Image’ Photography By Celeste
Treating yourself medically for free with all the astonishing natural plants like usnea draping from trees is a joy!
My particular specialties are plants in the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountains as well as essential oils from all over the world! Usnea is an intriguing lime green lichen that grows trees that are found in the Pacific Northwest and Rockies. Usnea is a symbiotic lichen that inhabits evergreen trees, hopefully at the level you can collect them. Their habitat preference are moist, ravine type areas. Usnea is also known by the names of Old Man’s Beard, Beard Lichen, Tree’s Dandruff, or Woman’s Long Hair. Not all mosses are Usnea so make sure you are collecting the right lichen. Although, most mosses are anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal.
Usnea is sensitive to pollution and turns an ugly brown (not to be confused with other brown lichens) when it is not healthy. Supposedly, it is found in trees that are dying, but I have not found this to be the case.
Usnea has been used medicinal for over 1600 years, maybe longer. It is a powerful anti-viral and anti-bacterial. Usnea can be used topically as a antimicrobial poultice for skin wounds and irritations or internally for viral infections specifically respiratory nature, urinary tract infections, as well as an anti-fungal to fight Candida albicans, and weight loss supplement. Some studies indicate Usnea might reduce fever, pain and inflammation. Studies at NIH also show that Usnea is effective in treat MRSA-Staphylococcus aureus as well as eczema. It is also being looked as a treatment for HIV/AIDS and Herpes no doubt with a heavy price-tag compliments of the pharmaceutical companies.
The active constituents in Usnea targets gram-positive bacteria as well as anaerobic bacteria by inhibiting the formation of biofilm. Usnea is high in Vitamin C.
When taking internally one must first make a tincture of Usnea. First, collect the Usnea. Take out any sticks or bark in the lichen. Fill a quart or pint jar with the clean lichen and Everclear or Vodka and put in a cool dark place for 30 days. Take out the lichen.
To use 20-30 drops 3 times a day. Modern medicine says it has potential to damage the liver but who are they to call the kettle black? They say this with forked tongue as they put Usnea into a pharmaceutical drug to promote weight loss. I would just not use an over abundance, more is not always better. Usnea preserved in alcohol has an indefinite shelf life if kept in a cool and dark location.
There are no known interactions using Usnea. There are no studies regarding its safety while pregnant or for infants. If your liver is compromised you might consider not using this remedy unless you are in a life-threatening situation.
During the 1918 influenza pandemic Indian tribes who had access to Usnea and Desert Parsley evaded death and had a 4-% lower mortality. According to the Nevada State Board of Health stated that “no member of the Washoe, Paiute, or Shoshone tribes who included their native “Toh’-sa” in their treatment, perished from the influenza that swept the state of Nevada in 1918.”
The Usnea tincture is a bit bitter so I put my drops in a cup of warm tea. If you do not see improvements within 3-5 days or if your notice side-effects stop taking Usnea because you are probably dealing with a gram negative or different type of infection.
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