school marm
Veteran Member
China Connection posts a lot of interesting information on tropical and subtropical plants for food and medicine. But many of these won't work for those of us living in northern latitudes.
So here's one for you folks. It's called Usnea, and while perhaps not as versatile as moringa, it's a natural antibiotic and antifungal that a lot of people don't know much about. It's not something you would grow yourself, so there are no seeds to order. You go out and find it, bring it home, and prepare it in a tincture for greatest medicinal strength. But there are a lot of other ways to use it as well.
I wrote about it six months ago on my blog. I'll post the first part below. If you are interested in it, there are links for clicking on parts 2 and 3, which address making an Usnea tincture and the conditions it is used to treat (like tuberculosis and MRSA), post-collapse only, not when doctors and hospitals are available.
https://prepschooldaily.blogspot.com/2018/10/herbal-medicine-usnea-part-1.html
Monday, October 22, 2018
Alternative Medicine: Usnea--Part 1
Disclaimer. I am not a licensed health practitioner. This is just another post on an item you might wish to have available if needed so that a physician can treat you and your family as best as possible. No medication, including those available over the counter, should be taken without consulting a physician. Information shared here is for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not medical advice nor a substitute for licensed medical care. A qualified, licensed physician or other medical provider should be consulted before beginning any alternative or conventional treatment.
Some claim that Usnea, also known as old man's beard (among many other names) is "found everywhere." It most definitely is not. "Found everywhere" does not apply to deserts; indeed, Usnea favors moist environments. If you spend a lot of time looking, you may find some in the desert, but if someone's life is depending on it, it's going to take a long time to find enough. Usnea does not grow in cities. Which basically covers everywhere I grew up and where I live now, and probably where a lot of readers live. But if you happen to live where there's a bit more humidity in the air, and there are some orchards or forests, and outside of the city, you might just find some right at or near home. Otherwise you'll have to make a trip.
For those of you who still have one last hurrah of camping season to enjoy before winter sets in, be on the look out for Usnea. We gathered some ourselves earlier this month while camping at Lake Tahoe. Tempting as it is to pick it off the trees, try only to it gather from downed branches or trees. We really want to allow what's on the trees to continue growing. The Usnea lichens aren't actually making the tree sick (so you're not doing the tree a favor by picking it off); they are a sign that the tree is already sick. Plucking Usnea off the tree just isn't socially acceptable (among herbalists, obviously; the rest of the world could care less) --kinda like picking your nose in public. Of course, when gathering Usnea off the ground, don't pick up the stuff that's been all stepped on. At any rate, it shouldn't take more than half an hour to gather a grocery sack full of it. (Of course, it could take a lot longer--it all depends on the health of the trees in the area you're collecting.) That's probably the amount that you want, especially if you had to make a special trip to obtain it.
USNEA BARBATA | Herbs | Pinterest | Homeopathic remedies, Air pollution and Homeopathy
Usnea barbata. If this is what grows around you, you'll collect a lot very quickly.
General Creek Campground at Sugar Pine State Park • Lake Tahoe Guide
This is Sugar Pine Point State Park in California, where we collected our Usnea. Yes, all that lichen growing on the tree on the left is Usnea. It's not the barbata or longissima species, but it is definitely Usnea, and that is all that matters. In fact, Stephen Buhner, author of Herbal Antibiotics, thinks the smaller tufted varieties exhibit a bit more medicinal strength.
Why, actually, do we want this stuff as preppers? I thought you'd never ask.
Usnea is actually a top natural antibiotic, and not in the sense that "Oh, well, if I run out of the leftover or fish antibiotics I stored, then this might work...," but in the sense that this is what many people, including doctors, are turning to as a means of eliminating bacterial infections.
WOUND POWDER
First off, Usnea makes an excellent antibacterial wound powder. Simply sprinkle the powder on top of your wound and then cover with a bandage. That's it. Seriously.
OK, a little more info then. First off, you're probably going to want to be really sure you're actually getting the right stuff. After all, there are like six hundred-ish species of Usnea. They're all good for medicine, really. But some are nice and long, like the first picture, and some are small and tufted, like the lower picture. Some are grayish-green (first picture), and some are yellow-green (second picture). Apparently, you usually find only one kind and color of lichen on any given tree, but up at Bucks Lake this summer we found the longer gray-green and the shorter yellow-green varieties growing on the same trees. So if you're comparing what you've gathered with pics here or online elsewhere, you've probably gotten the right stuff.
But just to be sure, because we are using this for medicine, take a few minutes, say ten to fifteen, and soak a little bit of your Usnea in some warm water.
Then separate out one strand and hold each end between your thumb and forefinger. Now slowly stretch out the strand. It should be a bit like elastic, and it should go back into shape when you release it. If you stretch it so much that it snaps, you'll be able to see the inner white cortex, like a very fine white thread (OK, you should be able to see it if you don't need reading glasses yet). Usnea does this; Spanish moss does not. Usnea has a white cortex; Spanish moss has a black cortex.
To make your wound powder, place an ounce or so of Usnea (after removing other plant matter and debris) in a blender or coffee grinder and process until it is a powder. If you look closely, you will see that you have a very fine green powder (the outer sheath) and fine white threads (the inner cortex). Sift the Usnea through a fine mesh strainer to separate the powder from the cortex. This fine green powder is what you want for treating wounds. Don't throw the white threads away; they can be used for other medicine-making. (More on that in another post.)
You can either apply the powder directly to the wound and then cover it with a bandage; or you can put a layer of gauze down first. In rare instances, Usnea may cause contact dermatitis. If you experience any irritation, it's probably best to discontinue use immediately. The dressing should be changed daily. Within twenty-four hours you should see substantial improvement in the wound.
Package some of your Usnea in plastic straws to add to your medical kits.
Also, Usnea does not have to be made into a powder before applying it to a wound; the whole lichen can be applied directly. It does, however, take up a lot more space that way. Or you're banking on the idea that you will be able to find it when you need it. And that's something no self-respecting prepper would ever do.
Note. Usnea, in addition to its attraction to bacteria, also has a certain affinity for heavy metals such as found in car exhaust. So when collecting it, make sure you are at least 300 feet away from roads. When we're trying to help someone who is ill or injured, it kinda defeats the purpose to expose the patient to heavy metals. Just sayin'.
So here's one for you folks. It's called Usnea, and while perhaps not as versatile as moringa, it's a natural antibiotic and antifungal that a lot of people don't know much about. It's not something you would grow yourself, so there are no seeds to order. You go out and find it, bring it home, and prepare it in a tincture for greatest medicinal strength. But there are a lot of other ways to use it as well.
I wrote about it six months ago on my blog. I'll post the first part below. If you are interested in it, there are links for clicking on parts 2 and 3, which address making an Usnea tincture and the conditions it is used to treat (like tuberculosis and MRSA), post-collapse only, not when doctors and hospitals are available.
https://prepschooldaily.blogspot.com/2018/10/herbal-medicine-usnea-part-1.html
Monday, October 22, 2018
Alternative Medicine: Usnea--Part 1
Disclaimer. I am not a licensed health practitioner. This is just another post on an item you might wish to have available if needed so that a physician can treat you and your family as best as possible. No medication, including those available over the counter, should be taken without consulting a physician. Information shared here is for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not medical advice nor a substitute for licensed medical care. A qualified, licensed physician or other medical provider should be consulted before beginning any alternative or conventional treatment.
Some claim that Usnea, also known as old man's beard (among many other names) is "found everywhere." It most definitely is not. "Found everywhere" does not apply to deserts; indeed, Usnea favors moist environments. If you spend a lot of time looking, you may find some in the desert, but if someone's life is depending on it, it's going to take a long time to find enough. Usnea does not grow in cities. Which basically covers everywhere I grew up and where I live now, and probably where a lot of readers live. But if you happen to live where there's a bit more humidity in the air, and there are some orchards or forests, and outside of the city, you might just find some right at or near home. Otherwise you'll have to make a trip.
For those of you who still have one last hurrah of camping season to enjoy before winter sets in, be on the look out for Usnea. We gathered some ourselves earlier this month while camping at Lake Tahoe. Tempting as it is to pick it off the trees, try only to it gather from downed branches or trees. We really want to allow what's on the trees to continue growing. The Usnea lichens aren't actually making the tree sick (so you're not doing the tree a favor by picking it off); they are a sign that the tree is already sick. Plucking Usnea off the tree just isn't socially acceptable (among herbalists, obviously; the rest of the world could care less) --kinda like picking your nose in public. Of course, when gathering Usnea off the ground, don't pick up the stuff that's been all stepped on. At any rate, it shouldn't take more than half an hour to gather a grocery sack full of it. (Of course, it could take a lot longer--it all depends on the health of the trees in the area you're collecting.) That's probably the amount that you want, especially if you had to make a special trip to obtain it.
USNEA BARBATA | Herbs | Pinterest | Homeopathic remedies, Air pollution and Homeopathy
Usnea barbata. If this is what grows around you, you'll collect a lot very quickly.
General Creek Campground at Sugar Pine State Park • Lake Tahoe Guide
This is Sugar Pine Point State Park in California, where we collected our Usnea. Yes, all that lichen growing on the tree on the left is Usnea. It's not the barbata or longissima species, but it is definitely Usnea, and that is all that matters. In fact, Stephen Buhner, author of Herbal Antibiotics, thinks the smaller tufted varieties exhibit a bit more medicinal strength.
Why, actually, do we want this stuff as preppers? I thought you'd never ask.
Usnea is actually a top natural antibiotic, and not in the sense that "Oh, well, if I run out of the leftover or fish antibiotics I stored, then this might work...," but in the sense that this is what many people, including doctors, are turning to as a means of eliminating bacterial infections.
WOUND POWDER
First off, Usnea makes an excellent antibacterial wound powder. Simply sprinkle the powder on top of your wound and then cover with a bandage. That's it. Seriously.
OK, a little more info then. First off, you're probably going to want to be really sure you're actually getting the right stuff. After all, there are like six hundred-ish species of Usnea. They're all good for medicine, really. But some are nice and long, like the first picture, and some are small and tufted, like the lower picture. Some are grayish-green (first picture), and some are yellow-green (second picture). Apparently, you usually find only one kind and color of lichen on any given tree, but up at Bucks Lake this summer we found the longer gray-green and the shorter yellow-green varieties growing on the same trees. So if you're comparing what you've gathered with pics here or online elsewhere, you've probably gotten the right stuff.
But just to be sure, because we are using this for medicine, take a few minutes, say ten to fifteen, and soak a little bit of your Usnea in some warm water.
Then separate out one strand and hold each end between your thumb and forefinger. Now slowly stretch out the strand. It should be a bit like elastic, and it should go back into shape when you release it. If you stretch it so much that it snaps, you'll be able to see the inner white cortex, like a very fine white thread (OK, you should be able to see it if you don't need reading glasses yet). Usnea does this; Spanish moss does not. Usnea has a white cortex; Spanish moss has a black cortex.
To make your wound powder, place an ounce or so of Usnea (after removing other plant matter and debris) in a blender or coffee grinder and process until it is a powder. If you look closely, you will see that you have a very fine green powder (the outer sheath) and fine white threads (the inner cortex). Sift the Usnea through a fine mesh strainer to separate the powder from the cortex. This fine green powder is what you want for treating wounds. Don't throw the white threads away; they can be used for other medicine-making. (More on that in another post.)
You can either apply the powder directly to the wound and then cover it with a bandage; or you can put a layer of gauze down first. In rare instances, Usnea may cause contact dermatitis. If you experience any irritation, it's probably best to discontinue use immediately. The dressing should be changed daily. Within twenty-four hours you should see substantial improvement in the wound.
Package some of your Usnea in plastic straws to add to your medical kits.
Also, Usnea does not have to be made into a powder before applying it to a wound; the whole lichen can be applied directly. It does, however, take up a lot more space that way. Or you're banking on the idea that you will be able to find it when you need it. And that's something no self-respecting prepper would ever do.
Note. Usnea, in addition to its attraction to bacteria, also has a certain affinity for heavy metals such as found in car exhaust. So when collecting it, make sure you are at least 300 feet away from roads. When we're trying to help someone who is ill or injured, it kinda defeats the purpose to expose the patient to heavy metals. Just sayin'.
