Salmon Bay Remedies

(W 57th St in 1890!!)

I'm spending the afternoon in Ballard Library (and at the beach) reading Passport To Ballard, researching for another project, when I came across Chapter 14 "Staying Healthy On Salmon Bay". Before there were hospitals out here, there was indigenous plant healing, and then just after that there were pioneers with no medical assistance. Kay Nelson writes the medicine chests of those days were - alum, sulphur, borax, ipecac, camphor, ammonia, morphine and opium. My mom did not keep those things around in her first aid kit. So I'm very curious about them.

More so I wonder about their use of food, spices and herbs to deal with ailments (and also where Nelson got her information). Nelson lists: mustard/bran/oatmeal for poulstices, cayenne pepper, egg yolks and whites for burn ointments and eyewashes; bloodroot, mandrake, dandelion, burdock, yellow dock, chamomile, sassafras, Scot aloes, rue, red clover, gentian, pennyroyal, tansy, rhubarb.

How did the pioneers prepare these plants? Perhaps sometime I should try one of their remedies for heatstroke (after all it's summer now): a wet cloth is wrapped around one's head, while a second bandage soaked in salt is wrapped around the neck. Then dry salt is applied behind the ears. Then mustard plasters are applied to the calves of the legs and soles of feet. Worth a try I guess?

Did the pioneers bring the plants here or learn to make use of native plants? Mustard originates from the Himilayas, oat from the Fertile Crescent, bloodroot and sassafras from Eastern U.S., dandelion, yellow dock, chamomile, red clover, gentian, pennyroyal, tansy, and burdock from Eurasia, aloe from Africa, rue from Macaronesia, and rhubarb from China. But I guess we can't blame the pioneers since they had to take with them the knowledge they had. Go figure many of these plants are now so well established. Can't get rid of the dandelion, that's for sure.

Managing Mosquitos & Bites

Gone backpacking this past weekend our camping place on the river heralded mosquito grounds. I was not up for the bites, and was not prepared with spray or citronella incense. My campmates decided to take the blows and the next day were covered in bites. I have a few of them myself.

Personally, I don't mind the itching. But I never want to be in this situation again. So now I'm checking out online what people have to say about healing bites and avoiding them in the first place. The easiest and most common sense thing to do is to clean up (not that easy when you're backpacking). Plunging into the cold mountain river was helpful. For my buddies who couldn't stop itching, I suggested aloe vera gel or a bath of chamomile flowers. But there's a bunch of other ideas worth trying too (if you have this many, you might as well experiment): baths of apple cider vinegar or epsom salts; pastes of baking soda, toothpaste, or salt; the direct application of onion, lemon, honey, garlic, or essential oils tea tree, rosemary, neem, lavender, witch hazel and cedar. How funny we could have appeared licking our wounds by the river.

So for avoiding this in the first place? Don't attract them if you can help it. (Don't camp by water!!) Get dry after the exercise, don't eat too much high salt/potassium foods, don't wear a bunch of scented outdoor products, wear protective clothing (I'm pretty sure they avoided my raincoat) and arm yourself with essential oils. This website suggests: castor, cedar, celery extract, clove, citronella, geranium, lemon eucalyptus, fennel, lavender, lemon grass, peppermint, rosemary, and tea tree oil. And cites a study from University of Guelph showing citronella candles reduce mosquito bites by 42% and citronella incense by 24%. Next trip I'm preparing my own spray based on the idea of rubbing alcohol, witch hazel, olive oil and essential oils.

Can't Get Rash About Rashes

The last time I had a noticable rash was when I was backpacking between farms in 2007. I developed a large one on the back of my calf. So drank dandelion root tea to cleanse out my liver - and it totally did the trick.

Something has manifested on my right arm (oh the metaphorical implications) and perhaps I will never learn the cause. -> You probably can't see it that well in this pic.

But I want to clear it up as soon as possible. Herbalists say it's important to eliminate toxins from the liver. Ironically I'd made a decoction of dandelion root, burdock and oregon grape last night. Then today the rash appeared. Hmmm...

Homemade Medicine - contains a bunch herb recommendations that could be mixed into teas

Natural Herbal Healing (FreeWebs) - suggests making polstices of herbs I hadn't thought to use, such as oats (one of the most common ingredients for soap - of course). I sure wish I had a clean bathtub to soak in oats with!

Natural News - discusses a variety of treatments from food to ointments, with an emphasis on dealing with allergies

But really I just need a little time to pass...

Thyme for Clear Skin

The Thyme plant in the garden has really spread in the last two weeks. I'm curious to see if this will continue. At the same time I think it's asking for some attention, so I'm harvesting quite a bit to dry, for fresh sprigs for cooking, and for medicinal use. Another thing I'm researching right now is natural, organic skin care. Since skin is the largest organ of the body, and is most important for releasing toxins, if I am dealing with inflammations then I must turn my attention to what is getting in the way of thorough, constant detox. As I write this post I am wearing a French green clay mask! LOL.

Do you drink water, regularly clean yourself, eat fresh food, avoid drugs and processed foods, exercise? You're probably good. Me personally, I like to drink coffee. And although I bike most everywhere, I could sweat more (as the Bastyr doctor put it, "you have to actually sweat"). Internally, the right foods and herbs will aid your liver and kidneys - key for processing toxins. Externally, the right cleaning and herbs will aid your skin. I like all the information about various home remedies.

*Astringent and antispetic plant medicines.* Astringents cause tissue to constrict, so will close skin pores off from external irritants, and internally, will tone organ tissues. Cold water is the most classic astingent! Also oatmeal, yarrow and witch hazel. Antiseptics are antimicrobial and antibacterial, so fight against germs hanging out on the skin or in the body. Although the body produces it's own antiseptics (like gastic acids in the stomach) it's worthwhile to get help from plants. Dill, lavender, oregano, eucalyptus and thyme are all known for their antiseptic properties. If you pay attention to herbal skin products in stores you have seen these plant ingredients at the forefront. I am making a salve of oatmeal, witch hazel and lavender today.

In Medieval Europe Thyme was used to treat epilepsy and depression. Not only is thyme a strong antiseptic, but also an antispasmodic - so good for coughs and releasing phlegm. It's essential oil "Thymol" is antifungal. I wonder how to produce essential oils? I do not have the capacity right now but that would be so interesting to learn. http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Essential-Oils Here is a resource about other things to do with thyme: http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodhealthinformation/a/thymehealth.htm Lotions, mouthwash, toothpaste, insect repellant. Now I just have to find the time...