Introduction to Herbal First Aid

[Guest guest]

[herballegacy.com]

 

ARTICLE: Herbal First Aid Part I - Introduction to Herbal First Aid

 

You never know when you will need first aid: 

 

" What if there was no electricity?  What is food distribution is shut

down?  What if there is a national disaster?  What if you had to

survive in the woods?  What if you were attacked by an enemy and had

to flee? " (Kurt King, Master Herbalist and author of Herbs to the

Rescue).  Herbal first aid helps you be prepared for the " what

if's. "   It doesn't have to be as drastic as a national disaster or

having to survive in the woods, though.  What if you are walking in a

parking lot and your daughter falls down and skins her knees badly? 

 

What if one of your children runs through the neighbor's yard (that has

been sprayed for weeds) barefoot and gets poison running up her leg? 

What if you slice your leg open while plowi ng the snow?  What if you

are on a trip and someone gets hypothermia?  By knowing basic first

aid and having some basic supplies on hand, you can treat each of these

" what if's " (by the way - each of these experiences has happened to

David and Fawn Christopher and their family - and they knew how to take

care of them using herbal first aid).

 

Why Herbs?

 

Shouldn't you just go to a hospital?  Can't you just use the first aid

kit that has been under your bathroom sink for 20 years?  Here is what

David Christopher, Master Herbalist and Director of The School of

Natural Healing, said:

 

" Herbs are the safest, most effective tool available for health care. 

Unlike drugs, which have a myriad of side effects that can and do cause

harm, herbs can be used with confidence and you will do no harm.  Many

people are aware of the wonderful tonic effect of herbs that, when taken

in small quantities over a long period of time, miraculously correct old

chronic conditions; but...herbs can work just as fast and even more

effective than patented, synthetic drugs in dealing with acute

emergencies " (Herbs to the Rescue, Forward).

 

Please note that we are not saying to never go to the emergency room -

doctors are great for certain situations - only you can make that

decision.  You should be prepared, though - to handle any emergency -

as Kurt King points out, " What if? "   What if you can't get to an

emergency room?  What if the situation required immediate care -

before you could get to the hospital?  What if you are camping and are

many miles from help?  You can feel confident knowing that you could

handle almost any situation.

 

This newsletter, over the next few weeks, will cover a few basics

(Herbal First Aid could be an entire class).  We can't possibly teach

you all you should know! But we will help you know what herbs should go

in a first aid kit, what resources you should have, and how to handle a

few emergencies.  We will give you resources for other herbal first

aid situations.

 

Your primary weapon is knowledge.  For example - if you get into some

Poison Ivy in the woods, did you know that the cure is always growing

nearby?  If you have educated yourself then you will be able to find

the plantain nearby, know how to use it, and get on with your day. 

Without making this sound too much like an advertisement, we are

confident that your very best source of education is The School of

Natural Healing.  Dr. John R. Christopher had the vision to see a

Family Herbalist in every home and a Master Herbalist in every

community.  The Family Herbalist course will teach you how to handle

most medical situations at home. 

 

You won't find a Family Herbalist who doesn't feel like they got much

more out of the course than they paid for it.  For more details pleas

e visit The School of Natural Healing at http://www.snh.cc .

We also encourage you to go on an herb walk in your area.  Check with

your local health food or herb store to see if they are aware of any. 

If you hear of one, please let us know so that we can send it out to

everyone on the list!  Your fellow rs in your area would

greatly appreciate it!  Take a camera, a notebook, good hiking boots

and a hat with you and enjoy an herb walk.  After doing an herb walk

(as long as it is led by someone qualified) you will be able to identify

many different herbs in your area.

 

To get you started, there is one herb you shouldn't be without -

cayenne.  Why cayenne? " Cayenne helps restore normal body functions,

relieves rheumatism, counteracts putrefaction and infection, relieves

nervous irritability and spasms, condenses and firms the tissues,

excites intestinal peristalsis, relieves spasms, promotes expulsion of

gas from the gastrointestinal tract, seasons and flavors foods, induces

vomiting (in large doses), is hot and penetrating, stimulates local

circulation and skin redness, increases saliva and aids digestion,

causes profuse perspiration, stops bleeding, is a general all around

stimulant to activity and energy, and heals wounds " (information from

Dean Alter, Master Herbalist).

 

Next week we will go over the first six things you should do in an

emergency.  Then we will discuss what herbs you should have in your

first aid kit.  After that we will discuss several common situations

and how to use herbs to treat those.

 

Printable Version: http://www.herballegacy.com/Herbal_First_Aid_I.pdf

  

[Guest guest]

This will undoubtedly be great info. And I'm looking forward to the next issues, as this is a subject dear to my heart--what to do when things get worse and we don't have, or can't get to a doctor.

 

I have my healing herb tinctures in a special place. Normally we use them for minor things-colds, flu, aches, as we have never had an emergency. This past weekend I had a chance to see them shine in an emergency. I tangled the first 3 fingers of my left hand in my table saw. (I'm typing this one handed) I cut one finger half way across the width of the finger, through the middle of the nail, and sliced through the upper tips/nails of the other 2. Blood everywhere. I ran into the bathroom and told my husband to get the DMSO, raw honey and the cayenne tinc, bandages,scissors and tape. He poured the DMSO on, which started to slow the bleeding. Then he put the cayenne in a cup so I could soak my fingers. I started to pass out so he gave me a spoon of cayenne, which snapped me right out of it. Which was good because it was making him sick to look at my hand and he couldn't help me bandage it. (he's squeamish :-). soaking the fingers in cayenne helped stop the bleeding enough to wrap them. He soaked a strip of gauze in cayenne while I applied some honey to the fingers, then I wrapped each finger in the cayenne gauze and taped them. Then I laid down for 3 or 4 hours, and after that was able to get up and finish my project, though it took longer as I could only use one hand.

 

The ER would have done basically the same thing but 1) would have charged me a lot 2) would have given me a shot and 3) put me on a round of antibiotics. The natural antibiotics in what I applied were stronger than anything they could have given me and I had zero worries of infection, plus did not upset the balance if flora in my gut as theirs would have.

 

One lesson I learned from this is to make sure all my herbs are clearly labeled and in a place where everyone in the family knows they are at. I am the herbalist in our house and my husband knows almost nothing about them. If I had not been able to tell him where they were and what to get me, he would have been lost. So now I am going to make up a laminated paper with herbal instructions for certain emergencies and put it along with the appropriate ingredients on one shelf and make sure that everyone knows to go to this spot if I am not home or can't tell them.

 

Renee

 

----

 

ARTICLE: Herbal First Aid Part I - Introduction to Herbal First Aid

 

You never know when you will need first aid:

 

 

[Guest guest]

Wow! You are so brave!

 

Could you, please share with us the laminated paper with herbal instructions

for certain emergencies? I believe we all need to do something like this.

 

Thank you,

Milena

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

 

 

" Gaiacita " <gaiacita

 

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 07:15:45

To:<oleander soup >

Re: Introduction to Herbal First Aid

 

 

This will undoubtedly be great info. And I'm looking forward to the next issues,

as this is a subject dear to my heart--what to do when things get worse and we

don't have, or can't get to a doctor.

 

  I have my healing herb tinctures in a special place.  Normally we use them for

minor things-colds, flu, aches, as we have never had an emergency.  This past

weekend I had a chance to see them shine in an emergency.  I tangled the first 3

fingers of my left hand in my table saw.  (I'm typing this one handed) I cut one

finger half way across the width of the finger, through the middle of the nail,

and sliced through the upper tips/nails of the other 2.  Blood everywhere.  I

ran into the bathroom and told my husband to get the DMSO, raw honey and the

cayenne tinc, bandages,scissors and tape.  He poured the DMSO on, which started

to slow the bleeding.  Then he put the cayenne in a cup so I could soak my

fingers.  I started to pass out so he gave me a spoon of cayenne, which snapped

me right out of it.  Which was good because it was making him sick to look at my

hand and he couldn't help me bandage it.  (he's squeamish :-).  soaking the

fingers in cayenne helped stop the bleeding enough to wrap them.  He soaked a

strip of gauze in cayenne while I applied some honey to the fingers, then I

wrapped each finger in the cayenne gauze and taped them.  Then I laid down for 3

or 4 hours, and after that was able to get up and finish my project, though it

took longer as I could only use one hand.

 

The ER would have done basically the same thing but 1) would have charged me a

lot 2) would have given me a shot and 3) put me on a round of antibiotics.  The

natural antibiotics in what I applied were stronger than anything they could

have given me and I had zero worries of infection, plus did not upset the

balance if flora in my gut as theirs would have.

 

One lesson I learned from this is to make sure all my herbs are clearly labeled

and in a place where everyone in the family knows they are at.  I am the

herbalist in our house and my husband knows almost nothing about them.  If I had

not been able to tell him where they were and what to get me, he would have been

lost.  So now I am going to make up a laminated paper with herbal instructions

for certain emergencies and put it along with the appropriate ingredients on one

shelf and make sure that everyone knows to go to this spot if I am not home or

can't tell them.

 

Renee

 

----

 

ARTICLE: Herbal First Aid Part I - Introduction to Herbal First Aid

 

You never know when you will need first aid:

 

 

[Guest guest]

Lol I think he would have if I hadn't given him things to do. As it was, he didn't sleep all that night. Said every time he closed his eyes he could see it.

 

Renee

 

----

 

 

And your husband is my hero too. Especially if he is squeamish.

Bless his heart. The fact is, if it had been me assisting you, I

would have been out cold. I have been known to faint at much, much

less.

 

 

[Guest guest]

He's who I learned my herbs from, mostly. He's why I felt confident enough to do it.

 

Renee

 

----

 

 

mantchev

4/24/2008 4:45:14 PM

oleander soup

Re: Introduction to Herbal First Aid

 

Thank you so much.

 

You should've had the whole thing recorded. I only read about something similar in Dr. Schulze's book "There are no incurable diseases", but hearing it from a "real survivor" is quite different.

 

 

[Guest guest]

And as soon as you do I am liable to steal it for my Remedies book!

 

Great stuff!

 

 

oleander soup , " Gaiacita " <gaiacita wrote:

>

> Sure. When I get it typed up I'll post it.

>

> Not brave at all--just had to be done and I knew my home made things

were

> every bit as good as the ER's. So long as I didn't have to stitch

anything.

> :-)

>

> Renee

>

> ----

>

>

> Wow! You are so brave!

>

> Could you, please share with us the laminated paper with herbal

> instructions for certain emergencies? I believe we all need to do

something

> like this.

>

[Guest guest]

Well, that was a funny story. I know he didn't think so, but really, he was no worse for wear. :-)

 

My dad hardly even uses black pepper at the table. One day my mom aND I GOT HOME FROM SHOPPING AND DAD WAS SITTING IN HIS CHAIR, BASICALLY UNRESPONSIVE AND UNABLE TO TALK. Thinking he had a stroke I grabbed the cayenne tinc and gave him a whole dropper full while mom called the ambulance. I gave him another dropper full. I was going to give him a third one and I see his hand come up, like in slow motion, and wave "no". I think he's had enough - the cayenne has done its job - and the ambulance arrives. They rush him to the hospital where they determine that he was in a diabetic coma. They straighten him out and send him home. Only he can't speak! He's so horse he can only whisper, and he says they must have put something down his throat because it "feels funny". He doesn't remember a thing about the cayenne--and to this day I haven't said a word. Lol

 

Renee

 

----

 

My own experience in treating an emergency did not turn out so well.

My boyfriend was hit in the nose with a fence post he was trying to

dislodge, and he stopped by my house on his way to the doctor. I had

read that cayennne stopped bleeding and would prevent scaring, so he

consented to let me put some on the cut. Nurse Betty was a little too

generous and not only his nose, but his eyes as well got dosed, and

let's just say he was in a lot more pain than he was when he got

there. Lucky for me, he really loved me, and we had some good laughs

about it later. We had 7 wonderful years together. I still think of

him when I use cayenne.

 

[Guest guest]

Send it to me at Tmark1217 as an attachment and I will add

it to the group files, and maybe steal it too.

 

Have you perchance put together what you think would be an essential

list of items to have for home first aid? For example, hydrogen

peroxide, colloidal silver, tea tree oil, oil of oregano, baking soda,

honey, cayenne pepper, lavender oil, green tea bags, bandages,

bromelain, etc.? Is that part of it?

 

 

oleander soup , " Gaiacita " <gaiacita wrote:

>

> And welcome to it, :-) I'm about done. It's in word 2000 so it is

> formatted to fit on one page, both sides. How do you want me to

send it?

> As a word attachment to the group or to you to upload to the files?

>

> Renee

>

> ----

>

>

> And as soon as you do I am liable to steal it for my Remedies book!

>

> Great stuff!

>

[Guest guest]

Hello, everyone. I joined this group about a year ago and rarely reply; however, this time I am replying. The information I receive is very good and practical. The story of Renee and how she used the raw Honey, Cayenne, etc. to stop the bleeding and seal up the fingers was fascinating. I knew about the various ingredients she used, but it is nice to read about someone who actually used them and so effectively. I am looking forward to the information about the ingredient list for Herbal first aid. Mainly because I am usually called on by my friends for emergency treatment and advise. Great group!!! Glad I joined. FrancineTony wrote: And as soon as you do I am liable to steal it for my Remedies book!Great stuff!Tonyoleander soup , "Gaiacita" <gaiacita wrote:>> Sure. When I get it typed up I'll post it.> > Not brave at all--just had to be done and I knew my home made thingswere> every bit as good as the ER's. So long as I didn't have to stitchanything.> :-)> > Renee > > ----> > > Wow! You are so brave!> > Could you, please share with us the laminated paper with herbal> instructions for certain emergencies? I believe we all need to dosomething> like

this.>Francine Morrison, M.D.

[Guest guest]

Here are a couple you might want to look at:Browning's Blood Tonic - A Remedy for Cancer and More

Browning's Herbal Prostate Cancer TonicWhen you send me your email I will send you a copy of my collected remedies ebook. It is a work in progress - always.Tonyoleander soup , "Gaiacita" <gaiacita wrote:>> Lol, I decided just a bit ago while talking with the herb list to do that> very thing :-) great minds think alike. I was also going to include the> contact info of the best herbalists and a general type of product list. I> make my own herbal formulas but don't sell them. These people I trust and> KNOW the quality of their products. None of them are big companies, most> don't even have web sites, but all are dedicated to their herbs and herbal> knowledge and make certain of their favorite products for sale. If that's> ok with you. If not I understand. I just was thinking that what someone> would buy from any of these people would be stronger than anything they> could buy in any store.

> > ----

> > > 4/24/2008 11:29:57 PM

> oleander soup

> Re: Introduction to Herbal First Aid

> > Send it to me at Tmark1217 as an attachment and I will add

> it to the group files, and maybe steal it too.

> > Have you perchance put together what you think would be an essential

> list of items to have for home first aid? For example, hydrogen

> peroxide, colloidal silver, tea tree oil, oil of oregano, baking soda,

> honey, cayenne pepper, lavender oil, green tea bags, bandages,

> bromelain, etc.? Is that part of it?

> > > > oleander soup , "Gaiacita" gaiacita@ wrote:

> >

> > And welcome to it, :-) I'm about done. It's in word 2000 so it is

> > formatted to fit on one page, both sides. How do you want me to

> send it?

> > As a word attachment to the group or to you to upload to the files?

> >

> > Renee

> >

> > ----

> >

> >

> > And as soon as you do I am liable to steal it for my Remedies book!

> >

> > Great stuff!

> >

> > > > ---

> >

[Guest guest]

Hi Tony. I hardly ever use hydrogen peroxide anymore. Too many other options. :-) although it is a good and cheap thing to have on hand. I'm just use to reaching for my herbs. You can include it if you want to add it to the "must haves" liquids at the bottom of the back page.

 

Renee

 

----

 

 

4/24/2008 11:29:57 PM

oleander soup

Re: Introduction to Herbal First Aid

 

Send it to me at Tmark1217 as an attachment and I will add

it to the group files, and maybe steal it too.

 

Have you perchance put together what you think would be an essential

list of items to have for home first aid? For example, hydrogen

peroxide, colloidal silver, tea tree oil, oil of oregano, baking soda,

honey, cayenne pepper, lavender oil, green tea bags, bandages,

bromelain, etc.? Is that part of it?

 

 

oleander soup , "Gaiacita" <gaiacita wrote:

>

> And welcome to it, :-) I'm about done. It's in word 2000 so it is

> formatted to fit on one page, both sides. How do you want me to

send it?

> As a word attachment to the group or to you to upload to the files?

>

> Renee

>

> ----

>

>

> And as soon as you do I am liable to steal it for my Remedies book!

>

> Great stuff!

>

 

 

 

---

 

 

[Guest guest]

Gee, I LOVE hydrogen peroxide. Great for gum care. And wipes out most colds

before they start (use a few drops in each ear, and (diluted) in nose). Plus, a

nice brown bottle! And LOVE the formula -- H2O2.

 

oleander soup , " Gaiacita " <gaiacita wrote:

>

> Hi Tony. I hardly ever use hydrogen peroxide anymore. Too many other

> options. :-) although it is a good and cheap thing to have on hand. I'm

> just use to reaching for my herbs. You can include it if you want to add it

> to the " must haves " liquids at the bottom of the back page.

>

> Renee

>

> ----

>

> > 4/24/2008 11:29:57 PM

> oleander soup

> Re: Introduction to Herbal First Aid

>

> Send it to me at Tmark1217 as an attachment and I will add

> it to the group files, and maybe steal it too.

>

> Have you perchance put together what you think would be an essential

> list of items to have for home first aid? For example, hydrogen

> peroxide, colloidal silver, tea tree oil, oil of oregano, baking soda,

> honey, cayenne pepper, lavender oil, green tea bags, bandages,

> bromelain, etc.? Is that part of it?

>

> >

> oleander soup , " Gaiacita " <gaiacita@> wrote:

> >

> > And welcome to it, :-) I'm about done. It's in word 2000 so it is

> > formatted to fit on one page, both sides. How do you want me to

> send it?

> > As a word attachment to the group or to you to upload to the files?

> >

> > Renee

> >

> > ----

> >

> >

> > And as soon as you do I am liable to steal it for my Remedies book!

> >

> > Great stuff!

> >

>

>

[Guest guest]

Oh yes, it does work great and is cheap, too. As I said--for me, I just grab my other stuff first so rarely use it anymore.

 

Renee

 

----

 

Gee, I LOVE hydrogen peroxide. Great for gum care. And wipes out most colds before they start (use a few drops in each ear, and (diluted) in nose). Plus, a nice brown bottle! And LOVE the formula -- H2O2.