Medicinal Herbs Research Project

Hi,
My name is Emily and I am an undergraduate student at Western Washington University. I am doing a project about herbal medicine for a class assignment. Could you please answer a couple of the questions listed below? Thank you for your time!

1. What medicinal herbs do you grow?
2. Why do you use medicinal herbs?
3. How do you use medicinal herbs?
4. Where did you learn to identify and use these medicinal herbs?
5. What medicinal herbs have the most value to you?
6. Who or what do you refer to when you have questions surrounding medicinal herbs?

I appreciate the help!

Lavender, thyme, rosemary, wintergreen, chamomile, mint, chives, oregano, etc.
I use herbs for cooking, tinctures and salves.
Most of what I've learned has been through books and classes and online.

I also use Rosemary for arthritis.

1. What medicinal herbs do you grow? Not including other plants (aloe vera, elderberry, witch hazel, hops, rosa rugosa, etc.) - I grow rosemary, comfrey (again, not really an herb?), thyme, calendula,  wormwood, yarrow, ginseng, valerian, echinacea, feverfew. I am sure many others can probably be considered medicinal (such as tulsi basil or various mints).
2. Why do you use medicinal herbs? Because I like growing/foraging. Because many herbal remedies are effective.
3. How do you use medicinal herbs? Salves and occasional tinctures. Also tisanes, hair rinses (more wishful thinking rather than implementing), foot soaks.
4. Where did you learn to identify and use these medicinal herbs? Hard to say, just something that happened over time. I guess I know a lot of other people who use at least some medicinal herbs. In fact, it's not uncommon.
5. What medicinal herbs have the most value to you? I like ones that are also edible the best.
6. Who or what do you refer to when you have questions surrounding medicinal herbs? I tend to stick to more common/well known ones. I don't own any official books specifically on this subject. I tend to research multiple sources (the internet) if in doubt.

I would like to add that part of the permaculture mindset is primarily growing things that are beneficial in some way (whether edible or medicinal or insectary). I like the idea of a plant having an additional function, such as "comes in handy when making a salve".

*Edited for clarity.

One more edit: Joe Hollis’ work is a resource.

Rosemary tea as a substitute for coffee, it is quite potent and doesn't cause a crash.
Lavender tea is good for social gatherings
Linden flower for insomnia
Fresh wormwood for that yearly purge (just in case). It can also be turned into absynth.
Rose tea for that special someone.
Lemon leaves tincture for insect bites and repellent
Aloe for scaring and skin regeneration
Willow bark/xylem for tooth ache
Anona leave leaves to lower blood sugar
Calendula flowers for hand creams

Books about indigenous and Chinese medicine will have the best guide for the use of leaves, stems and roots, and there are undergraduate degrees on medicinal herbs in other countries. Finding a shaman or healer would be ideal but that is hard with treatment that native Americans received. However, there are amazing humans in NC, with tons of knowledge, check out their channel:
https://youtube.com/@mountaingardens?si=OXtHfKdEcFJIFpy6

Stay in school!

1. What medicinal herbs do you grow?
Mint/Thyme family, Onion/Garlic family, Carrot/Cilantro family, mushroom/fungi kingdom.

2. Why do you use medicinal herbs?
They taste/smell wonderful

3. How do you use medicinal herbs?
soaking them in oil (flavored oil, etc), soaking them in water (teas, etc), mincing/juicing them(adding them to food/stew), ingesting them, applying them to my hair/skin/cuts/etc.

4. Where did you learn to identify and use these medicinal herbs?
Family members, books, classes

5. What medicinal herbs have the most value to you?
I value culinary herbs that have medicinal applications the most because they taste/smell wonderful and I get multiple use out of them.

6. Who or what do you refer to when you have questions surrounding medicinal herbs?
I like to google it or use my reference books.

Hi Suzanne, Tanya, Zeus, and Bengi,

Thank you for your wonderful responses and resources! I appreciate your generous help. I'd like to ask a few follow-up questions.
1.  Would you be willing to share a recipe?
2. What specifically about using medicinal herbs brings you joy?
3. How do you determine what sources are trustworthy when using the internet?

1. I like making tinctures with herbs soaked in vodka. I use the drops under my tongue.
2. Food is medicine and medicine should be our daily food.
3. Don't have a specific online source.

A liter of boiling water for each 5''-7'' fresh rosemary sprig. Turn off the fire when you add the sprig and seal it.
You can try different potencies, the minimum dose I've tried is a two minute brew and 8min has been ideal for me.
The tea starts geting a bitter after taste as you add more sprigs but it can be toned down with honey(it's best to add it right before drinking).
Common sense, community and biochemistry are the best tools for the home lab.

Emily Carst wrote:Hi Suzanne, Tanya, Zeus, and Bengi,

Thank you for your wonderful responses and resources! I appreciate your generous help. I'd like to ask a few follow-up questions.
1.  Would you be willing to share a recipe?
2. What specifically about using medicinal herbs brings you joy?
3. How do you determine what sources are trustworthy when using the internet?

1. I don't have exact proportions, I generally eyeball things. For an herbal hair rinse, simmer and then steep dried herbs (rosemary, thyme, lavender) in water. Allow to cool. Add some apple cider vinegar. Strain. Refrigerate. Use up quickly. Use as a final hair rinse.
2. The fact that they are homegrown and home- and nature-made.
3. That's a more difficult question to provide a concise answer. I would say similar reports from several sources can be reassuring (but not always as some just copy others). Many herbal remedies are mentioned in the medical literature, and, if anything, even relatively "mainstream". This is the time I search for more "conventional" views.

Hi Suzanne, Zeus, and Tanya,

Thank you for answering the follow-up questions!

I'll grow whichever medicinal plant wants to grow where i am, i believe doctors are pill salesmen for a corrupted industry,. As we the world's people are getting squeezed out slowly economically and our societies are dividing into rich city and poor rural, we're not going to get any doctors. I live in a medicinal desert, doctors do not wish to be here. Every time i go, they precribe antibiotics... I rarely go. They do not listen and think of us as dumb and inferior.
There's tons of baloney out there, contradicting info, so i bought an expensive book which combines all the scientific data so far used by phytotherapists. Which is not a lot, because the government is on the side of industry and doesn't want people to heal themselves. The media will mostly write negatively or confusing about medicinal herbs instead of pushing thorough independent research.
So we're in the dark, but everyday people wake up to the reality and start their own journey's away from industrial pharma.

I believe every human body is unique, we should move towards pro active health. Not wait until something is wrong and get a doctor to prescribe a pill masking the pain and pretend the problem is gone, but monitor ourselves and look for cures that work for us. I've noticed, what works great for me, doesn't work for somebody else at all and vice versa.

So holistic and if God decides my soul's work is done here i'll be gone whatever i do. I wish i could go dignified on my own terms, but have lost my biggest Permie friend to cancer embracing chemo therapy  they blackmailed him into taking mRNA shots. Still he left in peace.

Hi Hugo,
Thank you for your response! My condolences about your friend. While taking this class I found it surprising how many common plants have medicinal uses. I wish that information surrounding the healing properties of plants were more widely available and valued in our society, instead of just being used to make pharmaceuticals.

1. What medicinal herbs do you grow?
Calendula, comfrey, rosemary, lavender, yarrow, lemon balm, mint, marshmallow, mullein, helichrysum, thyme, sage, oregano

2. Why do you use medicinal herbs?
Because big pharma is corrupt.  I hate big pharma and the medical industry as a whole.  I trust plants. I do not trust big pharma or doctors to do things that will actually fix people.

3. How do you use medicinal herbs?
I make tea from lemon balm and yarrow with honey. I feed my chickens a comfrey treat every other day. I use marshmallow and mullein for respiratory illnesses, as well as lemon balm tea with honey.  Comfrey for broken bones.  I use comfrey and lemon balm salve for insect bites.  Infuse leaves into oil and then make the oil into a salve with beeswax.  Infuse medicinal herbs into vodka for a few months, and it becomes medicine.  In addition, I have a distiller for making herbs into essential oil. I then use essential oils in soapmaking and as a medicine.  Oil of oregano is a very good antibiotic.

4. Where did you learn to identify and use these medicinal herbs?
Books and online. I learned to identify by buying the plant from a reputable dealer. I don't feel comfortable foraging until I get used to seeing the plant in my own garden first.

5. What medicinal herbs have the most value to you?
Lemon Balm. Calendula. Yarrow. Mint. Comfrey.  Oregano. Thyme. Sage.

6. Who or what do you refer to when you have questions surrounding medicinal herbs?
I have reference books at home. I've looked online but I have better luck from books.

1. What medicinal herbs do you grow?
Onion, garlic, sage, rosemary, lemon balm, chamomile, tulsi, thyme, probably more

2. Why do you use medicinal herbs?
I find pharmaceuticals to be expensive and too strong. I use some pharmaceuticals, and some herbs. As a pharmaceuticals becomes less effective, I replace it with an herbal preparation. Herbal remedies work and I can grow them.

3. How do you use medicinal herbs?
I typically create an infusion (tea) but I have a few salves as well.

4. Where did you learn to identify and use these medicinal herbs?
My friend Lise Fuller wrote a book, so I use that as a handbook. When I have questions, I give her a call. She has recommended an identification book for me to use for my next step.

5. What medicinal herbs have the most value to you?
My spouse is getting off of benzodiazapines right now. They've been tapering for years and just got off of the last step. Right now, they're drinking 1-3 cups a day of a tea made with chamomile, oat straw, and lemon balm. When they forget their herbs, the difference is palpable.

6. Who or what do you refer to when you have questions surrounding medicinal herbs?
I try to find the answer in one of my books,then I call Lise.

Hi Tamara and Carmen,

Thank you for your wonderful responses, recipes, and resources! I appreciate your help!

1. What medicinal herbs do you grow? I grow many; Elderberry was my first "intentional" one; my latest was to plant a hawthorn tree because I have heart failure.  I have many like chickweed, yellow dock, horsetail growing that are considered weeds; I don't plant them, but they come up.  I want to find some burdock to dig. I grow every herb that thrives in zone 5 and plants like bee balm, chamomile lavender and yarrow. I grow herbs like thyme, oregano, chives, garlic, sage, tarragon, etc. The list of plants is too long to have here. I have well over 50 kinds of fruit and nuts growing on my one acre, including things like mulberry which are considered medicinal.  I have witch hazels and fringe tree, which I have because I like the plants.  I may do something with the witch hazel, but I won't be digging up any roots of the fringe tree!
2. Why do you use medicinal herbs? It started with plantain!  I read how healing it was for the skin.  I had some sores that I couldn't stop picking at: the edges were rough, so I was constantly trying to smooth them by picking at the rough edges. This went on for years!  I'd tried all sorts of lotions and then I read about plantain salve.  I made some and within a day, the wounds started healing; within two days they were gone.  I was a convert! I now make tinctures, capsules, toothpaste (horsetail and coconut oil) and salves.
3. How do you use medicinal herbs? After reading about the ability to help heart disease using hawthorn, I decided to plant a tree so that eventually I could harvest the leaves, flowers and berries.  I figured if it didn't work, it would still be a beautiful tree and wildlife would appreciate it.  Until it grows enough to harvest from, I ordered the plant material to make a tincture and I ordered capsules.  After taking the capsules for about a week or two, I had a doctor's appointment.  My blood pressure was amazing...105/74. My doctor was unfamiliar with hawthorn so she got on line and read about it.  She thought it sounded fine and had me cut one of my meds in half while having me monitor my BP.  When I do make or use an herb, I always read up about any warnings and avoid those.  The ones I use need to be perfectly safe.  Realizing that I didn't want to get drunk with so many different tinctures, I ordered a capsule-making unit for things like turmeric/pepper/cinnamon/ginger and Turkey Tail mushrooms, horsetail and powdered egg shells (calcium) etc.
4. Where did you learn to identify and use these medicinal herbs? Because I've been gardening for over 50 years, I kind of had a leg-up.  To augment my knowledge, I've ordered many books.  I also use reliable sources online if I need more information or images.  
5. What medicinal herbs have the most value to you? Right now, I'd have to say Hawthorn and plantain.
6. Who or what do you refer to when you have questions surrounding medicinal herbs? I am a strong believer in triangulating data.  I need to see at least three different reliable sources to get a sense of what an herb is capable of.  I find that different books will stress different information about them and this can also be true for any warnings.  I have growths on my thyroid for which I've not been yet scheduled for a fine needle aspiration--I won't be able to even be scheduled for another few months...the joys of rural living (!), so I've been debating about bladderwort in very limited quantities, but the warnings about heavy metals and causing thiamine deficiency among others,  have me very leary. One of my books made no mention of these issues, so I think it's good to read as much as I can on an herb before taking it. I have lots of R. Gladstar books, but the main ones I now use are: The Modern Herbal Dispensatory (Easley & Horne), Medical Herbalism (Hoffman), Herbal Formularies for Health Professionals (Stansbury) and Northeast Medicinal Plants (Neves)
I watch some herbalist videos, and my favorite is "She is of the Woods".  I like how she always talks about getting to the root of the problem and not just treating surface issues.  I think she really knows her stuff; the more I watch her, the more I respect what she has to say...but I still triangulate information!