Post by Okwes on Jul 2, 2006 17:05:02 GMT -5
TRADITIONAL MEDICINES The following is a list of some traditional medicines and how they were used.
Sweetgrass - Sweetgrass is burned in ceremonies and in the home. A braid of grass is burned and used to smudge oneself for the purpose of cleansing, purification, and to dispell negative thoughts and feelings. It it often referred to as Mother Earth's Hair. Sweetgrass grows in marshy areas to a height of about two and half feet. It is picked when it is still green, from late June to August. It is cleaned and hung in bunches to dry and is braided - often retaining its green colour.
Sage - The smoke of this plant can be used to purify your body and surrounding' and keep you in good health. It is used in ceremonies and in the home.
Wild Ginger Root - A piece of wild ginger root is boiled with water. The tea is used for heart palpitations, earaches, and coughs. It is also used for soothing sore joints and can be chewed on to soothe toothaches. Mix 1 root (4 inches) of Wild Ginger, bark from 4 sticks of Balsam, bark of 5 Straw Willow sticks, 5 cups water. Boil 10 to 15 minutes. Add 1/2 cup cold water. Drink when cool and take for 5 days. For earaches, the root was often pounded, steeped, and the liquid was poured into the ear. It was also taken as a contraceptive and for Venereal diseases.
Birch Roots - Birch roots were often used to relieve diarrhea. Mix 5 Birch roots with Gooseberry roots and 4 cups of water. Boil till colour of tea. Add 1 cup of cold water. Let cool. Drink 4 cups daily until diarrhea has stopped.
Moose Berry Willows - For infected eyes, peel bark off willows. Boil the bark in water for 2 minutes. Put drops in eyes when going to sleep.
Horsetail Weeds - Good for cramps, pains, and sore joints. Mix together Horse Tail weeds and Everlasting leaves. Wet ingredients with water and apply to sore joints. Keep covered with thin cloths and apply another cover of flannelette or wool. Apply more water every 4 hours to keep moist. Leave on for 24 hours. Change poultice every 24 hours until relieved.
Tamarack - Good for washing open wounds. Also good for poultice. Peel off bark and boil in water for approximately 4 hours. Make a poultice and apply to wound. Keep poultice wet. Can also be used on sores. Do not drink.
Rosebud - Boiled with water and strained to make tea. Used to prevent colds. Rosehip is picked in July.
Sweetgrass - Sweetgrass is burned in ceremonies and in the home. A braid of grass is burned and used to smudge oneself for the purpose of cleansing, purification, and to dispell negative thoughts and feelings. It it often referred to as Mother Earth's Hair. Sweetgrass grows in marshy areas to a height of about two and half feet. It is picked when it is still green, from late June to August. It is cleaned and hung in bunches to dry and is braided - often retaining its green colour.
Sage - The smoke of this plant can be used to purify your body and surrounding' and keep you in good health. It is used in ceremonies and in the home.
Wild Ginger Root - A piece of wild ginger root is boiled with water. The tea is used for heart palpitations, earaches, and coughs. It is also used for soothing sore joints and can be chewed on to soothe toothaches. Mix 1 root (4 inches) of Wild Ginger, bark from 4 sticks of Balsam, bark of 5 Straw Willow sticks, 5 cups water. Boil 10 to 15 minutes. Add 1/2 cup cold water. Drink when cool and take for 5 days. For earaches, the root was often pounded, steeped, and the liquid was poured into the ear. It was also taken as a contraceptive and for Venereal diseases.
Birch Roots - Birch roots were often used to relieve diarrhea. Mix 5 Birch roots with Gooseberry roots and 4 cups of water. Boil till colour of tea. Add 1 cup of cold water. Let cool. Drink 4 cups daily until diarrhea has stopped.
Moose Berry Willows - For infected eyes, peel bark off willows. Boil the bark in water for 2 minutes. Put drops in eyes when going to sleep.
Horsetail Weeds - Good for cramps, pains, and sore joints. Mix together Horse Tail weeds and Everlasting leaves. Wet ingredients with water and apply to sore joints. Keep covered with thin cloths and apply another cover of flannelette or wool. Apply more water every 4 hours to keep moist. Leave on for 24 hours. Change poultice every 24 hours until relieved.
Tamarack - Good for washing open wounds. Also good for poultice. Peel off bark and boil in water for approximately 4 hours. Make a poultice and apply to wound. Keep poultice wet. Can also be used on sores. Do not drink.
Rosebud - Boiled with water and strained to make tea. Used to prevent colds. Rosehip is picked in July.