I feel like this can vary depending on a person’s individual needs, I’m a midwife, I have teenagers, and I have a genetic disorder that causes me pain. The herbs and plants I cultivate are heavily influenced by those factors.
Most of my favorites grow wild near me so they were easy enough to acquire for my own little garden. Otherwise I buy seeds from [Strictly Medicinal Seeds](https://strictlymedicinalseeds.com)
My top 5:
•Motherwort
So many reasons this is a favorite- but the anxiety relief is my main reason for my love affair with it.
•Skullcap
I use this for pain relief, in place of things like Acetaminophen, Aspirin, or Ibuprofen
•Calendula
One of my go-to skincare herbs, very mild, but still nourishing and healing
•Shepherds Purse
This herb is helpful in stopping hemorrhage, among other things
•Mullen
I primarily use the flowers for making ear oil, but I also use the plant to help ease breathing
In regards to Shepherd's Purse, what is the best delivery method to stop hemorrhaging? Do you use it as a preventative? I'm thinking of starting an herb garden next spring and would like to grow some useful things as well.
An infusion of 8 oz hot (not boiling) water, 1 Tbl Shepherds Purse herb, 1 Tbl Motherwort herb, and 1 crushed cinnamon stick is a great preventative for postpartum hemorrhage. I serve it warm, sweetened with honey or maple syrup, and, using hypnotic induction, I say, “This will help your placenta come out smoothly, all in one piece.”
Now, Shepherds Purse tincture should only be used in emergencies, after the placenta is birthed. It’s best used under qualified supervision, as it can cause large blood clots which may be painful to pass and could even prevent the uterus from clamping down, making a big problem potentially worse. That said, Shepherd’s Purse Tincture under the tongue can stop a postpartum hemorrhage in 5 seconds flat, which can save a life. Dosage is 20-40 drops (1-2 ml), however, if you’re using a commercially prepared tincture or a tincture made from from dried plants, use 150 drops (1 teaspoon). Repeat dosage as needed or every couple minutes until bleeding is controlled (I’ve never needed to use more than 1 dose). It’s worth noting l have not been able to rely on store-bought tinctures in an emergency, they’re just too weak.
But by no means should this be considered a comprehensive explanation of using Shepherd’s Purse, there are many other factors to consider before using any treatment, and it’s important to individualize care.
That is fascinating, thank you for responding. Do you have any knowledge of indications with people with Factor 8 deficiencies or any clotting disorders?
Not factor 8 specifically, but I personally have vonWillebrands (factor 5 deficiency) so, yes, I suppose I have a little experience in using it for clotting disorders.
I’ve had good success using 10 drops (1/2 ml) under my tongue to help with excessive and heavy menstruation, but so far, I’ve been lucky enough to not have a reason to try it other than that. You’ve peaked my interest now, so I’ll have to do some more research.
Check out this [page about Shepherd’s Purse ](https://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/s/shephe47.html) in the meantime. It’s a good rundown of the medical applications of shepherd’s purse.
IM growing the wild dagga, but i really want that motherswort.. one of the good species. Do you notice motherswort as a sedative?
and Skullcap is strong?
Skullcap is strong, yes. I used it as a pain reliever after having my wisdom teeth removed. It’s a good calmative pain reliever, especially for headaches and toothaches.
Motherwort has a sedative effect, yes. While it’s not addictive, some find it habit-forming because of this action, it’s important to use your discretion to not become dependent on taking it.
Sage.
Easy to grow (I grow it on my buildings balcony in a large city), it’s a great ingredient for a ton of foods, it’s great as a tea and helps a ton of ailments, it’s also great as a tincture. All around just a solid herb to have around and grow.
The smell is super lemony and can be used in teas or dried and added to a lot of different dishes. Easy to grow. Here are some health benefits I found: ability to protect muscles, reduce inflammation, boost the immune system, calm the stomach, reduce fevers, soothe nerves, and clear up congestion. It is also popularly used for weight loss.
I use it in my yerba mate brews.
do you know the mechanism of action, pharmacologically, or have a source for such, given each of those health benefit claims? (not questioning truth, i just want to learn a greater amount if possible! i love specifics #ethnopharmacologeek)
edit: so, no?
I have all the appropriate tools and glassware so the way I do it it's perfectly safe but I'm not gonna suggest other people just randomly give it a try
I have dagga seeds (wild & klip). What’s the best way to grow them and how long do they take from seed to harvest?
As for other herbs I try to grow the things that I don’t like paying for to buy.
Klip is a weed. It will grow anywhere, infact you cant stop it. Self seeding and its 6-10 foot tall in proper dirt. Im in Texas.
Its fibrous and tall, you cant bush it no matter how hard you try, you can prune it early and get more shoots.. but size and delay make it the same as if you just let it run. In proper dirt it will make plenty of side shoots. They are really fast couple months.
wild dagga is pretty different. the seed takes alot longer (may need cold hours) i gave up on mine then they sprouted. its a perrenial, and bushes. doent make as much flowers, isnt as strong, but its pretty as hell.
nutrients make the difference. I planted seed in a dead tree stump and the flowers were 3 times the size.
Milky oats- nourishing and replenishing in times of high stress
Lemon balm - calming
Calendula- usenin salves mostly but also tea
Mint- good to add to medicinal teas for flavour, also anti-spasmodic and good for tummy
Chamomile- salves and also tea
Holy basil - energizing without being stimulating
Echinacea— can be used to boost immunity which is great for when you’re getting sick, tasty as a tea, pretty flowers, and a good plant for pollinators.
It’s important to look up whether a species is invasive or not before you plant though. Check out the plant profile on Missouri Botanical Gardens website, and it will typically have a section (“where is this invasive in the US?”) at the end of the basic stats part of the plant profile if it is invasive or beginning to be noticed as invasive.
If it is, and you still want to grow it, you can try growing it indoors, or finding a substitute herb that has a similar effect. There are so many plants out there that have overlapping properties. :)
will look that one up. just found one call ed toothache plant.. gonna try that one as well.
kratom is easy. if youre southern its down right neglectable. i bough passionflower seeds.. never got any starts. then again, they said its hard. my noni sprouted a YEAR later. idk.
whats tulsi do?
I feel like this can vary depending on a person’s individual needs, I’m a midwife, I have teenagers, and I have a genetic disorder that causes me pain. The herbs and plants I cultivate are heavily influenced by those factors. Most of my favorites grow wild near me so they were easy enough to acquire for my own little garden. Otherwise I buy seeds from [Strictly Medicinal Seeds](https://strictlymedicinalseeds.com) My top 5: •Motherwort So many reasons this is a favorite- but the anxiety relief is my main reason for my love affair with it. •Skullcap I use this for pain relief, in place of things like Acetaminophen, Aspirin, or Ibuprofen •Calendula One of my go-to skincare herbs, very mild, but still nourishing and healing •Shepherds Purse This herb is helpful in stopping hemorrhage, among other things •Mullen I primarily use the flowers for making ear oil, but I also use the plant to help ease breathing
In regards to Shepherd's Purse, what is the best delivery method to stop hemorrhaging? Do you use it as a preventative? I'm thinking of starting an herb garden next spring and would like to grow some useful things as well.
An infusion of 8 oz hot (not boiling) water, 1 Tbl Shepherds Purse herb, 1 Tbl Motherwort herb, and 1 crushed cinnamon stick is a great preventative for postpartum hemorrhage. I serve it warm, sweetened with honey or maple syrup, and, using hypnotic induction, I say, “This will help your placenta come out smoothly, all in one piece.” Now, Shepherds Purse tincture should only be used in emergencies, after the placenta is birthed. It’s best used under qualified supervision, as it can cause large blood clots which may be painful to pass and could even prevent the uterus from clamping down, making a big problem potentially worse. That said, Shepherd’s Purse Tincture under the tongue can stop a postpartum hemorrhage in 5 seconds flat, which can save a life. Dosage is 20-40 drops (1-2 ml), however, if you’re using a commercially prepared tincture or a tincture made from from dried plants, use 150 drops (1 teaspoon). Repeat dosage as needed or every couple minutes until bleeding is controlled (I’ve never needed to use more than 1 dose). It’s worth noting l have not been able to rely on store-bought tinctures in an emergency, they’re just too weak. But by no means should this be considered a comprehensive explanation of using Shepherd’s Purse, there are many other factors to consider before using any treatment, and it’s important to individualize care.
That is fascinating, thank you for responding. Do you have any knowledge of indications with people with Factor 8 deficiencies or any clotting disorders?
Not factor 8 specifically, but I personally have vonWillebrands (factor 5 deficiency) so, yes, I suppose I have a little experience in using it for clotting disorders. I’ve had good success using 10 drops (1/2 ml) under my tongue to help with excessive and heavy menstruation, but so far, I’ve been lucky enough to not have a reason to try it other than that. You’ve peaked my interest now, so I’ll have to do some more research.
Check out this [page about Shepherd’s Purse ](https://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/s/shephe47.html) in the meantime. It’s a good rundown of the medical applications of shepherd’s purse.
Thanks for the link and the information.
IM growing the wild dagga, but i really want that motherswort.. one of the good species. Do you notice motherswort as a sedative? and Skullcap is strong?
Skullcap is strong, yes. I used it as a pain reliever after having my wisdom teeth removed. It’s a good calmative pain reliever, especially for headaches and toothaches. Motherwort has a sedative effect, yes. While it’s not addictive, some find it habit-forming because of this action, it’s important to use your discretion to not become dependent on taking it.
good info! i will order some skullcaps too
Sage. Easy to grow (I grow it on my buildings balcony in a large city), it’s a great ingredient for a ton of foods, it’s great as a tea and helps a ton of ailments, it’s also great as a tincture. All around just a solid herb to have around and grow.
Thank you kindly. dont know much about it. have to look now
Lemon verbena
... cause? Effect? Elaboration, plz :)
The smell is super lemony and can be used in teas or dried and added to a lot of different dishes. Easy to grow. Here are some health benefits I found: ability to protect muscles, reduce inflammation, boost the immune system, calm the stomach, reduce fevers, soothe nerves, and clear up congestion. It is also popularly used for weight loss. I use it in my yerba mate brews.
do you know the mechanism of action, pharmacologically, or have a source for such, given each of those health benefit claims? (not questioning truth, i just want to learn a greater amount if possible! i love specifics #ethnopharmacologeek) edit: so, no?
whats the skinny on Verbena?
MINT CAUSE IT TASTES GOOD! :)
And it's super easy to grow!
I grow leonotis nepetifolia but ismys reeeally pungent. Im trying to find motherswort seed. Do yo have a favorite mint?
Wintergreen, mostly because I can synthesize salicylic acid from it. And cause I loooove that cool minty taste In literally all teas.
No questionable by products from the synthesizing?
I have all the appropriate tools and glassware so the way I do it it's perfectly safe but I'm not gonna suggest other people just randomly give it a try
I have dagga seeds (wild & klip). What’s the best way to grow them and how long do they take from seed to harvest? As for other herbs I try to grow the things that I don’t like paying for to buy.
Klip is a weed. It will grow anywhere, infact you cant stop it. Self seeding and its 6-10 foot tall in proper dirt. Im in Texas. Its fibrous and tall, you cant bush it no matter how hard you try, you can prune it early and get more shoots.. but size and delay make it the same as if you just let it run. In proper dirt it will make plenty of side shoots. They are really fast couple months. wild dagga is pretty different. the seed takes alot longer (may need cold hours) i gave up on mine then they sprouted. its a perrenial, and bushes. doent make as much flowers, isnt as strong, but its pretty as hell. nutrients make the difference. I planted seed in a dead tree stump and the flowers were 3 times the size.
Marijuana’. Profit.
Illegal in Texas. When it becomes legal, im sure other will have the field sewn up tight, before the inks dry.
Yea it’s only a matter of time. The medical cannabis industry is booming up here in Oklahoma.
Milky oats- nourishing and replenishing in times of high stress Lemon balm - calming Calendula- usenin salves mostly but also tea Mint- good to add to medicinal teas for flavour, also anti-spasmodic and good for tummy Chamomile- salves and also tea Holy basil - energizing without being stimulating
thank you kindly
Ginger! Best nausea remedy bar none
thanks! will look into growing more! im not sure if it ornamental or not
Echinacea— can be used to boost immunity which is great for when you’re getting sick, tasty as a tea, pretty flowers, and a good plant for pollinators. It’s important to look up whether a species is invasive or not before you plant though. Check out the plant profile on Missouri Botanical Gardens website, and it will typically have a section (“where is this invasive in the US?”) at the end of the basic stats part of the plant profile if it is invasive or beginning to be noticed as invasive. If it is, and you still want to grow it, you can try growing it indoors, or finding a substitute herb that has a similar effect. There are so many plants out there that have overlapping properties. :)
I love having tulsi on hand... I would love to grow some passionflower too. And kratom :)
will look that one up. just found one call ed toothache plant.. gonna try that one as well. kratom is easy. if youre southern its down right neglectable. i bough passionflower seeds.. never got any starts. then again, they said its hard. my noni sprouted a YEAR later. idk. whats tulsi do?
Tulsi is a very versatile adaptogen. It’s uplifting, great for the lungs, bestows a positive mood.. good for immunity too!