Meds You Actually Don’t Need to Stockpile

by Fergus Mason

Being prepared means being ready for anything – and that includes medical problems. Without access to the modern healthcare system, in a crisis your first line of defense will be whatever medications you have stockpiled.

The problem is medicines can be expensive, or even hard to obtain, and usually have a limited shelf life. So what happens when you’ve run out of the drug you need, or couldn’t get it in the first place?

Luckily, our ancestors weren’t ignorant about medicine, and while they didn’t have a pharma industry they did have nature. Many wild plants actually have powerful medicinal properties – some of our most common medicines are just commercially produced versions of ingredients derived from plants.

If you know what you’re looking for you can collect those plants and use them as a substitute for modern medicines. Medicines aren’t cheap at all, and they’re not getting any cheaper. In fact, prices have only gone up. Think about how much you spent last time you visited a pharmacy with a health issue!
And that is just for alleviating the symptoms, not curing the health problem. By contrast, a natural approach often costs next to nothing.
I want this book to empower regular people to take their health into their own hands and save some of that money, effort, and pain… at an affordable price. Here are some types of drugs preppers need, and natural alternatives to them.

Pain Relief

For most of us, painkillers are the medication we take most often. Aspirin and Tylenol are top sellers in every pharmacy, and there’s a bottle or pack of them most first aid kits.

Can you stockpile enough of them to keep you going long-term if society falls apart, though? Well, you might not have to. Nature has its own painkillers if you know what to look for.

Willow bark might sound like an unlikely painkiller, but the active ingredient in aspirin is actually derived from salicin, found in willow bark.

Learn to recognize willow trees, and harvest bark from their branches, being careful not to “ring” the tree by cutting the bark round too much of its width.

That will kill it, and you might want to harvest more bark in future. You can chew the fresh bark to get the salicin from it. Alternatively, dry the bark, shred it and use it to make tea.

Chicory is another plant with medicinal properties that might be useful in a pinch.

Though not a direct substitute for aspirin, chicory has been used traditionally for various health benefits, including pain relief. Its roots can be roasted and brewed into a tea, just like the Native Americans used to do.

Additionally, chicory has anti-inflammatory properties and has been used in traditional medicine to alleviate mild pain and discomfort.

Unfortunately, chicory has many lookalikes. That is why I prefer to grow my own chicory using high-quality, NON-GMO seeds packaged in US. They don’t restock them that often so I recommend you secure your own pack from here.

Anti-Inflammatories

Aspirin isn’t just a painkiller; it’s also an anti-inflammatory, along with Ibuprofen. These drugs are regularly used to treat all sorts of painful inflammations.

If you run out, or can’t get to your stockpile, don’t worry; there are some plants with natural anti-inflammatory properties.

Witch hazel, which grows throughout the eastern US, is a small woody shrub.

Native Americans chopped up its stems and boiled them to make an anti-inflammatory tea. You can speed up the process by shredding the cut stems to expose more surface area.

Anti-diarrheals

Diarrhea is always unpleasant; in an emergency situation it can also be lethal. Diarrhea causes massive, rapid fluid loss, and if safe water is in short supply it becomes extremely dangerous.

Unfortunately, having someone with diarrhea around can also contaminate nearby water sources if you’re using an improvised latrine. It’s important to treat it as quickly and effectively as possible, which is why Imodium or similar medications have a place in every emergency kit.

There are plants that can also help cure diarrhea, though. In the western US, Native Americans made an infusion from the leaves or bark of the Douglas maple; drinking this can reduce diarrhea.

Ironwood, also known as oceanspray, is a versatile western plant that has been traditionally used to treat diarrhea.

This plant is valued for its medicinal properties and is especially useful in situations where modern pharmaceuticals might be unavailable.

To use Ironwood as a remedy, gather the flowers or berries from the plant. Once collected, boil them in water to create a medicinal tea.

This infusion can help alleviate symptoms of diarrhea by promoting a more balanced digestive system. For best results, you may need to drink this tea several times a day until symptoms improve.

Sumac is a widely found wild plant that grows across most of the United States, recognized for its distinctive red berries and feathery, serrated leaves.

To use sumac for medicinal purposes, you can make a tea from its leaves and berries.

This tea has been traditionally used to treat diarrhea due to its astringent properties, which can help reduce inflammation and control fluid loss. Simply gather the leaves and berries, steep them in boiling water, and strain before drinking.

Anti-Emetics

Vomiting can be just as dangerous as diarrhea; it also sucks fluid out of your body. Worse, once you start vomiting it can be difficult to keep fluids down, making it even harder to stay hydrated. Anti-emetic drugs to treat nausea and vomiting are essential items. They can also be collected from nature.

Blackberries are tasty, but various parts of the plants also have medicinal uses. The berries can help calm down nausea.

Make tea from the leaves – you can add some berries to sweeten it – and it will also help fight off diarrhea.

Soak crushed blackberry root in honey to get a natural sore throat remedy.

You can also grow your own blackberries, along with a variety of other types of berries. However, be cautious, as not all types of berries are permitted to be grown in every region. For example, this berry is illegal to cultivate but perfectly fine to forage.

Mint is another plant that can reduce nausea. Use the leaves to make a soothing tea.

Wild ginger has been used in traditional medicine for centuries. This plant offers numerous health benefits.

One of its most notable uses is in alleviating nausea.

Simply clean and chop the roots and leaves, then steep them in boiling water for several minutes.

This tea can provide relief from nausea and also help settle an upset stomach.

Beyond its anti-nausea properties, wild ginger is also beneficial for addressing various digestive issues. It can aid in reducing bloating, gas, and indigestion, making it a useful remedy for overall digestive health.

Antibacterial

Antibiotics are one of the real miracle drugs. They can also be hard to get, and you can’t ration them to extend supplies either. If you start taking antibiotics you need to take the full course, otherwise the infection is likely to come back stronger – and more resistant to antibiotics – than before. Be ready to use natural alternatives.

⇒ 3 Powerful Remedies Grandma Always Had in Her House During the Great Depression

Wild garlic, also called the Canada onion, is another plant that’s been used as medicine in many cultures.

One of its most impressive properties is that it’s a strong antibacterial.

It can be used as a poultice on wounds and burns, or eaten to fight systemic infections.

Honey contains natural antibiotics – actually made by bees – and has been used since ancient times as a dressing on burns and wounds.

Coating a wound in honey will prevent infection and kill any bacteria that are already there. Just make sure to cover it, so the sweet, sticky honey doesn’t attract dirt and insects.

Statins

Statins are controversial, but there’s no doubt they can help lower levels of harmful cholesterol. What if you have high cholesterol but can’t get hold of your medication in a crisis?

Prickly pear is common in the western and south central US. When eaten it helps reduce bad cholesterol levels.

The cactus itself is safe to eat, as long as you remove the sharp (and toxic) bristles first – but beware of getting the wrong species.

Some toxic cacti look similar, but have milky sap. Prickly pear has clear sap; if you see anything else, avoid.

You can also split the cactus pads and use them as a poultice on wounds or burns. A tea made from prickly pear helps ease urinary tract infections.

You can get great results using natural medicines, but you do need to be careful. The biggest danger is picking the wrong plant, so before you go foraging make sure you know exactly what you’re looking for.

You also need to be aware that there’s no way to get a precise dose, and some natural remedies – wild garlic, for example – can be dangerous if you take too much of them. If you’re careful, though, nature can supply effective replacements for many modern drugs.

You can achieve great results with natural remedies, but caution is key. Accurate identification of plants and understanding their proper use is crucial.

If you’re looking for a practical guide to make the most of natural remedies, check out this comprehensive guide by Nicole Apelian. It offers easy-to-follow protocols that address the root causes of health issues, with clear steps and daily summaries to help you stay on track.

Each section includes step-by-step instructions and a summary table to guide you on what actions and remedies to take daily, ensuring you always know exactly what to do next. Equip yourself with this knowledge to better navigate any crisis with confidence and resilience.