Do Not Kill This Weed! It’s One Of The Best Healing Herbs On The Planet (It’s Probably Growing Near You Right Now!)

For hundreds of years, plantain has been used as one of the nature’s most powerful medicines, and for a very good reason.


It has a long history of being used as food plants and healing herbs in many diverse cultures around the world. The Native Americans used plantain to heal wounds, cure fever, and to draw out toxins from stings and bites, including snake bites.

You might have come across mainly two types of plantains; the ones with broad leaves (Plantago major) and the narrow-leaved type (Plantago lanceolata). You can use either one for healing purposes, depending on the availability in your locality, yet most herbalists seem to prefer the broadleaf plantain with larger, but softer, edible leaves.

Health benefits of plantain

Plantain has wide-ranging antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic properties. It can soothe insect bites and superficial wounds and can prevent infections and accelerate healing. Responsible for the antimicrobial action of the plantain is the biochemical aucubin. It also contains allantoin, which helps with skin tissue regeneration.

Plantains also have an astringent property that has a cleansing effect on the body. It helps dry up excess secretions in the respiratory tract and the digestive system, thus being useful in treating colds and diarrhea.

The leaves of broadleaf plantain are rich in calcium and other minerals and vitamins, including Vitamin K, which helps stem bleeding from cuts and wounds.

How to collect plantain herb

Make sure that the area where plantain herb is growing is clean, and not chemically treated. Most importantly, you should be able to positively identify the correct plant. Yet, if you are in doubt, get the help of a knowledgeable person.

Plantain leaves are mainly used for herbal preparations, so it is best to pick just the leaves, rather than dig out the entire plant. Pinch off unblemished leaves, selecting slightly mature ones over the very tender leaves, unless you’re planning to use them in salads. Mature leaves have a higher concentration of potent phytochemicals.

How to use plantain for healing

Plantain is used to treat a variety of everyday problems, from mosquito bites and skin rashes to kidney problems and gastrointestinal inflammatory diseases. Let’s see how you can use this herb for healing.

1. Burns: Apply a poultice immediately and apply a bandage with leaves. Follow it up with a plantain salve.

2. Cuts and open sores: Stop bleeding from fresh cuts by applying crushed plantain leaves. Wash with plantain tea or diluted tincture (1 tablespoon to a glass of water) to prevent infections and promote healing.

3. Boils and acne: Touch with a drop of tincture or apply salve.

4. For mouth ulcers: Swish 2-3 tablespoons plantain tea in the mouth 3-4 times a day. You can use 1 tablespoon of tincture diluted with a cup of water too.


5. For throat pain/infection: Gargle with plantain tea or diluted tincture. Take 5-10 drops of tincture under the tongue and ingest it slowly.

6. Dandruff and other scalp problems: Apply plantain tea or oil infusion to the scalp and wash off after an hour.

7. For poison ivy/sumac/oak: Apply a poultice immediately, and then wash the area with plantain tea. Apply plantain sludge until the stinging pain is gone.

8. For sunburn: Apply fresh poultice or plantain sludge liberally. Wash the area with the tea and then apply the salve.

9. To improve liver and kidney function: Drink 1-2 glasses of plantain tea every day.

10. For relief from gastrointestinal inflammation: Take the tincture under the tongue or drink plantain tea.

11. For cold, flu, and respiratory infections: Take the tincture under the tongue or drink freshly brewed warm tea with raw honey.

How to make plantain poultice

This is the quickest, and reportedly the most effective, way to use this healing herb. In case of an insect bite, bee sting, or poison ivy exposure, grab a few leaves, crush them between the palms and apply directly on the skin. If you are using it on yourself, just chew the leaves and use it as a poultice.

The mucilage from the bruised leaves will immediately soothe the pain while the anti-inflammatory effect of the herb reduces swelling and redness. The poultice will also draw the toxins from the sting, so it works best when applied immediately.

How to make plantain tea

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh plantain leaves
2 cups water
Heat-proof bowl with fitting lid
Instructions:

Wash the plantain leaves thoroughly and keep it in a bowl with lid.
Boil the water and pour over the leaves in the bowl, cover with the lid and let them steep until the bowl is cold to touch.
Strain out the tea and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Drink 1-2 cups of this plantain tea a day to control diarrhea or to get relief from the symptoms of cold and fever.