Native American Herbalism: MEDICINAL HERBS AND HOW TO USE THEM: The complete medicinal herbal recipes, herbal remedies to heal common ailments, m

Medicinal Herbs have healing properties that can be just as effective as over-the-counter pills and potions, and costs you a fraction of the price. The best thing about using herbs as part of your healing process is that you don't get the side-effects that you get with modern medicine. I have been using herbs for more than 3 decades to treat myself when I am ill and this is always my first choice when ill.Although I am a firm believer in herbal medicine, I am also aware that there are times when you need to seek the advice of an allopathic physician, and so I am not beating a drum here, but showing you that there is definitely help at hand, often in herbs that others might concern weeds, such as the common dandelion, that in fact is one of the most useful little herbs around.Dandelions have been used to lower blood pressure, helps prevent some types of breast cancer, can help with acne, arthritis, constipation, eczema, and lowering high cholesterol.So next time you are pulling those dandelions out of your garden cursing their existence, be grateful that they are there and think twice about their use and how your health will benefit from using them, rather than just throwing them away.How to Prepare Herbal TeasMaking herbal teas can either be made using fresh flowers and leaves or fried flowers and leaves of the various herbs. Herbs are cut during the summer, tied in bunches and then hung upside down to dry so as to encourage the concentration of the healing properties in the flowers and leaves.Drying is best in the shade where air circulation is good, either laid on racks or hung up in bunches.Once the herbs are dry these can be stripped from the stalks, placed in brown paper bags and used when needed.How to Prepare Herbal TincturesMedical tinctures are made by packing glass jars with the fresh or dried herbs, then covering the plant material with either brandy or vodka, leaving the herbs in a dark cupboard for 6 weeks, shaking the bottle occasionally, straining the herbs through a muslin cloth, and then storing the mixture in a dark cupboard until needed. Doses are given using an eye dropper, mixed with a little water.How to Prepare Herbal DecoctionsDecoctions involve boiling plants - usually the woody or harder parts of plants (berries and seeds, roots, barks) in a covered saucepan for about 20 minutes or longer, until half the amount of water as was originally used, is left behind.Herbal Creams and LotionsPreparations for external use include ointments (oil based), creams (water based), linaments (oily liquid preparations) and poultices (powdered dried herbs or crushed fresh herbs applied to the skin for medicinal or cosmetic uses such as facial masks).