9 Herbs To Start Your Holistic Medicine Cabinet + Healing Tea Recipe
There has been written records of herbal medicine usages dating back to 5,000 years ago in ancient China, but there have also been archeological studies tying herbal medicine practices as far back as 60,000 years ago in ancient Iraq. In this blog post, we will provide you with 9 medicinal herbs (out of 70+) that are a stable for your beginner herbal medicine cabinet.
This information does not discredit western medicine, and you should always consult with medical professionals when seeking medical advice.
If you’re feeling a bit under the weather, check out our tribe’s healing tea recipe below.
1. Lavender
While lavender can flourish in the United States, Southern Europe, and Australia, this plant originated in the mountainous zones of the Mediterranean. There are over 45 different lavender species, but the most common are: English Lavender, French Lavender, Spanish Lavender and Portuguese Lavender.
Healing Effects:
This herb is most popular for its calming and relaxing properties. Lavender is perfect to work with if you are feeling anxious or stressed, have a headache, or if you’re experiencing any skin ailments (such as fungal infections, cuts and scrapes). Lavender is also anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and antispasmodic.
How to use:
To treat cuts, scrapes, burns, and bug bites: Apply neat, or for more sensitive skin you may dilute this with one to two drops of carrier oil (Organic Jojoba or coconut oil).
To treat shock, anxiety, depression or relaxation: You may also brew lavender as a tea by boiling the dried leaves and water. Another lovely option is to diffuse this in an oil diffuser or in a Salt Inhale. Lastly, this may also be applied, as a massage oil when mixed with a carrier oil.
**Disclaimer: we would refrain from using this essential oil orally.
2. Ginger
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Native to India, ginger has been used for around 4,400 years.
Healing effects:
Used for digestive problems, nausea and vomiting, colds, flus, headaches, pain and inflammation, and painful menstruation. The ancient Greeks and Romans used it to treat intestinal parasites.
How to use:
For respiratory and digestive issues, you can prepare a ginger tea. For fresh ginger tea, slice a 1 inch piece of ginger and simmer it with 2 cups of water for 10-15 minutes and drink 1-3 cups per day.
To enhance circulation and treat coughs and colds, repeat the above steps and add lemon juice and honey.
If you’re using dried ginger, pour 1 cup of boiling water over a 1/2 teaspoon of ginger powder and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain with a cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer. Enjoy after meals to ease nausea and relieve gas and bloating.
**Disclaimer: Pregnant women should not have more than 1g of dried ginger a day. If you are on blood thinners, consult a medical professional if you are wanting to consume high doses of ginger.
3. Aloe Vera
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Dating back to around 2,000 years ago, aloe vera is native to the mediterranean region and has been used for many different ailments.
Healing effects and how to use:
When sliced open to reveal its gel and applied externally, aloe can provide relief to scrapes, wounds, burns, and any general skin irritations or imbalance. Aloe contains properties that stimulate skin repair and decrease inflammation.
When taken internally, aloe can treat stomach ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, asthma, and even lower blood sugar.
Aloe vera can also be beneficial for your hair. It may be used as a conditioner for shiny hair and it contains proteolytic enzymes that repair dead skin cells on your scalp.
**Disclaimer: Aloe juice that contains “aloin” can irritate the intestines and act like a laxative. Children, pregnant and nursing women, and those with gastrointestinal symptoms should not consume aloe internally.
4. Peppermint
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Originating in Northern Africa and the Mediterranean around 1500 B.C., peppermint has been a staple when used in food and holistic medicine.
Healing effects:
Peppermint is great to soothe an upset stomach and improve digestion. If you have irritable bowel syndrome, peppermint may ease your pain, gas and diarrhea. Peppermint is used around the world to treat colds, flus, coughs, and soothes sore throats. When used topically, this herb has a cooling effect on scrapes, burns, rashes and hives.
How to use:
To use in a tea when using fresh leaves, pour 1 cup of boiling water over 6-8 leaves and let steep for around 10 minutes. Let cool and strain. If you’re using dried herbs, you can repeat the above process with instead using 1 teaspoon of dried peppermint. You can enjoy this tea 2-3 times a day and add honey if you prefer it sweeter.
When using peppermint in capsule form, you may take 500-1,000 mg of dried peppermint leaves after you eat. It is important to know that you should only use peppermint capsules when they are prepared with an enteric coating. This means that your stomach acid won’t dissolve the herbs right away, and your body can have the chance to receive the benefits.
**Disclaimer: If you have gastroesophageal reflux disease, or a hiatal hernia, do not use peppermint as it can make heartburn worse. Peppermint should also not be used in oil form topically in children under two.
5. Honey
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Honey has been used in herbal medicine dating back to over 5,000 years ago by ancient people all over the world.
Healing effects and how to use:
Honey is well known for its antibacterial properties and may heal wounds and burns when applied externally. Honey is also great at boosting the immune system and improving allergies.
It is recommended to consume a tablespoon of raw, local, honey once a day for a year to improve allergy symptoms and improve your immune system. When consuming raw, local honey, your body becomes adjusted to the local pollen that the bees have pollinated which is what improves your allergies.
If you have a dry cough and other cold/flu symptoms, taking a tablespoon of raw honey can greatly improve your ailments. Honey can also be used in teas or golden milk to relieve the above symptoms as well. You can find our golden milk recipe HERE.
**Disclaimer: Honey should not be used for children under the age of one.
6. Echinacea
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Originating in North America, echinacea was used by Native Americans from three different species of the plant.
Healing effects:
The Omaha-Ponca tribe would chew on the roots of fresh echinacea to heal tooth pains. Other tribes would brew a tea with echinacea to ease sore gums and throat, relieve colds, coughs and colic. This herb was also used to treat snake bites.
Echinacea has been known to shorten the length of a cold and improve the severity of it. This herb also contains chemical compounds called polysaccharides, glycoproteins, and alkylamides. These properties drastically improve the immune system and create elevated antibody responses to stimulate white blood cells that fight off infections.
How to use:
When using echinacea in tea form, simply pour 1-2 cups of boiling water over 2 teaspoons of either the leaf, flower, or root of echinacea and let steep for around 10 minutes.
If you feel the symptoms of a cold coming on, take 1-2 ml of an echinacea root tincture diluted in water every 2 hours. While it hasn’t been proven that echinacea prevents a cold, research has shown that it does improve a cold.
You can also consume echinacea in capsule form, just follow the directions on the bottle it comes in.
**Disclaimer: Consult with a medical professional if you have a preexisting autoimmune condition and if you are on birth control. Some people have an allergy to echinacea so use at your own discretion. High amounts of echinacea can cause nausea.
7. Witch Hazel
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Witch Hazel originates in eastern North America and eastern Asia.
Healing effects:
For many centuries, witch hazel has been used to treat inflamed or irritated skin and cuts and burns. Native Americans also used witch hazel in tea form to relieve irritations in the mouth and throat, relieve menstrual pains, and reduce fever. Steam baths are used to relieve colds and coughs. Compresses made from the plant are used to treat swelling, back aches, headaches and more. Witch hazel is also used in beauty care as a toner for the skin.
How to use:
Witch hazel is most commonly used in liquid form to relieve a series of skin ailments. You can purchase witch hazel from most places, yet, you receive more of these beautiful healing properties if you were to brew the leaves, bark and/or twigs on your own. You can find a reliable source for this plant, HERE.
**Disclaimer: Witch hazel contains compounds called tannins that are not safe to be consumed orally as they can cause stomach, kidney or liver damage. Drugstore witch hazel is not safe to drink and we would recommend finding a quality source as most witch hazels are mixed with alcohol.
8. Coconut oil
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Coconuts grow on palm trees in the tropics all over the world, and people have been using it for food and medicine for centuries.
Healing effects and how to use:
Coconut oil contains lauric acid which gives it its antiviral and antifungal properties. When applied topically, coconut oil can provide great relief for skin conditions such as: dry skin, eczema, diaper rash, and athlete’s foot. Coconut oil has been revered as a cure to weight loss as it is a healthy fat and can help your body feel fuller longer.
This oil has also been used as a lice treatment. To use it as such, completely wet hair with diluted apple cider vinegar, saturate the hair and scalp with coconut oil, and cover with a shower cap for 12 hours. Proceed by using a nit comb to remove dead lice and eggs.
Coconut oil is also used for oral and dental health by removing bacteria and deep cleaning gums and teeth. You can do so by swishing the oil in your mouth for 10-15 minutes and pulling the oil through your teeth in a suction movement. You’ll want to spit out into a trash can to avoid the build up of oil in the plumbing of your sink or toilet.
This post will be the first in our series of healing herbs. Are there any you want to try, or have any to recommend? If so, leave a comment down below to share with your fellow Tribe!
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much love.
Peace.
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