this is willow bark. i used it to prepare a decoction for my wife, as she was suffering from a stiff neck.
the pain disappeared in less than a hour.
it's no wonder that it works so good: willow contains the same active ingredient of aspirin.
herbal remedies work great, but they require two things that recently we are underestimating: recognising plants and their use but also knowing where to find them. in short, having a deep knowledge of the land where we live and the species that inhabit it. for the larger part of our evolutionary history, this knowledge was transmitted from generation to generation, but now we seem to have forgotten it all. sadly, our brains are too busy trying to keep track of all the electronic crap we have to plug in for recharging.
but still, foraging and herbalism are skills that can be learned, and believe me, it can also be a lot of fun!
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