Rainbow Medicine

Rainbow Medicine

Here's the tinctures that we are bringing into the First Aid tent at the Rainbow Gathering in Montana, this year. I find it very interesting what medicines 7song decided to include and exclude in our inventory. All in all, it's not much medicine. Yet the medicines cover a wide range of symptoms, and can treat most people that come to us. It all fits into one little suitcase, and it will treat hundreds of people very effectively, and some not effectively at all. It is free medicine. I love how 7song's little Rainbow medicine box is covered in duct tape. It has seen about 20 Rainbow Gatherings, and is testament to 7song's experience in this realm. I feel blessed to carry on the tradition of herbal learning through 7song, through treating people at the Rainbow Gathering, through stocking and using this little Rainbow Medicine box.

--- The tinctures ---

-          Acute respiratory tincture (respiratory herb, antiviral, kills infections- 1 dropperful every 2 hrs)

-          Anemone (Anemone spp.) (for panic attacks- 5 drops as necessary)

-          Antimicrobial throat spray (antiviral, antibacterial, great for strep throat- spray as needed)

-          Antiseptic wash (antimicrobial for external use, especially cleaning staph wounds)

-          Antispasmodic compound (smooth muscle relaxant/ antispasmodic, usu. for menstrual cramps- ½ dropperful. Not for pregnancy)

-          Arnica (Arnica spp.) (anti-inflammatory for initial skeletal muscle inflammation- 3- 10 drops every 2 hrs)

-          Beggar ticks (Bidens spp.) (decongestant)

-          Black cohosh (Actea racemosa) (skeletal muscle relaxant, not for pregnancy- affects female reproductive system, stops hot flashes, may affect moods- 1-2 dropperfuls every  2hrs)

-          Black haw (Viburnum prunifolium) (antispasmodic, helps w/ menstrual cramps- ½ dropperful)

-          Blackberry root (Rubus spp.) (astringent, stops diarrhea)

-          Calamus (Acorus calamus) (digestive, increase focus)

-          California poppy (Eshscholtzia spp.) (anziolitic/ reduces anxiety, nervine, best after traumatic experience to ground person, relaxant- dose dependent, safe herb)

-          Cardamom (Elattaria cardamomum) (corrigent/ flavoring agent, warming, digestive)

-          Cascara sagrada (Rhamnus purshiana) (laxative, relieves constipation- 5-10 drops)

-          Chaparral (Larrea spp.) (* external/ internal disinfectant, anti-biotic, anti-parasitical, disinfectant wash, put into cuts, use with yarrow- 1 dropperful- limit to 2 wks usage)

-          Chaparro amargosa (Castela emoryi) (anti-parasitical- take at first sign of loose stools, 1 dropperful. Wait ½ hr, then take 1 tsp activated charcoal powder. Repeat in 4 hrs.)

-          Cinnamon (Cinamomum spp.) (coregent/ flavoring agent, warming, digestive)

-          Clematis (Clematis spp.) (last resort herb for headaches)

-          Cotton root (Gossypium spp.) (brings on menses, abortifacient (we won't use it for this)- ½ to 2 dropperfuls every few hrs- rarely used)

-          Decongestant aid (dries up congestion, stops cold/flus)

-          Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea) (* immune-stimulant, loading dose 2-3 dropperfuls, then 1 dropperfuls every 2-4 hrs at 1rst sign of infection)

-          Eyebright (Euphrasia spp.) (antihistamine, helps with itchy eyes, cough, runny nose- ½ dropperfuls)

-          Feverfew (Chrysanthemum parthenium) (headache remedy, 1rst choice herb pre-migraine- 1/4 to 1 dropperful at 1rst sign of headache)

-          German chamomile (Matricaria recutita) (GI anti-inflammatory, digestive nervine, relaxant-  ½ to 1 dropperful)

-          Goldenseal (Hydrastis Canadensis) (broad-based antibiotic, antibacterial, powder for toothaches, eye-wash for eye infections, externally put into wounds- 1-2 dropperful loading dose for infections. 1 dropperful every 2 hrs)

-          Hops (Humulus lupulus) (sedative, anti-pitta herb, digestive- ¼ to ½ dropperful)

-          Jamaican dogwood (Piscidia piscipula) (emotional/ physical pain relief, nervine, sleep-aid, not sedative, augmenting herb- ½ dropperful)

-          Kava kava (piper methysticum) (nervine, relaxant, inhibitor that shuts off overthinking mind)

-          Lavender (Lavandula spp.) (digestive nervine, relaxant, use EO to help restore/ calm during seizures- 3-5 drops)

-          Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) (put directly on herpes sores, relaxant, non-sedating- ½ dropperful)

-          Licorice (Glycyrrhiza spp.) (anti-inflammatory, coregent, adaptogenic, "great harmonizer" of Chinese medicine, helps soothe sore throats, can raise blood pressure due to water retention)

-          Lobelia (Lobelia inflate) (augmenting herb, deobstruent, breaks stagnation (ie. digestive, headache, mental), * best broncho-dilator (ie. For asthma)- 1-2 dropperfuls. Too much can create nausea)

-          Ma huang (Ephedra sinica) (decongestant for clear runny mucus, stimulant, broncho-dilator, raises blood pressure, increases sympathetic tone- 5-10 drops as needed/ 3x a day)

-          Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) (digestive, anti-inflammatory, tea helps settle stomache, good with chamomile)

-          Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) (nervine, can help menstrual cramps and emotional lability- ½- 2 dropperful as needed)

-          Oregon grape (Berberis spp.) (* int/ ext disinfectant, loading dose 1 dropperful, ½ dropperful every 4 hrs for infection)

-          Osha (Lingusticum porter) (antibiotic, inhibits respiratory viruses- 2 dropperfuls loading dose, ½ dropperful every 2-4 hrs)

-          Passionflower (Passiflora incarnate) (anti-pitta herb, nervine, relaxant- ½ cap of 1/5 bottle, every 2 hrs)

-          Pedicularis (Pedicularis spp.) (skeletal muscle relaxant, smoking herb)

-          Peppermint spirits (digestive, stops nausea/ vomiting- 1 drop as needed)

-          Propolis (antiseptic wound covering, usu. ext use, helps throat infections)

-          Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) (anti-histamine * for type 1 hypersensitive reaction allergies, ½ dropperful loading dose, 1 dropperful)

-          Silk tassel root bark (Garrya spp.) (best anti-spasmodic for smooth muscle cramping, stronger herb- use black haw 1rst for cramps, general pain relief- 5 drops each time. Don't use over 2 dropperfuls)

-          Skullcap (Scutellaria spp.) (nervine, smooth/skeletal muscle relaxant, reduce mental anxiety/insomnia, augmenting herb, safe in large doses, idiosyncratic)

-          Skeletal muscle relaxant (don't use with pregnant women. Includes black cohosh, skullcap, pedicularis)

-          St Johnswort (Hypericum perforatum) (grounding herb, external use for wound recovery, skin healing, over-usage may cause photosensitivity, helps w/ depression, trauma aid)

-          Staph dismissed tincture (use topically for staph infections, alternated with activated charcoal twice a wk)

-          Sundew (Drosera spp.) (cough suppressant for people who can't stop coughing)

-          Tooth and gum rinse (astringent, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, demulcent)

-          Turkey rhubarb (Rheum spp.)  (relaxant- use a few drops before sleep, or laxative- 5 drops)

-          Turmeric (Curcuma spp.) (anti-inflammatory, warming)

-          Un-headache tincture

-          Urinary tract tincture

-          Valerian (valeriana officinalis) (sleeping herb, sedative for some, may cause drowsiness, makes 1/10 of people hyper, general pain relief)

-          Warming lung tincture (lung tonic, helps with choric coughs, stimulating expectorant with demulcent qualities)

-          White oak (Quercus alba) (astringent)

-          Wild cherry (Prunus serotina) (respiratory sedative, nervine, for nonproductive coughs- ½ dropperful)

-          Wild lettuce (Lactuca spp.) (pain relief *by reducing awareness of pain- a few drops to ½ dropperful until symptoms relieved)

-          Wild yam (Dioscorea villosa/ D. quadranata) (* GI anti-spasmodic, not for pregnant women- ½ dropperful to 10 drops)

-          Willow (Salix spp.) (* general anti-inflammatory- 1 dropperful loading dose for immediate accident, then ½ tsp every 3-4 hrs)

-          Yerba mansa (Anemopsis californica)

--- Categories ---

(I organized the herbs into their categories of usage)

Anti-biotic

-          Goldenseal (Hydrastis Canadensis) (broad-based antibiotic, antibacterial, powder for toothaches, eye-wash for eye infections, externally put into wounds- 1-2 dropperful loading dose for infections. 1 dropperful every 2 hrs)

-          Osha (Lingusticum porter) (antibiotic, inhibits respiratory viruses- 2 dropperfuls loading dose, ½ dropperful every 2-4 hrs)

Anti-histamine

-          Eyebright (Euphrasia spp.) (antihistamine, helps with itchy eyes, cough, runny nose- ½ dropperfuls)

-          Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) (anti-histamine * for type 1 hypersensitive reaction allergies, ½ dropperful loading dose, 1 dropperful)

Anti-inflammatory

-          Arnica (Arnica spp.) (anti-inflammatory for initial skeletal muscle inflammation- 3- 10 drops every 2 hrs)

-          German chamomile (Matricaria recutita) (GI anti-inflammatory, digestive nervine, relaxant-  ½ to 1 dropperful)

-          Licorice (Glycyrrhiza spp.) (anti-inflammatory, coregent, adaptogenic, "great harmonizer" of Chinese medicine, helps soothe sore throats, can raise blood pressure due to water retention)

-          Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) (digestive, anti-inflammatory, tea helps settle stomache, good with chamomile)

-          Turmeric (Curcuma spp.) (anti-inflammatory, warming)

-          Willow (Salix spp.) (* general anti-inflammatory- 1 dropperful loading dose for immediate accident, then ½ tsp every 3-4 hrs)

Anti-parasitical / disinfectant

-          Chaparral (Larrea spp.) (* external/ internal disinfectant, anti-biotic, anti-parasitical, disinfectant wash, put into cuts, use with yarrow- 1 dropperful- limit to 2 wks usage)

-          Chaparro amargosa (Castela emoryi) (anti-parasitical- take at first sign of loose stools, 1 dropperful. Wait ½ hr, then take 1 tsp activated charcoal powder. Repeat in 4 hrs.)

-          Oregon grape (Berberis spp.) (* int/ ext disinfectant, loading dose 1 dropperful, ½ dropperful every 4 hrs for infection)

-          Propolis (antiseptic wound covering, usu. ext use, helps throat infections)

-          Staph dismissed tincture (use topically for staph infections, alternated with activated charcoal twice a wk)

Antispasmodic  (smooth muscle relaxant)

-          Antispasmodic compound (smooth muscle relaxant/ antispasmodic, usu. for menstrual cramps- ½ dropperful. Not for pregnancy)

-          Black haw (Viburnum prunifolium) (antispasmodic, helps w/ menstrual cramps- ½ dropperful)

-          Silk tassel root bark (Garrya spp.) (best anti-spasmodic for smooth muscle cramping, stronger herb- use black haw 1rst for cramps, general pain relief- 5 drops each time. Don't use over 2 dropperfuls)

-          Wild yam (Dioscorea villosa/ D. quadranata) (* GI anti-spasmodic, not for pregnant women- ½ dropperful to 10 drops)

Astringent

-          Blackberry root (Rubus spp.) (astringent, stops diarrhea)

-          White oak (Quercus alba) (astringent)

Augmenting herbs (helps other herbs work better)

-          Jamaican dogwood (Piscidia piscipula) (emotional/ physical pain relief, nervine, sleep-aid, not sedative, augmenting herb- ½ dropperful)

-          Lobelia (Lobelia inflate) (augmenting herb, deobstruent, breaks stagnation (ie. digestive, headache, mental), * best broncho-dilator (ie. For asthma)- 1-2 dropperfuls. Too much can create nausea)

-          Skullcap (Scutellaria spp.) (nervine, smooth/skeletal muscle relaxant, reduce mental anxiety/insomnia, augmenting herb, safe in large doses, idiosyncratic)

Coregent (flavoring agent)

-          Cardamom (Elattaria cardamomum) (coregent/ flavoring agent, warming, digestive)

-          Cinnamon (Cinamomum spp.) (coregent/ flavoring agent, warming, digestive)

-          Licorice (Glycyrrhiza spp.) (anti-inflammatory, coregent, adaptogenic, "great harmonizer" of Chinese medicine, helps soothe sore throats, can raise blood pressure due to water retention)

Constipation

The Laxative Continuum: (drink laxatives before sleep)

1.       Tonification laxative (Docks- rumex spp.)

2.       Turkey rhubarb (Rheum spp.)  (relaxant- use a few drops before sleep, or laxative- 5 drops)

3.       Cascara sagrada (Rhamnus purshiana) (laxative, relieves constipation- 5-10 drops)

4.       Senna (Cassia spp.) (purgative laxative)

Digestive

-          Blackberry root (Rubus spp.) (astringent, stops diarrhea)

-          Calamus (Acorus calamus) (digestive, increase focus)

-          Cardamom (Elattaria cardamomum) (corrigent/ flavoring agent, warming, digestive)

-          German chamomile (Matricaria recutita) (GI anti-inflammatory, digestive nervine, relaxant-  ½ to 1 dropperful)

-          Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) (digestive, anti-inflammatory, tea helps settle stomache, good with chamomile)

-          Peppermint spirits (digestive, stops nausea/ vomiting- 1 drop as needed)

Female reproductive system

-          Black cohosh (Actea racemosa) (skeletal muscle relaxant, not for pregnancy- affects female reproductive system, stops hot flashes, may affect moods- 1-2 dropperfuls every  2hrs)

-          Cotton root (Gossypium spp.) (brings on menses, abortifacient (we won't use it for this)- ½ to 2 dropperfuls every few hrs- rarely used)

-          Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) (nervine, can help menstrual cramps and emotional lability- ½- 2 dropperful as needed)

Headaches

-          Clematis (Clematis spp.) (last resort herb for headaches)

-          Feverfew (Chrysanthemum parthenium) (headache remedy, 1rst choice herb pre-migraine- 1/4 to 1 dropperful at 1rst sign of headache)

-          Lobelia (Lobelia inflate) (augmenting herb, deobstruent, breaks stagnation (ie. digestive, headache, mental), * best broncho-dilator (ie. For asthma)- 1-2 dropperfuls. Too much can create nausea)

-          Un-headache tincture

Immune booster

-          Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea) (* immune-stimulant, loading dose 2-3 dropperfuls, then 1 dropperfuls every 2-4 hrs at 1rst sign of infection)

Mental Health

-          Anemone (Anemone spp.) (for panic attacks- 5 drops as necessary)

-          California poppy (Eshscholtzia spp.) (anziolitic/ reduces anxiety, nervine, best after traumatic experience to ground person, relaxant- dose dependent, safe herb)

-          Jamaican dogwood (Piscidia piscipula) (emotional/ physical pain relief, nervine, sleep-aid, not sedative, augmenting herb- ½ dropperful)

-          Skullcap (Scutellaria spp.) (nervine, smooth/skeletal muscle relaxant, reduce mental anxiety/insomnia, augmenting herb, safe in large doses, idiosyncratic)

-          St Johnswort (Hypericum perforatum) (grounding herb, external use for wound recovery, skin healing, over-usage may cause photosensitivity, helps w/ depression, trauma aid)

Nervine

-          California poppy (Eshscholtzia spp.) (anziolitic/ reduces anxiety, nervine, best after traumatic experience to ground person, relaxant- dose dependent, safe herb)

-          German chamomile (Matricaria recutita) (GI anti-inflammatory, digestive nervine, relaxant-  ½ to 1 dropperful)

-          Jamaican dogwood (Piscidia piscipula) (emotional/ physical pain relief, nervine, sleep-aid, not sedative, augmenting herb- ½ dropperful)

-          Kava kava (piper methysticum) (nervine, relaxant, inhibitor that shuts off overthinking mind)

-          Lavender (Lavandula spp.) (digestive nervine, relaxant, use EO to help restore/ calm during seizures- 3-5 drops)

-          Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) (put directly on herpes sores, relaxant, non-sedating- ½ dropperful)

-          Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) (nervine, can help menstrual cramps and emotional lability- ½- 2 dropperful as needed)

-          Passionflower (Passiflora incarnate) (anti-pitta herb, nervine, relaxant- ½ cap of 1/5 bottle, every 2 hrs)

-          Skullcap (Scutellaria spp.) (nervine, smooth/skeletal muscle relaxant, reduce mental anxiety/insomnia, augmenting herb, safe in large doses, idiosyncratic)

-          Wild cherry (Prunus serotina) (respiratory sedative, nervine, for nonproductive coughs- ½ dropperful)

Pain Relief

-          See nervines and anti-inflammatories

-          Wild lettuce (Lactuca spp.) (pain relief *by reducing awareness of pain- a few drops to ½ dropperful until symptoms relieved)

Relaxant

-          See nervines

-          Turkey rhubarb (Rheum spp.)  (relaxant- use a few drops before sleep)

-          Valerian (valeriana officinalis) (sleeping herb, sedative for some, may cause drowsiness, makes 1/10 of people hyper, general pain relief)

Respiratory

-          Acute respiratory tincture (respiratory herb, antiviral, kills infections- 1 dropperful every 2 hrs)

-          Antimicrobial throat spray (antiviral, antibacterial, great for strep throat- spray as needed)

-          Beggar ticks (Bidens spp.) (decongestant)

-          Decongestant aid (dries up congestion, stops cold/flus)

-          Licorice (Glycyrrhiza spp.) (anti-inflammatory, coregent, adaptogenic, "great harmonizer" of Chinese medicine, helps soothe sore throats, can raise blood pressure due to water retention)

-          Lobelia (Lobelia inflate) (augmenting herb, deobstruent, breaks stagnation (ie. digestive, headache, mental), * best broncho-dilator (ie. For asthma)- 1-2 dropperfuls. Too much can create nausea)

-          Ma huang (Ephedra sinica) (decongestant for clear runny mucus, stimulant, broncho-dilator, raises blood pressure, increases sympathetic tone- 5-10 drops as needed/ 3x a day)

-          Osha (Lingusticum porter) (antibiotic, inhibits respiratory viruses- 2 dropperfuls loading dose, ½ dropperful every 2-4 hrs)

-          Sundew (Drosera spp.) (cough suppressant for people who can't stop coughing)

-          Warming lung tincture (lung tonic, helps with choric coughs, stimulating expectorant with demulcent qualities)

-          Wild cherry (Prunus serotina) (respiratory sedative, nervine, for nonproductive coughs- ½ dropperful)

Sedative

-          Hops (Humulus lupulus) (sedative, anti-pitta herb, digestive- ¼ to ½ dropperful)

-          Valerian (valeriana officinalis) (sleeping herb, sedative for some, may cause drowsiness, makes 1/10 of people hyper, general pain relief)

Skeletal muscle relaxant

-          Black cohosh (Actea racemosa) (skeletal muscle relaxant, not for pregnancy- affects female reproductive system, stops hot flashes, may affect moods- 1-2 dropperfuls every  2hrs)

-          Pedicularis (Pedicularis spp.) (skeletal muscle relaxant, smoking herb)

-          Skeletal muscle relaxant (don't use with pregnant women. Includes black cohosh, skullcap, pedicularis)

Stimulant

-          Ma huang (Ephedra sinica) (decongestant for clear runny mucus, stimulant, broncho-dilator, raises blood pressure, increases sympathetic tone- 5-10 drops as needed/ 3x a day)

Washes (external use)

-          Antiseptic wash (antimicrobial for external use, especially cleaning staph wounds)

-          Chaparral (Larrea spp.) (* external/ internal disinfectant, disinfectant wash, put into cuts, use with yarrow- 1 dropperful- limit to 2 wks usage)

-          Goldenseal (Hydrastis Canadensis) (broad-based antibiotic, antibacterial, powder for toothaches, eye-wash for eye infections, externally put into wounds- 1-2 dropperful loading dose for infections. 1 dropperful every 2 hrs)

-          St Johnswort (Hypericum perforatum) (grounding herb, external use for wound recovery, skin healing, over-usage may cause photosensitivity, helps w/ depression, trauma aid)

-          Staph dismissed tincture (use topically for staph infections, alternated with activated charcoal twice a wk)

-          Tooth and gum rinse (astringent, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, demulcent) 

NEBSM Student Survival Kit

7song gave us each a "student survival kit" for the Rainbow Gathering which is somewhere in Montana, in 3 weeks. We are working the first aid station at this yearly outdoor gathering that attracts roughly 10,000 humans, mostly hippies and fringe folks. The first aid station's name is "CALM," but 7song says a more appropriate name would be "Staph and Diarrhea." Besides staph infections and diarrhea, I look forward to treating a diverse array of health issues with herbal medicine. 7song says that we will learn more at the Rainbow Gathering than in doing anything else during the entire course of our studies here. This is because we are practicing herbal medicine in a chaotic setting, with thousands of humans in an off-the-grid anarchist setting (usually at least a two to four hour's walk from cars). And, many people who come here are open to using herbal medicine.

7song introduced the "One drop test" today. We administer most of our medicines via tinctures, which are plants infused in hard alcohol. (We usually infuse plants in 95% alcohol, and then dilute the alcohol to 50% for medicinal usage.) Sometimes, we also administer teas and powders. But, tinctures are the most convenient to use as medicine, as the alcohol delivers the medicine immediately into the bloodstream. Teas take longer to make, and also take longer for the body to uptake and circulate. The powders can carry more medicine, but it's also more work to add water, and swallow so much of a usually-disgusting powder. More rarely, we also give honeys, glycerites, pills, oils, and liniments. Honeys and glycerites are helpful for people who don't intake alcohol. The pills usually work as long-term supplements. We use oils and liniments for external uses. 

Our student survival kit is a gallon zip-lock bag with the following simple yet invaluable items: 

- 2 pairs of rubber gloves (for sanitation) 

- a 4 oz bag of activated charcoal (an internal/external adsorbent for pulling out "bad stuff") 

- chapparo amargosa tincture of dried stems (1 oz) (GI tract strong antimicrobial and antiparasitical) 

- barberry tincture of root (1 oz) (prevent and treat waterborne illnesses) 

- echinacea tincture of fresh root (1 oz) (immune booster) 

- peppermint spirits (1 oz) (prevent nausea) 

And now, for a brief introduction of how to use these herbs, and why they are in our survival sack! 

- rubber gloves - 

These are for handling all open-flesh wounds, to avoid contaminants for ourselves or others. These will be constantly replenished and changed, as sanitation is key. 

- activated charcoal -

Charcoal is an adsorbent material, which is a solid that picks up liquids. Being "activated" just means that the organic matter went through a long slow burn on high heat without oxygen, which gives the charcoal more pores, and makes it even more adsorbent. We use it both internally and externally to pull out unwanted materials, especially for GI tract bugs (such as food/water poisoning) and for staph infections. For treating staph herbally, you clean out each staph wound, then have the patient take strong antibiotic herbs internally (echinacea, oregon graperoot, or chapparal). To clean out the external wounds, we boil water, soak a clean cloth in the boiling water, then place the cloth onto each staph abcess on the body (this process takes a long time). This helps to remove the scabs to open up the wound, so we can add activated charcoal. We prepare an activated charcoal poultice by mixing enough water with the activated charcoal (a little water at a time) to turn it into a paste. We then carefully stick cover the staph abcess on the body with activated charcoal. The final step is to wrap this all up with vet wrap, and send the patient home with careful instructions to keep away from touching other people (prevent spreading the disease), and take medicines (1/2 tsp of medicine every 2-4 hours). Internally, activated charcoal draws out "bad stuff" (ie. toxins, unwanted bacteria, protozoa, waste products, and bacteria waste.) Our bodies don't uptake the activated charcoal, so we will poop it all out, with the "bad stuff" attached. So, we also will use the activated charcoal for adsorbing and releasing GI tract bugs, for such things as food and water poisoning. Growing up, my parents put whole pieces of activated charcoal into our water to oxygenate the water. They placed it in the refrigerator and around the house, to cleanse the air. They even cooked it with our rice (a Chinese food staple), to help purify the rice. As a gift for college, they gave me some for my bedroom, which I dutifully stuck under my writing desk, and rested my feet on the basket of activated charcoal. Needless to say, I like this stuff. 

- chapparo amargosa tincture - (castella amorii) 

Chapparo amargosa is a desert plant that is often found in the Sonoran desert of Mexico, and difficult to find in the USA. It is the first herb to use to kill protozoa and bacteria in the GI tract. Take it if you feel like you might have parasites. It is an antimicrobial and anti-parasitic herb. Take 1 tsp of tincture for the loading dose (initial large dose), then take 2 mL every four hours until symptoms subside. At the first sign of loose stools, take this tincture, increase vitamin C, wait half an hour, and then take 1 tsp activated charcoal. Repeat in 4 hours. I found it interesting that 7song will take half a dropperful of this tincture twice a day at the Rainbow Gathering, starting two days before the Gathering, as a preventative for stomach bugs. I plan to try this, as well. This herb can be used with chapparal (larrea tridentata), which is one of my favorite desert plants, also a strong antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-parasitic plant. 

- barberry tincture - (berberis thunbergii) 

Barberry bushes are aptly named, with long sharp barbs and small red berries. They take over whole chunks of forest, as an invasive species. I spent many hours with a trail crew in CT, hacking down the endless thorny bushes. I admired their bright orange roots, which carry most of the medicine through the chemical alkaloid berberine, and acts as an antimicrobial. 7song also takes this as a preventative medicine at the Rainbow Gathering. He thinks that it prevents waterborne pathogens from sticking. 7song usually chews on this root throughout the gathering. If I can stomach the bitter taste, then I will also chew on a root. But, I will most likely just add 1-2 dropperfuls into my 1 L water container. Berberis is helpful to kill a wide range of gut parasites, even viruses. You can use any of the berberis species plants. 

- echinacea tincture - (echinacea purpurea) 

Echinacea increases innate and adaptive immunity. Its massive circus-tent-like pink and purple flowers draws butterflies to the garden, and a smile to my face. Take large doses as needed, such as in any circumstances in which the body's immune system should be strengthened. A good time for echinacea is when you think someone might get an infection, or have compromised immunity. 7song gives a loading dose of 2-3 dropperfuls, then 1/2-2 dropperfuls every 2-4 hours (depending on the patient's needs). An improvement should be noticed within 1-2 days. If echinacea does not help boost immunity then try another herb, as the body develops a tolerance after a period of usage. I gave my mom some echinacea, and she enjoys it as a light tea. 

- peppermint spirits - 

Spirits are internal medicines made with essential oils. These peppermint spirits are an experiment by 7song. He made them by first drying and tincturing the peppermints 1:4 at 50% alcohol. Then, he cold infused peppermint for a day. Finally, he added a 1:10 ratio of essential oil to tincture, and diluted it with the tea at 1:20 (1 EO-tincture-blend : 20 tea). Peppermint decreases nausea, and just a little of these peppermint spirits will help a lot. If someone is vomiting, then you can put 1 drop on the lips, have the person lick their lips, then see if the person continues vomiting after 5 minutes. If vomiting continues, then increase the dosage to 2 drops every 10 minutes, 5 drops every 10 minutes, etc. 5 drops is the maximum dosage at any one time. While traveling in India, we used the pure peppermint essential oil for cleaning hands before eating, a digestive aid, relaxant, and breath freshener. Growing up, my mom would always rub peppermint salve under our noses when we were congested, onto mosquitoes bites to help with itches, and onto the temples and (again) under the nose while traveling (especially in airplanes) to help with stuffiness and nausea. 

Here are some other plant medicines that I will bring with me to the Rainbow Gathering, to increase my personal sense of well-being and quality of life: 

- moxa sticks (dried artemesia vulgaris rolled into sticks to burn) for smudging onto or around aches and pains

- black cohosh (actaea racemosa) and cramp bark (viburnum opulus), to help with menstrual cramping 

- bee propolis, for cleaning out wounds 

- castor oil, for achy limbs

- st johnswort cream (hypericum perforatum) for scar tissue reduction and general skin care

- a variety of sweet-smelling perfumes from my friend ananda wilson, to keep me happy 

- skullcap and valerian, for sleep aid

- dandelion (taraxacum officianalis) and flax seeds, for digestive aid

- a personalized smudge smoke blend of white sage, moonwort, cedar, sage brush, sweetgrass, chapparal, osha, etc for incense 

- relaxing tea: rose, tulsi, passionflower, oats, chamomile, stevia

(photos: 7song bandaging Cali's sprained ankle at Roy Preserve, reishi mushroom (ganoderma spp.) at Roy Preserve, me amidst valerian roots (photo from Nishaan) at 7song's home)