One Native American tribe that is indigenous to the Southeastern United States known as the Cherokee believed that the creator had given them a gift. This gift was the understanding and know how to preserve medicinal herbs.
The Cherokee promote proper gathering techniques such as only picking every third plant you find in order to ensure that the specimen will continue to grow and become more plentiful. There are many things we could learn from the Cherokee as it is our fault now that most of the plants have become quite scarce throughout the given history.
These are some of the best medicinal plants used by them. They are quite potent and should only be used properly. Please keep in mind that the Cherokee healers were far more experienced than we are.
- Wild Ginger (big stretch) – Wild ginger was used in tea form to treat things like stomach problems, colic, intestinal gas, and things of that sort. It is also known that another tribe had used pulverized ginger to cure ear infections.
- Greenbriar (pull out a sticker) – This plant is very rich in starches and as most already know starches are overflowing with calories. This plant, however, does have a strange flavor. the leaves from this plant are high in many different minerals and vitamins. You can prepare the root of this plant as you would potatoes.
- Buck Brush (hummingbird blossom) – This plant has been used for treating cysts, inflammation, throat issues, and high blood pressure. The benefits one can gain from this plant are great. You must steep the leaves and flowers in boiling water for at least five minutes and drink the tea while it is still warm. This can cure a multitude of things anywhere from inflamed tonsils to hemorrhoids.
- Mint – mint is one herb that is already quite popular in our current culture and is used quite commonly in teas and remedies. Mint contains many antioxidant properties. Mint contains calcium, vitamin C, vitamin A, fiber, potassium, and more. This herb was used to aid with digestion. You see crushing the leaves and using them as part of a cold compress, making it into an ointment,or adding it to your bath will rid you of itchy skin.
- Blackberry – These are used to soothe an aching stomach and can also heal bleeding gums. All you have to do is chew on the leaves. The berries, however, are rich in many vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin C, riboflavin, folate, niacin, and iron.
- Â Cattail – This one is something I was eager to learn about given there are so many where I am from. As it turns out they are regarded as a potent preventative medicine. You can prepare these similar to how you would potatoes. Mashed or boiled works just fine. These are very easily digested and can help with things like skin irritants and diarrhea.
- Sumac (qua lo ga) – All parts of this herb can be used for medicinal purposes. The bark itself can be made into rather mild concoction in order to soothe diarrhea. This can also aid in healing one’s sore throat. You can crush the leaves of this plant to make an ointment that will relieve the rash brought on by poison ivy.
- Mullein – This herb is well known as it soothes asthma. The smoke from burning this plant’s roots and leaves will work to calm your lungs and help to open up your pathways.
- Wild Rose (jisdu unigisdi) – This plant grows a fruit that is high in vitamin C and can treat the flu and common cold effectively. In order to get its effects, you must prepare it as a tea.
- Yellow Dock (kawi lyusdi) – This is something you may have in your kitchen even now. It is much like spinach in many ways. The leaves from this are very high in iron. This can heal diaper rashes and be used as a warm wash.
- Yarrow (squirrel tail) – This herb has blood clotting properties. The leaves of this when freshly cut can be used to stop excess bleeding.
- Partridgeberry – This one was used to speed up child birth. They would boil the leaves and make a tea in which was drank a few weeks before expected delivery. It was said to speed up the process.
- Wild Black Cherry – Women were given a tea made from this in the early stages of child birth to help ease their pain and it worked. Without this they would have been much more uncomfortable during labor than they were.
It is truly amazing how the these Native Americans knew what to use and what situations to use it in. It is imperative that we use natural remedies over conventional medical treatment in most cases. If you can rid yourself of diarrhea at home why on earth would you want to put dangerous prescribed drugs into your system unnecessarily?