The Yarb Doctor: Appalachias Medicine

The Yarb Doctor: Appalachias Medicine by The Appalachian Storyteller #appalachiandocumentaryyoutube #appalachianbedtimestories #appalachianfolklore #appalachia #appalachian #appalachianhistory #storyteller #appalachianstoryteller #appalachiastories #grannywoman #grannywitch #naturalmedicine #audiobookfulllength #appalachiadocumentary #documentary #audiobook #truestories
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Video from The Appalachian Storyteller

Note: This Video Represents History. The video has been uploaded for educational/editorial purposes and commentary and critique on the topic.

[TheAppalachianStoryteller]

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[TawannainTN]

I use mullein, comfry, and wild lettuce as needed. I quit doctors after they nearly killed me in 2018. I use all sorts of roots and herbs, drink spring water and eat mostly all foods with 3 or less ingredients. I get my flour from Heritage Virginia Mills out of Nicklesville VA. I praise God Almighty and thank him for showing me the truth!

[divadaedalus]

My Nana mixed whiskey, honey and lemon to make a warm toddy when we had bad coughs. When my brothers reached ten or so they’d pretend to have coughing fits. Couldn’t fool our wonderful Grandmother though. :) She used sassafras root to make tea in the fall to “strengthen our blood” for the winter and harvested wild ginseng. She remembered a plant the girls and women would pick leaves from to chew for cramps and mood swings during “that time of the month”. When we got older we used to call her our pothead Nana. She tolerated it to a point. She was strong and true, loved us dearly but could be tough. She is the moral compass in our lives even now as we are in our 70’s. I feel for children I’ve taught whose families are ever changeable and who don’t have much time for them.

[gingw]

Had a Native American patient in the late 70s who just declined rapidly after surgery. The family finally insisted he be allowed traditional spiritual and plant therapy in the hospital. He bounced back quickly and went on to live a long life.

[MynewTennesseeHome]

I live in Appalachia now but was born and raised in Indiana. My Grandparents used a lot of herbs and roots to heal and I paid attention. I have always leaned more towards natural remedies and have studied and used them all my life. I raised four children and have helped raise 14 grandchildren rarely requiring a doctor. Up here on the Plateau there are a few herbs missing but I'm working to establish them here on my homestead. I love hearing stories from the past. I think there is a strong connection between the S. Indiana Hill people and Appalachian folks with a lot of history in common. Most of my Great grandparents migrated North from Appalachia in the mid 1800's

[lindacecile]

Isn't it amazing how we've come full circle? I live in Colorado where there is a widely attended herbal school. I started transitioning to herbs 20 years ago. Now that I'm an old lady, I rely on natural remedies more than ever. Wish there were yarb women active in all communities. Wise women indeed

[KathysTube]

Oh boy.. this is likely my favorite topic!
My grandma in SE Kentucky was a midwife in the early 1900's... she never talked about it and I didn't know until I was grown and she was gone... I sure wish I could ask her questions 🙁
I've always been interested in Native ways and learned the hard way that doctors are just practicing (or pretending) that they know what they're doing 🙄
I've always heard that intent and gratitude was important when gathering herbs because it was a gift from the Great Spirit and it was important to help the medicine to work.
Thanks JD... Have a wonderful weekend 😎👍

[arvettadelashmit]

My Grandpa was a Herb healer. In the Spring he would worm all of us children. I hated it (and it took two adults to hold me while Grandpa forced it into my mouth and made me swallow it). We all lived and grew up. I bought a used copy of THE CHEROKEE HERBAL book at Goodwill Thursday. Grandpa died when I was in fifth grade. It would have been nice if I could have spent more time with him, I had more time with him than most of his other grandchildren. Grandpa was half Cherokee. My mother did not want me to learn from him.

[trevordowling]

Great show no one ever shows this type of content 👍
As I've gotten older I've gotten into yarbs

[mojorising]

Thank you for honoring the grannys and Cherokee in this story ❤

[michaelstusiak]

Great story. I always appreciate videos that highlight native contributions

[CarolLee-mqer]

Thanks JD it was a nice story. My Grand mother was a midwife. And I still use home remedies when we get sick around here. We have to be on our death bed before we go to a doctor. I don’t trust them.

[Nonniemaye]

Thank you, JD, for sharing this interesting and informative video.
Many thanks for all the work you put into each video.
God 🙏 bless 🙏.

[sandrasmith]

I haven't heard them called yards before. Interesting fact😊

[bushhippie]

I come down from a line of Appalachian Yarbs and Power Doctors. I consider myself a doctor and a witch. They’re not mutually exclusive. That’s why the term “witch doctor” exists. I’m perfectly happy occupying that space in my society.

[reibersue]

I'm in Appalachia now and I'm collecting up nature's gifts to put in my apothecary.

[janetconnors]

Hi JD you are so right, it's about time. Modern medicine seems to be all about profit.
Great story. I really liked it

[armuver]

Wonderful video, thankyou.They mocked Dr.Christopher and others, yet look at the wonderful healing they did and still use today.Nature provides for all our needs. I am also a folk healer from Scotland.

[angelp.]

As an RN 4 40 yrs just recently retired, I really appreciate this story. Newer is not always better . I do believe in the natural healing. Yada ❤ Dont get me started with insurance companies and pharmaceutical lol cause Im with #Bernie on healthcare in America. Love this channel. ❤

[frostyfrances]

JD, as a sane-level prepper, I've always loved any kind of bushcraft including medicines. One of my favorites is comfrey, also known as knitbone or boneset. You can feed a little to tired old horses to perk them up a bit, and it works for people too; also felt to combat cancer. Or use externally on sores and small wounds.

Other wound remedies I don't see mentioned nearly often enough are chewed (or dampened and mashed with a mortar and pestle)organic tobacco or spider webs. Another thing that's good for wounds is a tree frog if you can find one. A few years ago science research accepted how the tree frog cure works; you lightly bind a fresh-caught tree frog belly down over your wound. As it wiggles to get away, thinking it's under attack, it releases a natural antibiotic to heal the wound. When froggy stops wiggling, that means he's out of juice so you have to let him loose and go get another frog & repeat the procedure. In an emergency when a family member's bleeding profusely and miles from a doctor, throwing flour on the wound will stop the bleeding for a good long time at least. One of my brothers, a pacifist, was an army medic in 'Nam and he learned more tricks of the bushcraft trade than you could imagine. Like how tampons for a nosebleed when the person's head is upright, or to plug a bullet hole with. Sanitary pads make great compresses. He taught me a lot; but there's one old book I really wish I could find again, called 'What to Do When Your Parents Aren't Home'. The best tip I remember from that was if a bug flies in your ear and decides to take up residence in your ear canal, just flush it out with tepid water. Fill up your ear, then turn your head down to drain the ear; repeat if needed. People have gone to emergency rooms for painful, expensive surgeries to retrieve ear bugs when there's a simple, quick solution right at home. I've taken care of so many of my medical needs right at home for most of my life, but I'm sure at 79 that I must've forgotten many. things. The best safety measure is to use good judgment and try to stay out of trouble in the first place. Same thing goes for general health - it's easier to keep yourself as healthy as possible than it is to fix something you let go wrong.