OPOSSUM MENTALITY REGARDING MEDICINAL PLANTS

In the Pathfinder System, there is a concept we refer to as “Opossum Mentality,” which means, when you see it grab it for later use. In a wilderness emergency situation, the best herb you can have is the one you have at hand. The more you learn to identify medicinal plants, the better prepared you will be to pick them up as you walk around in the wild. The more varieties you pick, the more treatment options you will have should you need to rely on their medicinal properties. So, train yourself to pick up medicinal herbs and wild foods as you see them just as you would collect fire-making materials for the next fire.

PROCESSING HERBS FOR MEDICINAL USE

Herbs can be prepared in different ways to fully access their various healing properties. Here are some of the most common methods of processing herbs.

Poultice: Ground, masticated, or shredded herbs usually moistened and packed over the skin and then wrapped to keep in place. Poultices are used to relieve soreness and inflammation.

Hot infusion: An infusion uses water, oil, or alcohol to extract chemical compounds from plants. For a hot infusion, use hot solvents. Generally the water (or oil or alcohol) is heated and poured over the plant material, then left to steep for about fifteen minutes. (Decoctions are used for roots and barks, infusions for leaves and flowering tops.)

Cold infusion: Cold infusions are used for herbs that lose their effectiveness when exposed to heat, such as peppermint, sumac, lemon, and lemon balm. Cold infusions are used to gain a cooling action. Cold (even frozen) solvents are used.

Decoction: For harder-to-extract herbs such as roots and bark, decoction is used to concentrate the active ingredient of a plant by heating or boiling it.

Tincture: An herb preserved in liquid, generally vodka/brandy or glycerin.

Fomentations: Cloth dipped in a decoction or infusion and applied to the skin.

Salves: The mixture of an oil with the herb plus beeswax. These are used for topical/external applications and can protect the skin while helping to heal a wound.

Crushed application: Some herbs can be used straight from the plant with little preparation beyond crushing them to release their juices.

PREPARING A FRESH-HERB POULTICE

If using fresh herbs for your poultice, place 2 ounces of chopped or bruised herbs—about 1/2 cup—and a cup of water in a small saucepan. Simmer for 2 minutes. Do not drain. Arrange a clean piece of gauze, muslin, linen, or white cotton sheet on a clean, flat surface. The material should be large enough to cover the affected area completely (but do not place on the affected area yet). Remove the hot herbs from the saucepan. When cool enough to be placed on skin and not scald, place the hot herbs directly on the skin you are treating. Then pour the herbal solution over the cloth and place the cloth over the herbs that are on the skin. Wrap a towel around the poultice to prevent the soiling of clothes.

Hot poultices are best for superficial wounds. The heat helps to draw blood to the surface, opens the pores, and assists in the assimilation of the herbs through the skin. This is great for wet and unproductive coughs.

Cold poultices are best for deep wounds, such as contusions, bruises, and fractures. The affected area will usually feel hot to touch and so the cold poultice (made either by preparing herbs with cold water, or by cooling a previously prepared one) will act as an analgesic, helping to draw the beneficial effects of the herbs down deep into the tissue.

Herbal poultices should be kept in place for one to twenty-four hours, or as needed. During this period, you may experience a throbbing pain as the poultice draws out infection and neutralizes toxins. When the pain subsides, you will know that the poultice has accomplished its task and should be removed. Apply fresh poultices as needed until the desired level of healing has been reached.

HOT INFUSION (HOT TEA)

1. Shred 8 ounces fresh herbs (4 ounces dried) and place in pitcher or bowl. Boil 1 quart water in bush pot. Pour the boiling water over the fresh shredded herbs.

2. Cover the brew and remove from the heat.

3. Let it steep for 5–15 minutes. Generally an infusion made from roots or bark should be left to steep longer than those made from flowers or leaves. If fresh plants are used, it tends to infuse much faster compared to dried plants.

4. After steeping the herbal tea for the appropriate amount of time, filter out the liquid. Drink 8 ounces every 1–2 hours until gone.

DECOCTION

1. Pour the required amount of water into a container and bring the water to a boil. Generally use about 1 cup of water.

2. Add in the required amount of the plant parts. Use 2–4 tablespoons of fresh herbs. Continue simmering over low heat for 15–30 minutes.

3. Remove from heat and let the brew stand for a few minutes.

4. Strain the liquid out while it is still hot. Drink 8 ounces every 1–2 hours.

COLD INFUSION

Cold infusions are made like a sun tea, with cold water poured over the herb and then left in the sun to steep. They take longer than hot infusions to pull the good stuff from the plant matter but also have certain advantages in cases where heat could damage some of the constituents of the plant.

TINCTURE

Tinctures, although not practical for on-the-trail preparations, are an inexpensive and potent way to preserve and use medicinal herbs. Although the quantities of vodka/brandy vary, most herbal tinctures are very easy to make and will last for years at full potency. If you desire to use wild picked or store-bought dried herbs for your family’s health needs, tincturing is worth learning as it will provide you inexpensive, fast-acting remedies with less work than tea.

A simple alcohol tincture is made by using at least 90 proof liquor of any kind. Stuff a dark bottle or jar with plant materials, then add liquor to the top and seal. Store in a dark place for approximately two weeks, shaking the contents every day for the first week. Then strain and use in drops as a medicinal preparation.

FOMENTATIONS

Dip a cloth or towel in a warm infusion or decoction, wring it out, and apply locally to the affected body part. Cover the cloth with a dry towel to help retain the heat. These herbal preparations are used to treat headaches, chest congestion, skin irritations, and swelling due to an injury. They can be used hot or cold. Use cold compresses where the skin is broken or feels flushed. Use hot compresses when the skin is not broken and/or circulation needs to be brought to the area.

As with herbal poultices, fomentations should be kept in place for one to twenty-four hours, or as needed, and again, you may experience a throbbing pain as the fomentation draws out infection and neutralizes toxins. When the pain subsides, you will know that the fomentation has accomplished its task and should be removed. Apply fresh fomentations as needed until the desired level of healing has been reached.

SALVES

Salves can be made in many ways, but the simplest method is to use a combination of olive oil or another carrier oil and beeswax. Then add the herb and let simmer for about 20 minutes. A simple way to check the consistency is to spoon out a bit of liquid and allow it to cool. It should be solid but creamy, like petroleum jelly. You can make the salve wetter or dryer, according to your personal preference, by adjusting the amount of oil and beeswax you use and by adjusting the simmer time. When satisfied with the consistency, remove it from the heat and let cool. Store in a tin or small, wide-mouthed glass container.

COMMON CONDITIONS AND THEIR TREATMENTS

CONDITION

TREATMENT

Bleeding

White oak bark (poultice); black walnut (powder)

Breaks, sprains, strains

White oak (fomentation, cool)

Bites, stings

Charcoal poultice (must be kept warm)

Blisters

Plantain salve

Burns

Honey; plantain salve (do not use either on severe burns)

Constipation

Black walnut (mild decoction)

Diarrhea

White oak (strong decoction); white or black willow (strong decoction); black walnut (mild decoction)

Stomach upset (possible poison)

Charcoal (purgative: mix 1 teaspoon with 4 ounces water)

Stomach upset (gas, cramps, indigestion)

Charcoal (1/2 teaspoon with 12 ounces water)

Immune system

Honey (1 teaspoon 3 times per day)

Sore throat

White oak bark (mild decoction); black walnut (mild decoction)

Cough

White oak bark (strong decoction)

Sleeplessness

White or black willow (strong decoction)

Headache

White or black willow (mild decoction)

Fever

White or black willow bark (strong decoction)

Minor abrasions

Honey (use as ointment); plantain salve

Toothache, mouth sores

Honey; white oak bark (strong decoction); sea salt (1 teaspoon per 4 ounces water; use as mouthwash)

PMS

Willow (decoction)

UTI

White oak (mild decoction); black walnut (strong decoction)

Antiparasitic (bad water)

Black walnut (strong decoction: 50/50 leaves/hulls, if possible)

Fight or flight

White or black willow (mild decoction)

Contact dermatitis

Black walnut (mild decoction, fomentation); charcoal (poultice on irruptions)

Electrolytes imbalance

Honey and sea salt (1 teaspoon honey and 1/8 teaspoon sea salt dissolved in 8 ounces water)

TIPS AND TRICKS

• Remember that most plants that are medicine are also food, or at least edible, so if you don’t have time for a preparation to be taken internally, just eat the plant.

• A spit poultice is a quick way to use a topical medicinal. Just chew the plant and mix with saliva, then pack over the affected area and bandage.

• An infusion can always be used as a wash to help speed healing.