# 10 to 15 medicinal herbs to make home remedies



## sissy (Sep 7, 2009)

I"m getting ready to order some herbs to make home remedies. Can't grow but a few now. Later I want to grow them all, when we get to the homestead. 
If you could pick 10 to 15 medicinal herbs to make home remedies what would they be. If you could tell the name of the herb and what you would use it for. This could be really good.

I'll respond later with my picks (need to think about this a little while). Look forward to seeing what everyone comes up with.
Thanks for your time & info.
Sissy


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## Karen (Apr 17, 2002)

Goldenseal
Elderberry
Aloe Vera
Calendula
Echinacea
Chamomile
Garlic
Ginger
Milk Thistle
Sage
Peppermint


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## marinemomtatt (Oct 8, 2006)

Shoot...that's a tough one.
(These aren't in order of importance)

1: St John's Wort: Nerve and back pain, sunscreen, anti-depression
2: Mugwort: dream pillows, calming tea, menstrual issues
3: Lavender: Calming tea, healing of cuts and rashes, headaches
4: Echinacea: Immune system stimulent
5: Yarrow: staunch bleeding, insect repellent, tooth ache remedy
6: Wormwood: Intestinal parasites, food poisoning
7: Wild/hedge Rose: Cold remedy, headaches, ear aches
8: Burdock: Liver support
9: Plantain: Stings, tooth aches, respiratory complaints
10: Goldenrod: allergy issues, muscle spasms, kidney stones
11: Motherwort: Female screaming meemies, heart tonic, calming
tea
12: Boneset: flu and cold remedy (lungs)
13: Elderberry: Cold and flu
14: Mullein: Lung congestion, spinal pain/misallignment (along with SJW )
15: Hawthorn: Supportive to heart and circulation

16: Cayenne: improves circulation, stops external bleeding
17: Garlic: Improves circulation, anti-bacterial
18: Ginger: dizziness, Cold remedy

As you can see some Herbalists can't be limited to just 10 or 15 tried and trues... ~lol~...


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## culpeper (Nov 1, 2002)

Crumbs. How to pick so few from so many possibilities! For me, it's often difficult to distinguish between 'purely medicinal' herbs and culinary herbs which have numerous medicinal properties.

But let's see how we go with this little brain exercise (in no particular order except (1) and (2):

1. Garlic - good all-rounder
2. Aloe Vera - the First Aid Plant
3. Ginger - multiple-purpose, but particularly for tummy upsets.
4. Turmeric - multiple health benefits.
5. Evening Primrose (easy to grow and all parts are edible; PMS, eczema)
6. Lavender - multi-purpose if the real English lavender (edible, perfume, medicinal)
7. Agrimony (great for UTIs, diarrhoea, sore throat)
8. Lemons (multiple uses in the household, medicinal, culinary)
9. Thyme - multiple uses in the household for cleaning, medicinal, culinary)
10. Tomatoes (culinary and medicinal)
11. Stevia - useful for those wanting to lose weight, those subject to yeast infections, those with diabetes, or those wanting to reduce visits to the dentist as a result of a sugar-tooth!
12. Toothache Plant (spilanthes) - great for toothache first aid, and as a general mouthwash.
13. Chamomile - if you aren't allergic to it, a mild sedative.
14. Calendula - Minor wounds. Rashes. Burns. Tinea. Cracked nipples. Culinary uses.
15. Comfrey - Sprains. Wounds. Skin problems. External use only is recommended.

Nope. Can't stop there:

16. Elder - flowers and berries. Culinary and medicinal.
17. Mint - shock, indigestion. Culinary.
18. Yarrow - bleeding wounds, nosebleeds, fever.
19. Feverfew - headaches, migraine.
20. Lemon Balm - bites and stings, insomnia.
21. Your choice of fennel, dill, aniseed, caraway for indigestion.

I have exercised considerable self-discipline in stopping there - many other herbs spring to mind.

In addition, if you want a herbal First Aid Kit, don't forget to keep on hand some essential oils - Tea Tree, Clove Oil, Eucalyptus, Lavender are probably the most useful. 

It really depends on what ailments you and your family suffer from (or are likely to suffer from). You'll need to do quite a bit of homework to find out about the herbs you grow, and to remember that 'one man's medicinal herb can be another man's herbal poison'. 

Here's a good website to begin with:

http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/D_search.html


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## sissy (Sep 7, 2009)

Man this was harder than I thought. I did not realize I used so many, & so many more to try. Ok here goes. 
These are the ones I use all the time
1)Elderberry - for colds and flu preventative. antiviral, stress relief, good source of vitamin C, allergies
2)Goldenseal - fight nasties, eye wash, cuts, rashes,
3)plantain - drawing salve, respiratory complaints
4)Hyssop - tea makes a good cold remedy
5)Sage - hot flashes, indigestion and depression
6)fenugreek - fight colds and flu - will calm nausea.
7)Passiflora - calming, muscle pain, headache 
8)plantain - drawing salve, respiratory complaints 
9)licorice root - sooth cough
10)Chamomile - sleepy tea.
11)Aloe vera - burns, sores,
12)Milk Thistle - liver cleanser 
13)lavender - anti-stress, sleep inducer. My bath, dog bath
14)Burdock - Liver support , detoxer
15)Echinacea - anti-viral
16)dandelion - detoxer
17)Feverfew - headaches, migraine. 
18)Garlic- blood thinner, prevent swelling, congestion relief, antibiotic.
19)Mint - grows like crazy - great for stomach problems as a tea. Also great for absessed tooth

These are the one I would like to try next (maybe more)
Yarrow leaves (used in salve that soothes bites and sunburn) makes a good tea to help fight the flu ,
Comfrey - multipurpose great for livestock feed and the poultice is great for infections and skin irritations.
Calendula! The flower petals make great skin balms and salves.
Caraway, infusion for colicky babies, stomach trouble, gas
Horehound works so well for sore throats
Angelica stimulates blood flow, good for digestion, cramps, allergies
Rosemary

these are the ones I'm growing or can grow because I have seeds
Echinacea - roots make a tea that is anti-viral.
Mint - grows like crazy - great for stomach problems as a tea. Also great for ice tea's and jelly.
Lemon Balm - again good in teas for digestion.
Chamomile - sleepy tea.
Sweet Basil - grows great here and lots of vitamins.
Rose Hips - rich in vitamin C - as a tea or honey or jelly.
lavender- anti-stress, sleep inducer.
tobacco- wormer, insecticide.
oregano- antibacterial, adaptogenic, and really good on pizza.
Cayenne pepper (irritant &; heating agent) Used in linement for sore muscles; use dried peppers, including seeds for maximum heat.
Aloe vera- burns, sores,

OH!! What a list & I'm not done yet. :stars: 
Thank you all so much I did not realize what I was asking you to do. You have given me so much info. :happy:Thanks again

PS thanks for the link. I'm checking it out


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## susu (Sep 3, 2009)

I've been thinking on this for days....

mullein
hops
catnip
lemon balm
beet root
comfrey
chamomile(matricaria)
peppermint
fennel seeds
ginger
stinging nettles
elderberry
hawthorn(leaf & flower)
turmeric
basil
rosemary
green tea
garlic
passiflora
chokecherry
cayenne(or any hot chili, thais are nice)


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## sissy (Sep 7, 2009)

It's hard to pick 10 to 15 isn't it? thanks for your list. I see a few I need to ad to my list.
Sissy


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## marinemomtatt (Oct 8, 2006)

Oh, and let's not forget HONEY...we should always have honey on hand, not only is it good for wound care but it also helps get down our gullet nasty/bitter herbs


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## MSMH (Sep 8, 2009)

These are great lists. Thank you all for posting. I can hardly wait to start my herb garden next year. I will also plant a tea plant for green tea. Green tea really helps relieve my rheumatoid arthritis pain and also helps the inflammation/swelling to subside (which is what causes the pain).


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## Devoville (Mar 23, 2009)

A question; I think Sisy had tobacco in her list as a wormer? Could you post some more info on this? How it is used as such etc. Thanks!!


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## culpeper (Nov 1, 2002)

If you want an anthelmintic (de-wormer), you could use Epazote (Wormseed), Chenopodium ambrosioides. Or Mugwort. Or Thyme. Or Wormwood (with caution). Or pumpkin seeds. Or eat pomegranate. Or carrots.

For information about tobacco being used as an anthelmintic, this site is interesting.

http://www.survivalistboards.com/showthread.php?t=1554

It does mention the word 'death' amongst the possible side-effects. IMO, it's not an option!


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## sissy (Sep 7, 2009)

Devoville, the main reason that tobacco is on my list is because I have seeds already & I got the seeds to grow it to use it for insecticide, wormer is in the info listed. I have never used tobacco for ether so I can not advise on it. The list of 19 are the herbs that I use on a regular or semi regular basis. *Never use anything without an in depth study & then be careful because it may not work for you as it does for someone else If you take meds some herbs can react*. Do a study on some of the herbs that culpeper suggested. I also have seeds for Mugwort, Thyme, & Wormwood (with caution).
Thank you culpeper for catching that, I wish I could go back & edit.
Sissy


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

Turmeric and cumin both have the reputation of being anti inflamatories, and both have releived some of my multiple sclerosis symptoms. 

I order empty capsules from Wonderlabs and fill them with the spices.


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## sss3 (Jul 15, 2007)

The Turmeric and Cumin, do you just use food grade? Also, are they for Osteoarthritis?


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

I had heard of them being used for rheumatoid arthritis. Since RA and MS are BOTH auto immune diseases, I thought they might be good for MS as well.

They are. 

After I used them for a while I went off them for a short time and the symptoms immediately got worse. I went back on the spices and the symptomes immediately got less evere.

And, yes, they are food grade. I bought them off the spice rack in the grocery for a while, though last time I ordered them in bulk by mail-order.


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## sss3 (Jul 15, 2007)

Went to Wonderlabs site. Just raised more questions. How do you fill your capsules? Do you just experiment to see how many to take everyday?


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

Sandra Spiess said:


> Went to Wonderlabs site. Just raised more questions. How do you fill your capsules? Do you just experiment to see how many to take everyday?


I put the spices in a shallow dish and I tapped the open capsule downwards: my local pharmacist told me how. Believe it or not the powder really does climb up inside the capsule until it is packed full.

I switched to whole cumin seeds, and those I can just scoop up.

And, yes, I DID experiment with how many to take a day. Right now I take 3 capsules a day with food: on alternate days I take 2 capsules of one spice and one of the other.

I get the empty capsules from Wonderlab: the spices I get from the grocery store.


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## sss3 (Jul 15, 2007)

Around here if you say anything about natural remedies to Dr's or Pharmacists, their reaction is they don't like it. We have 2 Pharmacists in the family; never thought about asking them.


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## Billie (Oct 19, 2009)

I see a lot of you use Elderberry. Does anyone have a good Elderberry syrup recipe? It was a great year for Elderberry and I have a quart and a half of dried berries and 3 gallons of frozen. I would also like to make Elderberry jelly without using sugar, any recipes for that? Thanks. Billie


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## culpeper (Nov 1, 2002)

Elderberry Rob
Simmer together 2.5kg Elderberries and 500g brown sugar until the mixture is the consistency of honey. Strain and bottle. Take 1-2 tablespoons in hot water at bedtime. This mixture keeps well.

Elderberry Syrup
Pick berries when thoroughly ripe from the stalks and stew with a little water in a jar in the oven or saucepan. After straining, allow 15g of whole ginger and 18 cloves to each 4 litres. Boil the ingredients an hour, strain again and bottle. To about a wineglassful of Elderberry syrup, add hot water, and if liked, sugar. This is an excellent remedy for a cold.

Elderberry Cordial
Simmer 2.5kg fresh ripe, crushed berries with 500g sugar until the liquid has evaporated to the consistency of honey. [This one turns into a jelly when refrigerated. A quick zap in the microwave turns it to a thick liquid again.]
OR
Thinly peel the rind of a lemon. Put 60g sugar into a jug with the lemon rind and 4 fresh Elderflower heads. Pour over this 300ml boiling water. Stir to dissolve the sugar, leave until cold. Strain and use diluted with cold milk or iced water.

For a no-added-sugar jelly, just boil up elderberries in plenty of water, and use gelatine or agar-agar to turn the liquid into a jelly. You could try boiling apples with the berries, or use apple juice instead of water, and a squeeze or two of lemon juice to provide the pectin required to set the liquid. Remember that without the sugar, it won't store well - perhaps a couple of days in the fridge.


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## susu (Sep 3, 2009)

culpeper, those sound yum! thanks for sharing 

ummmmmmm, how much in non-metric terms is 2.5kgs?

***susu, metrically challenged & a luddite, too.  ***


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## culpeper (Nov 1, 2002)

500g=1lb
1000g=1kg=2lb

Ergo: 2.5kg=5lb. If my maths is correct!

You can, of course, adjust quantities to suit yourself, as long as you keep things in proportion. With jams and jellies, near enough is good enough!


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## susu (Sep 3, 2009)

thanks! 

math makes my head spin :stars:


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## Rita (May 13, 2002)

Terri, You can buy a capsule filler that makes 50 capsules at one time. I also bought a capsule tamper to be sure that you get enough in each capsule. I buy the filler, the tamper, the capsules and the bulk herbs at Herbalcom.com.


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## Cntrygrl (Sep 8, 2007)

I have been using herbs for about thirteen years now. I have a tea mixture that I use for headaches and when I start to feel a cold/flu coming on. For years my hubby called it my "voodoo" tea, until one night he came home miserable. His head was hurting, he was achey, and his head was beginning to stuff up. He asked me, "Darlin', could you make me a cup of your voodoo tea?" I made him some and about an hour or two after he drank it, his headache was gone, his head was clear and he felt fine. My "voodoo" tea is a mix of equal parts peppermint, lemon balm, catnip, ginger and white willow bark....use one heaping teaspoon in one cup water, steep for 10 minutes, sweeten to taste. My hubby swears by it now!! LoL


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## MSMH (Sep 8, 2009)

Cntrygrl said:


> I have been using herbs for about thirteen years now. I have a tea mixture that I use for headaches and when I start to feel a cold/flu coming on. For years my hubby called it my "voodoo" tea, until one night he came home miserable. His head was hurting, he was achey, and his head was beginning to stuff up. He asked me, "Darlin', could you make me a cup of your voodoo tea?" I made him some and about an hour or two after he drank it, his headache was gone, his head was clear and he felt fine. My "voodoo" tea is a mix of equal parts peppermint, lemon balm, catnip, ginger and white willow bark....use one heaping teaspoon in one cup water, steep for 10 minutes, sweeten to taste. My hubby swears by it now!! LoL


Thank you for the recipe. I put it in my herb file.


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

Sandra Spiess said:


> Around here if you say anything about natural remedies to Dr's or Pharmacists, their reaction is they don't like it. We have 2 Pharmacists in the family; never thought about asking them.


I get that too. I would rather use herbs then modern medicine, to each their own. Great lists!


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