7Song's Herbal First Aid Course Study Group
This is a discussion for anyone who is going through 7Song's Herbal First Aid course.
This is the link again for anyone that doesn't have it.
In the first Introductory video he explains that this course is not going to go into an extensive materia medica on all the herbs he talks about or how to make the individual preparations. So that is something that we could discuss and expand on here if anyone has questions or helpful suggestions.
7Song also has lots of free material on his website that goes nicely with this course. Check it out at https://7song.com/ Click on Resources.
Comments
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I liked that he talked about the reality of first aid work - the blood, the guts, the emotions. And that he believes in all types of medicine, and that sometimes, going to the doctor is the right choice.
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Yes, the reality is something that doesn't get talked about often. Certain first aid situations can be very emotionally draining. I know from experience how important it is to deal with your own mental/emotional health when working in acute situations. But like he said this can be a very rewarding thing to do.
And then there is the expense. It might only be a few drops here or there or a tiny jar of salve but it all adds up.
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Video 2 - Wildcrafting. Why to wild craft in the field for first aid. Ethical wildcrafting. He has some very good points for people who are new to wildcrafting. He talks about reality in this video as well. Wildcrafting can take a long time to find a patch of whatever you want to harvest. It can be very hot oand/or buggy.
I buy some of my medicines but I like to wildcraft because I think it gives you a better relationship with the plants and the medicines. Observing growth habits and habitats can give insight into the uses of the plnats.
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Video 3- Wildcrafting Tools. Lots of good tips in here, both for the types of tools and how to care for them. Keep them clean and dry. Make sure the tools fit your hands. A hori-hori has been on my list of things to get for awhile. I think it has just moved up to the top of the list. Some of his tools or pieces of equipment are doing double duty as first aid tools as well. Magnifying lens' or loupes are very important.
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I started a new job today, so not going to get to watch the next videos just yet.
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The videos are there forever. So you can catch up at your own pace.
I will continue to post as I watch the videos.
Video 4 = Plant Identification. This is an important part of Herbal First Aid if you do a lot of wilderness travel or if you are planning on harvesting a lot of your own medicines. He talks about the importance of learning plant identification down to the species level. Sounds daunting but once you get started on the botany path, it comes together. He recommended a couple of books but I think one of the best is one he didn't mention. "Botany in a Day" by Thomas J. Elpel.
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Materia Medica Video 1 - Yarrow. This is the start of the Materia Medica portion of the course. Great for infections. This is awesome information if you don't have prepared medicines on hand. Just make a strong infusion of yarrow and use it as a soak for the infected body part. My go-to for infections is usually Oregon Grape Root but if I am not carrying my medicine bag for some reason, then this is very good to know.
Good to hear anecdotal stories of how well plant medicines work, from someone who has used these medicines and seen the successes. An important adjunct to book learning.
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I love yarrow especially as it is so readily available.
Oregon grape doesn’t grow around these parts, so my familiarity with it is only via photos and readings.
I have a lot of catching up to do. Hope to do so by the weekend.
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I love Oregon Grape! I've had great luck with infected toenails and a tooth abscess (until I could get to a dentist).
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@Mary Linda Bittle and @aurora.rebecca Oregon Grape Root is upcoming in Video 8 of the Materia Medica section. It is one of my top herbs for so many things!
Materia Medica Video 2 - Lobelia. Lobelia is a broncho-dilator. Main herbal suggestion for asthma. This is one I carry in my medicine bag. No one in my family has asthma but, in today’s world, so many people have asthma or other breathing difficulties. I would do as he suggests and add small amounts of lobelia to a formula for an obstructive respiratory tract infection. I would also give this for acute, congestive situations occurring with emphysema. Interesting that he uses Lobelia for mental obstruction or the fear/fright of PTSD as well; like an obstructive paralysis. This can cause respiratory constriction in some people just as stress can trigger an asthmatic episode.
A lot of times the mental aspect of a patient can indicate the choice of a herbal selection when you have more than one suitable plant to choose from. This is how homeopathic remedies are chosen.
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I agree. I worked through Botany in a Day with an online course. Great book, but I would definitely NOT recommend the online course... total waste of time... except that the teacher mentioned Michael Moore's herb class!
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@judsoncarroll4 Good to know about that course.
Materia Medica Video 3 - Black Cohosh. Very much used as a women's herb for regulating menses but in this First Aid application he is using it as a skeletal muscle relaxant; says it is one of the best. Good for back strains. He makes a tincture from the fresh root only with a high percentage alcohol (1:2). Good in a formula of equal parts each of Black Cohosh, Lousewort (Pedicularis) and Skullcap.
Cautions: Not for use during pregnancy. May cause frontal lobe headaches in a small percentage of the population. Test with single drop doses to start. Alternatively, may help frontal lobe headaches.
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I am trying to grow Black Cohosh to make fresh root tincture but here in Oklahoma it is very slow growing in our hot & dry climate.
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Materia Medica Video 4 - Activated Charcoal. 7Song is suggesting that this is a “must” for a First Aid Kit (of any kind, not just an Herbal First Aid Kit). Talks about the use of it for food poisoning, drinking contaminated water, Giardia infections, etc. It is still used in hospitals for similar situations; food poisoning or some other types of ingested poisons. Gives a good description of how activated charcoal is made and how it becomes effective for absorbing toxins as an “adsorbent”. He talks about mixing charcoal in water to take internally but the capsules are a lot more convenient (and less messy) than mixing up a cup of liquid charcoal. Better patient compliance, too. That being said, I don’t have any capsules in my kit, just the raw charcoal. Mentions not to be worried about the colour of your stool after taking charcoal; it will be black.
Next, he goes into the use of charcoal topically in a poultice for external infections (infected wounds, etc.). Good for cytotoxic spider bites (not for neurotoxic bites), including brown recluse and hobo spiders. A future field video will show him demonstrating a charcoal poultice.
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Looking forward to watching these videos as I have time!
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Just watched the introduction. Very interesting. I have taken quite a number of first aid classes. I like his perspective on giving first aid in general and on using herbs for first aid in specific. Look forward to watching the rest of his videos. I do have a strong background in herbs, but generally have used my herbal knowledge only for myself.
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I have watched all of these up until charcoal- I'll watch that later. I like the materia medica so far.
I went to a rainbow gathering in 03' so i can totally relate to what he's saying there. Lots of people making dangerous personal decisions so that means lots of opportunity to practice first aid.
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Alright, I’ve begun &made it to yarrow.
Though am keen to get to the activated charcoal video, especially for the poultice in treating spider bites as I have one of those spiders running around my house. Also, have definitely been bit by several in my former household. Was happy to learn I wasn’t allergic though it would have been nice to curb some of the symptoms
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I have these bookmarked to watch as soon as the weather changes as I have too much outside work to do right now.
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Most of these Materia Medica videos are fairly short. This one is only 10 minutes.
Materia Medica Video 5 - Ragweed. Affects many people with seasonal allergies. Ragweed is wind pollinated making it very widespread. Sometimes Goldenrod is blamed because it flowers around the same time but its pollen is much heavier and not carried by the wind. Despite causing allergy symptoms, ragweed is used for its anti-histamine like actions (reducing the histamine release). Not suitable for anaphylaxis but lesser symptoms may be relieved by taking Ragweed tincture. Helpful for itching, hives, runny eyes and/or nose, sneezing, etc. Test with single drop does to see if this may be an effective medicine for the individual who has symptoms. Make sure when you gather it for tincturing that there is no pollen on the leaves. Tincture it fresh; dried works but fresh is better.
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Materia Medica Video 6 - Anemone. Pulsatilla. The species that 7Song uses are A. patens, A. tuberosa, A. occidentalis and A. mutifida. Make the tincture with the whole fresh plant, including the roots/tubers in a high percentage alcohol. Dried not so effective. Very caustic tasting if you were to try a piece. Panic attacks. Single drop doses to start. Only need a few drops at the most. More won’t do anything more. A small bottle will go a long way. Should be obvious right away if it is helping; it should stop the panic attack. If you recognize the symptoms and take it early, you can avoid clusters of panic attacks.
I know this as the Homeopathic remedy Pulsatilla. One of the polycrest (most commonly used) remedies. Often given for colds or ear aches (particularly left sided) to individuals who have a yielding disposition and a tendency to weep easily. I gave this remedy to someone once who was volunteering during a disaster situation but was in such a heightened state of anxiety that she was bursting into tears every few minutes. Not quite panic attacks but still a incapacitating feeling. It worked quite well for her.
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Thank you, @torey for all this info and commentary! This looks like a good course to start with once things slow down a bit.
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Materia Medica Video 7 - Arnica. Bit of discussion about where Arnica grows. The species mentioned are A. montana, which is the European species, and A. cordifolia and A. latifolia. He says that these grow at higher elevations in the Rockies but my experience in my area is that Arnica is very common and doesn’t need high elevations to grow. I am at 2600’, but have elevations of 1200’ close by and Arnica is a very common plant. It is A. cordifolia that grows here but if I go up higher, above 3500’, I will find A. latifolia. There are several other species in BC (and I’m assuming across North America) but they are not as common.
7Song likes using fresh flowers to make his Arnica preparations and so do I. He talks about 3 preparations; a liniment, a tincture and an infused oil. I have made all 3.
Arnica oil is soooo effective on bruising. Will change the colour of a black bruise to yellow in just a few hours. Not for use on broken skin. The external use of arnica as a liniment is also very effective. Great anti-inflammatory for blunt force trauma. Both are very easy to make and preparations that everyone should have on hand.
He talks about the internal use of Arnica, saying that very small amounts are useful. Single drops doses. Despite his use of the tincture, I wouldn’t recommend this for the home herbalist.
A better way to use Arnica to avoid any gastrointestinal distress would be to use Homeopathic Arnica. No side effects and it works just as effectively as the tincture, and possibly a lot faster. I have been using homeopathic Arnica for years on many types of blunt force trauma with great success. Very easy to carry and administer. I cannot put enough emphasis on everyone carrying homeopathic Arnica! He goes into a bit of a discussion about the difference between homeopathy and herbal medicine at the end of this video. He’s a fan of plants but I have quite a bit more training as a homeopath, as well as herbs so I like to use both.
One thing that wasn’t mentioned was the fresh, field use of Arnica. If you twist an ankle or fall and bruise yourself while out hiking during Arnica season, you can apply the fresh flowers, crushed up a bit, directly over your injury and it will assist. But hikers should be carrying homeopathic Arnica!
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Materia Medic Video 8 – Oregon Grape Root. One of 7Song’s favourite herbal remedies. One of mine as well. Berberis. He refers to a couple of different genus’ as Berberis. Mahonia aquifolium and Mahonia nervosa. Both are commonly known as Oregon Grape, particularly in the Northwest. (Older text might refer to these as part of the Berberis genus.) (Mahonia aquifolium is the species I have growing near me.) Southwest US has Agarita, although some herbalists call it Oregon Grape; Berberis haematocarpa and Berberis trifoliate. 7Song likes theses two species the best and tries to wildcraft them whenever he is in the Southwest. Two non-native species in the Northeast and further south along the east coast are Berberis thunbergii, Japanese Barberry and Berberis vulgaris or European Barberry. Also on the east coast is the rare native Barberry, Berberis canadensis. He wouldn’t gather this one cause it is so rare. Japanese Barberry is an invasive in his area. Invasives are good populations to harvest. All these plants contain berberine. It is one of the few alkaloids that is coloured. Bright yellow pigment. Goldenseal is in a different plant family, Ranunculaceae but it also contains berberine. But it should also be left alone and the more prolific Berberis should be used instead. Two situations where he would differentiate between Goldenseal and a Barberry is Goldenseal would be better for a sinus infection and Barberry for digestive infections. I like to use Oregon Grape Root for topical infections, digestive infections and throat infections. He talks about using chains to harvest Agarita as it is so difficult to get out of the ground. I have never found that with Mahonia species. Berberis kills a lot of bacteria. Not the strongest but very safe. Staph infections. In first aid, staph is probably one of the most common infections. Likes to use it as a preventative if drinking possibly bad water. He says you can make an infused oil with Oregon Grape Root. I have never tried this but may do so this fall. Use caution with salves on infection as the salve may trap anaerobic bacteria in the wound. Intestinal bacteria, wound washes, gum rinses. Main uses for this plant in first aid.
On a side note, the Oregon Grapes make one of the finest wild berry jellies ever! No pectin required.
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My journey on the herbal trail is just beginning and I notice from many of the comments here that there is a lot of experience in the room. I am grateful that 7Song has offered these video segments. They are an overview, he admits that. They are not going to cover a lot of the behind the scenes work that must be done to research, find, harvest, prepare and/or use this information, he admits that. He plugs his school and products, no differently than anyone else on the internet. I am also grateful for the comments on this forum page. They plug-in some of the holes that 7Song is not covering and discuss the many nuances and differences surrounding the use of herbal medicine. Thank you all for the robust discussion. I look forward to the day where I might better be able to join the discussion rather than just absorb information and content.
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Materia Medic Video 9 - Echinacea. Quite a bit of discussion about the three different species,. E. purpurea, E. pallida and E. angustifolia. E. angustiolia is endangered in the wild so unless you can get it domestically grown you should use E. purpurea. He prefers E. angustifola and uses the root to make his tinctures as he feels this is the strongest part of the plant and the best species to use. Flowers next and then leaves. Good for stimulating the immune system at the beginning signs of an infection. Stimulates a person’s innate immunity. Generally very safe medicine. In some cases, such as auto-immune disorders, it is best not to use Echinacea. Because it is a member of the Asteraceae family, there is always the possibility of an allergic reaction if the person has ragweed type allergies, but he hasn’t personally seen that. Helpful for colds and flus to prevent secondary bacterial infections. If someone is very sick, he might not give Echinacea, such as a spreading staph infection as it probably wouldn’t help at this point. More of a first indication type remedy. I have always been taught that this is a herb that you would give at the first indication of illness but not during full blown illness. Echinacea is a higher dose medicine. Carry large bottles if you are in a first aid situation. Not generally helpful in chronic conditions.
Another use is to treat poison ivy or oak rashes. Taken internally it seems to reduce the severity of the itching.
He will give Echinacea for venomous bites, but these type of bites generally need other treatments, not just Echinacea alone.
If I were making a throat spray for sore throats, I would add Echinacea to the formula.
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I meant to add this when he was discussing snake bites.
Marjory has an extensive e-book (58 pages) of what to do for snakebites. You can find it on your dashboard.
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Materia Medica Video 10 - Lavender Essential Oil. Two main first aid uses for Lavender EO. Burns and seizures. Lavender EO can be applied neatly (undiluted) to minor burns following cooling. Proper cooling to stop the burn from continuing to penetrate skin to deeper levels is very important. Cold packs or cold water. No ice. Don’t put the EO over a large area as this could mean too much absorption of the EO; may cause headaches or a feeling of illness. It could be put in a water diffuser for sunburn. He uses Lavender EO as a smelling salt to help with shortness of breath following a seizure.
From a general first aid perspective:
Large sections of burns should be seen by medical professionals. Fluid loss is a concern and infection sets in very easily in large burns. Very often, pain medications are needed. Any burns involving the face or airway should be seen by medical personal immediately. Electrical and chemical burns should be seen by medical professionals.
It is very important while someone is having a seizure to move things out of the way so they don’t hurt themselves. Don’t restrain them but try to gently protect or cushion their head using a pillow or layers of clothing. Loosen any tight clothing around the neck. Call 911 if a second seizure occurs before recovering consciousness from the first seizure or if this is the first time a patient has ever experienced a seizure.
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Materia Medica Video 12 - Osha. This is the longest materia medica video. 35 minutes. He admits to being not very linear and he sure isn’t in this video, But lots of good information. Osha is a very important herb and not just for first aid.
Ligusticum porteri. (L. canadense in the east) Osha does many things in first aid. He likes first aid remedies that will have more than one purpose. Insect bites and stings, antiviral aid, reducing excess phlegm and for altitude sickness. This plant is in the Apiaceae (carrot)family and there are many poisonous plants (including water hemlock and poison hemlock) that resemble the medicinal ones. Be sure of your identification if you are going to harvest Osha in the wild. It is found at higher elevations. In the US, 7Song is suggesting that it is most common in Colorado (but anywhere in the Rockies would be a good place to look). Make sure you pick a spot that is abundant in Osha. Don’t harvest if there are just a few plants. Digging the deep taproot can be damaging to the environment at high elevations. 7Song prefers to tincture this root when fresh. You can also make a syrup with Osha. Infuse the well dried root in honey. He discusses the need for very dry roots when making honey to avoid bacterial growth. But then goes on to describe how he would do it with fresh root. A bit contradictory here. I have never had the fortune of finding this plant in the wild so I would be making my honey with dried root. Doesn’t make a very good oil.
First Aid uses: Altitude Sickness. Just chew on a bit of the dried root. Drink lots of water at high altitude. The dried root can also be made into a tea. A honey might be better for people who are unable to take the taste of Osha. Some people like it a lot but others not so much. Says you can make a spit poultice from Osha but doesn’t say for what. Talks about using a moxa of Osha for a necrotic spider bite but hasn’t done it often. Usually other plants work better. Another use for Osha is as a spiritual talisman. He likes the scent of it for this purpose. Talks about the effects of altitude sickness and the use of Osha to assist. Chewing on the root seems most effective. A tincture not so much. Allergies. Osha seems to alleviate symptoms of histamine induced allergies; itching, runny eyes, runny nose, itching throat, coughing, sneezing. Tincture for this purpose. First go to is Ragweed, then Eyebright, but Osha is helpful, too. Congestion. Osha is a specific for the respiratory organs. Osha is very good at reducing congestion in the head and the lungs. Anti-inflammatory and stops the excess production of mucous, whether it is counterproductive or under-productive. Not for thin, runny phlegm. Tincture or tea form. Anti-microbial. Good antimicrobial for respiratory tract infections, whether they are viral or bacterial. Osha honey is good for congestion, sore throats and viral or bacterial induced coughs. Really helpful for colds and flus. You can use fairly large doses. Spider Bites. Another discussion about using Osha for spider bites. Necrotising spider venom. This time he is using it in a tincture form, used both internally and externally on the wound. Staph infections are commonly mistaken for spider bites. Make sure you are using the right treatment. Staph and bites are usually treated differently. Singers throat. Chew on a piece of licorice root or osha root.
Osha would be a good herb to use whenever there is high amounts of smoke in the air or might be of assistance with the respiratory symptoms of COVID-19. Anytime when there are reduced oxygen levels or when respiratory distress is involved.
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Materia Medica Video 13. Propolis. One of the substances that 7Song uses the most in his herbal first aid kit. Small amount goes a long way. Covers more than one use. Need 95% alcohol for tincturing. Make sure you are buying propolis from a reputable honey dealer as bees may harvest the kreosote from railway ties or telephone poles. Antiseptic. Makes a sticky, tacky bandaid without an actual bandaid. Kills a wide variety of bacteria. Not for internal injuries such as a sprain or strain; use for open wounds. Propolis is also very good for sore throats. Works well in combination with other herbs for bacterial infections in the throat. Keeps the throat spray in place. His throat spray contains calendula, echinacea purpurea, osha, baptisia, goldenseal, propolis, thyme essential oil, alcohol and vegetable glycerin. Propolis is also very helpful for gum infections or tooth abcess. Apply directly to the affected area. You will taste propolis for quite awhile after applying in the mouth.
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