Have you ever wished that you could take the time to study and learn more about specific herbs, how to use them and what specific ailments they are good for treating? Me too!
So much so that I have decided to do just that this year!
Over the course of the next year, I have made a goal of purchasing or acquiring one or two new herbs each month (either dried, or as an essential oil, or if possible, I might just go pick them myself!). During that month, I intend to study up on that particular herb (or herbs) and find ways to practically use it in promoting good health for my family. It may be as a treatment for colds or flus, as a part of an emergency herbal first aid kit, as a way to deal with uncomfortable symptoms like heartburn or headaches, or even just by using it to boost our nutrition.
My commitment to you is that I will post at least once a month with the findings of my studies, letting you know about a specific herb, it's history, it's qualities and benefits, how it may be used and ways that I am learning to prepare any tinctures, teas, creams, etc. so that you can try using it yourself!
I'll tell you now that I've just purchased Comfrey and Yarrow, so one of those two will be the first in the series. Honestly, I am so excited to delve into this area of study! It's almost completely new to me, but it's been on the back burner of my mind for quite some time now. I'm so eager to learn more about the incredible healing qualities that God has so kindly given us in His Creation!
Are you with me? Does this sound like fun to anyone else? Any particular herb suggestions or requests that you have for me?
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One of my New Years Resolutions this year is to learn to make herbal remedies, so I am really looking forward to your posts. Thank you for starting this project.
Maria Powers´s last [type] ..New Years Resolutions
I was so excited to find your page! I have had 4 homebirths and as a result, have learned to use several herbs for many different things. Its been wonderful to learn about so many things God had created for the healing of man! I have used arnica montana for muscle spasms and such (afterbirth pains) a tincture called rescue remedy or 5 flower remedy for shock and pain, plantain for bites to draw poison, bentonite clay is also great for drawing toxins, so many more. thank you so much for all your research! looking forward to learning more!
Hello. I am currently suffering with infertility. Helpful and thanks for posting this kinda information with us..
@Chicago liposuction,
Have you ever tried black cohosh?
I think this is a neat idea -I’m just new to herb gardening so I’ll be looking forward to your posts in the future.
vickie
Thanks for sharing such nice information on herbal plants. They are very useful in any disease. Well I like lemon grass and want to know about it. As I want to plant it in my garden. I like this site and will visit this site in future too.
Love some herbs and ethey are truly very very good for health.I love the tulsi in my herbal tea.
What a great idea! I look forward to reading about your discoveries. I hope you’ll share with us, especially, how you find and/or identify herbs. We live in a rural area, and I’m sure there are plenty of herbs growing wild on our property, but I’m really worried about misidentifying them! I gave my husband fenugreek to help with a chest cold that turned into a nagging cough–it seems to have worked. I had no idea it also helped with lactation!
Can’t wait to read these posts! Would you mind sharing which books, websites and other resources you like most? There are SO MANY!
~Anne
I’m looking forward to the herb posts! After finding fenugreek to help with my milk supply while nursing I’m eager to know more about other herbs (is fenugreek even an herb? I guess I don’t know) and how they can help my health in other ways.
Great idea! Check out Shanleya’s Quest – a fun book for kids about different herbs.
What a great study! I’ve always been interested in this but haven’t yet taken the time. I will look forward to your postings.
You’ve inspired me to start learning as well!!
Thanks, Stephanie, for doing all the legwork for us! :o) I too have been wanting to learn more about herbs and apply that knowledge to our health care and everyday life. I’ve taken heaps of books out from the library, but end up getting overwhelmed with the amount of info and then never delve into it like I’d like. Looking forward to hearing all about what you learn and getting moving in that area myself (esp. with winter approaching, and a husband with low immunity who works in a medical clinic).
This sounds like a lot of fun. I love this type of thing. I want to do more with herbs. Linda
I can’t wait to learn more! Thyme would be a good one… I do steep Thyme and then add honey to the “tea” and it makes a wonderful cough remedy….
I am anxious to glean from all you learn! Thanks :)
I have been pondering doing almost that very same thing for a couple of months now. I will really look forward to reading your posts and I think I will try to do something similiar in my home and my blog as well. Maybe I will be able to learn twice as fast that way!
I think this is great! I can’t wait to hear what you find out!!
Great idea! I recommend Osha root complex syrup, it’s a good decongestant (albeit a wee bit strong).
I love lemon-grass. I would like to know more about it and how to grow it.
It will be fun following along with you. I’m dying to do the same kind of thing! I plan on growing a medicine herb garden eventually! I too am trying to build up my herbal medicine cabinet :)
I’m looking forward to this too! I started a garden with medicinal herbs last summer, did tons of research about what to plant, and then so many other things came up that it all got pushed to the backburner. Ugh! Now I have a weedy mess in the backyard. Maybe this will be just the push I need to get it cleaned up and start using what’s out there. Thank you! :)
Sounds really fun! I’m looking forward to it.
I’m so excited! Herbs are on my backburner too… I’ll love to have it moved to the front every not and then!
That sounds neat!
I used some herbs for healing a badly torn perineum (sp?) after having my first baby (second baby I didn’t tear anything worth mentioning!). I have it written down but I think it used some urva ursey and comfrey and something else.
What a fun project. I can’t wait to read your results.
I have been doing something similar myself, taking one herb each week and researching it. Then each week, generally on Friday, I post an article all about that herb. Last week was Thyme, and this week is Basil. I have done a different herb each week all summer.
I have been focusing so far on the ones we grow, and that has been mostly culinary herbs. But eventually I will have covered all of those and be ready to explore new herbs.
I’m looking forward to reading what you discover.
Oh, this is wonderful news! I have been wanting to learn about herbs for a few years now, and actually bought some books, but have yet to really sit down and learn about their uses. There is just so much to learn when learning to live naturally that learning about herbs has just been pushed to the back burner. Thanks for doing this for all of us who intended to do it, but just never go around to it! Your blog is so inspiring! Thank you!
As part of your journey, you might want to check out A Kids Herb Book. I haven’t laid my hands on it yet myself, but I’ve heard amazing things about it, and am on the hunt! :o)
This sounds very exciting, I will enjoy following along with you!
A good friend of mine did this a number of years ago.
She went from herbs mostly used for cooking to medicinal herbs. I call or e-mail her now for advice. :)
What a great learning project – I cannot wait to read about what you find.
I love yarrow and plant as much of it as I can get away with. That and rosemary. =)
I love herbs, fresh, dried, & tea mixtures! I’ve really been pleased with all the mixtures I’ve purchased fom The Bulk Herb Store. Looking foward to your findings!
I’ll look forward to your posts! Yarrow was the very first herb I really studied, but I haven’t really knuckled down and looked into Comfrey yet.
As a similar project, earlier in 2009 I made a list of 86 basic medicinal herbs to learn about within the year, doing 1-3 per week. I decided to be ambitious with time usage while we wait for children. :) Depending on the herb and how much information there is and how controversial it is, I spend 2-10 hours learning about it. (Echinacea took 3 weeks — the deeper you dig, the more controversy you’ll find!)
I have about a dozen herbal books and several favorite online resources and always have various library herb books checked out. It’s very helpful to check a broad range of viewpoints from enthusiasts (good to learn from those who already use the herb) to any scientific studies to skeptics (who usually don’t keep me from using an herb but raise awareness of any side effects or contraindications that herbalists sometimes don’t mention).
After studying an herb, I decide whether I’m interested in ordering it (certainly don’t need 86 remedies in my closet — talk about complicated!). I also type up a 1-2 page document for personal reference on each herb with information on identifying, growing, using, cautions, dosage, etc, as a summary of everything I’ve learned. We’ve been able to save several doctor trips already this year as a result. Yay!
I’m having way too much fun with this project. ;)
@lizzykristine,
Lizzy, do you have a blog or make your information available? I’m new to homeopathy and would love to see your research!
I love herbs, and I grow a lot of the traditional favorites like rosemary, basil, parsley, thyme, sage, etc. But, I don’t know much about comfrey or yarrow (ok, I know absolutely nothing), so I would love to read your posts about these! My great lament is that I can’t grow lavender in my moisture-holding clay soil. Anything I can learn about new herbs that I am not familiar with is great! I look forward to your posts.
Also, best wishes on your new little one. I don’t know how you are doing it. Keep up the good work!
Sounds great to me. I look forward to learning with you!
What a wonderful idea! I’m looking forward to it!
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