Herbal First Aid Aftercare for All Who Have Endured Police Violence:  

bumps, bruises & burns, chemical weapons exposure, taser,

handcuff injuries, & trauma.

Plant Medicines for Resilience!

Black Lives Matter.

Native Justice Now.

CONTENTS:

Intro:

1. Plant Medicine for Resilience

Humans and plants have an interwoven relationship extending far back into our history. Our bodies have evolved in constant conversation with plants, developing receptor sites for chemicals only the plants produce. When we turn to plants for healing, we access a strength much bigger than our species. Now more than ever, humanity needs the healing power of medicinal plants.

This guide focuses on both short and long-term care for addressing impacts of police violence using plant medicines that are complementary to the protocols set forth by street medic networks. For basic first aid skills and in-the-street treatment please reference street medic publications and consider taking a Street Medic training near you.

The medicines referenced here are found in most of our kitchens, are easy to grow, drought tolerant, abundant, or readily available at your local herb or health food stores. Endangered or at-risk plants are not included. Leave the wild plants for the pollinators, wild critters, and simply to be on Indigenous territories where someone local may be tending a stand. Note that the information we’ve provided is only a snapshot of a few herbs and each of these are dynamic beings that do a lot more for us than what we’ve presented to you.

2. Disclaimer:

• The statements, remedies, and techniques described herein are not meant to diagnose, prescribe, or treat any disease or substitute medical care by a licensed health care practitioner.
• Don’t forego common sense and prevention, such as wearing a mask, washing your hands, and following street medic guidelines for avoiding & preventing injury during protests.
• Don’t delay or forgo necessary medical treatment. Follow all public health recommendations, and when in doubt, seek guidance and care through established channels.
• Know your scope of practice and respect your limits. If you don’t know an herb, read or ask about it before using it. Ask permission before offering others any kind of treatment.
• Don’t ignore side-effects, contraindications, or herb-drug interactions when using herbs & supplements. This includes taking possibly harmful doses of otherwise generally safe substances. Herbs work, more is not always better. Pregnant people should approach herbal remedies with just as much caution as allopathic remedies.
• Always listen to what feels right in your body.

3. A Nod to Prevention

Fortunately there are steps that you can take to decrease your risk of injury on the streets:

• Pandemic or not, hygiene cannot be underestimated. Washing your hands is the single best way to avoid a virus or bacteria. Hand sanitizer is the next best option.  If you were in a crowd of people, take COVID-19 into account and know what symptoms you should be on the lookout for over the next two weeks as per the CDC. Learn the options in your area for free testing. Have a plan to isolate yourself for two weeks before coming into contact with especially vulnerable people.
• Avoid wearing oil-based skin creams, etc. including oil-based sunscreen as these may trap chemicals. DO NOT use recipes for “barriers”,  esp. if they contain oil-based ingredients as they will be yet another thing to remove from your skin.  Don’t wear contacts - they can trap chemicals in your eye and get damaged.
• Use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE): goggles, N-95 respirator (if you have one), gloves, long sleeves, closed-toe shoes.
• Use the buddy system - even afterwards, check in on one another.
• Make sure all devices are charged at full power
• Carry any needed medications on your body, in original containers with your legal name on them. If you use a rescue inhaler make sure you bring it even if you don’t expect chemical weapons to be used.
• Did we mention to wash your hands as often as possible?  

4. Legal Considerations

Anyone who is injured at a protest or in jail needs to document their injury promptly and well, and work with your local grassroots legal team if there is one. Exercise caution when using your phone or camera. The police can seize it and subpoena you for your photos and videos. Helpful advice by the National Lawyers Guild on how to document injuries for legal reasons: http://www.midnightspecial.net/files/shootingthewounded-activist.pdf 

Always get consent if you treat someone.

Don’t expect protection from police violence while wearing a red cross or providing first aid care. Quite the opposite - medics have been targets because of our ability to spread calm and mitigate the fear of chemical weapons. If you are in a position where arrest or injury would put you at greater risk due to your health, documentation, or other status, consider avoiding the front line and offering aftercare to those who need it. This is a vital service for the long term health of movements, and is the focus of most of this document.

Herbal Strategies:

1. Chemical Weapons Exposure

Pepper spray and tear gas: Exposure to “incapacitating agents” such as tear gas and pepper spray could potentially lead to lingering health problems. The toxins from the chemical weapons can stick around in our bodies, disrupting menstrual cycles, taxing our liver, endocrine, nervous and immune systems. Additionally, these agents may damage the protective lining of the lungs, which can make us more susceptible to lung infections and diseases. Damage to the eyes is possible especially if the person was wearing contact lenses at the time of exposure.

Immediate steps to decontaminate:

If exposed, help your body to eliminate the toxins as quickly and effectively as possible in order to minimize long term effects.

• Support your body’s innate ability to detoxify.  The liver, kidneys, lymph and skin are the main organs that carry off body wastes. The following plant remedies and other protocols will support them all simultaneously, appropriate for detoxification.
• Wash your hands well including getting underneath your nails. Remove contacts. Gargle to remove possible residues in your mouth or throat. (This is especially important if you might have been exposed to a viral respiratory infection. Repeat 2-3x daily with warm salt water). Do not bring your contaminated clothes and other items inside. Be careful what you touch, put everything into a trash bag and seal until it is ready to be washed. Do not put clothes in the dryer. If items have a lingering odor like chemicals clean them again.
• Hydrate! Drinking adequate water is the most important action you can do for your overall health. Make sure you’re consuming enough water to urinate 8 times a day. Most people need at least 2 quarts/liters on a normal day, so add 50% more to your regimen when preparing for or recuperating from exposure. Rather than guzzle all at once, sip consistently throughout the day for proper absorption. This will have the added benefit of keeping your mucous membranes adequately moist which is our first line of defense against viral infections. Squeeze lemon in your water for added benefit.

• Tip: Simply drinking herbal tea supports your kidneys and overall health.

• Replace your Electrolytes: Electrolytes are the electrically charged minerals that our bodies need to conduct normal biochemical functions, maintaining an electric voltage throughout our cells so that signals can pass easily. Sweating causes you to lose electrolytes. As we age our ability to balance electrolytes wanes. See ‘Recipes’.

• COLD shower 1st!: Your skin is your largest organ. It is important to first cleanse it by taking a COLD shower first so that you don't open up your pores to more chemicals. Be careful of lingering chemicals in hair contaminating the water and running into eyes. Dawn, a castile soap or baby shampoo is what various medics have recommended but use whatever soap you have.  

• Epsom salt scrub then bath: After you’ve taken a cold shower (see above) you can take a hot shower followed by a thorough scrubbing with epsom salts left on the skin for 10-15 minutes before a follow-up wash can help draw toxins from the body.  For a bath, use epsom salts or sea salts and soak for only 10 minutes. Toxins your body has eliminated during the soak will be reabsorbed after that time. Be sure to accompany this with much water consumption.    
• Oatmeal to soothe irritated skin. Place the oatmeal in the sock or nylon and tie or secure with a rubber band. Plop it in the bath occasionally squeezing the sock to release as much of the oatmeal starch as possible into your bath water.  For added benefit you can add ½ - 1 cup of baking soda, and/or 3 - 5 drops of lavender essential oil. Soak for 30 min.

2. Love your Liver:

A mainstay of herbal detoxification is supporting the liver. The liver’s main job is to filter blood coming from the digestive tract. Your liver must work overtime to filter out the toxins from chemical exposure.

• Life-habit choices: Getting regular, *adequate* sleep is key. Turn screens off at least an hour before bed. The blue light disrupts our ability to sleep deeply. Your liver continues to work while you sleep, especially around 2am.
• Dietary considerations: Hydrate. Drink an 8oz glass of water an hour before bed, time enough to pee before falling asleep.
• Avoiding alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine, processed, sugary, fried or high fat foods will make its job easier.   
• Back off dairy and known allergens, which can slow down your digestion causing harmful inflammation.      

• Keep things moving with a high fiber diet: Eating seasonal fruits and veggies will help clean out your colon. Eat the color of the rainbow for antioxidants! Consider adding Miso soup, seaweeds, and shiitake mushrooms to help your body heal. Psyllium seeds or husks are an inexpensive fiber addition to the diet. Always take psyllium with at least two cups of water. Discontinue if irritation or excessive gas occurs.
• Herbal liver & digestive support:

• Bitter herbs taken before meals to stimulate gastric secretions to help your body process chemicals. Fresh dandelion greens, artichoke, digestive bitter blends.
• Milk Thistle seeds (Silybum marianum): Prevents and treats liver damage from chemicals, viruses. Capsules, extract or cold infusion. Standardized powdered extract at 85% silybum is most effective, in capsules, or 30-60 drops tincture, 3x daily.  Herbalist Kami McBride keeps seeds in her pepper grinder which makes it fun and easy for all to add a teaspoon on your meals.
• Burdock root (Arctium lappa): It encourages friendly bowel flora and gently increases lymph, kidney, and liver function.  It is an antimutagen with a long history of use in “cancer formulas”. Burdock helps to stabilize mast cells, which reduces allergic reactions. As decoction, 2 cups per day is most effective. As extract, 50-80 drops 3x a day, or ¼ tsp powder eaten with meals. Eaten fresh, it’s known as gobo in sushi rolls or miso soup. It can commonly be found fresh in grocery stores.
• Dandelion root (Taraxacum officinale): acts on the microflora of the gut. Helps  with chronic constipation due to poor fat metabolising, clay colored stools and sluggish liver. 1- 4 cups of tea a day, ¼ tsp with meals, or tincture extract, 30-50 drops up to 4x a day. You can add 1/4 - 1/2 part of the dried dandelion root to the burdock in the crockpot or on the stovetop. “Dandy Blend” is a palatable freeze-dried dandelion root tea available on the market.  
• Triphala is a blend of three fruits used in Ayurvedic medicine and is “quite possibly the best formula for normalizing gastrointestinal function available.” It improves liver function against environmental toxins and increases digestion. It’s anti-inflammatory, enhances circulation, expels mucus from the respiratory passages, fights infection, for constipation, general toxicity, and much more. Powder in hot water, can add honey or taken as a capsule. (Easley/Horne)

3. Respiratory Support:

• Mucous is your protective barrier! Thankfully we can actively take steps to care of our mucous membranes. Avoid dryness of the mucosa, especially important after injury or exposure to viral respiratory conditions. If you run dry then hydrate and consume moist foods  including nourishing veggie or bone broths.
• Herbal steams gently penetrate the respiratory mucosa, ease dryness, help with congestion and coughing, are antimicrobial - good for your lungs especially if you may have been exposed to or showing symptoms of a respiratory viral infection.

• Boil water and add a mix of 1-4 aromatic kitchen herbs of your choice: (1 TBS each): Rosemary, Thyme, Sage, Clove, Oregano, Basil, Bay leaf, Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Conifer leaves or lavender. Place the pot somewhere you can sit down next to it comfortably. Check that the water isn’t too hot for your face then make a steamy tent with a big towel over your head  for 10 minutes inhaling through your nose Do not re-use. Here are a couple of great video tutorials:  
• Breathe Easier With a Decongesting Herbal Steam by Herbal Academy
• How to make an herbal steam by Mountain Rose Herbs.

• Humidify the air: If your house or workplace is excessively dry, consider running a humidifier or simply put a pot of water uncovered on the stove, wood heater, or radiator. Add the above-mentioned herbs.
• Eat garlic! The sulphur you smell on your breath is medicinal and healing to your lungs as an antibacterial and antiviral. Add it into your meals at the very end when cooking. As soon as garlic touches heat it begins to lose some of its medicinal properties but raw garlic can be too irritating, so cook it only slightly.

• Demulcents to soothe and coat your mucous membranes Especially important for dryness or dry coughs.  Great for hoarseness.

• Mullein leaf (Verbascum thapsus): is excellent lung support, especially if you are asthmatic, have a dry cough, or have been exposed to contaminants. Tea is best. As a tea make sure to strain the mullein leaves through a coffee filter. Mullein’s little hairs, which look like the cilia of our lungs ‘coincidentally enough’, can be highly irritating!  An extract is good too. As an extract, you can take 40-60 drops every four hours or so, immediately following exposure. After a day, decrease this to 30-50 a drops 3x a day.
• Licorice Root (Glycyrrhiza glabra):  Has an ancient history of use in China and the Middle East. Strengthens the endocrine system especially the adrenals; for sore throats, heals the stomach.  Contraindicated with high blood pressure. Drink 2-3 cups daily, 10-20 drops of herbal extract. Don’t overdo the licorice, a little goes a long way.
• Marshmallow root (Althea officinalis):  This slightly slimy medicine is very soothing for dry coughs, irritated throat and mucus membranes in the bladder, stomach, and intestines as well as in the urinary tract. Marshmallow requires cold water to release it's medicine.  Simply place 2 TBSP of the powder or chopped root in a jar, fill with cold water, cap and soak 1-2 hours or overnight. For chopped root, strain it and be sure to squeeze all the slime out. For powdered rt, shake and sip. Drink ½ - 4x daily. You can add to tea or juice. Store in the refrigerator where it will keep 3-4 days.  

• Expectorants: 

• Feels like particles are stuck down in there from chemical weapons or stuff burning in the streets? Expectorants are a useful class of herbs to know about. Here are some herbs and steps to support your lung health:
• Too much mucus? Cut back on the inflammatory dairy, sugar, processed foods and add expectorant herbs to help bring out mucous hung up in the lungs.  
• FIRE CIDER is great here. Stimulating, dispersing medicines. (See Immune/Recipes).
• Thyme tea: A powerful remedy for infections, for some people thyme works better than echinacea, especially if they always get wet/damp lungs infections. It is aromatic so decongesting, warming and drying which may be supportive in clearing sinus congestion. ½ a cup 3x daily. A little thyme in fire cider is great.
• Steams: Those warming aromatic herbal steams can help break up dense mucus as well.
• Elecampane root (Inula helenium) is indicated for a wet cough that helps bring up old hard mucus & lung grunge that may be stuck down in your lungs. It is antiseptic and indicated for a ticklish cough and pain in the chest. This herb is slightly warming and drying so if you already have a dry cough, elecampane might not be the right herb for you. Or pair it with the above herbs for added moistening affect. It also stimulates digestive and liver function. Extract is 20-30 drops 3-4x per day.  Two cups of tea per day.
• Yerba Santa leaf: This warming and drying plant clears phlegm from the chest and opens air passages. Especially helpful for asthma and profuse expectoration. (Easley) Also for wet bronchitis or pneumonia. Tea ½ cup 3x per day; extract 20-40 drops 3x daily. (Winston).
• Grindelia dried leaf or fresh unopened flower buds: This warming plant breaks up old, hardened mucus. It eases breathing in bronchitis and asthma, is antispasmodic, and can be combined with the herb plantain to pull thick mucus out of the lungs. Caution: not for long-term use or kidney or heart disease.  5 drops every 15-30 minutes during coughing fits. 1-3mils 2-4x per day. (Easley/Horne)

• Antispasmodics: Coughing can be your ally but but you can use these herbs to ease coughing with irritation that keeps you from sitting in peace or resting:

• Wild cherry bark (Prunus serotina): It has a long history of use in cough remedies. This remedy cools phlegm and soothes and dries out mucous membranes. Cold Infusion (strong) ¼ - ½ cup, 3-5x per day. Tincture, fresh bark 10-40 drops, 1-4x per day. (Easley/Horne)
• Onion cough syrup: decongestant to lungs, breaks up and moves mucous. May be important for shortness of breath with a stuck phlegm. (Rose/Easley) See recipes! 
• Onion, Garlic, Mustard: Don’t underestimate the power of onion, mustard, and garlic external chest packs to bring circulation to your chest and open your lungs up! See recipes!

4. Boost Your Immunity 

• For centuries humans have used herbal medicines for supporting our immune systems however herbs are not a magic cure-all. Make sure that you’re consuming adequate amounts of veggies that are the color of the rainbow (rich in antioxidants), getting adequate sleep, hydrating, exercising, nature-bathing, sunset-watching. Exercise and movement in general supports the lymphatic system which is intricately a part of our immunity. Helping our body sweat is one of the best ways to assist the skin in eliminating wastes: movement, baths, saunas.
• Foods should be simple and warming: broths, soups, and teas. Foods that are rich in sulfur-containing compounds are detoxifiers and immune-enhancing: Garlic and onions (Alliums), and the Brassica family of vegetables:  broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts. Avoid foods that weaken the immune system and cause mucus: sugar, carbs, processed  foods, dairy, and junk foods, fruit juices including orange.  
• Did you know that your kitchen spices can be used as immune-boosting teas?!  Boil water and steep a mix of whatever you have: Fresh ginger (the powder is good too but note that it is very drying), cinnamon, star anise, rosemary, oregano, turmeric, & thyme.

• Important allies during cold and flu season and respiratory viral infections, these are warming, sweat-inducing, pungent herbs that will drive blood circulation toward the skin and mucous membranes thus supporting our immediate immune defenses. These herbs also thin fluids - meaning too much mucus.  
• Yarrow and Lemon Balm teas (and extracts) are also great here.
• Be sure to use more than a culinary dose! Make a strong-tasting hot tea and drink while hot!  

• Fire Cider is inexpensive and easy to make: This blend is made up of kitchen herbs that are antiinflammatory, antiviral and antimicrobial. It is known to be used for colds and flu, to stimulate sweating, to relieve bronchial congestion, and overall a boost for the immune system to help fight off bacteria and viruses. See recipe near the end of this doc
• Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea/angustifolia) extract and tea is a well-known and widely used short-term immune booster.  It can strengthen and clear lymph and helps the body fight viral infections. Caution with auto-immune conditions.
• Elderberry flowers (Sambucus): are a longstanding remedy in tea for feverish cold or flu. An old Roma recipe is equal parts yarrow, elderflowers, and peppermint. Helps break a sweat and keep things moving.
• Elderberry syrup: is one of our best antivirals. Studies have proven it prevents the influenza virus from replicating. 1 Tbsp 4X/day for adults. Can be taken long term in a single daily dose. It is a pretty safe herb but back off if you were to get sick just to be on the safe side.
• Vitamin C: to reduce oxidative damage after injury; 1,000 - 3,000 mg daily.
• Vitamin D & Zinc are also very important to supporting a healthy immune system. Current RDA of Zinc is 8mg for women and 11mg for men. The daily recommendation of Vit D3 was recently upped to 4000IU/day.  To assist recovery from injuries, you can increase the Vit D3 dose to 10,000 IU/day for a couple weeks.

5. Herbal Remedies for bumps, bruises, burns, taser, and handcuff injuries

• Minor Bumps and bruises:
• Arnica (Arnica montana or A. cordifolia): to reduce swelling, bruising and pain from an injury. Use topically as a cream, liniment, or oil. Yarrow is also great in an arnica liniment. DO NOT put on cuts or open skin. Great internally as homeopathic tablets only.  
• St John's Wort (Hypericum): anti inflammatory, supporting recovery from blunt trauma, bruises, sprains, or experiencing numbness or pain. It stimulates nerve regeneration and repair and helps heal wounds. Use as a liniment or massage oil externally. Use with caution in the sunlight as this herb may cause photo-sensitivity. Fresh extract internally, 5-25 drops and then add 10 drops every 10 minutes until the pain subsides. Avoid when taking SSRI antidepressants.  

Comfrey (Symphytum officinale): has been used for generations to aid in the healing of injuries by stimulating cell growth. (Easley/Horne). Avoid use on wounds deeper than they are wide, and where cancer or tumors are present. Apply fresh or dried leaf as a poultice, compress, soak, salve or oil.(Easley/Horne)

• CBD, and if possible, with THC (cannabis):  Helpful for a trauma and and if one needs to rest comfortably after being injured. Forms: oil, salve, and internally via extracts or cannabis-infused honey or foods.  

• Tinctures of CBD or THC in small doses or THCA (unheated) extracts can be excellent to have in your toolbox.
• Keep an unheated alcohol extract (liniment) in a spray bottle for a quickly absorbing topical application that is also antimicrobial and antiviral.
• A simple oil based extract made from whole flowers (preferably not distillate) is multi purpose as it can be taken orally or used topically. This is preferable if there are abrasions that would be irritated by alcohol.
• You can also make tea in water and use it as a soak or wash for bruises or sore muscles. A few drops of oil in a warm bath with Epsom salts is also really soothing, especially mixed with some other herb oils or essences.  (Golden Goddess)

• To soothe the eyes: Cooled chamomile tea bags or placed in a bandage.

• Handcuff injuries: Handcuffs may cause damage to the nerves in the wrists, causing numbness, tingling and weakness in the hands. The sooner you are treated, the better for your recovery. Handcuff injuries can be very sensitive so you may have to be extremely gentle and patient, gently massaging oils into the affected and nearby regions over a long period of time. The numbness can be long term and become a serious problem if left untreated or undertreated. Herbal medicines shine here!

• Ice is debated as the most beneficial for immediate aftercare.  Certain injuries do better with heat. Some do better with hot and cold contrast therapy. Listen to your body and rest your injuries as much as possible.
• Arnica salve, liniment, or cream - best immediately after.
• St. John's Wort oil:  (See above)  
• CBD and if possible, with THC (cannabis): See ‘Bumps, Bruises’. Mixes well with St John's Wort.  
• Heracleum (Cow Parsnip) Clinical herbalists successfully use the root or seed tincture topically for stimulating the nerve bundles to regenerate.  Internally it is a lower dose plant and used with caution so talk with a clinical herbalist.

• Burns: Canisters fired into crowds are at high velocity and can be very hot, which can cause severe injury and second-degree/partial thickness burns from extended exposure. Burns could be caused by tasers as well.

• Lavender essential oil (EO): is versatile and great for burns, blisters, bug bites, rashes, wound care and is one of the only essential oils that you can use directly on your skin.  It is antiseptic. A couple drops goes a long way.
• Honey (raw or organic): Soothes inflamed skin, relieves pain, brings moisture to the area and stimulates skin regeneration. Its antibacterial properties decrease the chance of infection.
• Aloe Vera: Especially great for minor sunburn. Add Lavender essential oil for an extra boost.

• Taser injuries: This weapon delivers volts of electricity that overrides your central nervous system causing it to curl up, clenching all muscles. It takes control of a person's body away from them while simultaneously delivering a lot of pain. There is often a superficial skin injury with possible surface burns. Some tasers shoot a pair of metal barbs into the skin, attached to the base unit with small coiled wires. It may be useful to learn how to remove the barbs.

• Before making contact with the patient, be sure the taser device is no longer active. Wear gloves and snap the wires if still attached. They probably won’t be if the person is in your care. The disconnected  barbs themselves cannot deliver a shock.
• Expose the two or more barbs attached to the skin and determine if any vital areas are affected. Special concern is needed if the barb entry is near an eye, on the face or neck, or in the breast, armpit or genital areas.  Place your hand on the person’s skin at least 4 inches away from the barb - you want to avoid raking your hand with the barb as it comes out. Next, grasp the dart between your thumb and index finger and pull directly up from the skin surface. This will minimize any further skin damage. Carefully place the dart in a standard sharps container or other well marked hard sided container and dispose of, or consider keeping for evidence.
• Treat the wounds. Wash with regular soap and water, use an herbal salve or lavender essential oil, and cover with a bandaid. Repeat a couple times a day until healed. Monitor for infection.
  

Holistic Treatment for Taser Injury:

• Electrolytes are key! See the description above for their importance here.
• Nettles tea is nourishing with a high mineral content, and key for acetylcholine balance. Acetylcholine is a compound that occurs throughout the nervous system, a chemical messenger released by nerve cells to send signals to other cells, such as neurons, muscle cells and gland cells. (See more about the nourishment of Nettles, listed below).
• Magnesium: The average person is deficient in magnesium. It is extremely important for so many processes in our bodies. It can help address sluggish digestion, impaired sleep quality, restless leg syndrome, grinding your teeth, muscle spasms, and chronic muscle stiffness and tension. Dosage per directions on the bottle but be consistent taking it so that you can saturate your tissues.
• Nervines: See nervous system  
• Adaptogens: See nervous system
• Consider injuries from falls that might cause non-visible internal bruising
• Epsom Salt Bath
• Massage & Acupuncture

6. Nourish Your Nervous System: anxiety, trauma, depression, & insomnia: 

The physical and emotional effects of intense emergency situations may stick around in our bodies long after the actual events have ended. This can show up as disturbed sleep, nightmares, anxiety, agitation, and depression.

• Sleep:  Did we mention adequate sleep yet? Your body’s best way to heal.
• Eat regularly: Try to keep your blood sugar levels consistent by eating every 3 to 5 hours.
• Breathwork can have profoundly calming effects immediately. Exhaling longer than inhaling can access your vagus nerve to reduce the fight-flight-or-freeze stress and improve decision-making. You can do this by taking two minutes (right now!) to do 10 rounds of breathing: 4 seconds inhaling, 8 seconds exhaling.
• Acupuncture for addressing anxiety and post traumatic stress, to detox, respiratory support, help your eyes heal after chem weapons, balance menstruation, bring your body back into balance and more.

Plant remedies: The following nervines mix well together.

• Nettles (Urtica dioica) is an ideal all-around herb with high iron and mineral content and supportive of many body functions. Anti-inflammatory, anti-allergenic properties.  It increases oxygen transport in your blood, calms you down and supports your body in returning to its regular, strong self. 1-4 cups of tea daily.  Extract 15-30 drops 3x daily.

• Concentrated Nettle Extract made by Herbs, Etc. called "Chlor-Oxygen" is handy to carry in the streets. One drop in a quart of water.

• Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora): Soothes nerves, for irritation, and chronic stress. Helps calm brain function and inability to pay attention; For oversensitivity to stimulation and may be twitchy even in sleep. (Easley) It is helpful for insomnia. Fresh tincture 10-25 drops, 2-3 times/day. hot tea 3-4 cups daily.
• Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) “makes the heart merry” and is easily cultivated.  It elevates the mood, soothes the digestive tract, relieves body tension, strengthens and tonifies the nervous system including memory, and can be helpful for panic attacks that are fear/terror based. 5- 20 drops of tincture 2 – 5 x day or 2 – 3 cups daily.  
• Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) soothes the nerves and stomach, helps with digestion. Great for children. 2-3 cups of tea a day. 25-30 drops 1 - 4x daily.
• Whole milky oats (Avena sativa/Avena fatua) is an excellent nerve food for a depleted  mental and physical exhaustion with irritability and lack of focus.(Easley/Horne). Use cautiously with gluten sensitivity or allergy. Fresh extract 10-30 drops 3x daily; 1 - 4 cups of tea daily. Best long-term.
• Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata): If you can’t fall asleep because your mind keeps running, passionflower has your back! Also for treating anxiety, headache, and muscular/nerve pain. Fresh extract 30-40 drops before bed or 3x daily, 5-10 drops for anxiety; 2 cups of tea per day.
• Motherwort a calming nervine for lowering blood pressure and as a remedy for heart problems connected with the nervous system. It relieves anxiety and nervousness and eases the strain on heart muscles. Also useful for tachycardia, heart palpitations. It’s useful for hot flashes and scanty menstrual flow and more. Avoid with pregnancy and excessive menstruation bleeding. (Easley/Horne)
• Lavender essential oil for panic attacks, depression. Keep a bottle handy to smell throughout the day. 3 drops in your diffuser or bath. Diffusers can be found at big box stores like Ross or Marshalls for $10.

Adaptogens: Adaptogens increase our body’s resistance to physical, biological, emotional and environmental stressors. They provide a defense response to acute or chronic stress, restore the balance of the endocrine system, and modulate the immune and nervous systems, helping us become more resilient (Winston). The repeated rush of adrenalin from confronting police brutality and the resulting emotions of repeated grief, anger, and fear can severely tax our adrenal glands resulting in deep fatigue and exhaustion. These can be taken long term.

• Holy Basil/Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum):  An important Ayurvedic herb used in India for the mind and nervous system. It lifts the spirits while increasing clarity of thought and dispelling depression. Addresses chronic stress, protects the heart, lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, enhances digestion. It is also for protection. Infusion, 3x daily. Extract 30-50 drops 3x daily. Pairs nicely with rose petals. (not commercial roses with pesticides)  
• Ashwagandha (Withania somniferum): An important Ayurvedic herb and one of the best tonic remedies of India for anxiety, depression, exhaustion, and poor muscle tone. It “gives the virility of a horse” and can help you have deeper, more restful sleep. 1 tsp powder decocted in your milk of choice then add a little honey, taken before bed. And/or 40-70 drops 3x daily. Avoid this plant if you are sensitive to plants in the nightshade family, do not use the powder if you have excess iron, or if you have hyperthyroid disease. It can make you more fertile. Caution with barbiturates and thyroid hormones.  (Winston)
• Reishi Mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum): This mushroom has a long history of use in Chinese medicine demonstrating immune-enhancing effects, for anxiety, insomnia, bad dreams, moodiness and as a general health tonic.  Decoction, 3 cups of tea daily. Dual extraction 30 drops 3x daily. Can add a couple slivers in your root teas.
• Licorice root: See demulcents. Use lightly, take breaks.

Flower essences: 

These remedies work on an energetic level and can be profoundly healing. Flower essences are super safe, super sustainable, work well in stressful situations and long after a traumatic event. They are a great option if you are sensitive to herbs or are taking multiple medications. You can make your own or purchase at your local herb store or online. Here are just some companies and essences: Alaskan Flower Essences, Desert Alchemy, Bach, and Flower Essence Society.

• Five-Flower Formula or Rescue Remedy for overall recovery from shock & trauma, especially for immediate use.
• Red Clover for self-aware behavior, calm & steady presence, especially in emergency situations. (good for mass hysteria/easily influenced by panic)
• Coral bean and Gold: specifically indicated post traumatic stress.
• Gold Alaska Essence for personal power; post traumatic stress, holding back.
• Elm: "psychological smelling salts", temporary conditions. Gives strength to the strong in moments of weakness.
• Oak: Chronic conditions. Overachievers, overworked, extreme inner pressure.
• Olive: no reserves left, deep inner tiredness, physical and mental fatigue
• Aspen: best remedy for developing courage.
• Pink Yarrow:  earth upheaval, climate crisis/apocalypse fears. Supports to the open, protected heart
• Nasturtium: "professor syndrome", over-intellectualizing; Moves intellect out of head and into heart.
• Hornbeam: clears the head, stiffens the spine. Weariness and exhaustion in the Mind.

7. Herbal Preparations and Recipes

Medicinal Teas: Teas are affordable and effective.

• Infusion: (for leaves, flowers, stems): Put 4 Tablespoons of dried herb in a quart mason jar. Place a metal utensil in there to conduct the heat and prevent the glass from shattering. Fill with boiled water, then cap and let the tea steep for a minimum of 40 minutes or 4-8 hours (less if the need is urgent). Strain, keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Drink hot or cold. The key word is steep. Do not boil leaves, flowers and stems.
• Cold Infusion:  15g per 1 liter of cold water - put herbs in a jar, fill with cold water, shake and let steep for 4-8 hours or overnight. Strain and then keep in the fridge. Shake every time you serve.
• Decoction: (For roots, bark, mushroom conks): Put a few handfuls of the medicine in your crock-pot or medium sized pot with water.  After bringing to a boil let simmer, covered, for 4 - 8 hours. Store in the fridge and drink it hot or cold. Should keep for 3 days.  

Infused Oils: 

Fill a jar with dried plant material leaving 1-2 inches at the top. Fill with oil of your choosing (olive, grapeseed, sunflower etc). Shake daily and let sit for 2-4 weeks. Do not pack the herbs in the jar but do keep them beneath the oil. Strain, toss plant matter, label and store in a sterile bottle in a cool, dark place.

Liniment: 

Fill a clean pint jar 3/4 full with your herb mixture. Cover completely with vodka or witch hazel extract. Shake and then top off with more of the solvent. Check after 48 hours to see if more solvent is needed as the herbs absorb and swell. Allow to infuse for 3-4 weeks, shaking regularly.

Compress: or fomentations, as they're often called in herbalism—are clean cloths soaked in strong herbal infusions. (Usually hot, sometimes cold.)

A poultice is a paste made of herbs, or simply the herb itself, as well as clays, activated charcoal, salts, etc  that is wrapped in a piece of cloth or gauze and placed on the skin.

MASHH Clinic Fire Cider: There are many variations of fire cider. 2 bulbs garlic, 6 in fresh ginger root, 6 in fresh horseradish root, 12 cayenne (red pepper) pods, 1 head parsley, 1 onion, 2 cups fresh or dried rosehips.  Chop everything up or grate it, soak for 2 weeks in 1/2 gallon apple cider vinegar, shake daily.  Strain, press, and add: juice 1 lemon, about 1/2 cup vegetable glycerine or raw honey if preferred.  Bottle in sterilized glass bottles, label and tell all viruses to take a hike!

MASHH Clinic Collective’s Concentrated Electrolyte Rehydration Formula

For groups (approximately 4-5 gallons or a large sports beverage dispenser):

• Ideally infuse the tea the night before (& clearly label date/time) so that the herbs infuse overnight and hot fluids have time to cool down. If you solar infuse, do it the day before you need it.
• Tea:   
• 1 part each of any of the following:  Hibiscus, Tulsi, Peppermint, Lemon Balm, Lemon Verbena, Lemongrass
• ½ part of Spearmint
• ¼ Lavender (optional)
• ¼  Rosehips (add towards the end or you destroy their medicinal Vit C properties.  
• Mix with a little warm water or tea to melt the sugar and salt:

• 2c sugar  (Note that honey is heating so won’t cool people down.)
• 1c mineral-rich sea salt (table salt not recommended.)    

• About 1 QUART fresh lemon juice, or 10-12 fresh squeezed lemons. (Can squeeze them yourself or buy quarts which saves on a lot of time. If you use fresh lemons be sure to have a machine to juice them.)
• 1 cup Aloe Vera Juice * NOT Aloe gel! =purgative (optional)
• 1 drop peppermint essential oil to 10 ml everclear or vodka (optional but helpful)
• Strain and pour into a 5 gallon vessel
• Add block ice floating in it’s own container.  Ice keeps it from spoiling in very hot temps over the course of multiple days.
• Dosage is one ounce per 16 oz water.
• Be sure to label the dosage VERY CLEARLY or people will fill their entire water bottle. “JUST A SPLASH” is all that is needed.

Single serving:  

• A Tablespoon of an herb or two of your choice: mint, hibiscus, lemon balm, tulsi.
•  ⅛ teaspoon sea salt  
• 1 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 a lemon (or lime)

Easy-To-Make & Effective Onion Cough Syrup:

Decongestant to lungs, it breaks up and moves mucus. Soothing. May be important for shortness of breath with a stuck phlegm. (Rose/Easley) It is good in tea or on crackers!

1. 1 - 2 onions
2. Up to 1 pint raw honey  
3. Chop onion finely and place into a pint jar.
4. Fill the jar to the rim with honey.
5. Stir around edges to release any air that is stuck in the jar and then fill up the rest of the way with honey.
6. Let sit for 3 - 5 days, stirring everyday. Check daily to make sure that it is not beginning to ferment.
7. The onion will release a lot of water into the honey and make it much thinner than it originally was.
8. You can strain the onion out or leave in and eat the honeyed onion chunks.
9. Store in the fridge. Should last about 3 months.
10. Consume liberally as needed.

Chest packs!

• Onion Chest Pack: This really works! For soothing coughs and breaking up congestion, aids in circulation, is expectorating, can help you sweat. Supports breathing and can ease coughing for sleep so that the body can heal. Onions are especially great for elderly and children.
• Directions: Chop it up and place on the chest as hot as can be, cover with a rag, a hot water bottle and towel for 15-30 minutes. Can follow with a chest rub, menthol salve. Onion Poultices, Syrups, and Tinctures. Pantry Medicine.      
• Mustard Chest Pack: For supporting your body with a cough, cold or stubborn chest congestion it is super beneficial for opening and stimulating lungs! Mustard can be irritating or even burn, so use with caution. That’s why you mix mustard powder with flour. Search for how-to videos on youtube for a tutorial.

Resources:

• Common Kitchen Spices and their Medicinal Qualities       
• Common Kitchen Spices printable zine
• Mutual Aid:  https://mutualaiddisasterrelief.org/collective-care/
• Black Cross Health Collective conducted tests on tear gas and shared their results on what was and wasn’t most effective:  http://www.blackcrosscollective.org 
• Rosehip Medic Collective, great resources for chemical weapons exposure and street medics: http://www.rosehipmedics.org/
• First Aid For The Streets:  
• Video Tutorial: How to Treat Pepper Spray and Tear Gas in the street.  
• The Herbalist Street Medic by 7Song: http://7song.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/The-Herbalist-Street-Medic.pdf
• United Plant Savers tracks endangered and at-risk herbs.
• All of our teachers, street medics, health practitioners. To Blue Otter School of Herbal Medicine who have taught about walking with the plants in right relationship.  
• Books:  “A Family Herbal” by Rosemary Gladstar, “The Herbal Kitchen” by Kami McBride;  “The Modern Herbal Dispensatory;  A Medicine-Making Guide” by Easley, Horne. “Under Pressure; Herbs for Resilience” by Janet Kent and Roger Peet. The Prisoner’s Herbal, Nicole Rose.
• Find a Street Medic or Wilderness First Aid Responder training or Basic Life Support class near you.

Compiled by herbalists, street medics, herbal first aid specialists and educators:

Dee Pauline, Grassroots Apothecary, MASHH; Greta Montagne, Gentle Strength Botanicals, MASHH; Dana Aronson, Wild Kin Botanicals;  Laurel Pena, Paramedic, Blackcap Medical Collective, MASHH. Ingrid Bauer, MD, Five Flavors Herbs; Spring 2020

Questions about this document:  

 deevinepauline@gmail.com MASHHclinic@gmail.com,

Please share this document freely, give credit, and we ask respectfully that you do not use for profit. Thank you!