Top 15 Healing Weeds: Could Mother Nature Save Your Life During A Disaster?

Natural remedies commonly found in the woods throughout the United States, and in many backyards, just might be able to save your life during a disaster or outdoor accident. Healing weeds have been used for centuries to treat wounds and illness.

Folks with a desire get back to a simpler and cleaner way of life are rediscovering the many beneficial properties of healing weeds and wild plants. Learning how to identify the bounty found in the woods is essential, using healing weeds and wild plants should never be a guessing game. Plucking the wrong weed from the forest, or grabbing a roadside plant which has been sprayed with chemical fertilizer could cause intense harm or possibly even death to the user.

Unlike shopping for produce at the grocery store, freshness is not essential when dealing with healing weeds and plants. They can be air-dried or dehydrated and stored in a sealed container for use many years into the future.

Top 15 Healing Weeds and Herbs

1. Cleavers – The weed grows abundantly along abandoned parking lots, old pavement, and at the edges of cultivated farmland. The whole plant has been used to promote healthy lymphatic activity, Rugged Life reports. It is also used to treat PMS symptoms, swollen breasts on nursing mothers, and as a topical treatment for skin allergies.
2. Plaintain – The dark green healing weed has often been used to help with a whole host of stomach disorders. It has been known to aid in the treatment of various digestion problems, ulcers, and heartburn. When used topically, plaintain may help heal minor abrasions, itchy insect bites, and prevent the spread of infection from venomous snake bites.
3. Dandelion – Don’t cut the yellow flowering weeds when mowing the lawn – they boast far too many useful benefits to be cast aside carelessly. Dandelions are a great source of vitamins A, C, D, and B complex, Gardening Know How reports. The wild edible has been used to help treat PMS symptoms, the common cold, as a cure for warts, and to stimulate the digestive tract.
4. Sow Thistle – The weed has frequently been used by natural remedy fans for treating inflammation and digestive issues. The leaves of the weed boast high levels of calcium, niacin, vitamins A and C, as well as iron and riboflavin. Sow thistle leaves can be used in salads as a preventive measure to help ward off digestion problems.
5. Goldenrod – This is one of the most popular wild edibles in the world. Goldenrod was extensively used by Native Americans to treat respiratory problems. Natural remedy users have also consumed the healing weed to help fight diabetes and tuberculosis – and used topically as a wound healer. Dried goldenrod leaves calm also be steeped into a tea many believe help calm the nerves and relieve anxiety.
6. Usnea – After being boiled for about 25 minutes, mixed with a high-proof alcohol, and allowed to sit in a jar for six weeks, the healing weed is used as a powerful antibiotic. Many users believe the tincture can stop infection from spreading anywhere in the body.
7. Stinging Nettles – This healing weed must be handled carefully and the barbs removed and boiled before consumption. Conditions stinging nettles are commonly used to treat include asthma, acid reflux, celiac disease, urinary tract infections, colitis, gout, tendonitis, Alzheimer’s, and fibromyalgia.
8. Feverfew – This weed from the daisy family is commonly found in livestock pastures, nd along the sides of sidewalks and roads. It has been used to help relieve migraine and headache pain, as well as arthritis.
9. White Clover – The clover, which can also be steeped into a medicinal tea, has commonly been used as a natural remedy for bronchial and respiratory problems, as well as for a blood purifier. It has high levels of vitamins A, B2, B3, C, E, chromium, magnesium, potassium, and calcium.
10. Yarrow – The weed is also commonly referred to as “devil’s nettle.” It grows nearly out of control in large patches in backyards and slightly sunny spots in the woods. It has been added to salads due to its delicious pepper-like flavor. When the oil of the weed is crush and allowed to drip onto the skin it is can be used to help slow the bleeding of wound and as a natural insect repellent.
11. Chickweed – The healing weed has been used to enhance the healing of both internal and external body inflammation. It is thought to also aid in blood purification, help treat arthritis, constipation, asthma, urinary tract infections, rabies, scurvy, and stomach aches.
12. Shepherd’s Purse – Midwives through the ages have used the weed as part of a poultice to stop profuse bleeding during labor and delivery. It may also help with stomach and lung related illnesses as well.
13. Rosemary – The sweet-smelling weed has a high carnosic acid content. Due to its acid levels, rosemary is believed to aide in the stimulation of the immune system, gout, the common cold, to improve digestion, enhance blood circulation, and help reduce incidences of heartburn, gas, and gallbladder complaints. Woman who may be pregnant should not use rosemary because it has possibly caused miscarriages.
14. Groundsel – The wild plant has been used to bolster reproductive organs since ancient times. The first known spotting of the healing herb was inside a 60,000-year-old grave. Groundsel has also been used as a natural remedy for PMS and to help speed up labor.
15. Mullein – This common backyard weed is thought to be extremely helpful in fighting respiratory disease, sore throats, congested cough, diarrhea, and hemorrhoids.

Simply because something is found growing naturally in backyard, woods, or anywhere, does not mean it is safe for everyone to use either topically or internally. Learn to expertly identify any healing weeds, wild herbs, and plants before picking. Use the wild edibles only after carefully weighing all the risks after researching each specific natural remedy.

[Featured Image by Viktoria Hodos/Shutterstock]