Two great herbs to grow for minor first-aid applications are-
yarrow
and
mullein.
Yarrow is excellent for stopping bleeding and healing cuts, and mullein makes a handy bandage if your children are prone to use all your band-aids on a weekly basis, as mine are. (Note to self: hide a box of band-aids somewhere they won't find it!)
Today I cut my finger while washing my new "mini-chopper". This may be the first and last time I use this time saver, as the time spent treating my wound was more than I would have spent chopping onions and celery the old-fashioned way! Anyway, it wasn't such a bad cut, just an inconvenient one that needed the bleeding stopped and a bandage; and thankfully I had exactly what I needed growing right outside my back door.
Whenever I need an herb with styptic action, yarrow is my herb of choice. Almost like magic, yarrow will stop bleeding of minor cuts and wounds and help the wound to heal. I have a small potted yarrow growing in my backyard, though it grows wild in most areas quite happily. When camping or hiking I keep an eye out for yarrow just in case someone should need it. I dry yarrow also to keep on hand for when running out to the herb patch isn't convenient.
Mullein makes a soft, absorbent bandage, which is only one of its varied uses. It also grows wild and weedy in my area, though here at home it grows in containers.
And finally, to hold my bandage in place, I picked a lavender stem and used it to tie the mullein leaf in place; the soothing scent was an added bonus.
Herbal first-aid to the rescue!
* Please note: If you have serious wounds, please, please seek medical care! Herbs are wonderful helpers for many situations, but anything serious should be handled by a professional.
yarrow
and
mullein.
Yarrow is excellent for stopping bleeding and healing cuts, and mullein makes a handy bandage if your children are prone to use all your band-aids on a weekly basis, as mine are. (Note to self: hide a box of band-aids somewhere they won't find it!)
Today I cut my finger while washing my new "mini-chopper". This may be the first and last time I use this time saver, as the time spent treating my wound was more than I would have spent chopping onions and celery the old-fashioned way! Anyway, it wasn't such a bad cut, just an inconvenient one that needed the bleeding stopped and a bandage; and thankfully I had exactly what I needed growing right outside my back door.
Whenever I need an herb with styptic action, yarrow is my herb of choice. Almost like magic, yarrow will stop bleeding of minor cuts and wounds and help the wound to heal. I have a small potted yarrow growing in my backyard, though it grows wild in most areas quite happily. When camping or hiking I keep an eye out for yarrow just in case someone should need it. I dry yarrow also to keep on hand for when running out to the herb patch isn't convenient.
Mullein makes a soft, absorbent bandage, which is only one of its varied uses. It also grows wild and weedy in my area, though here at home it grows in containers.
And finally, to hold my bandage in place, I picked a lavender stem and used it to tie the mullein leaf in place; the soothing scent was an added bonus.
Herbal first-aid to the rescue!
* Please note: If you have serious wounds, please, please seek medical care! Herbs are wonderful helpers for many situations, but anything serious should be handled by a professional.
Catherine,
ReplyDeleteWe have both of these herbs growing wild in abundance. I knew mullien was good for respitory ailments, but I didn't know it made a good bandage. Thanks, I'll dry both of these and put them in my stash.
Rhonda