Alternative Medicine: Yarrow--It's Not Just for Greek Warriors

Disclaimer. I am not a licensed health practitioner. This is just another post on an item you might wish to have available if needed so that a physician can treat you and your family as best as possible. No medication, including those available over the counter, should be taken without consulting a physician. Information shared here is for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not medical advice nor a substitute for licensed medical care. A qualified, licensed physician or other medical provider should be consulted before beginning any herbal or conventional treatment.

When outdoorsy- and prepper-type people start delving into the world of alternative healing, one of the first herbs they come across is yarrow, Achillea millefolium. That's probably because it's been used for thousands of years and has a pretty cool history that the menfolk in particular enjoy. So if you were actually paying attention as you read the first sentence, you'd see that the genus name Achillea looks a lot like Achilles, for whom the genus is named, the Achilles of ancient Greek history who used yarrow to treat his bleeding soldiers' wounds. His soldiers carried little bags of it into war, and in classical times it was often called herba militaris for its ability to stanch the bleeding of battle wounds.  And indeed, that is also yarrow's most common use today.  

Many medicinal plants are used primarily in just a few ways; however, such is definitely not the case with yarrow.  It truly has a vast array of medicinal properties and variety of applications.

Time to harvest:  Yarrow is harvested from June to September, when it starts to flower.  The flowers, leaves, and sometimes the stem are used.  Harvest just the top one-third of the plant.

Medicinal uses:  Yarrow has historically been used to treat bleeding, colitis, cystitis, diverticulitis, dysentery, dysmenorrhea, endometriosis, gall stones, gastrointestinal inflammation, skin conditions,  and UTIs.

Food:  The leaves can be eaten raw or sauteed.  They are bitter and best used in salads when picked young.  They are sometimes substituted for tarragon.

Fresh leaves:  Use whole or crushed leaves to:

• stop bleeding
• alleviate toothache (chew fresh leaves)
• relieve a rash (chew fresh leaves and apply to rash; swallow the bitter juices of the chewed leaves) 

Essential oil:  Dilute a few drops in a carrier oil and rub onto afflicted area to treat:

• eczema
• bee stings
• bug bites

Tincture:  Prepare tincture in a 1:2 (fresh herb, and the preferred method) or 1:5 (dried herb) ratio (1 ounce dried herb by weight to 5 ounces of 80 proof alcohol).  Shake daily for six weeks.  Strain out herb and store the tincture in a dark bottle in a dark cabinet.  Take 1/2 to 1 teaspoon 3 times per day.  The tincture has been used historically for treating:

• bleeding ulcers
• heavy menstrual periods
• uterine hemorrhage
• blood in the urine
• bleeding from the bowels
• any internal bleeding
• bleeding from tooth extraction
• toothache 

Dr. Patrick Jones utilizes yarrow to stop internal bleeding in dogs hit by cars with great effect.

Salve: 

• eczema
• abrasions
• lacerations
• bee stings and bug bites

Directions for making your own yarrow salve will be posted next week.  

Infusion:  Steep 1 teaspoon dried or 3 fresh leaves in 1 cup of boiling water for 10-15 minutes and strain.

• Drink hot, 3 cups per day for:
• colds
• fever
• cystitis
• urinary tract infection
• incontinence
• Drink cool or warm, 3 cups per day for:
• dysmenorrhea
• high blood pressure
• bleeding ulcers
• uterine hemorrhage
• blood in the urine
• bleeding from the bowels

Poultice:  Crush fresh leaves and mix with water.  Use to treat:

• minor wounds
• bleeding hemorrhoids
• lacerations
• puncture wounds (including dog and snake bites)
• abrasions
• mastitis (alternate between hot and cold compresses)

Wound powder:  Just like Achilles and his men used yarrow, dried, finely powdered flowers and leaves can be sprinkled on minor wounds or used to stop a nosebleed.

Baths:  Add tincture to a bath for treating:

• skin irritations
• cystitis
• vaginal infections
• bleeding fibroids
• hemorrhoids
• post-partum healing
• heavy periods
• chilblains 

Contraindications:  Avoid in pregnancy.  Do not take if already taking prescription blood thinners.  May interact with omeprazole, high blood pressure medications, and sleeping pills.  Do not use in large or frequent doses for a long time.  May cause photosensitivity or allergic reactions, especially in those sensitive to ragweeds.  May cause drowsiness when taken orally.

Links to related posts:
Bleeding
Juniper
Activated carbon
The Herbal Medic
The HomeGrown Herbalist  

For further reading:
All articles accessed on 5 April 2019
http://www.mountpisgaharboretum.com/habitats-and-ecology/plant-list-at-mount-pisgah-arboretum/achillea-millefolium/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2077876/ (menorrhagia)
https://www.drugs.com/npp/yarrow.html
https://www.mottchildren.org/health-library/hn-2188008
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=yarrow%2C+insomnia
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3834722/ (skin)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20857434 (asthma and high blood pressure)
https://articles.mercola.com/herbs-spices/yarrow.aspx

© 2019, PrepSchoolDaily.blogspot.com   

20 december 2020

Alternative Medicine: Juniper, Part 2

Disclaimer.  I am not a licensed health practitioner.  This is just another post on an item you might wish to have available if needed so that a physician can treat you and your family as best as possible.  No medication, including those available over the counter, should be taken without consulting a physician.  Information shared here is for educational and entertainment purposes only.  It is not medical advice nor a substitute for licensed medical care.  A qualified, licensed physician or other medical provider should be consulted before beginning any herbal or conventional treatment.

Last week we covered the harvesting and medicinal uses of juniper berries. But the great thing about juniper is that we don't have to wait for fall to use it medicinally; the needles can be gathered and turned into medicine at any time of the year!

MEDICINAL USES OF THE JUNIPER NEEDLES

Juniper is or has reportedly been used in the treatment of:

• urinary tract infection, urethritis, cystitis;
• acne;
• arthritis, rheumatism;
• toothache, swollen gums;
• heartburn, bloating, loss of appetite, gastrointestinal infections;
• intestinal worms;
• sores, wounds;
• measles, smallpox;
• snake bites, insect bites, dog bites, 
• scurvy;
• Staphylococcus aureus.
• The needles may be of use in potentiating the efficacy of erythromycin and ampicillin.

As previously noted, unfortunately, all that is sometimes recorded is that an herb was used, without detailing how much was used, how it was prepared, or how often it was used. While just using any herb that "someone said" was used to treat xyz disease is irresponsible at best when competent, licensed medical care is available, if there is no one else to help and all conventional supplies are exhausted, I guess if I'm throwing anything I can get my hands on at tuberculosis or tetanus, I'd rather try what Native Americans reportedly used to treat it than just trying to guess on my own. Accordingly, juniper something has also been used in the treatment of:

• depression, fatigue, insomnia;
• tuberculosis;
• high blood sugar;
• herpes simplex 1 and 2;
• kidney infections, kidney stones, bladder stones, gout;
• enlarged prostate;
• eczema, dandruff, psoriasis, vitiligo, athlete's foot, warts;
• tetanus;
• diarrhea, nausea;
• hemorrhage, high blood pressure; 
  
• Aspergillus niger.

Tincture dosage: 5-20 drops, up to 3x daily, for a maximum of four to six weeks. Begin with a lower dosage and increase, if needed. Tinctures take several weeks to make, so having them on hand before an infection occurs is best.

Making the juniper needle tincture: 1:5, 75% alcohol (that's one ounce of juniper needles to five ounces of 150-proof alcohol). Store the tincture in the dark and give it a good shake once each day. After five days, blend the tincture in a blender and then put it back in the jar and store it in the dark for four weeks. For the last step, strain the tincture through a coffee filter or cheesecloth to remove the herb and pour it into a clean bottle or jar. Store in a cool, dark location.

Infusion: Pour 2 cups of boiling water over 1-3 teaspoonfuls of crushed needles and steep for 10-15 minutes. Take one cup in the morning and one in the evening for lower urinary tract infections and digestive problems. Limit consumption to two weeks unless directed otherwise by a medical professional. If treating for scurvy, use new growth (lighter green) needles for their higher vitamin C content.

Decoction: Add one ounce of needles to one quart of boiling water. Boil for 30 minutes, remove from heat, and let steep 12-24 hours. It has historically been used as an antiseptic wash for sores, wounds, measles, smallpox, snake bites, insect bites, dog bites. A decoction is also used as a poultice on rheumatic or arthritic joints. Furthermore, a decoction of the needles was historically used to sterilize brewing equipment, cooking utensils, surgical instruments (yeah, that could be helpful), hands, and counters. It would seem silly to put this in buckets when I've got hundreds of trees here, but it is definitely one to keep in the memory banks for future reference.

Steam: Boil four ounces of needles in one gallon of water; inhale the steam as it boils. Use for upper respiratory infections.

Poultice: A poultice of the leaves is applied to the jaw for alleviating toothaches and sore or swollen gums.

MEDICINAL USES OF THE JUNIPER TWIGS

Decoction: Prepare as for the needle decoction above, using one ounce of twigs instead. Use primarily for treating stomach aches and kidney complaints.

Poultice: Mash twigs and make a poultice to dress burns and swollen skin tissue.

Smoke: Smoke from burning twigs was inhaled by Native Americans in treating headaches and colds. Juniper branches were used in sweat baths for alleviating rheumatism.

MEDICINAL USES OF THE JUNIPER SEEDS

The seeds were eaten to treat headaches.

OTHER USES OF JUNIPER:

Air purifier: Simmer berries and water in an open pot.

Disinfectant: Add juniper berries to dishwater or other cleaning solutions as a disinfectant. Yes, it sounds a little far-fetched. Read on.

Alternative to chlorhexidine: Chlorhexidine is an oral rinse used in periodontal treatment; however, extended use can have negative side effects. Juniper essential oil diluted in water had no negative effects. (https://www.researchgate.netpublication277252482_Essential_Oil_from_Berries_of_
Lebanese_Juniperus_excelsa_M_Bieb_Displays_Similar_Antibacterial_Activity_to_Chlorhexidine_
but_Higher_Cytocompatibility_with_Human_Oral_Primary_Cells)

Wax: Simmer fruit, skim off wax, use to make candles.

Slow match: Crushed bark is twisted into a rope, tied with yucca, and coiled. The free end was lit and kept smoldering by blowing on it infrequently. In this way, fire could be carried for several hours.

Roofs: The bark is used to thatch roofs.

Bedbugs: Boughs were used to deter bedbugs.

Contraindications: Juniper is a common allergen for hay fever. It also affects blood glucose levels in diabetics. Avoid juniper during pregnancy and while nursing.

Cautions: Large doses of juniper, like six cups of strong tea in a day, may cause vomiting, diarrhea, and increased urine flow. Use juniper only for a month or so; then abstain for a week or more before using the herb again.

Related posts:
Juniper, part 1 

© 2019, PrepSchoolDaily.blogspot.com