When I was a kid, my grandmother on my father's side was a source of hilarity - her strong German accent and odd habits was fascinating to us kids, and she would do fun things like make us grass skirts out of banana leaves and give us vinegar to douse our mosquito bites, and wash her hair in the rain. I'm sure many of the things she did she did to entertain us kids. Now she's long gone there's so many things I want to learn from her, but I'm glad she taught the value of a few simple herbal remedies, such as nettle infusion, chamomile rinses for eyes and tea for sleep, and calendula lotion, although she'd make it with lard, as that was what was more readily available at the time.
That was what she would have grown up with, and would have learnt from her mother and her mother before that. Then, of course, pharmacies came along, and everyone lost The Knowledge in favour of recommended creams and drugs produced by big companies that churned them out by the millions.
It's so important to me that I teach my grandchild at least a thing or two about plants. I wonder if he'll see me as the crazy grandmother. I don't mind if he does. But if in twenty years time he gets a splinter and thinks: oh, Grandma used to use plantain to draw them out, so I'll give that a go, I'll be happy.
That's what I'm pondering now, as I poultice the puncture wound on my foot. This morning I checked the wound after a few days of it being covered with a suturing bandaid and a gauze. A slight pressure to either side and pus oozed out. No wonder my foot was swollen. I'd been keeping an eye out for more serious signs of infection and consuming a lot of echinacea, vitamin c and zinc for my immune system to fight it, but clearly the wound was struggling a little.
It's Sunday, too, so despite my mother's concern and her begging me to go back to the doctors, I knew there was this one thing I could do before then.
One of them is plantain, and thats the herb I most tell people about, even though they look at me as if I'm as crazy as my Nana. But it works, I insist, listing all the personal anecdotes where it has for us - the sinus operation pain for Jamie, soothed by tea made from roadside plantain on a trip to NSW, the strong plantain tea when I've had a cough, the cut in the garden beginning to close up in half an hour from a plantain leaf chewed and held in place.
So, whilst Jamie's at a car swap meet, I hop into the garden (literally) and collect plantain, hop back inside, wash the area surrounding the wound with plantain tincture, and chew some leaves before poulticing my foot liberally. Whilst the most painful part of this process for me was sitting still, the rest was easy - and free.
After about half an hour, I checked the wound again and plantain was certainly doing what it was meant to be doing -it had drawn out a black thing - perhaps a splinter or a piece of dirt - that the doctor's administrations had clearly missed. Another half an hour, and the wound had healed more than four days with a bandage had done. Plantain has that power to draw out infection. It contains polyphenols and plantamajoside, major compounds for wound healing. It's meant to reduce inflammation, block microbial growth, and relieve pain. It'll also 'stitch' together the wound and keep it moist at the same time.
As much as I'm sure you'd love to see chewed up green stuff on my foot (gross), I'll spare you that visual.
But that's all you do - chew the leaf, pop on your foot, and wait.
So for kids, this is the easiest thing in the world to do for cuts, scrapes and splinters.
I remember teaching a friend's eight year old that very thing. She was utterly fascinated, and the next time I saw her, she told me she'd been teaching her friends about it, and they'd been using it if they got stung by ants or mosquitos. She told me her Dad had drawn out a splinter with it too.
That made me so pleased.
So if you have kids, give it a go. It's an easy one to spot - and hard to mistake for anything else. Do your research, and pass it on to your little ones.
A little less dependency on pharmaceuticals and their associated costs is a valuable thign to pass on.
Thanks, Nana.
And my foot? Unwrapped cautiously in the morning, I find there is nothing to report - there is no weeping, no pus, and no redness. The wound is healing from the inside out. Placing my foot on the floor, I find I can stand on it. It's tender, but I can stand.
A Christmas miracle.
With Love,
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This is so sad, although I believe we're seeing masses of people loosing confidence in commercial medicine and have been seeking the old methods of healing, through herbs, roots and traditional medicine.
I was so hoping for a photo, but hey, it's your foot. I don't HAVE to see green mush smeared all over your foot. I'll just have to visualize it.
Simply amazing. A plant that many consider a weed, aiding your body to heal the way it was designed to, without having to amputate.
Oh yes not amputating was a total bonus!
Yes I think people are slowly returning to natural plants. So many people I speak to want to learn!
I love all the plantains so much! Super potent medicinals! We have Plantago major here, and when I make my medicinal teas, it goes in every time! Amazing plant! So much plant knowledge has been lost and hidden! It is so important to learn and share this knowledge! Thank you @riverflows! I always appreciate your posts so much! πππβ¨π€
You are welcome and yes it's such an overlooked one.. so unassuming! Yet so powerful and IT WORKS...
Indeed. Most people don't even notice it! Every time I see it, however, I'm super happy! Yes, it is very potent! π π π β¨ π€
So sorry about the wound on your leg. It'll heal soon.
Wow.
I never knew the medicinal importance of plantain leaf.
That's informative and life saving.
Your Nana did the best to the world right now, from you doing it, teaching your grandchild and telling us about it.
Thank you very much for sharing this.
Very interesting, in my country the plantain is cultivated a lot, I really did not know that it was useful for wounds, thank you for such valuable information.
!PIZZA
I hope you remember to use it. You are welcome!
A lovely πΉ procedure to heal wound. I'll try it out when nest I get injured. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Oh yes don't forget!
Pretty informative
That's a nasty injury. Good thing you have all that knowledge about plants and herbs for healing so you can hopefully avoid the nasty medications. I hear that tart cherry is good for inflammation, if you have available the juice or supplement. The silver lining is that you can use yourself as a test subject for the knowledge your grandmother passed on and refine her methods. Get well soon!
Oh yes she never really talked to me about it much, she just did it and used it. Now I just have the memories as inspiration...
Wow! What an amazing healing power does this plant bring. We don't have this kind of plant here in Cebu.
During my childhood days, we used the malungay (own dialect) or the horseradish to stop the bleed of an opening wound. It is really effective.
Excellent -- a new one to add to my knowledge ...
Oh you will love it.
My nana was using Comfrey leaves, as I did after breaking elbow. It has the same healing effect as plantain, only wrapped leaves around the wounded spot.
Especially is good with swelling, now I can add plantain on the list.
Thank you.π
He he. Oh yes my Nana used comfrey as poultice too! We thought she was mad!
Hahahah, now we are all mad. :D
Get well soon, any scientific name of the plant ? Google knows this much :
Plantago lanceolata.. look at narrow leaved plantain
Seems not available where I live, because this needs high altitude.
Oh no it doesn't need high altitude!
Nice one! So hopefully will not be too long before your back in the surf.
I went in two days ago!!!
God bless us every one π hopefully you realize I know you enough to hope you will appreciate that as a literary reference and not a religious one haha. I agree on passing on a strong appreciation of nature to the next generations π I try to get my kids out in nature as much as possible.
I honestly think that is the best thing you can pass on to them! Love of nature saves us x
I've been wondering about that cut. Good info about the ubiquitous plantain. I'll remember that it draws out splinters. Boy do I ever wish I knew that sooner!
Oh yes you'll fall on love with this one!!! And life has more splinters for you, don't worry ππ±
Aha, so THAT's what you call a plantain! Yet another plantain I get to hear about. Over here what's described as such is the cooking banana, and back in Hungary there is a tree Platanus Γ acerifolia known by the same name. The plant you're talking about, Plantago lanceolata, I've known as Ribwort. - Thank
Oh RIBWORT yes!!!!! Alot of people associate it with the banana, I forget that. π
It 's a pity that not any studies has been made about the effect of Plantain infusion
on Covid infection. It could have saved thousands of life.
Oh yes I wonder about that! It's certainly good for lung inflammation and I must make sure I try it again next time I get sick.
The seeds from plantain psyllium are called Isabgol in Marathi and in Sanskrit called Aswakarna (Like horse ear) or Sheetabeeja (cooling seeds) In Ayurvedic medicine, it is used for the digestive system both for constipation and mild diarrhea. Reduce high cholesterol, and helps diabetes type 2. I had seen them here growing wild during the summer season. But not In India where I come from these plants like cold climates. Was good it helps you with your foot injury get well soon take care. greetings ππ
That's awesome to hear!!! Thanks!!
Back to nature is the way to go
@riverflows
@ironshield nominated you for a prize in the draw
!ALIVE
Awesome and thanks for passing on some of The Knowledge ;)
Yay, hope you think you use it at some point!
We don't have them around here but it's now filed away in my brain for future use regardless. π
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Yay! She's mobile again! Very cool post on Plantain. I'd add that you were using the narrow leaf but the wide leaf is also good. I have both here.
Did I not say that? Bugger. It doesn't matter which one you use that's for sure but I use plantago lanceolata. Do you use it for anything?
I used to have a big bed of it in the New Herb garden. Mostly I dehydrated it for use with the layers. I hope to grow a bed of it this year again.
Plantain has always resonated with you.... and I'm so glad the wound is healing. It's remarkable how things heal when we simply provide them with rest, plants and enough space and time. People included. π
Plantain, huh? I should get some for my fledgling garden.... Any particular species you recommend, or are they all good for the uses you write?
Edit: just saw your reply to another comment: Plantago lanceolata
Awesome
Yes that's the one. Commonly found as a roadside weed!
The seeds of this plant are also valuable.
There are two types of this plant, one with long thin leaves and one with broad. Both have similar properties.