Page 151 - Lost Book Remedies
P. 151
The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies
dealing with painful bee stings and insect bites. It also a pot of simmering water. Simmer the leaves for a 5 to
has some analgesic properties, which help with pain. 10 minutes and cool. Strain the liquid through a fine
sieve or coffee filter to remove all leaf particles. Drink
Recipes. Wooly Lamb’s Ear Tea: You will only or use as a wash.
need fresh leaves of Wooly Lamb’s Ear and water.
Bruise the fresh leaves by pounding then add them to
Yarrow, Stopping Internal & External Bleeding: Yar-
row quickly stops bleeding by contracting the blood
Achillea millefolium vessels and encouraging clotting. Yarrow contains
anti-inflammatory and antibacterial compounds that
I always keep yarrow in my medicine bag, as it has ease swelling and promote healing. It also helps disin-
many uses. It is also called nosebleed plant, squirrel’s fect wounds. If it is possible, clean the wound before
tale, plumajillo, and soldier’s woundwort. I recognize applying yarrow. Yarrow will quickly stop bleeding and
it by its feathery leaf shape, texture, and scent. It is in bind any dirt or infectious materials into the wound, so
the Aster/Daisy Family. It is found in temperate zones best to clean first if possible.
throughout the world.
To use yarrow leaves on a wound or abscess, chop or
Identification: Yarrow is an erect plant that grows rip the leaves finely and apply to the wound. I often
from a spreading rhizome. The plant has carry dried powdered yarrow with me for this
finely divided feathery leaves that purpose. Cover the wound with a soft
grow along the stem. Plants grow 1 to cloth and leave it in place. Repeat 2 to 3
3 feet (0.3m to 0.9 meters) in full times daily until the wound is healed over
sun to partial shade. Its bipinnate and the swelling is gone. Yarrow oil or tinc-
or tripinnate leaves are 2 to 8 ture can be used to treat nosebleeds and other
inches (5 cm to 20 cm) long, and minor injuries, as can yarrow powder. Place a
can be hairy. Leaves are arranged spi- few drops of oil or tincture on the affected area
rally on the stem in groups of 2 to 3. Each or apply it to a tissue or cloth and place it on
leaf is divided into many leaflets, which the wound.
are further divided into smaller leaflets. The
silvery-green leaves are fern-like and feathery. Bruises, Sprains, Swelling, and Hemor-
rhoids: For bruises, sprains, hemorrhoids, and
Flowers bloom from May to July. Each inflo- other swellings, use a poultice of yarrow leaves or
rescence is a cluster of 15 to 40 tiny disk flowers stems pounded into a paste and applied to the in-
surrounded by 3 to 8 ray flowers. The scent of jured area and cover. Infused yarrow oil or
yarrow is similar to chrysanthemums, and the salve works well for bruises, sprains, swelling,
flowers are very long lasting. Colors range and hemorrhoids.
from white to yellow, pink, and red. Yar-
row is a good companion plant in a garden, Antibacterial and Antifungal: Yarrow is a
as it repels many garden pests while attracting strong antibacterial and antifungal. It will heal
beneficial insects. a wound quickly. Do not use on deep punc-
ture wounds as it will heal it too quickly and you
Edible Use: You can eat the leaves raw or cooked. want the wound to heal from the inside out. It is a great
They are bitter and are best eaten young. The plant is addition to a first aid salve. It is also a strong antifun-
very nutritious; however, I don’t recommend eating a gal.
lot of it because of its blood clotting ability.
Fevers, Colds, and Measles: Yarrow reduces the
The flowers and leaves are used to make tea, but the duration of the measles virus, colds, and fevers. It is
leaf tea is bitter. A little raw honey helps. quick to bring down a fever. Either chew raw yarrow or
Medicinal Use: All parts of the plant are used me- drink yarrow tea to induce sweating and reduce fevers.
dicinally.
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