Today we have a guest post from my dear friend Serafina of A Gypsy Herbal. She gives you a look inside her herbal medicine chest.
When I think Medicine Chest (or trunk, cupboard, et c.) the prettiest images float through my mind. Sparkly bottles, neatly rolled muslin, tiny droppers, various shapes of jars and pots of ointments and oils. I think of something that can’t be opened without wafting scents of peppermint and strong herbs filling the room.
The amount of options for herbal medicine collections, as well as the manner of presentation of a multitude of various herbs and oodles of preparations and information can be overwhelming. So I decided to present the items in my herbal medicine chest simply, alphabetically according to what I’d treat or use them for.
A Gypsy’s Herbal Medicine Chest
- Aches: arnica extract (into rubbing alcohol), Tiger Balm (though this does contain paraffin petrolatum, so soon to be replaced), Massage Oil (in the works!)
- Allergies: nettle apple cider vinegar tincture
- Burns: aloe vera
- Bleeding, to stop: plantain
- Bug-be-Gone: Badger Anti-Bug Balm, Vinegar of the Four Thieves spray, tansy white vinegar tincture
- Bug-bites-Itches: plantain infused grape seed oil
- Cleansing/infection prevention: tea tree oil, rubbing alcohol, white vinegar extracts
- Cold coming on: Double-E Immune Booster tea, Dr. Cinnamon Tea, Lemon Drop Tea (high in vitamin C), Elderberry Kombucha, elderberry syrup, Emergen-C Ruby Lemon Honey or Acia Berry
- Cold Sore/Fever Blister: Stimulating Lip Balm
- Congestion: Congestion Rub
- Cough: steam inhalation of mullein, cherry bark syrup
- Cuts, infection prevention: echinacea salve/oil, Healing Garden Salve, Eden Salve
- Cuts/nicks: on a minor cut, dried peppermint leaf has helped to stop bleeding when sprinkled on and pressed for a few moments, or secured with bandage.
- Cramps: Cramp Tincture/Glycerite, Mama’s Red Raspberry Brew
- Dehydration: Emergen-C Raspberry packets
- Dried/cracked/sore hands and skin: Soothing Rose Hand Cream
- Fever: catnip, yarrow, peppermint
- Food poisoning: activated charcoal (From our sponsor Rocky Mountian Essentials)
- Gas: fennel seed, activated charcoal, baking soda (dissolve in warm water)
- Hangnail/dry cuticles: Burts Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme
- Headache: more sleep! (oh, it won’t fit in the medicine chest? ok, what else can we try?…) tincture of lavender & white willow bark; candied ginger; temple rub of lavender oil (essential oil mixed with carrier oil such as coconut or grapeseed), or just try drinking more water, can add Emergen-c packet.
- Healing promotion: comfrey, salt, Garden Salve, Eden Salve
- Poison bites (spider, bug, snake): plantain, activated charcoal, bentonite clay,
- Punctures wounds: read more about home-care for puncture wounds (I started here), consider consulting a doctor
- Skin, dried/cracked: Soothing Rose Hand Cream (coconut oil, rose, calendula, lemon verbena, beeswax, distilled water)
- sleep, help: Sleep Tight Tea, catnip
- Sore throat: Throat Coat tea with honey, Ricola throat lozenges (until I make my own)
- Stress: Stress Zapper Tea
- Upset Stomach: tea of ginger or peppermint.
Other:
- Beeswax
- Lice Treatment: coconut oil with essentials of tea tree and lavender. Tansy apple cider vinegar tincture, lavender, rosemary, sage. Use oil on head, spray bedding, clothing, etc with vinegar tincture
- Worms/Parasites: capsules of wormwood, fresh ground cloves, black walnut hull as explained at BHS
- Essential Oils: lavender, peppermint, clove, citronella, lemon, orange, eucalyptus
Instruments and Articles:
- capsule machine & new capsules (optional, but very useful for charcoal, cayenne pepper, and more!)
- fabric (latex-free) bandages, multiple sizes including “butterfly” style
- fabric tape
- gauze roll
- matches
- mortar and pestle or coffee grinder
- needles/straight pins
- “non stick” covering pads
- tweezers
- rolled, sterilized cotton wraps
- rice bag (for heat pack-carefully heat in either a low oven for 20 minutes in glass baking dish, or microwave oven for 2-3 minutes)
- instant cold pack (or keep something frozen on hand)
- safety pins
- sharp shears/scissors
- thermometer
- waterproof tape
Alright, so I have more things that don’t fit in the quaint handcrafted chest, but I’ll have to share those with you another time…time for a medicine cupboard! Check back next month for part 2.
This is for informational purposes, and not intended to be followed as-is. You are responsible to do your own research, consult your own medical advisor/professional, and use caution. Especially before trying anything new or unknown to you.
This post is sponsored by Rocky Mountian Essentials. Please check out their wonderful products! I did receive monetary compensation and a bag of coconut activated charcoal powder in exchange for this sponsorship.
This post is part of Natural Living Monday, Homestead Blog Hop,
Great post. Congrats on being chosen as a featured post on this week’s Wildcrafting Wednesdays! I hope you’ll join us again and share more of your awesome posts.
http://www.herbanmomma.com
Wonderful! Thank you for letting us know! 🙂
This is great! Where did you get the chest from it looks exactly like what ive been searching for!!
I think Serafina got it at a thrift store.
I need my medicine chest to look that organized. I have a big wall o’jars and cabinets of my bulk herbs! It is insane! I love all the wonderful remedies. Thank you for sharing!
Hi, I’m Anne from Life on the Funny Farm (http://annesfunnyfarm.blogspot.com), and I’m visiting from Natural Living Monday.
Wow, you have such a wealth of knowledge! This is very informative.
Anyway, thanks for posting this. If you’ve never visited yet, I hope you can pop by my blog sometime to say hi…