Ancient Healing Methods With Herbs and Plant Parts
Ancient Healing Methods
Ancient healing methods with herbs and plant parts are some of the most important things humanity has let slip away from daily life. It would do us well to pick up these methods of healing, if only just a few are focused on.
Did you know that the moss growing in forests is an amazing healer of wounds? Next time you are in a forest be very observant of animals and notice how they are drawn to moss when they are injured. A deer with a wound will find a tree covered in moss and rub the wound against it and keep returning till the wound is healed. The deer, or other animals, know by instinct there are some healing properties in the moss – it has antiseptic properties. Observers of nature noticed this and folks started using the moss for bandages on wounds. When crushed garlic is rubbed on a strip of moss it is an excellent bandage for healing and protection of the wound. They also found moss to be beneficial in their diet and for preserving foods.
Garlic is a super food nature provides for us. It can grow in the wild and continue to multiply year after year. It is a very beneficial anti-fungal source.
Willow bark is a natural immune boosting source, an analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, anti-pyretic (fever reducer), and an anti-oxidant. By observing sick or hurt animals eating the bark, the ancients began to experiment and found amazing results. Since early times it has been found to be a great treatment for headaches, muscle pain, menstrual cramps, and arthritis, flu and common cold, as it is a natural pain reliever. A tea can be made from the bark and used in place of aspirin. Willow bark tea is also available from herb and other stores. Throughout history willow bark has been used for medicinal purposes. In Hippocrates’ time, people would chew on the bark to relieve pain and fever.
Rosemary is an herb with hundreds of uses. Since primordial times the herb has been known to be beneficial for medicinal use. It contains antibacterial and antioxidant acid, plus several essential oils that are known to have anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and antiseptic properties.
I like to make rosemary oil for antiseptic purposes. I simmer an ounce of fresh rosemary in one cup of olive oil for five minutes. When it is cool I strain it and keep it in a clean jar with a tight fitting lid. Not only is it beneficial for scrapes, scratches, insect bites, and some rashes, it also is an excellent treatment for pets when they have ear mites. With a cotton ball I apply a liberal amount of oil in my dog’s ears and let it stay overnight. In the morning I swab out the oil, along with dead mites and their dead eggs, with dry cotton balls. The oil also loosens ear wax buildup to easily swab it out. My dog gets this treatment every three months to prevent new ear mite infestations.
When you were a kid and got stung by a bee, did a parent or grandparent grab a handful of mud and slap it on the sting, after removing the stinger? It takes the sting right out and provides a cooling sensation. It has been known since ancient times that Earth is the source of life. The ancients used natural clay for healing. It draws poisons out of the skin.
Take a hint from your cat when it has an upset stomach. The cat will find some garden mint to nibble on, for it calms an upset tummy. A mint tea is very helpful if you have an upset stomach.
There is a myriad of herbal remedies that are very healing. I rely on time-honored remedies my parents used. I also refer to books by Michael Tierra or Scott Cunningham for helpful information on herbs and their uses.
~~~
Author’s Disclaimer: I do not guarantee any of the methods mentioned in this article, for medical condition and tolerance is different for each individual person. Please consult a reputable herbalist for dosages, preparations, and herbal combinations.
~~~~
© 2017 Phyllis Doyle Burns
I have always liked to write.It is important to me that writing comes from my heart and soul. When writing poetry, if I do not feel a spiritual connection to what I am writing on, I will discard it and go on to something I can connect with on a spiritual level. I live in the moment, I write from the past or beyond the veil. When writing fiction I go with whatever inspires me at the moment - it could be funny, sorrowful, romantic or sometimes done with the use of colloquial language from mountain folk or other cultural regions.
I began writing content online in 2007, starting with BellaOnline - A Voice For Women, where I was the Native American Editor, Folklore & Mythology Editor, and the Appalachian Editor. I also wrote articles forThe Examiner, Daily Two Cents, and Yahoo. I am currently an author on HubPages.
Most of what I write takes a lot of research and I love it. Even if it is a fictional story, I will research for accuracy in whatever it takes to make my characters, their era, their location, etc. become realistic to the reader.
I hope you enjoy my works. Thank you for visiting.
- Ode to Voices in Desert Sands - August 14, 2023
- My Secluded Mountain Forest Nook - July 24, 2023
- My Cozy Log Cabin in the Woods - July 22, 2023
So fascinating Phyllis. When I wrote my book ‘Of Men, Saints and Heretics’, I had to spend three months researching 14th century monasteries and herbal-ism. I found it amazing what they knew back then. Now technology replicates nature to make money, but I guess it would be worse is they were stripping nature to heal our every increasing populations. We are indeed a virus on this earth. Great work my friend.
Thank you, Tony, this is much appreciated. Herbal-ism is a very complex and wide study. Native American healers, and those of other cultures, will not flood their minds with every known herb and its uses. Instead they focus on maybe 300 at the most. I have been interested in natural remedies since I was a kid and the first time my Dad slapped mud on a bee sting I got. My gosh, Tony, all the research you do for your books is amazing and admirable. I have really got to get over to your site and order ‘Of Men, Saints and Heretics’ soon. There are others I want to look at also. The ancient Druids were masters of healing with herbs. Thanks again.
This is a fascinating subject, Phyllis. I’ve been using natural remedies for most of our ailments, and my pediatrician used to tell me “just do what you’re doing, it must be working”. He only saw my kids once a year for checkups. Your mention of rosemary made me smile; I’ve been using it for antiseptic as well. I’ve never heard about mud on bee stings though, that was new to me. It is good to see articles about natural remedies.
Hi Emese. So glad you liked and related to this piece. Rosemary oil is always in my pantry – I use it for so many things, as well as an antiseptic. Thanks so much for reading and commenting. Another great remedy for bee sting and other insect bites is equal parts of sugar and baking soda. Make a thick paste with water and apply liberally. Let the paste dry, gently scrape it off and apply fresh paste. Usually only one application is all that is needed. We get fire ants here in the summer. If one sits on grass it is almost certain a fire ant will bite and the sting is horrible – it burns really bad. The baking soda/sugar paste works fast on these bites.