shouldn’t necessarily be your favorites. 

·       I prefer what grows right around me, either on my property or within walking distance, but make exceptions for the really important ones. 

·       I focus on what my family is more likely to need. 

·       I’ll choose ease of preparation/extraction over more difficult preparations every time.

·       Actually, after drinking down some rather unpalatable gumweed tea this morning, I have to say I’ll give preference to tastier preparations.

I’d recommend the above approach and considerations for anyone building an herbal medicine chest. 

When it comes to medicine, most people occupy positions at the extreme ends of the spectrum—all natural all the way to those sticking with Big Pharma to the bitter end.  While I trust Big Pharma less each day, I still respect the advances made in modern medicine.  I am particularly fond of insulin and antibiotics.  Basically, I want to have whatever is going to help my family the most.  In serious and life-threatening cases, I will use everything at my disposal.  I want the best of both worlds.  If I suspect someone has bacterial meningitis, I’m not messing around.  I’m pulling out the ceftriaxone and sterile water for injection and finding a doctor, as well as packing the piperine and some isatis tincture.

If I suspect cholera, I’ll have on hand pomegranate peel powder and other herbs; if I think the illness is moderate to severe or the patient falls into the risk groups, I’ll have doxy or Cipro ready to go. 

My Top Ten Medicinal Herbs

Cayenne.  A cayenne tincture is the first medicinal I would use in dealing with a heart attack or stroke.  (After getting that into the system, then I would move to giving the patient some baby aspirin to chew.)  I actually carry this one to church in my scripture tote.  I am trying to work up to carrying a small backpack when I shop so that I can more easily carry cayenne tincture and other first aid supplies, but I haven’t gotten there yet. Cayenne is the active ingredient in many pain-relieving rubs.  Those using it on a daily basis often take capsules, especially for gastrointestinal issues.

Usnea.  This top antibiotic eliminates many of the bacteria responsible for skin and respiratory infections, including tuberculosis, even resistant strains.  I make a point to look for it whenever we’re out camping or wood-cutting.  I’ve personally used to treat folliculitis, and it worked better than the clindamycin that the doctor prescribed for the first round.  It has kind of an earthy flavor to it.

German chamomile.  This extremely versatile herb addresses a wide variety of common medical issues.  It grows easily even in poor soil and self-seeds everywhere to the point of almost becoming a nuisance.  The medicine is in the flowers, and they air-dry within a day or two, so no special equipment is needed.  German chamomile is safe for pregnant women and children, and as a special bonus, it also has a pleasant taste.

Calendula.  The best herb for many skin issues, it is frequently used in lotions and creams for irritated skin and is one of the few herbs for managing varicose veins.  (I use it all the time for that.)  Easy to grow and harvest, it readily self-seeds and is a cheery addition to the garden. 

Lemon balm.  Lemon balm is widely regarded as the best herb for calming the pain of shingles blisters, and as I fear shingles is in my husband’s future, I would grow lemon balm for that reason alone.  But it is also used for asthma, Alzheimer’s, insomnia, heart attacks, and stroke.  And it tastes good.

Peppermint.  One of the best herbs for gastrointestinal and respiratory issues, it proliferates in most areas as long as it has adequate water and sunshine.  It’s also a common ingredient in topical rubs for muscle and joint pain relief.  And it tastes good.

Chokecherry.  Primarily a respiratory herb, I used this extensively with my first cold of the season.  I clearly did not prepare anywhere near enough.  (It’s been a rough year.)  Next season will find me preparing several quarts of dried chokecherry bark.  It has a pleasant, albeit delicate, flavor to it.

Echinacea.  Largely employed for respiratory and skin issues, I’ve mostly used it for colds, but I make sure to have it on hand for treating snake bites.  Though we haven’t yet seen any rattlesnakes here, there’s no sense taking chances.  It’s not my favorite flavor for tea.

Raspberry leaves.  While I do have a couple of quarts of the dried leaves for my daughters, the most important reason to gather the leaves and dry them is for all the nutrients they possess.  Raspberry leaves are a veritable powerhouse of nutrition.  And the tea tastes pretty good, especially if you add a raspberry or two and some sugar. 

Licorice.  Licorice possesses the most antiviral effects of all the herbs in this list.  Becky drinks it for dealing with painful menstrual cramps.  It’s also useful in managing upper respiratory infections as well as gastric ulcers, and it is very soothing to a sore throat.  It tastes fabulous without any sweetener.

These are my top ten herbs based on what’s available here and what will benefit my family the most.  Make sure you select herbs that will be of most benefit to you and your family.

Links to related posts:

Medicinal Uses of Calendula 

Medicinal Uses of Cayenne  

Medicinal Uses of Chokecherry  

Medicinal Uses of Echinacea 

Medicinal Uses of German Chamomile

Medicinal Uses of Lemon Balm  

Medicinal Uses of Licorice 

Medicinal Uses of Peppermint 

Medicinal Uses of Raspberry

Medicinal Uses of Usnea