Page 122 - Lost Book Remedies

The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies

of Plantain Seed Infusion (see recipe below) at bed- the jar, making sure all the leaves are covered. Cap the
time. Be sure to consume the liquid and seeds for its jar tightly. Let the tincture marinate for 6 to 8 weeks,
full laxative effect. shaking the jar occasionally. Pour the alcohol through
a fine mesh sieve, cheesecloth, or a coffee filter to re-
Recipes. Plantain Seed Infusion: Take 1 tea- move all of the herbs. Store the tincture in a cool, dark
spoon plantain seeds and 1 cup boiling water. Pour the cupboard for up to 5 years. Dosage: 1/2 to 1 teaspoon.
boiling water over the seeds and allow it to steep while To infuse Plantain Oil substitute organic olive oil for
it cools. Drink the mucilage tea and the seeds. Plan- the vodka and follow the same instructions.
tain Tincture: You’ll need plantain leaves, 80 proof
vodka or other drinking alcohol and a glass jar with a Plantain Tea: Place 1 teaspoon dried plantain leaves
tight-fitting lid. Fill the jar with fresh plantain leaves or 1 tablespoon of fresh plantain leaves into a cup of
that have been chopped into small pieces or half a jar boiling water. Let steep for 10 minutes. Strain out the
of dried plantain. Pour vodka over the leaves and fill leaves and drink.

Prickly Pear Cactus, Edible Use:
Both the leaf
Opuntia ficus-indica pads and the
fruit are edi-
The prickly pear cactus is in the Cactaceae (Cactus) ble. Peel them
Family. It is also known as Indian Fig, Barbary Fig, carefully be-
Cactus Pear, and Mission Cactus. It grows in the South- fore use (see
ern United States and Mexico. Harvesting).
Drink the juice
Identification: Prickly pear cactus grows up to 16 of the tunas
feet (4.8meters) tall with flat, rounded leaf pads that and use the
branch off. The flower and, later, the fruit, grow di- pads in salads,
rectly on the leaf pad. The entire cactus, including the tacos, stir-
fruit, is covered with two different kinds of spines. fries, and
There are large, fixed spines that are easily seen and
soups. The fruit is highly nutritious.
Medicinal Use: The anti-inflammatory effects of
the prickly pear fruit are exceptional. Keep a supply of
the dried fruit for travel, but the fresh juice is best. For
maximum benefits, drink at least 2 ounces (60ml) of
juice every day. There are no known health risks with
long term use.
Arthritis and Joint Pain: Arthritic joint pain
caused by inflammation is greatly helped by the regu-
lar consumption of prickly pear juice every day. Relief
takes time (one to two months) and increases with use.

small, hair-like spines that are more difficult to see and Snake Bite and as a Drawing Poultice: The
easily detached. It is these smaller spines that can em- prickly pear leaf is excellent as a drawing plant for tox-
bed in your skin if you are not careful. The solitary ins. Cut off the outer pad of the prickly pear leaf and
flowers are large, bisexual, and yellow to orange in mash the inner part and put on a snake bite as soon as
color. The fruit, called a tuna, is a berry covering nu- possible.
merous hard seeds. Prickly pear cacti are found in Use it along with Plantago and Echinacea, if they are
semi-arid and desert-like conditions and are easily cul- available.
tivated in containers. They grow in bushy clusters.

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