MEDICINES As Close as Your Door

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Osage or wild bergamot (Monardu didyma) has brilliant red flowers and is a favorite among the Cherokees. According to Paul B. Hamel and Mary U. Chiltoskey in their book Cherokee Plants, tea made from the flowering top has been used for stomach problems, flatulence, hysterics, flu, and as a diuretic and a sleep inducer.

All the above bee balms have similar characteristics and may be bought from nurseries as plants or seeds. Harvesting should be done when the flower is in full bloom. To dry, hang in warm, dry place, put in a paper bag, or lay on drying rack. If you're using a new plant, you should watch for allergies. Try only one at a time, and then only a very small quantity. This applies whether it is used topically or internally. And just as Dr. Dickson pointed out in the previous article, consult your doctor. Don't assume you have a certain condition and end up treating the wrong thing. I have had some very cooperative physicians who were even interested in what I was doing. There have been several M.D.s telling me to try alternative methods or to "go back to the old ways." And as I'm sure you know, high fever, difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, as well as any unusual skin color such as extreme redness, blueness, or severe paleness, cold clammy skin, chest pain, or severe burns, injuries, or any other serious symptoms, require professional medical advice as soon as possible. This is just a start. Many over-the-counter drugs can be replaced with herbs; in fact, they are often safer, and certainly cheaper. These plants are often free, and they require little care except keeping out choking grass (after all, they are weeds). Without knowing it, you may already have started your garden pharmacy.

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