Medicine from Native Americans

Last week I wrote about natural plants that Native Americans used for diseases and wounds. This week I will focus on plants Native Americans shared with the earliest colonists.

Much information was transmitted by each group to the others. Cherokee Indians were some of the most open people to meet with the Europeans.

Now remember that Cherokee people lived between the Appalachian Mountains and the lowlands of eastern United States. A moderate climate, with plenty game and rivers for fish, gave Cherokee a great place to live. The nation thrived for centuries.

Here are a few of their treatments. If someone developed an upset stomach, they used blackberry tea for curing diarrhea and soothing swollen tissues and joints. An all-nature cough syrup to heal sore throats could be made from blackberry root mixed with honey or maple syrup. To soothe bleeding gums, they would chew leaves. This plant was also good for strengthening the whole immune system.

Cherokee and other Native American tribes considered rosemary sacred. They used it mostly as an analgesic for alleviating sore joints. This herb improves memory, relieves muscle pain and spasm, and helps the circulatory and the nervous systems. It also improves the immune system and treats indigestion. Quite a Miracle Drug!

Cherokees used to make a mint tea to soothe digestion problems and help an upset stomach. They also made a salve from the leaves to relieve itching skin and rashes.

Cherokees also made a mild tea from twigs and black gum bark to relieve chest pains.

A similar plant was used for treating mouth and throat conditions as well as cysts, fibroid tumors and inflammation. Hummingbird Blossom or Buck Brush could be made into a poultice to help treat burns, sores, and wounds. A diuretic that stimulates kidney function was also made by using the roots of this plant. This plant was used by early pioneers as a substitute for black tea. Recent studies have shown that hummingbird blossom is effective in treating high blood pressure and lymphatic blockages.

Healers used wild ginger for treating earache and ear infections. They also made a mild tea from the rootstock for stimulating the digestive system and relieving bloating. It also helps with bronchial infections and nausea.

Throughout the south, Native Americans used the inner bark of slippery elm trees to fashion bow strings, rope, thread and clothing. Tea was made from the bark and leaves was used to soothe toothaches, respiratory irritations, skin conditions, stomachache, sore throats and even spider bites.

Honeysuckle, abundant throughout the South, was used as a natural remedy by Native Americans for asthma, but it has multiple healing purposes, including rheumatoid arthritis, mumps, and hepatitis. It also helps with upper respiratory tract infections, such as pneumonia.

What an amazing selection of medicinal goods can be found in our yards and woods. I wonder if they would work on us.