Adapted by Hannah Calvelli
From PHN Issue 55, Winter 2024
A variety of herbs and plants may grow in prison courtyards. In preparation for Spring, we highlight a few of the holistic remedies featured in The Prisoner’s Herbal, a book by Nicole Rose. We acknowledge that not everyone may have access to courtyards, but we hope this information can be useful for some and interesting to many. Furthermore, while the herbs in this article may have medicinal properties, research and evidence on how well herbal medicines work is limited. We recommend that you speak with a medical professional to address any symptoms you are experiencing.
Dandelion: Dandelions are yellow flowers with toothed leaves. Dandelion leaves and flowers can be eaten for their nutritional and digestive benefits. The leaves and flowers stimulate the release of bile, which helps our bodies to break down and digest food. Eating dandelions may also help relieve headaches. The leaves and flowers can be added to hot water to make tea that may help relieve period pains. If you drain the water from the tea, the wet leaves can be applied to the skin to help with soreness from sprains and bruises. The sap (the watery fluid that comes out when the stem is broken) in the dandelion stem can be applied to the skin to relieve discomfort from stings and blisters.
Yarrow: Yarrow has narrow, dark green leaves deeply cut into short, thin lobes that look like feathers. Small white or pale pink flowers branch from the stems. Yarrow has been used in traditional medicine to treat inflammation and promote wound healing. Some cultures use yarrow to stop nose bleeds by rolling the fresh leaves and stuffing them up the nose. Yarrow can be put in hot water to make a tea to wash out wounds. Swishing yarrow tea in your mouth may also help with bleeding gums. Some people also drink yarrow tea to soothe colds and fevers, period pains, gut issues, and joint pain.
Daisy: Daisies have small, oval, fine-haired leaves with toothed edges that grow on short stalks low to the ground. The flower heads are white with a yellow center. Daisies can be crushed into a paste and placed on bruises to help with soreness. They can also be added to hot water to help with coughs and colds. If you let the daisy tea cool, it can be used as a wash for acne rosacea and eczema.
Rose: Roses have prickly stems with large white or pink flowers in the summer that become red in the fall. You may have heard of rose essential oils and extracts, which are made from the rose flower and have been used in traditional medicine for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Rose flowers can be placed in hot water to make tea. Gargling the tea may help with sore throats, mouth ulcers, and bleeding gums. Drinking rose petal tea may also help with stress, poor sleep, period cramps, and hot flashes due to menopause. When the tea cools, it can be used to wash your face. Some say that placing rose petals on cuts can help stop the bleeding faster.
Prison Health News 