The Cherokee Indians believe that the Creator has given them medicinal herbs for natural healing. Their medicine is solely found in nature. These medicinal plants have a long history of common use with the Cherokees to promote different forms of healing.
Aloe – A cactus-like plant. The thick leaves can be squeezed to extrude a thick sap that can be used to treat burns, insect bites and wounds.
Mint-Today, mint is frequently consumed in beverages, including both tea and iced tea. But what most people don’t know is that it is a powerful antioxidant that also contains vitamins A and C, as well as phosphorus, calcium, potassium and magnesium The Cherokee drank mint tea to stimulate the digestive system and lower blood pressure. They crushed mint leaves to create salves and ointment and used mint in baths to relieve rashes and itching.Cayenne– The pods are used as a pain reliever when taken with food or drunk in a tea. Also used to treat arthritis and digestive distress. It is sometimes applied to wounds as a powder to increase blood flow and act as an antiseptic and anesthetic to numb the pain.
Ginseng – This is another contemporary herb that has a history that goes back across cultures for millennia. The roots were used by Native Americans as a food additive, a tea and a poultice to treat fatigue, boost energy, enhance the immune system and help with overall liver and lung function. The leaves and stems also were used, but the root has the most concentration of active ingredients
Rosemary – A member of the pine family and used in food and as a tea to treat muscle pain, improve circulation and as a general cleanser for the metabolism.
Wild ginger – A tea made from the root of wild ginger is meant to stimulate better digestion. Ginger is known to help with intestinal gas and an upset stomach. Native Americans also used crushed, steeped stems of wild ginger as a form of relief from earaches.
Hops – As a tea it is used to treat digestive problems and often mixed with other herbs or plants, such as aloe, to soothe muscles. It also is used to soothe toothaches and sore throat.