Centuries ago, healers were the wise women of the village, the healers and midwives who could halt a fever with a poultice or hasten the setting of bones by concocting medicinal tea. The lore of growing and gathering healing herbs has been passed down for hundreds of years. A learned healer knows which phases of the moon are best for planting seeds, how to plan your garden by the stars, and how to create spells for health and harmony. In the grand tradition, I learned at the knee of my aunt Edith, a very wise woman who would take me for walks through the woods and show me the uses and meanings of every flower, weed, and tree. From her, I learned that lovely Queen Anne’s lace is, in fact, wild carrot; that pokeberries make the finest blood-red inks; and which meadow greens and shade-loving mushrooms are safe for a noonday salad. I was in awe during our tromps through the woods, walking mule upon mile to map every acre and spy every specimen.

 Nature was our cathedral, our classroom, and our calendar. Every spring, we could mark April I by the blossoming of a solitary clump of delicate Dutchman’s breeches amid a raft of rarest wildflowers. I thought Aunt Edith was teaching me about plants and trees, only to discover years later that she had shown me the sanctity of life and passed on a legacy I now treasure and pass on to you.

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Cures From Your Kitchen

Many remedies can be made from what you have in the kitchen, from spices as well as plants.  Here are a few simple tried and tested recipes:

Nutmeg Milk

Grated nutmeg soothes diarrhea and upset tummies.  Use a nutmeg grater to grate a small amount (about 1/8 teaspoon) into warmed milk (cow, soy, rice, or oat milk).

Cayenne Infusion

Use this pepper as a remedy for colds, coughs, sore throats, heartburn, hemorrhoids, and varicose veins, or as a digestive stimulant and to improve circulation.  Make an infusion by adding ½ teaspoon cayenne powder to 1 cup boiled water.  Add 2 cups of hot water to make a more pleasant and palatable infusion.  Add lemon and honey to taste.

Easy Turmeric Detox

This spice is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial.  Turmeric is also a liver detox and curative for acne and common colds.  Make a turmeric tea by adding a teaspoon of the powder to 4 cups of boiling water.  Simmer over low heat until it dissolves, adding milk and honey to taste.

Cabbage Juice Curative

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This commonplace vegetable is a fantastic antibacterial and anti-inflammatory.  Cabbage can be used for stomach ulcers, arthritis, and swollen joints, or as a liver tonic.  To create a cabbage tonic, dilute 1 part cabbage juice with 2 parts water.  For swollen joints and arthritic pain, lightly crush a few green outer cabbage leaves with a rolling pin, and then lay them over the afflicted area with the inner side of the leaf on your skin, secured with a bandage.  Some prefer to boil the leaves, let them cool, and then apply.  Going to bed with a cabbage bandage on is also good, giving the leaf time to work its magic.

Lemon Water

Use this citrus fruit for colds and infections.  Add the fresh-squeezed juice to hot water with honey to taste.  For a fast sore-throat curative, use unsweetened lemon juice with warm water as an antiseptic gargle.