Catnip: More Than Just Cat Drugs!

I love catnip!  Any plant I can drop some seeds in the dirt, walk away, and never have to do any maintenance is a great plant in my book.  I planted some seeds against our privacy fence a few years ago, and now it is everywhere!  I find random catnip plants in parts of the yard that are nowhere close to where it was originally planted.  It’s a very versatile herb, useful in medicinal applications, not to mention the cats go nuts over it.  Here is a brief compilation of information I’ve found for this most helpful plant.

Catnip has many other names, mainly catmint, catnep, catswort, and field balm.  The active ingredient is the oil called nepetalactone, among other components, which is found in the leaves and stems. 

When my son was younger, we used an infusion of catnip, chamomile, and lemon balm to help calm him before bed. He was/is a very high energy boy, and we were unwilling to dose him with pharmaceuticals constantly to make him sleep.  The catnip tea worked great to help soothe him before sleep.  Now that he’s older and has a better sleep routine, we use it regularly ground up in oatmeal powder for his bath.  The scent alone is very relaxing and is used in conjunction with other scents for aromatherapy. 

Catnip is used as a mild sedative as well as a mild pain-killer.  It helps in both respects as an antispasmodic, soothing the muscular structure and calming spasms.  Use the tea to help an upset stomach, the antispasmodic properties help in this area too.  It also acts as an antacid to alleviate heartburn.  As a carminative, catnip helps relieve pressure in the abdomen due to gas buildup by helping to pass it.  It can also be used as an enema. 

No one is quite sure what causes colic in babies. Of course there are several theories, mainly centering on the abdomen, everything from an immature digestive tract to pressure from gas.  Whatever the cause, catnip seems to help, whether it be soothing the muscles of the belly or helping to expel the gas.

As a diuretic, catnip can help flush the body of toxins and relieve water weight.  Crushed catnip leaves can be placed on a cut or wound and covered with a bandage.  The poultice has been shown to have healing properties on injuries.  As an external application, the herb has been shown to help with muscle aches and pains, bruising, and rheumatism.

Catnip has been used in the past to help a woman expel a miscarriage, so pregnant women should avoid using catnip, as it can stimulate the muscles of the uterus.

n case of fever, catnip can act as a diaphoretic and promote sweating.  Sweating is an important function that helps the body stay cool, therefore maintaining a steady core temperature.  Sweat cools the body as it evaporates.  In Europe, popular uses are for chronic bronchitis and diarrhea.

Catnip contains vitamin C.  Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is a component the human body neither makes nor stores.  A continuous supply must be taken in through the foods we eat.  The body needs ascorbic acid for cell function, as well as the formation of collage, the basic connective tissues, as well as teeth, bones, cartilage, skin, and capillaries.  Vitamin C also helps the body use other vitamins, like vitamins A and E, iron, B vitamins, calcium, and some amino acids.

Bees love catnip.   The flowers are small, grow in clusters on spikes, and are white with purple spots.  The sweet aroma draws the bees, and the honey made from catnip can actually have a different taste and color from regular honey.  It can also be used as an herbal remedy in its own right.

As much as bees love catnip, some bothersome insects like mosquitoes hate it.  The plants can actually deter mosquitoes in an area, and when the leaves are crushed and the oil is released, it has an even better effect. When rubbed on the skin, the strong smell can help keep the little pests away.  Cockroaches seem to avoid the smell as well, and it has been observed that rats and mice will also stay away from where catnip is grown.

And then we come to the plant’s namesake.  Cats adore catnip.  While many of the properties people enjoy from catnip also work for felines, it usually has an energizing effect for cats when they sniff it.  When ingested, catnip aids in digestion and passing hairballs through the digestive tract, as well as having a sedative effect.  About 50% of cats are not affected by catnip, and kittens younger than 8 weeks can’t enjoy the effects at all. 

Catnip tea stimulates the appetite when consumed cold before meals, and aids in digestion if taken hot after eating.  Considering the broad array of ailments this herb can help, it's well worth placing in your herbal medicine cabinet.  The most common recipe for preparing catnip tea is to steep 1 teaspoon of the herb in 1 cup of boiling water for about 10 minutes.  Steep only, do not boil.  Enjoy!

            *Catnip is often thought of as a pest plant, as it will spread anywhere and everywhere.  Consider placing in containers and harvesting before the flowers go to seed to prevent spread.

                **Of course I’m not a doctor.   This information is not meant to diagnose or treat any illness or ailment.  By all means, contact your doctor or pediatrician before using catnip in a medicinal way, and never stop taking prescribed medications unless directed by your doctor. 

DIY MREs

So I’ve been looking into making my own MREs.  That’s ‘meals ready to eat,’ for those of you not versed in military lingo.  The idea is to have a meal that you open and eat, no prep or cooking needed.  Now, those things cost a pretty penny, and while they do last forever, they are bulky and as I said, expensive.  So I decided to find a way to make my own.  Of course, I don’t have the ability to make a meal that doesn’t require cooking, but I think I will be happy if I can put together a day of food that requires hot water only. 

                What will we need to make our own MRE?  Well, a lot of do-it-yourself-ers recommend things like Top Ramen, cup-a-soups, and hot chocolate in a pouch.  All those things are great, and require only water.  I’ve also seen things like Knorr pasta sides added, and with those I have a problem.  They require milk and butter, as well as needing to be boiled for about 8 minutes.  I’m not saying they can’t be prepared without those little ingredients, but what’s it gonna taste like?  So I marked them off my MRE list. 

UNTIL I remembered you can purchase dehydrated butter and milk!  I recently purchased Honeyville Farms dehydrated butter, dry milk, and powdered whole eggs to add to our food storage.  With a little flour and sugar and yeast put back, you can make just about anything with those staples.  Including those yummy pasta and rice sides!  With a little math, the measurements of powder needed for smaller amounts can be figured and added to your MRE, vacuum sealed (with instructions on rehydrating ingredients and cooking included, mind you), and kept in a cool, dark place to last for at least a few years. 

Now, I won’t tell how long it took me to make a conversion chart just for the milk, but suffice to say, I will not be applying to play “Are you Smarter than a 5^th Grader” anytime soon.  I’ve heard it said that math is the language of the universe.  I totally agree, but also admit that I can only say a few words in that language, enough to get me to the bathroom and something to eat.  I can get through everyday life with the math skills I have, but beyond basic calculations, I am lost.  Sadly, I know many people who don’t even have those abilities, so I am happy with what I have.  That being said, I’ve figured these as best I can, using both my brain and online calculators and converters.  This chart will give you all the measurements needed to make any amount of milk, using the Honeyville dry milk.  The only measurement included with the can is the first one, 2/3 c powder with 1 quart of water to make 1 quart of milk.  If anyone sees a flaw with my math, please feel free to comment, but be prepared to show your work, I know how I got these answers!

Honeyville dry milk conversion chart

The measurements to the left are powder, the end amount is for water.  Example, you would add 2/3 cup of powder to 1 quart of water to make 1 quart of milk.

             2/3c = 1 quart or 4 cups

1/3c = ½ quart or 2 cups

2 T + 2 tsp = ¼ quart or 1 cup

A little under 2 T (5.3 tsp) = 2/3 cup

1 T +1 tsp = 1/8 quart or .5 cup (1/2 cup)

A little under 1 T (2.65 tsp) = 1/3 cup

.5 T + .5 tsp = 1/16 quart or .25 cup (1/4 cup)

                I only needed the half cup measurement, but I figured I might need another amount for another recipe, and since I was on a roll, why not just do the whole thing.  I hope you appreciate it.

When using the butter, it only gives instructions for 3 tablespoons butter powder to 1 tablespoon of water at a time, and my recipe only calls for 1 tablespoon butter.  So, since we know 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons, we can convert that to 1 tablespoon (T) of butter powder to 1 teaspoon (tsp) of water.  That was the easy one. 

                We’ve also been purchasing dried food it would be difficult to make ourselves, like dried cherries.  It’s a lot cheaper to buy a pound of dried cherries from the buy-it-in bulk store than to purchase, pit, sweeten, and dry a pound of cherries myself.  Same goes for apricots and raisins.  While it’s by no means additive free, commercially prepared beef jerky will give calories and protein, and as long as it’s sealed, should keep until at least the date on the original package, which is usually a year or so.  Put a few hard candies and some gum for dessert.  Hell, go nuts and add some cashews and chocolate bars, you only live once, right?  (They actually say the comfort food is what keeps you going in an emergency situation, so there you go, you guilt lovers)  Add in your beverages, like tea, instant coffee (if that’s your thing, ugh), hot chocolate, cider mixes, crystal lite, kool-aid, etc, and you have a pretty good ‘instant’ day of food.  All you need is a little heat, which brings us to fire.

                A little experiment in the garage with chafing dish fuel has convinced me I can have a few cups of hot water prepared in a relatively short time, using a tin can ‘stove’ and a can of fuel.  Granted, I never have gotten it to boil, but I think with a little tweeking, I will soon.  Each person should have a few cans and a ‘stove’ so you can have more water going at one time.  I can get a can of fuel that will burn for 6 hours in the buy-it-in bulk store for about a dollar a can, which rivals prices I’ve found elsewhere of the same price for 2 hour burn time.  More on the tin can stove in another post.  A few of those thrown in the bug out bag with my MREs and I can at least have a few hot meals.  If you’re able to build a fire, that’s even better as you can add fuel to make the fire hotter and bring your meals to a boil sooner and for longer.  Always add those matches to your kit!

                So now all I need is the time and space to put a few of these together and see how it all comes out.  I’ll keep you posted.