Page 224 - Lost Book Remedies

The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies

astringent, and antibacterial compounds help fight interfere with some medications. Consult your health
gingivitis. care professional before eating bilberries if you have
problems related to blood clotting or if you take blood-
Harvesting: Harvest green bilberry leaves at any thinning medications or aspirin.
time before winter. Pick the berries when they are fully
mature and blue-black in color. Cut or prick each berry Consult your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeed-
and dry them on a dehydrator for future use. ing. Diabetics should also discuss bilberry prior to use.
Leaves should only be utilized short-term.
Warning: Bilberries are safe, with no known side ef-
fects, and are often eaten as a fruit. However, they can

Birch, Betula spp.

Birch trees are members of the Betulaceae (Birch)
Family and are related to alders and hazelnuts. They
are found throughout most of the Northern Hemi-
sphere. There are over 60 species worldwide.
Identification: Birch trees are deciduous and grow
quickly, but they don’t reach the towering heights of
many trees. Most grow to about 30 feet (9.1 meters) tall
or less, though yellow birch and paper birches reach
about 80 feet (24 meters). They often grow in stands
(groupings).
Birch trees often have several main stems or trunks,
giving the tree an irregular shape. Some look bushy,
others have a rounded crown. Birch bark can be quite baskets and containers and birch bark is an excellent
varied. The paper birch has a thin, white bark that
peels into paper-like strips. Yellow birch bark curls firestarter.
into small strips of bronze-colored bark. Mature river Medicinal Use: The leaves, twigs, catkins, bark,
birch trees have a scaly blackish-gray bark. Birch buds, and sap are all used medicinally. They have anti-
leaves are alternate, toothed, and pinnately inflammatory, astringent, and diuretic properties.
veined. Birch contains salicin, which helps with pain
and is an anti-coagulant. Inner birch bark also
Leaves are oval or triangular, broad at the top
and pointed at the end. Birch trees have male contains betulin, which is a
and female flowers on the same tree. The male triterpene and is best extracted
flowers appear in late summer and re- in oil, vinegar, or alcohol as it does
main on the tree. The female flowers are not extract well in water. We best
smaller green catkins that form on utilize it as betulinic acid. Chaga
the end of the branch. Once mushroom, which grows on birch
pollinated, they become cone- trees, is a good source of betulinic
like, open, and fall apart. acid, which is antiviral, anticancer,
and antibacterial.
Edible and Other Use: The sap of
the birch tree can be tapped and made into a syrup. Anti-Inflammatory, Arthritis,
The sap can also be consumed as is. It is nutritious, Eczema, and Sore Muscles: Birch leaves, buds,
containing vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. The bark, and twigs have anti-inflammatory properties
inner bark of birch contains xylitol, a sweetener that that are easily accessed by boiling the twigs, buds, and
also kills unwanted bacteria in the mouth when used leaves. A medicinal tea or decoction can be used inter-
orally (like in gum). The bark is used for making nally or as a wash on the skin. It is used to treat arthri-
tis, painful joints, eczema, and sore muscles. You can

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