Herbal home medicine chest

Herbal home medicine chest – what should it be found in? Part I

If you like to use natural ways to treat everyday ailments is probably your home medicine chest is full of various herbs. Today we suggest that herbs should be included in the base set. Such herbal medicine chest  you can take with you on vacation, weekend getaway or on official travel and its contents probably useful in the least expected moment. The contents of the medicine cabinet grows in meadows and forests. Herbal medicine cabinet should be formulated to contain all herbal medicines useful in the treatment of symptoms daily. So should it find herbs analgesic, reducing fever, treating indigestion, diarrhea, anti-inflammatory, sedative and hypotensive.

Nature created a natural and effective ways to most everyday problems, so it is worth, if possible, replace at least some of the synthetic drugs or supplements that we take every day of herbal infusions. Why a headache to use willow bark, on a cold linden flower and chamomile when we are stressed? Because they are natural, safe ways for everyday ailments, used for centuries and proven for generations.

So if you want to create such a natural medicine chest, below you will find a basic set of herbs that should be in it.

How to drink herbs?

Remember that the way to prepare individual herbs to drink, different from each other. Infusion of herbs express bags is not the best way, such bags typically include plants ground to a powder which have few active substances. So it’s best to stock up on loose herbs and strainer or tea brewing herbs – glass with infuser and lid.

Most herbs prepare the brew, then just pour a portion of dried plants with boiling water and let stand for several minutes, then strain and drink. If you have such an opportunity herbs flooded with boiling water should also be put on the heater, the brew will then be more valuable.

Some herbs have to boil to extract their therapeutic compounds, such herbal medicine will be called a decoction. To prepare a decoction of herbs cook for a few minutes in an enamel pot, then leave for a few minutes to cool and drain off.

Sometimes, in order to extract from the plant active compounds it is necessary to prepare tinctures, when the active compounds contained in the plant dissolves in alcohol. A portion of the herb must therefore pour alcohol in a suitable concentration and leave usually for several days, after which time the drain and take dropwise.

You have to remember that herbs we buy, should always be included in the package recipe to prepare them for consumption.

In herbal medicine cabinet should contain the following herbs:

Mint – one of the most well-known herbs, there are 30 species of mint and plenty of variety. Medicinal raw material are leaves. Mentha is one of the most versatile herbs useful in the treatment of various ailments. Our home medicine cabinet is the best peppermint, which will be useful in the treatment of the following symptoms:

• Abdominal pain, bloating, loss of appetite, poisoning
• Diseases of the liver and gallbladder
• Low metabolic rate
• Headaches
• Mouthwash and throat
• As an remedy to colds, influenza and other infections.

Additionally, mint can be used as a spice for red meat, fish, salads, to Italian dishes (sauces, pizza).

You have to remember that the quality of the mint decided to the greatest extent the content of essential oils, which is why mint Express tea usually containing material very finely ground are of little value because the oils from such a feedstock weather the fast.

Sage – Salvia is a plant native to the Mediterranean region, due to the richness of the active compounds contained therein has been used in a number of ailments. Sage is also a source of vitamins A, C and vitamin B group and minerals (calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, zinc and iron). It can be used both externally and internally in the following symptoms:

• Excessive sweating – can drink the infusion or wash the skin (antiperspirant action occurs after about three hours and is maintained up to three days).
• Poisoning, inflammation, and inflammation of the digestive system
• Stomatitis, gingivitis
• Dermatitis, abscesses, boils, slowly healing wounds, acne, psoriasis, eczema
• Limitation of lactation (when the period ends breastfeeding), infusions of sage should not drink during breast-feeding because of the thujone, which is located in the infusion
• Heavy periods and premenstrual syndrome
• Relief of symptoms of menopause

With regular use of sage need from time to time to stop treatment because of the sage contained thujone.

Chamomile – Chamomile is a common and very popular medicinal plant, medicinal raw material is a flower (chamomile basket), infusion of chamomile has anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic, therefore chamomile is used to treat ailments:

• Gastroenteritis, poisoning, nausea
• Stomach cramps against nervous stress, sleep problems, insomnia
• Cramps and colic in children
• Allergy
• Outdoor applications – ulcers, skin redness, burns (including solar burns after radiotherapy)
• Use external – purulent and allergic conjunctivitis, keratitis.

Nettle – nettle plant is very common and often underestimated. Nettle can be used as a natural dietary supplement, as it is a source of vitamins – C, K, E, B2, pantothenic acid, also contains a micro and macroelements – magnesium, iron, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, silicon, iodine. Nettle can be used for the following medical conditions:

• Inflammation of the urinary tract, swelling, in the alternative, kidney stones,
• Diarrhea, gastrointestinal bleeding,
• Anemia,
• Cleansing the body, gout, edema
• Externally to wash the skin in the case of dandruff and acne

Linden bossom – linden are common leafy tree, medicinal raw material are inflorescences. Frequently infusions of linden flowers are used for:

• Colds, fever, cough, sore throat, hoarseness, bronchitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis
• United nervous tension, stress, trouble sleeping
• Digestive disorders,
• Externally to wash in conjunctivitis and acne

Raspberry juice – juice of raspberries are long known effective medicine home for various ailments, it’s important not to confuse the juice with syrup, which often contains large amounts of sugar as well as dyes and flavorings, such syrup usually contains a small amount of fruit. So if you do not prepare yourself raspberry juice to choose 100% juice, no added sugar. Raspberry juice we use the following diseases:

• Fever, cold, flu,
• Strengthening of immunity
• Lowering blood pressure
• Source of vitamins and minerals

Willow bark – bark of willow is a plant which can in some cases replace aspirin. It contains natural salicylates which work similar to that contained in the tablet of aspiryn and acts anti-inflammatory and analgesic. A decoction of the bark of the willow can therefore be used for the following symptoms:

• Rheumatism, gout
• Colds, flu, fever
• Gastritis, diarrhea, gastritis
• Headache, alcohol poisoning (hangover)

In the second part of our herbal medicine chest  will be herbs to calm, helpful when we are caught a bad mood and herbs helpful in ailments of the heart, lowering cholesterol and high pressure.

You can also read the encyclopedia of herbs:

• Mint
• Sage
• Chamomile
• Nettle
• Linden blossom
• Willow bark  

Our products:

• Peppermint leaf
• Sage leaf
• Chamomile flower
• Nettle leaf
• Linden blossom
• Raspberry juice
• Willow bark