Create your own Herbal Medicine Chest

Well I’m working on Unit Five in my Natural Wellness program and the project is creating your own herbal medicine chest.  So, I thought I would share the top 5 things in the medicine chest that I’m creating for myself and maybe provide you with some helpful information to start your own.  So here it goes…

1. Calendula flowers and Chickweed-I create a healing salve using these very wonderful herbs.  I don’t know about you, but I get very dry skin in the winter and sometimes suffer from eczema.  This salve works great for reducing inflammation and encouraging tissue repair.  It’s also very nourishing to your skin.  *Note-this salve will be available in my Etsy shop soon(maybe tomorrow)J

2. Echinacea leaf and Elder berries-feel a cold coming on?  These fabulous little herbs will give your immune system that boost it needs to nip in the bud.  Elder berry is known to be effective against 8 strains of influenza.  This suggests that it more effective than today’s vaccines because they only treat known strains.  Strains that are continually changing.  If you’re like me and don’t want the risk the side effects a getting flu shot, then I highly recommend this wonderful herb.  I am going to make tea infusion with these and green tea as well.

3. Slippery Elm Bark- This mucilage is this herb helps relieve inflammation and irritation in the throat.  I found a great recipe for making my own throat lozenges.  Well almost great.  They use licorice leaf in the recipe and I am not a fan of licorice at all.  So, I’m going to play with this recipe a little bit and hopefully get some tasty lozenges from it.  If it works, hopefully, I will put them up in my Etsy shop as well.

4. Eucalyptus oil-This essential oil will clean out those sinuses for you!  You can added some to some boiling water to create a steam inhalation or You can do what I do and use the Cold/Flu oil that I created using eucalyptus oil, lemon oil, and chamomile oil.  Found of course in my Etsy shop.  Rub that across your chest and off to dreamland you go!

5. Ginkgo Leaf-So many uses for this great little herb, but I like to use for increased circulation.  Being a Massage Therapist, my wrist sustains a lot of wear and tear.    Increasing blood flow can stop inflammation in the hands and reduce swelling.  I hope to start making my own ginkgo capsules soon.  Maybe you’ll see those in my Etsy shop as well.  You never know.

I hope you’ve learned something new!  I’ll include more herbs along the way.  If there’s any particular herb that you’re curious about, let me know and I’ll do my best to answer your questions.  Oh I should probably mention too that these herbs I have chosen for myself.  Do not attempt to use these herbs without proper knowledge.  They do have contraindications that you need to be aware of!  If you want to know more, let me knowJ