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Post by wanderer on May 23, 2008 9:57:11 GMT -5
Today's Indian Country News has an article about SDSU (S. Dak. State U) and the discovery that an herbal tea used ast Sisseton may at least be a partial cure for the common cold. It appears that this tea is especially effective in curing sore throats caused by bacterial infections. Does anyone know which of the herbal teas they might be talking about? And do you know of more Indian herbal remedies that we might share? Wanderer
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Post by hermin1 on May 23, 2008 10:12:32 GMT -5
here are some Greek Remedies: chamomile Tea i is a carminative . it is good for flu, fevers andchills, PMS, colic in children and adults. dandelion tea: reduces blood sugar and is a diruretic.
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Post by BIG JON on May 23, 2008 10:52:13 GMT -5
WHEN I WAS A KID WE ALWAYS USED TO HARVEST INDIAN TEA (THATS WHAT WE CALLED IT)...I THINK IT IS CALLED CATNIP NOW (IT GROWS WILD ALL OVER SOUTH DAKOTA)...AND IT IS A VERY GOOD TEA...IT IS IN THE MINT FAMILY...I HAVE A PATCH IN MY GARDEN (ALONG WITH 4 OTHER TYPES OF MINT)....BUT I DO KNOW THAT IT IS AN HERBAL REMEDY (ALTHOUGH IT MIGHT NOT BE THE TEA REFERRED TO IN THE ARTICLE)...THERE ARE ALSO OTHER MINTS LIKE PEPPERMINT INDIGENOUS TO OUR STATE...SO MANY THINGS THAT CAN BE MADE INTO TEA...THE BARK OF TREES, SOME FLOWERS AND CERTAIN HERBS...BERRIES AND GRASSES...MOSSES AND MUSHROOMS...IT COULD BE ANY OF THEM...IF YOU HAVE A SCIENTIFIC NAME YOU CAN GOOGLE IT...AND LET US KNOW...WE'RE INTERESTED!
JON
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Post by hermin1 on May 23, 2008 16:02:57 GMT -5
BIgJon: My mom also would make a treea out of the Sage. but i don't know what it is good for? My mom would never tell me, allshe would say is its good for what ails you. haha do the Indians use Sage Tea for anything?
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Post by hermin1 on May 23, 2008 16:04:00 GMT -5
what is the name of the herb the tea in the article is made from?
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Post by hermin1 on May 24, 2008 12:42:47 GMT -5
My mom also mentioned the common Plantain having antibacteril and antiinflammatory properties. apparently it grows in Greece, also.
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Post by Vicky on May 24, 2008 17:47:47 GMT -5
Hey wanderer, I also saw the article by SDSU and it is a shame they did not name the herb. There is much good info on the net about Native American herbalism. (Just Google it) There are also some good books out there. I wonder if the herb referred to in the article you mentioned is the following- si?kpe t'awote ["muskrat's food"] (calamus) . It is "used for colds, sore throat, toothache." Holy Dance noted that it is also used "to make dogs mean [i.e., better watchdogs, although others report a calming effect at lower dosages]. But too much makes them crazy. It comes from the Sisseton Reservation, or from Minnesota. You go in water up to your hips, where the cattails grow. You can smell it. The smell leads you to it. It is good for infection in the tonsils and it helps singers. You can talk and sing better if you chew on a piece of it, like if you are going to make a long speech. Suck it or powder it and drink it." From this web site- nativemedicineplants.com/plants.htmlBig Jon, I have a large patch of catnip in my yard also. We are the kitty party house of the whole neighborhood. All the cats come over, get loaded and lay around for awhile before stumbling on home. :-)
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sisco
Full Member
Posts: 107
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Post by sisco on May 25, 2008 0:40:05 GMT -5
I know of Sinkpe'tawote and u make a tea of it. Yes actually the muscrates would dive deep and bring the root up. Then there is Bear Root and it is harvested in the high country and has a very limited time that u can harvest it. The time span sorta reminds me of hunting the morel mushroom. It also is used to make a tea, the Sinkpe'tawote can also be broken off and small amount placed in mouth and use like chew. Both of these herbs are medicinal.
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Post by wanderer on May 26, 2008 10:24:58 GMT -5
Vicky-- I thing you are on to something! My cousin from Rosebud told me of a root that grows in shallow water on the Sisseton Reservation. She called it "Bitter Root", and described it almost exactly as you do. She says it doesn't grow on the more arid reservations with no marshy terraine. I wonder if it is the same root that my father, who was operatically trained, was given by a lady from Acoma Pueblo. He had a severe case of laryngitis and was faced with concelling a performance until the woman brought him a small piece of a dark root that he described as "incredibly bitter". However, after chewing it..and making some of the most remarkable faces you have ever seen, the laryngitis disappeared entirely! The are permanent marshes on the Acoma Reservation..in deep, shaded crevasses in the lava fields that are so abundant in that part of New Mexico. Muskrats live in some of the pools, and conceivable, the same root as is found at Sisseton might there also. Thanks for the lead. wanderer
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Post by hermin1 on May 26, 2008 11:22:56 GMT -5
here's a remedy guaranteed to kill germs: boil a Banana Pepper in some water until the water gets syrupy. Let it cool down and store in a sterile glass jar in the frig. I fyou feel a cold or sore throat coming on,tkae a tablespoon about every 4-6 hours. No god-fearing germ can survive the heat it generates in your throat and gullet. commoon licorice has a dilating and antihistamine effect . do not be taking antihistamines or antihypertensive drugs if you are going to chew this.
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Post by wanderer on May 27, 2008 9:48:13 GMT -5
In following up the leads Vicky provided, it appears that the root is also known as "Water Smartweed". Its' scientific name is "Polygonum amphibiens". Now, if I only knew how acquire some!
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Post by hermin1 on May 27, 2008 10:49:51 GMT -5
i tried to Google the name. The web site came up in french. it mentions the word poissons in the description of the plant. My reference: medical botany says that the water smarteed is poisonous to man and may be fatal to cattle. The leaves contain @7 percent oxalic acid which is very caustic. the plant part floats on top of the water in ponds and strems.
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