Herbal Household Remedies

banana, basil, black or green tea

• a poultice of ripe banana peel, applied to the back of the neck and to the forehead, will relieve even severe headaches or migraines.
• incredible relief from headaches can be achieved with a solution of dried basil and Witch Hazel Tincture 2 fl. Oz., used as a compress and applied to forehead and temples:  Refrigerate the Witch Hazel Tincture. Heat 1 cup of water, add a level tsp of ground dried basil and let steep for about 10 minutes. Strain, and let cool.  When cool, add 2 tbsp of the cold Witch Hazel Tincture, and use this solution for your compresses.
• Since both black and green teas contain caffeine, a very strong cup of tea - 2 teabags of black tea added to 1 cup of boiling water and let steep for 20 minutes, then drunk while still warm - will help you recover from severe headaches and migraines quickly because the caffeine calms the pain by restricting the blood vessels in you head.
• For a caffeine free alternative, an intensive chamomile tea treatment also helps you to get rid of migraines and severe headaches, but it will take longer.  For about 2 weeks, drink a lot of this relaxing tea:  Steep 2 tbsps of flowers ( fresh or dried) in 1 pint of boiling water for about 40 minutes, then strain.  You can sweeten is with maple syrup.  Drink 1-2 cups at a time.

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Via: hoinews.com

Plants for Medicine

Plants have been used throughout the ages for healing purposes. As far back as 4500 BC, people traveled great distances to Ethiopia, the main trading area for herbs and spices. These prized plant products were used for preserving food, cooking and medicine. Ancient Egyptian papyrus scrolls list the cooking and healing properties of coriander, fennel, cumin, ginger and thyme. The Egyptians also placed garlic cloves and mint leaves in tombs to be used in the afterlife.

Ancient Romans and Greeks also relied on herbs for medicinal uses. Hippocrates developed a list of 300 herbal-based remedies for conditions ranging from digestive problems to asthma and uterine cancer. Rosemary was recommended to improve memory.

Plant-based medicine is an important component of other cultures as well. The Chinese developed an extensive use of herbs and spices in prepared foods for wellness and healing. The traditional medicine of India, Ayurveda, also makes use of herbs and spices to prevent disease and promote health.

Herbal therapies continue to be a popular form of alternative medicine in the U.S. A survey by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine found nearly 20 percent of Americans use natural products to promote health or treat ailments.

The Kitchen Medicine Cabinet
The herbs and spices used by ancient healers are still grown today. And many of them can be found in your kitchen cabinet. Scientists have been testing many of these herbs and spices to determine the real medicinal value of the products. Some herbs and spices have a very strong effect on the body, while for others, the research is not very strong or has produced mixed results. Here is a list of some common herbs and spices and their potential uses:

• Basil – potential cancer-fighting properties.
• Cardamom – inhibits blood clots, reduces gas and aids in digestion.
• Cloves – eases the pain of toothaches.
• Garlic – lowers cholesterol, decreases blood pressure.
• Ginger – eases digestive problems, nausea and vomiting. Also potential for treating pain, colds, fever, arthritis and joint and muscle pain.
• Rosemary – may have potential to fight some cancers.
• Sage – improves cognitive function.
• Salt – combined with water to ease sinus congestion and cold symptoms.
• Thyme – fights fungal infections.

In addition to the herbs and spices, two other kitchen ingredients may have potential medicinal uses.

* Honey may soothe a sore throat and cough, treat diarrhea or constipation and ease insomnia. There is some evidence to show it may also reduce nausea, lower cholesterol and, when applied to the skin, improve wound healing.
* Peppermint oil may be used to treat stomach upset, irritable bowel, headache, respiratory congestion and muscle pain.

Nancy Welliver, N.D., a Naturopathic Physician with Bastyr University, has been using kitchen-based medicine for many years. She says many families have all the herbs and spices they need to treat some of the most common mild medical complaints, like colds and flu, respiratory problems and stomach upset. Two of her favorite herbal recipes are ginger syrup and berry honey. To make the ginger syrup, peel and slice the ginger. Place the ingredients in alternating layer (i.e., ginger, sugar, ginger, etc.) in a container and let stand. After 12 to 18 hours, pour the mixture through a strainer to remove the ginger. Store the remaining syrup in a bottle and use a teaspoonful for stomach upset, nausea or vomiting. The ingredients can also be used to make home-made ginger ale by adding equal parts of mineral water to the syrup.

The berry honey is made from dried blueberries or bilberries that are ground in a coffee grinder. Add a half of cup of honey and mix well. This mixture is a good tonic for diarrhea and can be used straight from the container or spread over crackers or toast.

Welliver also makes an herbal chai tea that she says promotes calming for the mind and energy for the body. The tea is made from boiling water, whole cloves, black peppercorns, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, ginger root, and black tea and sweetened with honey or maple syrup. The recipe follows (makes two quarts of tea):

1. Boil two quarts of water in a 3-4 quart pot.
2. Add 15 whole cloves. Boil for one more minute.
3. Add 20 black peppercorns, 3 cinnamon sticks, 20 crushed or split cardamom pods, and 8 or more slices of fresh ginger.
4. Cover and boil gently for at least 30 minutes. (Best results obtained by boiling over low heat for 2 to 3 hours.)
5. At the end of the boiling time, turn off the burner and add 1 bag of black tea.
6. After the tea has steeped, pour the mixture through a strainer into clean containers. It can be used immediately, stored in the refrigerator or frozen.
7. Prior to serving, sweeten to taste with honey or maple syrup. Add soy or dairy milk.

Via: Otago Daily Times Online

Simon Singh and Edzard Ernst
Trick or Treatment: The Undeniable Facts about Alternative Medicine
Review by Ted Nye

Simon Singh and Edzard Ernst explore the merits of alternative medicines.

If responsibility for the production of this book could be laid at the door of any one person, it would probably be HRH the Prince of Wales - the writers virtually say as much.

It would appear that HRH is sympathetic to the claims of Complementary/Alternative Medicine (CAM) but, quite reasonably, says that as millions of pounds are spent annually on the product it would be good to know if people were getting value for money.

The writers rise to the challenge in this careful review of the many claims made for CAM, either in the forms of diagnostic gadgetry or physical procedures, such as acupuncture and chiropractic, or medicinals, such as homoeopathy or herbal remedies.

The authors point out that the claims of any method of treatment can, and should, be tested using rigorously designed trials, placebo-controlled and double-blinded so that neither patient nor therapist know which treatment is being used until the completion of the trial.

New, mainstream, pharmaceuticals must go through the process before being approved by the drug regulating agencies.

Promoters of snake-oil for almost any common condition you could name bypass the process.

However, the claims of homoeopathy, based on an early inspiration by a German physician named Hahnemann in the late 18th century, have been tested.

Complete Review