In Case of Emergency

I have never considered myself a survivalist and I'll bet most of the battered folks displaced by the violent destruction of earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, landslides and tsunamis hadn't previously thought of themselves as survivalists either. Now they do. They have earned that badge of distinction not by barricading themselves in remote locations with guns and ammo, but by living through these distasters only to be faced with the ordeal of staying alive for days without food, clean water, sanitation, shelter, medicine, safety or information that could give them hope that help was on the way. 

As if the initial shock of the tragedy, harm, devastation and loss of life were not enough, often the death toll rises significantly because of problems that result when help can't arrive fast enough. Injuries fester, bodies weaken from dehydration and lack of nourishment, susceptibility to disease increases as pollution rises and lack of shelters make protection from the elements impossible. Add despair to this toxic mix and recovery hardly seems possible. The victims cannot very well help themselves. Or can they? 

Any one of us could find ourselves in circumstances this desperate. While considering what help there might be until professional disaster relief organizations can arrive on the scene, it occurred to me that we are surrounded by plants of great medicinal value. Your medicine cabinet may be buried in the rubble, but plants growing within walking distance of your house can kill bacteria to keep wounds from becoming infected, reduce pain, knock down a fever, heal cuts, scrapes and severe bruising, get out splinters, calm nerves, feed us and even snap someone out of hysteria. The trick is to know what plant does what. Many herbs have water-soluble constituents and don't require heat to process. 

Everyone has Oregon grape (Mahonia) close by, and if it is not in your yard, it grows in abundance in the foothills of the mountain west. The roots of this plant will not only kill germs on the outside, but also the inside. When combined with the bark of oak tree, it will relieve dysentery brought on by bad water or food. I would use it to help kill germs in water, too. 

If you cut yourself, pine sap stops bleeding. 

Willows grow near moist areas, and a tea of its bark will reduce pain because it contains salicylic acid which is what aspirin is made out of. 

Arnica grows in the mountains. Arnica preparations can be made from leaves, flowers and roots. It can be used topically on sprains and bruises to reduce swelling and pain. Yarrow and plantain, used topically, will heal wounds and decrease the itching of insect bites. 

Echinacea (gardeners often call it purple coneflower) is a famous healer. You can nibble fresh flowers in the summer or use leaves flower and root to make a "whole plant" tincture. 

In cases of smoke or toxic fumes inhalation, mullein leaf and native mallow roots will sooth sore throats. 

Elder flower and balsam root should be used if people start getting colds and flu. 

Dandelion leaves and roots can be eaten and are super nutritious so will help restore lost nutrients. 

Know where your plants are! For instance, if you have Echinacea in the garden, you can dig up the root even in the winter and chop it up, then soak it in water for a few hours. Or you could chew on a cleaned root. You can also dig up and eat roots and bulbs of plants like garlic, chives and parsley. 

Understanding what great potential there is in plants to help manage and relieve such threatening situations, I enrolled in the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training which teaches people how to be first responders in their neighborhoods. I think this training should be taught in schools. It offers basic information on how to go about taking care of yourself, your family and your community in an organized way that will assist the professionals once they can get there. This is good information to have. In addition, knowing how to use the healing plants in our own back yards could be our saving grace in such catastrophes.

This article first appeared in Catalyst Magazine and has been reprinted with permission. 

PTSD Treatments: When Pharmaceuticals Fail, Herbal Medicine May Be Something to Consider

NPR recently broadcast a lengthy segment detailing the ongoing struggles of veterans and active service members with PTSD. It highlighted how frequently the negative side effects of the pharmaceutical medications they take for PTSD symptoms make their ongoing suffering harder to cope with. The patients describe slogging through their days and nights in a mental and physical fog induced by sleep aids, pain relievers, anti-anxiety and antidepressants. In personal recorded interviews, the veterans describe how the sedative and suppressive qualities of the medicines make them feel zoned out which prevents them from experiencing their genuine, authentic selves. Their utter exasperation and desperation lead some to stop all medication cold turkey for they would rather feel the raw fears, recurring memories, sleepless nights and cold sweats than the alternative haze and disorientation the medications cause. One still active service member told how, while he remains in the service, he is required to take many medications for his PTSD and gets blood tested monthly to make sure he is in compliance. Because he is so adverse to the prescription drugs, he quits them right after testing and then starts them all over again a week before he is to be tested. They make him very sick and he sounded utterly discouraged, but he would rather live this way than to always be under the influence.

Listening to this program gave me such a strong urge to fly through the radio waves to these men and women to thank them for their service and somehow share with them some of what I know about the gentle, nudging, nourishing, therapeutics medicinal herbs offer for stress, anxiety, sleeplessness, panic attacks, hyper-reactivity, low mood, etc. Let me be clear that I am not suggesting that herbs should be used for clinically diagnosed illnesses, but even doctors would have to agree that if the patient is not getting relief and is unwilling to take the medication and is still suffering, certainly it is time to at least allow some willing individuals the opportunity to choose different therapies that might bring relief.

I know this time has come because just last Saturday when I was in my Millcreek Herbs booth at the Downtown Farmer’s Market in Salt Lake City, I was visited by someone from the integrative health program at the VA hospital. She took great interest in my Thrive Tonic and even said it belonged in their study. I could not agree more. She said so far they are working with nutrition and some essential oils. I asked if she knew anything about herbs and she replied she did not. She took my card. I have not heard from her.

My teacher, Michael Moore said, “Herbs help shift us in ways we cannot shift ourselves.”I have learned in my 17 years in herbal practice that when a person does not feel good, often the last thing they need is to be given harsh, strong treatments. Sometimes when faced with a client who is in physical and/or emotional pain, and who is well armored against that pain and anguish, the best approach is to introduce just a whisper of just the right herb. When done properly and successfully, and it does take a trained professional here, it is a beautiful thing to see that shift take place. Once work can begin, it usually goes in stages. I try to address the most immediate concern first if I can. The client and I and the herbs work together through layers. It is complicated, but this challenge is my favorite part of my job as an herbalist. With so many herbs to choose from, it is something of an art to fit the right ones in the right combinations to the person. I believe that herbal medicine holds great potential for some people who suffer from PTSD.

Among all the herbs in my pharmacy, these are among those I would consider for some of the disorders listed in this article:

Anemone   Ashwaganda   Aveena   Calamus   Chamomile   Elephant Head  

Hawthorn   Kava Kava   Lavender   Lemon Balm   Lobelia   Motherwort(for women)

Passionflower   Rhodiola   Rose   St. John’s Wort

(Update to post 8/15/2014)
Interestingly, moments after this blog post went up, information about an organization called Save A Warrior began to appear in several media channels.
CNN reporter Soledad O'Brien delivered an hour long broadcast about Post Traumatic Stress and the Save A Warrior organization that revealed the excruciatingly painful circumstances the veterans and their families endure while they suffer from PTSD. Save a Warrior is a non profit that offers these most needy soldiers five days respite with peaceful coping techniques like meditation, rhythmic breathing and other trust-building exercises like rope courses; servicemen and women can once again find a pathway to better balance in their day-to-day lives. 

Knowing these alternative therapies are being used to overcome PTSD by veterans and their families is heartening and fills me with hope that herbal medicine will be added to current integrative mental and emotional health treatment methods.