Herbal Medicine
The Sonoran Desert stretches over Ã?¼ of Arizona, California, Sonora Mexico and the Baja de California del Norte peninsula, and most of it doesn’t fit the perception of ‘Desert’ that TV and the film industry have given us. Most of the Sonoran is hardpan, with tough plants and animals fighting for life and water in the harsh climate.
A dove nesting in the safety of a Saguaro Cactus.
In Arizona the Sonoran has two rainy seasons, “The Monsoons” from December to March, and July through August. The rest of the year is dry, and summers the temperature can be over 120 degrees Fahrenheit. There are rarely hard freezes in the winter, making the Sonoran an ideal ‘retirement destination’ as well as a thriving citrus fruit industry. One can still pass acres of orange, lemon, lime and grapefruit orchards despite growing urbanization of portions of Arizona.
The diverse variety of plants yields herbals for food, clothes, and furnishings as well as medicines. The living Saguaro Cactus is a source of water for desert dwellers, and home to the Cactus Wren, who carves nests into the main body of the cactus.
The hole in this Saguaro is the entrance to a Cactus Wren nest.
The fruit of the Prickly Pear is edible, once you know how to prepare it. Prickly Pear cacti are immediately recognizable, their haphazard green pancake shapes loosely joined. Before Prickly Pear fruit can be eaten, the spines must be burned off and the skin peeled back to reach the edible portions. The fruit canbemadeinto a light, clear red jelly, which is used like any other fruit jelly.
The ‘skeletons’ of the saguaro and cholla can be used in one-of- kind decorations and furnishings. Chollas are commonly known as “Jumping cactus” because they cling to skin and clothing and break off the plant easily, as a form of propagation.
Once the dead cactus has completely dried and the wind has removed the majority if the dead matter, you can clean the ‘skeleton’ with a straw bristled scrub brush and old broom. Cleaning the inside can be done with a piece of scrap electrical wire that is longer than the piece you’re cleaning. Once it is clean, you can protect it with generous coats of old-fashioned Marine Spar Varnish.
Cholla skeleton au naturel.
ALWAYS REMEMBER, any herbal therapy should be used with the consent and cooperation of your family physician.
Two of the medicinal plants native to the Sonoran Desert are classified as weeds:
Amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriasis), commonly known as Pig Weed. The seed and leaves are an effective anti-diarrheal, Make Amaranth tea as follows:
Bring 3 cups of purified water to a rolling boil in a glass or enamelware pan. Add 2 teaspoons of Amaranth seeds. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes on low heat. Add 1 teaspoon of Amaranth leaves (if available) or let it steep for 30 minutes. Strain and drink 2 cups of the tea daily for diarrhea, profuse menstruation, excessive urination, and bloody stools. Used externally it is an excellent skin wash for acne, eczema, hives, and psoriasis.
Barley (Hordeum vulgare) is considered a weed, and is good for more than beer-making. As a decoction, tea, or poultice barley is soothing and healing. A decoction of barley is useful in added nutrition for those suffering throat and stomach problems, Barley water mixed with milk is soothing for digestive irritation, and the cooked grain itself makes an excellent poultice for sores and tumors.
The decoction is made by washing 2 oz. of barley with cold water and ball in 1 cup of cold water for a few minutes. Discard this water and boil the barley in 4 pints (64 oz total) water until the total volume is 2 pints. Strain and use as required, I would start with 1 teaspoon as needed and carefully adjust the dosage to find your personal effective dose.
Barley water is made by washing pearl barley in cold water. Boil I part barley with 9 parts water for 20 minutes and strain. The dose is from 1 to 4 oz. As needed. NOTE: Always start with the smallest, least frequent dosage, for safety.
Centaury (Centaurium erythraea, umbellatum, and Erythraea centaurium) is a traditional panacea, used to reduce fevers, strengthen flagging appetites, stimulation of digestive glands, anemia, and suppressed menstruation (NOT to be used if you think you may be pregnant). Taken internally over a long period of time it tends to help in losing weight. Externally, as a lotion it can remove skin blemishes such as freckles and spots.
For the Infusion pour a cup of boiling water onto 1 teaspoonful of the dried herb and leave to infuse. 5 minutes will give you a weak infusion, and 10 minutes a strong infusion. Drink one cup half an hour before meals.
A decoction is made by boiling 1 oz of Centaury herb in 20 oz of water for 20 minutes in a covered non-metal container. Dosage is from 1 to 4 ounces.
A small portion of my personal herbal stillroom.
RULES FOR HERBAL SAFETY:
1. Always label stored herbs by their common and scientific name, e.g. Comfrey Symphytum officianalis. This will prevent confusion because common names change from region to region, while scientific names are worldwide.
2. Always test any herbal on yourself first. Begin by touching the herb to your tongue, if there is itching, burning, or a taste that is ‘strange’, don’t use it, it may be dangerous or poisonous.
3. NEVER store, prepare, mix or dose herbals with anything metal, it will destroy the volatile oils that most often contain the medicinal qualities. Use glass, enamel over metal in flawless condition, or Pyrex-style containers. The only exception to this is the metal scissors or knife used to cut or chop the herbs.
4. Always start with the smallest and least frequent dose, just as in cooking, you can always add more later, but you can’t take it back out easily.
5. When administering an herbal to someone, always remain for at least a half hour, in case they have a reaction to it.
6. Always tell your doctor what herbs, or the person you are giving herbals to tell their doctors what herbs they are using because certain herbs shouldn’t be taken in specific situations and unless you own and know how to use the Herbals PDR it is safer for everyone that the doctor be in the know.
7. Store your herbals in glass containers with airtight seals away from sources of heat and light, so that their active principle is not destroyed.
REFERENCES:
Jeanne Rose’s Herbal Ã?© 1972 Jeanne Rose, GD/Perigee Books, ISBN 0-399-50944-5
Buckland’s Complete Book of Witchcraft Ã?© 1986 Raymond Buckland, Llewellyn Books, ISBN 0-87542-050-8
http://www.arizonanesis.com/sonoran, Sonoran Desert Naturalist
http://www.holistic-online.com , Holistic Online
http://healthy.net , Health World Online
