Remedies Home    A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

B

Backache:

• Arnica – Used externally only for aches, pains, and wounds. Poison if taken internally.
• Devil’s Claw – Used in teas and tonics internally and in poultices externally. It should not be used by women who are or may be pregnant.
• Feverwort – Used internally and externally in herbal medicine.
• Gentiana – Extremely bitter herb used for both internal and external problems. It may irritate persons who have ulcers and may also cause headaches, nausea, or vomiting.
• Horsemint – Leaves and flowering stems used in teas, tonics, and salves for various medical issues. Pregnant women should not use it.
• Milkweed – Though it can be toxic if not prepared properly, Milkweed was used as food and medicine, as well as in making cords, ropes, and coarse cloth. Warning: Milkweed may be toxic when taken internally without sufficient preparation.

Bed Wetting:

• Persimmon – Long used as food and in traditional medicine.
• Shavegrass – Used for centuries as a remedy for various medical conditions.
• Sumac – Viewed by some tribes as a sacred plant, Sumac was used for food and medicine.

Bladder Problems:

• Alfalfa – Utilized in teas or added to food for various medicinal remedies.  Avoid if you have an auto-immune problem.
• Goldenrod – Long used for various ailments.
• Goldenseal – Used internally and externally for medicinal issues. Pregnant women should not take it.
• Juniper – Used internally and externally for medicinal purposes. Pregnant women should not use this herb as it has been known to cause miscarriage.
• Lemongrass – Having anti-fungal properties, it has not only been used as herbal medicine but also as a pesticide and preservative.
• Native Hemlock – Used by Native Americans as a dye for tanning hides, making baskets and wooden items, as well as medicinal remedies.
• Oak – Acorns and bark are used for various medical ailments.
• Shavegrass – Used for centuries as a remedy for various medical conditions.
• Stoneseed – Seeds used for several medical ailments.
• Sumac – Viewed by some tribes as a sacred plant, Sumac was used for food and medicine.
• Uva Ursi – Used medicinally since the second century. Pregnant women should not use it.
• Wild Carrot – Used as both food and for health conditions.
• Wild Rose – Hundreds of species have been used medicinally for thousands of years.

Bleeding (to control):

• Green Tea – Made solely with the leaves of Camellia Sinensis, it is known for its many helpful properties.
• Native Hemlock – Used by Native Americans as a dye, for tanning hides, making baskets and wooden items, as well as medicinal remedies.
• Prickly Pear Cactus – Native Americans used the younger pads for food and teas, while mature pads were used in poultices.
• Sage – Used for thousands of years in cooking, and like other culinary herbs, it has long been thought to be a digestive aid and appetite stimulant.
• Shavegrass – Used for centuries as a remedy for various medical conditions.
• Stiff Goldenrod – Long been used to stop bleeding and other ailments.
• Witch Hazel – Widely used for medicinal purposes by American Indians.

Bloating:

• Ginger Root – Utilized as both a spice and medicine throughout the world.
• Lemon Balm – A calming herb used since the Middle Ages.
• Sage – Used for thousands of years in cooking, and like other culinary herbs, it has long been thought to be a digestive aid and appetite stimulant.
• Uva Ursi – Used medicinally since the second century. Pregnant women should not use it.

Blood Clotting:

• Alfalfa – Utilized in teas or added to food for various medicinal remedies.  Avoid if you have an auto-immune problem.
• Buckwheat – The fruit seed was used as food and in herbal remedies.

Blood Pressure (to lower):

• Buck Brush – Applies to several North American shrubs used in herbal medicine.
• Buckwheat – The fruit seed was used as food and in herbal remedies.
• Dong Quai – Used for over a thousand years to treat several conditions.
• Ginko Biloba – One of the most ancient trees, it has been used for food and medicine.
• Ginger Root – Utilized as both a spice and medicine throughout the world.
• Hibiscus – Various species used in traditional herbal medicines dating back to Roman times.
• Honeysuckle – Used in traditional herbal remedies for thousands of years.
• Juniper – Used internally and externally for medicinal purposes. Pregnant women should not use this herb as it has been known to cause miscarriage.
• Jiaogulan – Known for its many health-giving qualities and anti-aging effects.
• Mint – Dried leaves used in teas and food, found helpful in several remedies.
• Persimmon – Long used as food and in traditional medicine.
• Schisandra – A genus of shrub that has many medicinal uses.
• Wild Black Cherry – The dried inner bark was traditionally used in tea or syrups for several health problems.
• Wild Garlic – Used throughout its history for both culinary and medicinal purposes.
• Yellow Root – Though toxic in large doses, Native Americans made tea to treat several medical problems.
• Yerba Mate – A Holly species with a long history as a medicinal herb.

Blood Vessels – See Circulatory Health

Boils:

• Buffaloberry – Used as food and in herbal remedies. Overindulgence can cause severe problems, including death.
• Burdock – Roots, and leaves utilized internally and externally. Avoid if pregnant or nursing.
• Cattail – Utilized as food and in external and internal medical remedies.
• Dandelion – Used in both foods and internal and external medical remedies.
• Devil’s Claw – Used in teas and tonics internally and in poultices externally. It should not be used by women who are or may be pregnant.
• Fenugreek – Used internally and externally for various medicinal purposes.
• Chamomile – Commonly used in teas, it is best known to help with sleep.
• Greenbriar – Teas and salves used internally and externally.
• Marshmallow Root – Dating back thousands of years, this root has been used as food and medicine.
• Passion Flower – Has a long history of use among Native Americans and was adopted by early European colonists. Do not take passionflower if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
• Prickly Pear Cactus – Native Americans used the younger pads for food and teas, while mature pads were used in poultices.
• Pau d’arco – Long used for various conditions.
• Slippery Elm – The tree had many traditional uses by Native Americans.
• Tobacco – Long been important in Native American culture for social, religious, and ceremonial purposes, as well as medicinal remedies.
• White Pine –  The inner bark, young shoots, twigs, pitch, and leaves have long been used by Native Americans in medicinal remedies.
• Wild Yam – Traditionally used as food and medicine.

Bone Strength:

• Alfalfa – Utilized in teas or added to food for various medicinal remedies. Avoid if you have an auto-immune problem.
• Ashwagandha – The whole plant is used in numerous remedies. Caution is advised in the use of this plant since it is toxic.
• Chasteberry – Berries and flowers used in teas. Pregnant or breastfeeding women should not take Chasteberry.

Bowel Complaints and Disease:

• American Ginseng – Used in teas and tonics, it can be an effective laxative.
• Black Raspberry – Roots and leaves are boiled into tea or chewed, and washes are used externally.
• Boneset – Dried leaves are used in tea. Caution is advised as it is toxic and has side effects.
• Cascara Sagrada – Dried bark used in teas. The bark must be aged and dried thoroughly before use.
• Chokecherry – Used as a source of food and medicine, it was considered one of the most essential herbs in Native American medicine.
• Elder – Ripe elderberries are used as food and medicinal remedies.
• Garcinia Cambogia – Fruit rind is used in various remedies. Not recommended for those with diabetes, people suffering any dementia syndrome or pregnant and lactating women.
• Ginger Root – Utilized as both a spice and medicine throughout the world.
• Green Tea – Made solely with the leaves of Camellia Sinensis, it is known for its many helpful properties.
• Peppermint – In addition to flavoring, long been used in traditional medicine for its calming and numbing effects. It should not be used or given to infants or small children.
• Psyllium Seed Husk – A rich fiber supplement, long used primarily to improve digestion.
• Sweetflag – Has a long history of medicinal use in many herbal traditions.
• Valerian Root – Has been used as a medicinal herb since at least the time of ancient Greece and Rome.
• Wheat Grass – The result of centuries of cultivation, it is used for numerous medical conditions.

Breast Milk (to increase flow):

• Fennel – Seeds, leaves, and roots used in cooking and medicinal remedies.
• Milkweed – Though it can be toxic if not prepared properly, Milkweed was used as food and medicine, as well as in making cords, ropes, and coarse cloth. Warning: Milkweed may be toxic when taken internally without sufficient preparation.
• Star Anise – The fruit of a small tree with a licorice-like flavor long used in medicinal remedies.
• Sumac – Viewed by some tribes as a sacred plant, Sumac was used for food and medicine.

Breast Milk (to stop the flow):

• Sage – Used for thousands of years in cooking, and like other culinary herbs, it has long been thought to be a digestive aid and appetite stimulant.

Breast Soreness:

• Partridgeberry – Used for food and medical problems, primarily for women.
• Wild Ginger – Native Americans used the roots as a seasoning and medicinal herb.

Broken Bones:

• Buffaloberry – Used as food and in herbal remedies. Overindulgence can cause severe problems, including death.
• White Pine –  The inner bark, young shoots, twigs, pitch, and leaves have long been used by Native Americans in medical remedies.

Bronchial Infections/Problems:

• Bloodroot – Primarily used as a medicine for respiratory and digestive problems, it is also used externally. Today, we know it is toxic, and the FDA has classified it as unsafe.
• Cardinal Flower – Roots, leaf tea, and poultices were used internally and externally.
• Creosote Bush
• Echinacea – Roots were chewed, dried in tea, or pulverized for external use.
• Eucalyptus – Teas and ointments used for various purposes.
• Ginger Root – Utilized as both a spice and medicine throughout the world.
• Horehound – Whole plant used internally and externally. People with gastritis or peptic ulcer disorders should use it cautiously.
• Horsemint – Leaves and flowering stems used in teas, tonics, and salves for various medical issues. Pregnant women should not use it.
• Kola Nut – Long used in medicinal remedies, spiritual practices, and ceremonies. It should not be used by pregnant or nursing women or those with intestinal or stomach ulcers, blood pressure, insomnia, or heart disorders.
• Marshmallow Root – Dating back thousands of years, this root has been used as food and medicine.
• Licorice Root – Used as a flavoring in food and for herbal remedies.
• Plantain – Considered to be one of the nine sacred herbs by the ancient Saxon people and has a long history of use as an alternative medicine dating back to ancient times.
• Pleurisy Root – Long been found to be effective for many respiratory disorders.
• Rabbit Tobacco – Was thought to have had spiritual or mystic powers by many Indians.
• Senna – A large genus of flowering plants found to be helpful in many remedies.
• Slippery Elm – The tree had many traditional uses by Native Americans.
• Spearmint – Teas, poultices, and oils used internally and externally for several remedies.
• Wheat Grass – The result of centuries of cultivation, it is used for numerous medical conditions.
• White Pine –  The inner bark, young shoots, twigs, pitch, and leaves have long been used by Native Americans in medical remedies.
• Wild Black Cherry – The dried inner bark was traditionally used in tea or syrups for several health problems.
• Wild Garlic – Used throughout its history for both culinary and medicinal purposes.
• Wild Onion – Traditionally used as food and medicine.
• Wormwood – The leaves and flowering tops were gathered and dried to use in medicinal tonics.

Bruises:

• Arnica – Used externally only for aches, pains, and wounds. Poison if taken internally.
• Broom Snakeweed – Roots and leaves used in steam therapies, teas, and poultices.
• Catnip – Salves made from the leaves soothe bruises.
• Evening Primrose – Used for food and medicinal remedies, decoctions were used for internal and external ailments.
• Rabbit Tobacco – Was thought to have had spiritual or mystic powers by many Indians.
• Sage – Used for thousands of years in cooking, and like other culinary herbs, it has long been thought to be a digestive aid and appetite stimulant.
• Spearmint – Teas, poultices, and oils used internally and externally for several remedies.
• St John’s Wort – Most commonly known as an anti-depressant, it also has other medical uses.
• White Pine –  The inner bark, young shoots, twigs, pitch, and leaves have long been used by Native Americans in medical remedies.
• Witch Hazel – Widely used for medicinal purposes by American Indians.

Burns:

• Bloodroot – Primarily used as a medicine for respiratory and digestive problems, it is also used externally. Today, we know it is toxic, and the FDA has classified it as unsafe.
• Buck Brush – Applies to several North American shrubs used in herbal medicine.
• Chokecherry – Used as a source of food and medicine, it was considered one of the most important herbs in Native American medicine.
• Cattail – Utilized as food and in external and internal medical remedies.
• Cotton – Roots, leaves, and seeds have been used to treat many conditions.
• Greenbriar – Teas and salves used internally and externally.
• Lavender – Dating back to Roman times, Lavender has been used in teas, balms, food, and medicinal remedies.
• Mint – Dried leaves used in teas and food, found helpful in several remedies.
• Oak – Acorns and bark are used for various medical ailments.
• Pinon – Used so extensively by Native Americans that some tribes referred to it as the “tree of life.”
• Prickly Pear Cactus – Native Americans used the younger pads for food and teas, while mature pads were used in poultices.
• Rabbit Tobacco – Was thought to have had spiritual or mystic powers by many Indians.
• Sumac – Viewed by some tribes as a sacred plant, Sumac was used for food and medicine.
• Western Skunk Cabbage – Native Americans have long used this plant with a “skunky” as a topical medicine.
• Yellow Spined Thistle – Long been used by Native Americans in medicinal remedies.

Disclaimer:  These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and we make no medical claims nor intend to diagnose, treat, or heal medical conditions. Pregnant women or nursing or persons with known medical conditions should consult their physician before taking any herbal products.

Remedies Home    A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z