Over the past 5 years, I have had the honor and pleasure of working with some amazing people while coordinating the Herbal Hoedown, a daylong Finger Lakes herbal celebration. The day is filled with classes, walks, an herbal market, and music. It continues to grow each year, as we introduce more people to traditional medicine and expand the local herbal community. This year we have more classes and walks than ever. Classes cover a wide range of interests and are designed for herbalist of all levels. The Herbal Hoedown is a great place for people who are curious and want to dip their toes into the herbal pool. It is great for the whole family since we have classes geared for kids too. And that’s not all; our herbal market has over 20 vendors.
Although this blog has the ability to reach countless people all over the world, it simply cannot replace the excitement of the physical interaction and feedback of old-school teaching. I love teaching and have so much fun at the Herbal Hoedown. This year, I’ll be teaching:
Plantain aka Life Medicine Some call it the band-aid plant, but Plantain is oh so much more. Come explore this very common and abundant plant to learn the numerous ways it can be used. From mouth to anus, we will discuss the healing properties and understand why this herb was known as life medicine. After this class, I bet you will never look at Plantain the same.
Mike will be teaching for the first time at the Herbal Hoedown. He is very excited about using biodynamic plants (aka herbs) to support orchards and crops and simply wants to share. He will be teaching:
Biodynamic Plants and Orchards Biodynamic plants (wild herbs) as described by Steiner – and practiced by others – provide a nexus for truly sustainable farming and food production. However, understanding their powers and how to use them properly is lacking for most perennial (orchard) farming situations. He will discuss the biodynamic plants and preps in the context of orchards and perennial crops, and how to best use them for truly sustainable farming and food production situations.
For more information, check out our Facebook page.
Space is limited so do wait to register, do it today!
It was a lovely day in February, 45°F with no snow on ground, so I decided to take a stroll our land to see what was peeking through. Up until this day, winter had been very mild in western New York and grass was still green in most places. Besides the grass thriving, I noticed the Plantain (Plantago lanceolata was growing on that day, not Plantago major, both are medicinal and can be used interchangeably) was still green and growing delicate young leaves in the center. Of course, I had to taste a couple of leaves and friends, let me tell you they were delicious, better than I have ever tasted before. Moreover, I have tasted my share of Plantain, as we use it quite a bit as a spit poultice for insect bites. Its delicate leaves did not have any bitterness to them, but had a rather smooth nutty flavor. I actually kept on going back to them because they were so delicious.
Plantain is commonly known as the band-aid plant but it is oh so much more. Yes, it is a wonderful remedy for insect bites, wounds, rashes and skin irritations. However, the properties that make it healing and soothing to wounds or skin irritations can help heal problems experienced internally. This powerful herb can heal and soothe discomforts from the mouth to the anus. That is why for centuries it has been used as a panacea, or universal remedy.
Let’s first look at its basic properties: it is anti-inflammatory, astringent, antibacterial, antimicrobial, diuretic, mucilaginous and styptic. Sounds perfect for healing, as it is. It contains allantoin, which is considered a cell proliferant, that’s an herb that promotes healing of injured skin cells. Plantain is rich in tannins that help draw tissues together to stop bleeding and aid in recovery. On top of that, its mucilaginous qualities protect and soothe inflamed tissues inside and out. In addition, it contains, aucubin, which is a defensive compound that can inhibit the ability of bacteria and viruses’ ability to replicate their DNA, therefore reducing their life span and infection. Finally, its drawing action on top of all of its other properties makes it the shining star we know and love. It can draw venom or toxins from a wound, pus from an infection and a splinter from a finger. Recently, I used it to remove an imbedded tick head from my husband.
Plantain is plain and simply a tissue healer. Interestingly, if a poultice is used on a puncture wound it will start the healing process from the inside out, unlike comfrey that may heal and seal the top layer of skin first, possibly trapping any infection inside; not a good thing or helpful during the healing process.
So let’s look at the body and all the types of sores, inflammations, infections, hot and irritated conditions that can afflict it and how Plantain can soothe, cool and heal the body.
Starting with the mouth ~ abscesses, root canal sepsis, sores, sore throats ~ Simply chew up some fresh leaves and place it inside the mouth on the infected, irritated site and it will draw out any infections and soothe the tissues. You can also rinse the mouth or gargle with tea for mild irritations. The veins of the leaves can be used as dental floss.
Respiratory ~ wet hacking coughs, any lung infection, laryngitis, allergic rhinitis, asthma, and even pneumonia ~ It’s astringent and drying properties help to pull and draw mucus up and out while its moistening properties soothe and repair the mucous membrane. For postnasal drip with coughs, make a strong tea and strain it through a coffee filter, add it to a neti pot with a little salt to heal irritated tissues. It is less astringent and more soothing than Goldenrod when used in this manner. For dry coughs from a cold or inhaled irritant, chew a few fresh leaves and keep it in your cheek, let the juice mix with saliva and continue to swallow and let it drip down to moisten lung tissue. It will help loosen, soothe and cool dry hacking coughs.
Urinary ~ urinary tract infections, bladder infections, interstitial cystitis ~ It tones the urinary system while soothing and cooling especially burning when urinating as it provides a lubricating barrier. Tea or tincture made from the leaves relieves discomfort.
Digestive ~ gastritis, peptic & gastric ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea, dysentery, indigestion, heartburn, hemorrhoids, and Leaky Gut Syndrome ~ Plantain is soothing and cooling to mucous membranes and is exactly what your gut needs. The seeds contain up to 30% mucilage, which swells up in the gut, acting as a lubricating laxative; soothing irritated membranes to help with healing. The leaves can also be made into a tea or tincture.
For all infections, using fresh Plantain leaves is ideal. To expedite the healing process, also taking a tincture made from the leaves internally is very helpful in giving your body the extra support to heal and recover.
The young center leaves are great additions to salads and high in vitamins A, C, K, B, folic acid, calcium, iron, magnesium, sodium, potassium, sulfur, phosphorous, zinc, copper and cobalt. You can also use it as a potherb, much like Swiss chard. When chopping up the leaves, cut across veins and into little pieces, they are not as tough when cut this way. Plantain seeds add essential fatty acids, protein, vitamin E and more calcium to any meal. The seeds can be ground-up, added to baked items and mixed with other flours.
This just brushes the surface of all the magical properties of Plantain. Nevertheless, I am sure by now, you can see that we are very lucky that this versatile herb is so common.
YUM!
All information is shared for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
