Herbs are great, but there are problems and currently larger ones looming. Like any thing as demand and market increases over harvesting becomes a major issue as well as explotation by sellers. Herbs need not be expensive. Herbal remedies do allow one to have greater control over health since most can be harvested localy or grown. It is important to establish good relations with the plants you use and learn from folks who know, find a good ethical herbalist if you can. It is also very easy to make tinctures, medicenal teas, salves and other preparations. You realy only need a handful 12-15 herbs to deal with all most all types of illness. I have some knowledge of a few of the herbs you listed.
KAVA The Peace Maker. A great plant used to bring peace between parties in a dispute. It is an excellent muscle relaxent (lower body) and brings feelings of calm , quiet and euphoria. Like tobbaco this plant has a strong pull for humans. Used with respect it is good but forget the sacred nature and see it's shadow side. Currently Kava is so popular that many of the wild populations are being devestated. Farm grown populations have the same potential, for enviromental devestation that coffe has had.
St john's wort I don't know alot about this plant other than it is very popular for depression. However it is not for all types of depression so it is often misused. I will try to get more info by tommorrow. It has several other uses as well. One of which is to make an oil infussion used to help heal cuts and for rubbing on the skin of newborns. It is fairly easy to grow my, girlfriend grows it. It is a ground crawler, likes a bit of shade, it is fairly agressive. You harvest only the flower buds.
nettle grows wild allover, is full of vitamines and is excelent for awaking and detoxing the body each spring. wear gloves to harvest and never decimate a local population. Ask the plants if you can use them. I think it would be easy to naturlize a population in your home garden but have never tride it. My dogs love a strong infusion of nettel tea.
gotu kola is most effective as fresh plant tincture. It is a ground crawler. I grew it inside in a conatiner,with great succes and minimal effort. It spreads quickly so repotting is needed. I belive it is from India. It is very hardy, My plant survived an intense affid attack that killed all the leaves, it just regenerated from the roots in a short time. It is good for cleaning out recepitor sites in the brain, if you dirty them up or have memory related disorders.
garlic is a great anti bacterial and anti viruse herb but it must be taken raw or preserved in tamari is good. I learned about a cold and flu perventitave called Fire Cider. I used it all winter with good success it sounds intense but is great. Take by volume finely chooped, 1 part garlic, 1 part ginger root, 1 part horseradish root and 1-2 parts cayenne pepper, place into a jar making it 4/5 full or so. Then fill the jar with apple cider or apple cider vineger close the lid and shake. Shake 2 times daily for 2-3 weeks. Then strain out the solids through cheese cloth you can squezze out the liquids. Take a tablespoon a day of the cider/vineger during the flu season. You can add honey for taste and medicinal action as well. I save the soilds for use as a condiment.
dandelion is a great spring green like nettels. Cleanses the system and wakes it up from winter. The roots are good for liver support and for depression that is marked with (rage) angry outbursts. It grows everywhere.
Well it's a bit of a rambel on my part and there's a lot more that these plants do than I've mentioned. I realy recommend any books by Michael Moore. Some titles are Herbs of the Pacific Northwest & Herbs of the Canyon South West (I think). Thats all.
"Today, I am just trying learning from the plants. Praises, to all."
-CornMan-
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