Conscious Choice: Summer Remedies

July 1996 | Herbs for Health

Summer Remedies

by Meg McGowan

While we spend the winter attempting to protect ourselves from nature, summer invites us to expose ourselves to the elements, to revel in the sensual pleasures of the sun, the breeze, the sea, the earth, and we accept. We do not always emerge from these encounters unscathed. Whether our passions induce us to bike, hike, swim, or blade through the great outdoors, whether we kneel sedately in the dirt as we weed or get flung down upon it by a flying tackle, injuries are inevitable.

As the season often offers its own remedies, a fledgling herbalist will find ample opportunity to practice herbal first-aid. Most summer mishaps are minor, allowing the novice to start simply—or simply start. Instead of stocking up on the usual summer supplies advertised at the drug store, herbalists should search for knowledge before bargains. The moment of crisis is usually not conducive to study.

In the spirit of thinking ahead, then, let’s begin with prevention, in the form of insect repellent. You may have heard that the essential oil of both peppermint (Mentha spp.) and lemon balm (Melissa officianlis) can be used as insect repellents. Use two to three drops of peppermint essential oil diluted in water, or combine five milliliters of lemon balm essential oil with 100 grams of an ointment base. The resulting mint wash also refreshes when applied with a spray bottle.

Lemon balm ointment, which does double duty as an after bite remedy, can also be purchased ready-made. Oil of pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium) and citronella are two other excellent insect repellents. Fresh basil (Ocimum basilicum) leaves rubbed on insect bites provide instant relief—a good excuse to pot up a few plants, especially since unused portions are delightful with wedges of mozzarella cheese and tomato. Slices of raw onion also can relieve pain caused by stinging insects; add onions to your garden, too.

The misery produced by poison oak or poison ivy can be alleviated by covering the affected area with a bandage soaked in equal parts strong white oak (Quercus alba) bark tea and lime water. Split an Aloe (Aloe vera) leaf (or purchase gel) and apply the juice or gel directly to the skin. The salve may be supplemented by consuming an aloe drink three times a day. Combine up to two teaspoons aloe juice with water or fruit juice. Both internal and external applications are also recommended for other skin afflictions including sunburn, heat rash, and bug bites.

Even without bug bites, too much sun and heat can cause discomfort. To treat headaches and migraines that result from overheating, try a cup or two of peppermint tea and a short rest in a darkened room. Massage into your temples two to three drops of peppermint essential oil diluted in 25 ml of almond, wheatgerm, or sunflower oil (carrier oils).

Alternatively, chew and swallow fresh mint leaves. Spearmint (Mentha spicata) is most commonly found in gardens, and, though it is not as potent as peppermint, the two kinds of mint are generally interchangeable. Caution should be used when administering mints to children. Being milder, spearmint is preferable, but do not give any mints to children for an extended period of time (more than a week); and do not use to treat infants.

Lavender (Lavendula spp.) can be used to treat both headaches and sunburn. Add two to three drops of lavender essential oil to a teaspoon of carrier oil. Massage into temples and the base of the skull for headaches, or smooth over minor burns, including sunburn. Lavender tea is also useful for treating headaches. Distilled witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) and St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) infused oils cool burns as well.

Aches and sprains often result from vigorous indulgence in activities that have not been indulged in, vigorously or otherwise, since last summer. Fomentations or compresses wrung out of hot wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), comfrey (Symphytum officinale), or tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) tea hasten healing of swelling, bruises, and sprains. Fomentations are applied externally—consuming these herbs poses potential hazards.

The process of preparing a fomentation is not difficult. A towel is saturated in herbal tea as hot as can be tolerated (but not so hot that the condition is compounded by a scald), then laid over the injured area. A flannel cloth should cover the towel, which is, in turn, covered by a heating pad or hot water bottle. Comfrey can be rubbed into affected areas in the form of a cream or infused oil. Arnica (Arnica montana) cream is also effective for sprains and bruises; it should not be used on broken skin. Make sure skin is clean before applying creams, ointments, or oils. Bathing the area in mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) tea is ideal; hydrogen peroxide is acceptable. The benefits of a hot bath for aching muscles are enhanced by adding five drops of thyme (Thymus vulgaris) or juniper (Juniperus communis) essential oil. After the bath, rub muscles with a liniment made with equal parts of eucalyptus, bay, and rosemary oils. If available, add one-quarter part lobelia oil.

Scrapes, cuts, and splinters can be the visible signs of a summer well spent—but they still require treatment. Amaranth (Amaranthus hybridus var. erythrostachys) tincture or Tienchi (Panax notoginseng) powder can be applied directly to stop bleeding. Keep wounds clean and treat them with calendula cream (Calendula officinallis) or chamomile ointment (Chamaemelum nobile or Matricaria recutita) to speed healing and prevent infection. Should infection occur, a poultice may be used to draw it out. Poultices are usually warm and moist, made by moistening powdered or granulated herbs with hot water or herbal tea. Spread the prepared herbs over the wound or injury, and wrap with a cloth bandage to hold in place. A thin layer of oil on the skin will help to prevent herbs from sticking to body hair. One of the best poultices for infected wounds is made by combining one-third portion lobelia to two-thirds portion of slippery elm bark (Ulmus fulva). Some poultices may be applied cold, those made with fresh herb leaves or freshly grated potato, carrot or apple. A carrot poultice can be applied to cleanse old sores.

Remember, if symptoms persist without improving, or worsen, consult a professional health care provider.

Ginger (Zingiber officinalis) capsules should be kept on hand for anyone who suffers from motion sickness. Sipping ginger tea is effective (steep one teaspoon freshly grated ginger in one cup boiling water), as is chewing crystallized ginger. Conversely, an herbal medicine chest should also contain ipecac, an herbal syrup that can be found in most drugstores, or lobelia (Lobeloa inflata), either of which will induce vomiting in cases of accidental poisoning. Call a poison control center before using either substance, however; you should never induce vomiting when the substance swallowed is caustic.

After a while, any discussion of herbal remedies begs the question, “What is an herb?"—especially when one starts tossing around ideas for onions, apples, carrots, and potatoes. Some favor a strict definition whereupon herbs are separated from spices depending on what part of the plant is used and where it grows. In this column I will invite all useful plants to join our party so we can use the art and science of herbal lore to make the best use of the gifts that nature gives us. There is a certain satisfying synchronicity in learning to use Nature’s own remedies during the season in which we are most closely allied with her.

DISCLAIMER: Choosing a holistic approach to medicine means choosing personal responsibility for your health care. Herbs for Health offers a doorway through which to enter the realm of herbal healing, an invitation to further investigation on the part of the reader. It is in no way intended as a substitute for advice from a health care practitioner.

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