Lemon RemedyBefore you can venture into the world of home remedies, you need to be prepared. You’ll want to learn all you can about what kind of remedies are good to have all the time and which ones you can make in a pinch. You may even find that you already have some supplies. For example, did you know that Cayenne can stop a wound from bleeding? And it doesn’t even burn! Did you know that raw honey has antibacterial properties? There is a wealth of information available if you know where to look.

Starting With Home Remedy Basics

Going out into your yard and finding medicinal plants can be fun. It can also be dangerous because some plants mimic each other. Yarrow can look an awful lot like Queen Anne’s Lace. Yarrow is a fabulous medicinal flower but if you make the mistake of choosing the wrong flower you could make yourself seriously ill. What makes it harder is that they often grow near each other. First things first! Get a guidebook that has color photographs (not drawings) of medicinal plants. If a plant changes with the seasons you will want to know what it looks like through each stage of its life.  A young Mullen plant may be difficult to spot for the untrained eye, but once it is in full bloom it’s hard to miss those tall stalks of yellow flowers with broad, green, fuzzy leaves. You may even have driven down the highway and seen it along the side of the road without realizing it! Just remember though, any plants you find near the road aren’t healthy to use. Once you have a good field guide that includes your local flora, you are ready to start investigating your backyard! But don’t be too quick to pinch, pluck, or pull. Learn all you can about your local medicinal plants. Some make better teas than tinctures, while some are more delicate and have to be used right away. Still others may need to dry before you use them. I will include some links at the bottom of the page to help you get started with some recipes.

The Right Tools for the Job

Here is a simple list of basic supplies:

  • 80 proof ethyl alcohol (Vodka works great unless you prefer Glycerin rather than alcohol)
  • Cheese cloth (this is for straining and can be reused)
  • Glass jars of different sizes (Quart, Pint – try to keep plastic out of your supplies)
  • Gloves (garden gloves help when dealing with thorny plants)
  • Garden shears or scissors
  • A backpack (it’s easier to transport your goodies and you can keep it stocked and ready)
  • 100% olive oil (this is for infusions – when you soak parts of a plant to extract it’s healing properties)
  • Your Field Guide
  • A pen or pencil (for you to take notes of where you found things and anything you find important)

Once you get used to what is available in your area it will take you no time at all to find your rhythm. You will start noticing medicinal plants everywhere! Take a look at some of the links below and this spring you may discover your backyard holds all sorts of treasures. Happy hunting!

Applications & Resources for Home Remedy

iGOZEN is a philosophy and a way of life! We support anyone who is learning to live an organic lifestyle. Finding new ways to eliminate toxins in your life can be fun and we want to encourage you to keep discovering! The next time you need a chemical-free solution to washing your produce try our Fruit/Veg wash.