03/01/2020 / By Zoey Sky
A good prepper knows that even weeds shouldn’t be dismissed when SHTF. For example, broadleaf plantain (Plantago major) is a medicinal herb that can be used to make a healing salve for various skin conditions. (h/t to AskAPrepper.com)
And the broadleaf plantain is often found in your garden or backyard.
Sometimes called the “band-aid” plant, plantain has soothing and anti-inflammatory properties due to natural compounds called iridoids. Plantain also contains aglycone and aucubigenin, two compounds with antimicrobial properties.
Finally, plantain contains allantoin, a compound that promotes skin healing. Allantoin is a common ingredient in skin healing creams. It is used to treat dry, rough and itchy skin. The compound acts as an emollient that keeps skin moisturized, preventing dryness and irritation.
Plantain can be used to treat conditions such as:
Before using a plantain salve, consult your physician to check for possible allergic interactions.
When harvesting plantain, gather leaves from plants that haven’t been treated with pesticides. Look for plantain in a local forest or clean park.
Harvest leaves on a dry and sunny day and use a dry cloth to wipe any dirt from the leaves. Discard leaves with color changes or spots. You need to use healthy leaves for the salve.
Another option is to buy dried and clean plantain online or from herbal stores. (Related: A weed to some, plantain is a survivalist’s powerful medicine.)
After gathering or buying pesticide-free plantain leaves, follow the recipe below to make a healing plantain salve.
Ingredients for 1 cup of salve:
Equipment:
Preparation:
If you don’t have a slow cooker or crock pot, infuse the leaves and oil using another method. Grind the dry leaves, then submerge them in the oil. Set the mixture aside for four to six weeks in a dry place, then strain and add beeswax as outlined above.
Once you’ve confirmed that you can safely use plantain salve, try the recipe above to make a soothing natural remedy for various skin conditions.
Sources include:
Tagged Under: alternative medicine, anti-inflammatory, broadleaf plantain, Cures, emergency medicine, herbal medicine, Herbs, medicinal plants, natural medicine, plant medicine, plantain weed, prepping, remedies, survival, survival medicine, weeds
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