Your hidden Herbal pharmacy and what you should have growing in it!

Hello my friend and welcome back. What do you think of when you think “Herbal Medicine”?  For many, Herbal Medicine conjures up a picture of an old women handing them something terrible and telling them to drink it.  Well I am happy to report that is not at all what it is like now days or will be after SHTF hits.  This is the subject of today’s post so grab a cup of coffee and have a seat while we visit.

Being a Prepper, I realize the need for the ability to make my own medicine long after the Pharmacies are no more and manufactured medicine is gone. However, I will be the first to admit that it is not something us men consider to be a “Manly thing” and I have no idea why. For some reason many men consider it to fall in the domain of woman’s work and not something they should worry about.  Not true!  I mean after all, Medicine is a part of being able to take care of our families and by knowing how to do it then we are ahead of the game.  Let’s say you are out hunting or scavenging and you get bit by a spider.  What do you do, I mean besides cuss?  Well if you knew a little about herbal medicine then you could quickly look around and see what is growing nearby and treat it before it gets bad.

I think you may be starting to get the idea, and healing yourself and others is not as complicated as you might think. You just need to know the basics.  Oh sure you could go all in and become an expert, or you could at least learn the basics that you would need in an emergency situation.  Being able to treat things like cuts, burns, sores and other things you could encounter while out hunting, trapping or whatever can be very simple if you know what to look for and use.  There are 5 plants that you should know how to recognize and use in an emergency.  They are:

• Chamomile – This herb is great for treating a range of ailments from Inflammation to muscle pain. It grows wild and is easy to recognize. They are a member of the Daisy family and grow in full sunlight just about everywhere.
• Echinacea – Native Americans used Echinacea as their one stop shop for all ailments. They used it to fight everything from colds to infections. This is one you will definitely want to keep on hand in its dried form if nothing else.
• Wild Garlic – This might surprise many of you, but yes, it does grow wild and can be found in most climates. This plant is impressive when it comes to fighting heart disease, cancer, infections and clearing the blood. It may make your breath smell a little bad, but when you consider what it does for you, it is well worth it.
• Peppermint – When most of us think of Peppermint, we think of candy. Not so fast though, this little plant is one of those little jewels that you need to know how to spot. Besides tasting good and improving how your breath and armpits smell, it is a great pick me up, as well as being great for opening up your sinuses or treating heartburn. This is something you should grab a little of anytime you can. Keep it handy and you will be glad you did.
• Calendula – Also known as a Marigold plant. You know those pretty little plants that your wife grows in her flower garden? Yep, they are great for all kinds of things. They are valued for their ability as an antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and as an antiseptic as well. These are just plain cool little plants and should never be overlooked. They are great for treating fever, rashes, ulcers, cramps and even congestion. This is one of those little jewels that you need to carry with you at all time.

These are the 5 most important medicinal herbs that you should keep on hand if at all possible. Take some time and research other herbs that are used as medicine, stock up on what you will need for medications you and your family take now and add the herbal medication ingredients in your bug out supplies.   While I am no Herbalist, I am working on learning as much as I can about it.  There are several great books out there on the subject such as “Do-it-yourself herbal medicine”, “Herbal remedies for healing” and many more.  Take the time to check these out and learn as much as you can about it.  When SHTF hits, you will be glad you did.  You can also purchase the dried herbs and essential oils on Amazon if you want to start applying what you have learned.  Well I guess that is it for today and I hope you have enjoyed it.  Until next time, stay safe, stay strong and stay prepared!

-The Sargent-