Loon Echo Herbals

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New "Horns" of the Deer

Staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) is a relatively common and widespread colonial shrub that belongs to the cashew family. The colonial term refers to its growth habit—it forms (potentially) large colonies of stems that are genetically related (like some species of aspen). Like its relative smooth sumac (Rhus glabra), these species have alternate, pinnately compound leaves that will exude a white latex (similar to common milkw**d, but not as copious) when broken from the branch. The arrays of small, yellow-white flowers will become red, short-hairy fruits. While some are aware of the foods that come from this plant (such as its peeled shoots and acidic-tasting fruits), today I would like to highlight some of its medicinal uses.

One feature that makes staghorn sumac so valuable to humans is its antimicrobial activity. It is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial, which means it is active against a wide array of pathogens. Laboratory tests on related species show that it is highly active against gram-positive bacteria (which includes species like Staphylococcus aureus) and fungi. I have used staghorn sumac to assist with the treatment of impetigo, cellulitis, mastitis, candida, and tinea (the latte two are fungal infections). While it was the bark and leaves that have traditionally been used as medicine, one of the scientific studies documented that the flower buds (i.e., the entire array of budding flowers) was more active against bacteria than other parts of the shrub. This is the usual portion that I gather for medicine, drying them on a screen and then using them to make teas or tinctures. Given that most of the known pharmacologically active compounds are polyphenols (which are highly soluble in water), teas do work well for internal and external use.

Staghorn sumac (and its relative, smooth sumac) work very well to treat cellulitis and other staph infections. I usually combine them with other potent antimicrobials to assist with clearing the infection. The astringent properties of the plant also help to reduce inflammation (such as in the digestive tract for candida overgrowth and other forms of gut dysbiosis caused by overly abundant members of the flora that create illness). One of the amazing ways this plant has been used by North American Natives was as a gynecological wash after birthing. This wash, made from tea of the plant, would help to disinfect any areas of broken skin and reduce inflammation to provide some comfort. As a modern way of employing this traditional medicine, the mothers of my children have taken strong teas made from staghorn sumac (often combined with witch-hazel) and soaked feminine pads prior to birthing (storing them in the freezer). These are then removed and used for a few days post birth to deal with any potential issues and provide relief. This is an excellent way to incorporate this plant’s medicine for any mother (not just those who are planning home births). Keeping this type of use in mind, staghorn sumac can be used to make a wound irrigant for many types of soft-tissue injuries to prevent infection.

The bark (scraped from the stems), the leaves, and the flowers buds are all effective medicine. What is wonderful about this plant is that that it is a woody species—meaning that the inner bark can be accessed in the winter. Therefore, this species’ medicine is available for gathering all year, especially useful for those who failed to make collections of the leaves or flower buds in the summer. With some guidance on dosage and companion plants for concurrent use, there is a wide variety of infections that can be successfully treated with staghorn sumac.

Deep knowledge of species like staghorn sumac is one of the ways we further our rewilding journeys and incorporate medical sovereignty into our communities. At some point, we are going to need to disseminate and diffuse the information that is currently centralized by our industrial civilization. Further, we are going to need to let go of the idea that only a credentialed authority (e.g., doctor, health professional) can treat human health insults. It is a trait of domesticated humans (or any domesticated species) to yield their sovereignty to authority. There was a time when humans understood the amazing gifts from the plants that grew all around them and utilized those gifts in an indirect reciprocal gift economy that included more than just the human community (i.e., the exchange and gift network went outside of the village into the wildness around them). This is entirely possible again.

https://greenlivingtribe.com/scientists-discover-top-three-herbs-that-fight-dementia-alzheimers-and-more-they-prevent-any-neurodegenerative-disease/

Scientists Discover Top Three Herbs That Fight Dementia, Alzheimers And More! (They Prevent Any Neurodegenerative Disease) - Green Living Tribe As we age, one of the biggest fears that many of us face is the loss of our memory and cognitive function. This fear is not unfounded, as many of us have seen the devastating effects that dementia and other cognitive impairments can have on our loved ones. Losing our memory and cognitive function ca...

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🌼💛 “Hello, I'm a dandelion.
A lot of people call me a w**d but I'm a friend and come to help you!

My flowers are the first food for insects after hibernation and unlike most other plants, I have pollen AND nectar, not merely one OR the other! And I am generous with them! 🤪😉
When you see me, remember that I'm the ONLY one who wants and can grow in that particular spot. Because:
Either the soil is too compact / hard / stomped and I want to loosen it for you with my roots.
Or there is too little calcium in the soil - don't worry, I will replenish that for you with the dying of my leaves.
Or the soil is too acidic. But I will also improve that for you if you give me the chance.
Or a mixture of the above reasons, of course. 😊
I'm here because your soil needs my help so best you let me grow without disturbing me! When everything is fixed, I will disappear again, I promise!
Are you trying to remove me prematurely with my root? However meticulous you are, I will return 2x as strong! Just until your soil is improved.
You can even tell by my growth at which stage my help is at. If my leaves are flat on the ground then I'm far from ready but if they all reach up then I'm already a long way on my way.
Something completely different is that I am 1 of the first bloomers in spring so I will announce spring / summer for you.
During the day when it's hot, I open my flowers but in the evening when it cools off I close them again quickly. In fact, if it's not hot enough during the day I won't open them at all!
My flowers are even delicious for you people by the way, did you know? I used to be called ′′honey (or gold) of the poor′′ because my flowers are so sweet in e.g. jam, sauce or salad! The internet is full of recipes - check them out.

But wait until the end of May or later before you start picking and even then, don't pick everything yet! The biodiversity and bees will be very grateful!”

As the author Melody Beattie said, “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”

It’s wise to create a daily practice of joy and gratitude during times of great happiness so that when you’re in a cycle of stress and uncertainty it is easier for your mind and body to return to a place of gratefulness. Each time we hold on to a negative thought and feed it, it embeds in us and gains power.

Join me in practicing the art of waking up each morning and give thanks for another day of living. Even when it seems particularly difficult or challenging, giving thanks and gratitude evokes gratitude.

And always remember - Give power to those things that you love most in your life, those that nourish the spirit of joy and gratitude.

What is nourishing your spirit of joy and gratitude today?

📸 by

🌿🐜🌼 Mullein is our Herb of the Week! 🌿🐜🌼

Some folks think of mullein as a w**d, an uninvited guest from faraway lands. Perhaps because of its stature, mullein is an easy target for misplaced hatred or at least misunderstanding. It’s a strange thing that humans disturb soils and habitats and then blame the plants that come to nourish and heal the bare earth. Mullein, as generous as ever, offers many gifts and virtues to humans. My hope is that fewer people see mullein as an unwanted guest and more as a bountiful herb that we are lucky to have.

🌿🐜🌼 Read more here: http://bit.ly/2TM5n7w 🌿🐜

The answer to this week's Herbal Trivia question is Corn Silk (Zea mays). "Derived from a common cultivated crop, the fresh stigmas of this herb are useful for irritation of the bladder and urethra with heat, inflammation and/or painful urination."

Corn Silk is a useful aquaretic and urinary antiinflammatory that is effective for irritation of the bladder and urethra with heat, inflammation and painful urination; cystitis, chronic urethritis, and deficient bladder yin conditions (interstitial cystitis, postmenopausal bladder irritation). Use it with Cleavers, Couch Grass, or stronger urinary antiseptics (uva ursi, pipsissewa) if indicated.

William LeSassier’s Bladder Salad: Bibb lettuce, freshly grated beet, parsley, and chopped corn silk. Eat a couple of times a day to strengthen the urinary tract.

This blog is intended as an informational guide. The remedies, approaches and techniques described herein are meant to supplement, and not be a substitute for professional medical care or treatment. They should not be used to treat a serious ailment without prior consultation with a qualified health care professional. Photo: Rasbak, own work. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.

Comfrey is a king among herbs 🤴👑 It’s curative powers and utility are truly amazing!

Here is what you need to know about it:
• Both leaf and root are medicinal. The root is stronger.
• It contains high levels of soothing mucilage.
• The slimy substance it soothing to irritated mucus membranes whether it be the digestive system, the urinary system, or the respiratory system.
• Comfrey contains an amazing compound called allantoin. Allantoin accelerates the division of the cells that form tissue and bone.
• The allantoin easily penetrates tissue so comfrey is even effective at healing bones when applied topically.
• Comfrey is excellent for bronchitis or stomach ulcers.
• It can be applied externally or taken internally.
• In Ancient Greece, Comfrey was used to relieve pain and swelling both internally and externally, as well as heal tissue.

History and Folklore:
Comfrey, an amazing herb that has been long used throughout history to heal wounds. Since 400 BCE, Greek physicians have used Comfrey to stop bleeding, treat bronchial problems, heal wounds and mend broken bones.

Check out our Comfrey Root Powder on our website
https://homegrownherbalist.net/product/comfrey-root-powder/

THE WORST WEEDS ARE YOUR BEST MEDICINE

Our reliance on so small a Pharmacopoeia has caused a number of problems to develop. Many once common herbs are now threatened or endangered species. As our materia medica shrinks, so do our options for treatment and the chances of adulteration increase.

Reasons:
• GMPs have made it much more costly to produce herbal products.
• Overharvesting has made some herbs scarce or expensive.
• Many popular Eclectic remedies are little-known and rarely used today.
• Many western trained medical practitioners are uncomfortable using herbs that have little or no research data, even though they have an extensive history of traditional and ethnobotanical usage.
• Herb users (layman and professionals alike) often find it much easier to give an “astringent” or an “adaptogen” assuming that herbs with the same generalized properties will have the same action.

Benefits:
Adventurous, hardy w**ds that are common throughout much of the USA and are abundant and easily procured:
• reduce herbicide use
• prevent habitat destruction due to invasive species of plants

Common and Weedy Plant #4:

Chicory (Cichorium intybus)
• A bitter tonic, cholagogue, a mild hepatoprotective agent and a rich source of FOS which acts as a prebiotic to help nourish the bowel flora.
• Benefits hepatic torpor, impaired fat digestion, biliousness, intestinal dysbiosis, dyspepsia, elevated blood lipids and a sluggish bowel.
• In human studies a Chicory root extract modestly improved arthritic symptoms such as pain and stiffness and regular consumption of Chicory coffee reduced blood and plasma viscosity, as well as inhibiting proinflammatory cytokines.

Photo: Marta Boroń, own work. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.

A couple of months ago, someone asked me to commission a poem for them.

Usually when I complete commissions, the poem does not belong to me (unlike requests) so I do not share it/print it etc. It is entirely for the personal use of whoever I have written it for.

However, with this particular commission, I was told I could keep the poem.

I didn’t want to share the whole thing as it was very personal and specific to their individual story. So I kept the first half and then changed the rest (as well as the title).

I love being out amongst the trees and nature. I think it calms us, grounds us and reminds us of the natural pace and circle of life.

And I think it also reminds us that the world is so much bigger than we notice day-to-day. And it holds so much that we’re yet to discover ✨💚