In the event of an emergency, your primary concerns will be water, shelter, and food, likely in that order. However, in course of trying to obtain these neccessities, you will eventually injure yourself, and find yourself in need of medical treatment. This article is not meant to be a survival guide to medicine, but rather, a guide to plants in the wild, that can be used medicinally.
It is important to note, that given some time and effort, a person in a survival situation can find water and shelter. With some limited know how, they can hunt and forage for food, repair tools, and even, reshell ammunition.
Effectiveness of Plants as Medication
However, what is likely near impossible, is the production of new drugs such as ibuprofen or aceteminophen. Thus, it becomes necessary, in the strongest sense, to learn how plants can be used in lieu of actual medication, at least, until you can receive new medication or professional treatment.
It is also important to note, that generally speaking, all of the following plants and techniques will be about 1% to 5% as effective as actual medication. Where possible, you want to use actual medication. You should remember a lot of bottled medication (esp in pill form) will have some value even after expiration date. The one exception to this is dioxycyclene, which becomes very toxic after expiration.
Disclaimer
As a last note, while I use many of these techniques myself, I do not guarantee their efficacy, and will not be liable for adverse reactions.
Use common sense, and feel free to consult your physician, to learn more about these plants, and the potential effect they will have on you. You should always run any plant that you plan to use in treatment through at least the contact portion of the edibility test. If an adverse reaction happens, discontinue use immediately, and consult your physician.
Preventative Medicine
Preventative measures are a major concern for the modern industrialized world. As we become more and more mechanized our level of activity goes down, and our access to foods, especially fatty, unhealthy foods, goes up.
However, in a survival situation, very quickly your body will adapt, and most preventative measures will be obsolete. This is because the very act of survival requires a good deal of exercise. Your caloric intake will probably be reduced to very simple, basic foods, hopefully those that are rich in vitamins nutrients.
General Fitness
That being said, there are always steps that could be taken, to improve cardiovascular health and general fitness.
At the very least, no matter how active you are, you should take thirty minutes each day, to do some light stretching, if only to prepare your body for the days activities. If your current situation is somewhat sedentary, you may want to throw a half-mile jog in for good measure.
But most likely, you will be getting a lot of aerobic exercise as you move about to forage, check traps, and other necessary survival tasks.
Cayenne Pepper
As for plants that could be useful, if you have high blood pressure or similar concerns, Cayenne pepper is a great solution. The pepper contains Capsaicin and other nutrients, said to help lower blood pressure by activating receptor TRPV-1. This may or may not make sense to you, but the thing to take away from this is that Cayenne can help prevent heart disease, and supposedly can help with other major illnesses as well.
First Aid
In the event of an injury, basic first aid skills are necessary to immediately deal with a threat to life, limb, or eyesight. In this manner, most skills related to first aid, being basic triage and care, application of tourniquets, and stopping bleeding; really do not require extensive herbal knowledge. However, there are several poultices which you can use, which might help in these situations.
Poultice
A poultice is similar to a bandage. However, instead of being a dry bandage, a poultice will typically have a paste spread onto it, usually made of one or more herbal ingredients, and a suspension element. I should also note that when using a poultice, you should remove, clean the area, and change out the bandage, every 1 to 2 hours.
To make a poultice, simply chop the necessary ingredients, and soak in warm water, or room temperature water. Strain the ingredients and use a mortar and pedestal (or similar implement) to grind the ingredients into a power. Then, slowly mix in your suspension agent, usually alcohol or vinegar. Use a brush to apply the mixture onto a bandage, and apply as needed.
I will discuss two mixtures which might have some use in first aid situations. I would definitely advise you to get a guidebook dedicated to mixing poultices and herbal remedies, if you are so inclined.
Cayenne Mixed with Vinegar
The first poultice is a simple one that will replace over the counter topical ointments that have pain relief properties. Cayenne is crushed and mixed with vinegar, where it can be brushed onto a bandage and applied directly. There will be a burning sensation, but continue to keep the poultice applied for 10-15 minutes. This should provide some pain relief to aching joints or a sore back.
Also, I have read cases where Cayenne, due to its blood-pressure effect, is able to act as an agent to help coagulation. Thus, an alcohol and cayenne poultice may be incredibly useful to treat a cut or other open wound. However, at the same time, I’ve heard that Cayenne works in the opposite way. It prevents platelets from grouping together effectively to clot the blood. In future editions, I may consider testing such a poultice myself, and updating this article.
The North American Plantain
The second poultice is a simple one to treat bug-bites, rashes, or any other reactions to plant or wildlife. The North American Plantain, not to be confused with the Banana-like fruit, is common in every state. It is also effective in this role. For this poultice, simply grind the Plantain into a powder, and then mix with aloe or vinegar. Brush the mixture onto a bandage and apply directly to the irritated area.
Antibiotics
Fighting disease and infection is probably one of the things that you can be least prepared for, if you run out of medication. It’s hard to reproduce the effects of penicillin or dioxycyclene. So, most of our ability to fight disease off, if our meds are exhausted, will be in ourselves. However, there are a few things you can do to help strengthen your immune system.
Vitamin C
Naturally, like when you get sick in your normal life now, in a survival situation, you can attempt to increase your intake of Vitamin C. However, recent tests have shown that there is little actual positive benefit to taking Vitamin C. And that for it to have any decent effect, a person had to have been taking it as a regimen, starting weeks before. It does have some effect against disease, and taking a sensible amount per day couldn’t hurt.
Garlic
Another plant you may want to go for, instead of Oranges, would be Garlic. Garlic is rich in Ancillin, which, in itself, is a low-grade antibiotic. It’s best if it already has some presence in your diet. But you can use it at the time of sickness, for a few weeks, to possibly help overcome it. I’ve used Garlic to fight infections before. I would say that it is about 5% as effective as Amoxicillin. So, in any situation, you should attempt to scavenge for antibiotic as a primary tactic. Use Garlic as a secondary tactic or supplement.
Other Symptoms & Folk Remedies
There are numerous herbal remedies out there, each aimed at treating specific symptoms and conditions. However, I would like to make clear, that you should use these remedies in the lack of access to medical care, specifically in a survival situation. Consult your physician first, if possible.
Digestive concerns are common, and can be especially apparent in a survival situation. As you are exposed to eating foods that you are not accustomed to, and especially, foods that may not have been properly prepared by your usual standards, you may get sick. However, there are two teas, which can easily help remedy some of these symptoms.
Dandelion Tea
First, there is Dandelion tea. Every portion of the Dandelion is edible, which includes the roots. Specifically, you can wash the roots, and then boil them to produce a tea. This tea has its cleansing properties, and in many cases will cause you dysentery. If you have some severe stomach problems, this could help alleviate your condition.
Blackberry Tea
In opposition to this, is Blackberry Tea. While it is a Tea from the Blackberry Plant, the berries themselves are not the things making the tea. Instead, you cut out the root, like with the dandelion, then wash and boil them. This tea is for doing the exact opposite. It is a remedy for dysentery, known for its speed of preparation and efficacy.
While these are not the only herbal remedies, these are the ones I felt safest about discussing with you. No matter what the situation, or your condition, with enough information, you can find what you need to keep healthy.