ginger

Via: Eat. Drink. Better.

Ayurvedicaly speaking, the common cold results largely from an imbalance of the Kapha (water and earth) and Vata (air and space) elements in the mind-ody. Vata imbalances lower immunity and lead to a build up of the Kapha dosha elements to help ‘ground’ the system. However, Kapha mechanisms typically overcompensate to make up for the ‘dryness’ associated with imbalanced Vata and lowered immunity. The result is excessive ‘coldness’ that creates mucus. This in turn reduces your gastric fire often cuasing you to experience the ‘chills.’

Ayurvedic remedies use warming herbs and spices to help you break down and expel mucus while re-building your gastric fire. So, while the idea of a runny nose might not appeal to you, chances are that if you can transition from being ‘stuffed up’ to ‘blowing it all out,’ then you are well on your way to recovery.

My favorite herbal remedy for the common cold is a Ginger and Tulsi (‘Holy Basil’) tea. Tulsi is the universal immune booster and ginger helps to ‘loosen and liquefy’ stuck mucus. This simple Ayurvedic tea will help you breathe easy.

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There are many ways of improving your health the natural way, and a lot of very helpful books have been written on the subject, such as The Herbal Medicine Maker’s Handbook: A Home Manual.  Spices have always been a part of Grandma’s Old-Time Remedies, so this article might repeat remedies you have already heard of, but I am sure it will also offer some new insight even if you are a well versed home remedy user already

Via: NaturalNews

Spices do more than make food taste great. Recent research is showing that spices can promote health and well being through a series of actions that are anti-aging and inhibiting of degenerative disease. The vegetarian diet so often associated with good health and lack of disease relies heavily on the use of spice. But you don’t have to be a vegetarian to gain the amazing health benefits these inexpensive flavor enhancers have to offer.

The addition of spices can turn up the taste of almost any food. Add some chili pepper, cumin or turmeric to mashed potatoes or rice. Sprinkle marjoram or rosemary on your salads, and dress up cottage cheese with whatever spicy flavor appeals to you. Add spice to vegetable dishes and sprinkle it on meats, poultry or fish before cooking. Spice up your veggie juices and smoothies. Any way you do it, adding spice means adding a wealth of health benefits.

Recent research continues to show the power of these natural medicines

Spices have more antioxidant power, measure for measure, than fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants help prevent cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, and premature aging. In a study reported in the British Journal of Nutrition, fifteen aromatic herbs and spices consumed in Central Italy as part of the Mediterranean diet were studied to reveal total phenolic, flavonoid and flavanol content as well as their antioxidant potential as measured by oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). Comparison was made between salads to which aromatic herbs had been added. The addition of lemon balm and marjoram increased by 150% and 200% respectively the antioxidant capacity of a salad portion, corresponding to an intake of 200 mg. of phenolics and 4000 ORAC units. Among other spices tested, cumin and fresh ginger made the most significant contribution to antioxidant capacity.

Full Story and a list of Spices that stand out for their health benefits

Well, I guess “not drinking beer” is the first “natural cure for summer ailments” and many other ailments too, but other than that flaw, I think this article is interesting and informative. Enjoy.

Via: The Daily Times

ADVICE FROM THE DOCTOR By Dr. Victor Gong • August 13, 2008 Thinking of summer joys: Sun tans, sand castles, beer and crabs on the boardwalk. You may also recall the health calamities of sunburn, mosquito bites and ear infections. Fortunately, you can minimize the season’s downside with natural treatments. You probably have most of them in your kitchen or medicine cabinet; the others are easy to find in health-food stores.

Bee stings. Slice an onion in half (it doesn’t matter what kind), and rub it over the bite. Onions contain an enzyme that breaks down prostaglandins, compounds that cause pain and inflammation.

Insect bites. Don’t scratch, try baking soda. Mix one tablespoon of baking soda with enough water to make a paste and apply it to the bites. Keep mosquitoes and other hungry pests away by dabbing lemon-scented citronella oil on your skin and clothing.

Motion sickness. Ginger, taken as tea or in capsules, relieves nausea in kids and adults. Unlike over-the-counter drugs for motion sickness, it doesn’t cause drowsiness. To make the tea, slice a two-inch piece of fresh ginger root. In a large covered pot, bring a quart of water to a boil. Add the ginger; simmer for l5 minutes. Sweeten the tea with sugar or honey, if desired. Drink one cup about a half-hour before you set off on your trip. Take the rest with you in a water bottle in case you need it. Prefer pills? Take two, 250-milligram ginger capsules before you leave, then two capsules every four hours if queasiness persists.

Athlete’s foot. The fungus that causes this condition thrives when feet are warm and sweaty. Kill the culprit and soothe the itch with tea-tree oil, derived from the leaves of a tree that grows only in Australia. Some people are allergic to this, so test your sensitivity. Put a drop of the oil on your forearm; if there’s no redness or inflammation after a few minutes, it’s safe to apply a small amount of the oil to the affected areas twice a day. Don’t use it if your skin is severely broken.

Poison ivy. Relax in an oatmeal bath. You can buy Aveeno, a special colloidal oatmeal, at the drugstore, but the rolled oats you have in your kitchen work just as well. One cup of uncooked oats in a pair of panty hose; knot the top. Add this to a bathtub filled with warm water; soak in the tub for 20 minutes.

Sunburn. Help skin heal with aloe vera. The best products contain l00 percent aloe; buy a gel or a cream with it at the top of the ingredient list. Mix it with the oil from a vitamin-E capsule, which eases inflammation and promotes healing. Don’t use anything on a blistering sunburn; it might make things worse.

Indigestion. If that hot dog you ate at the baseball game didn’t agree with you, drink one cup of chamomile or fennel tea to calm your stomach. Chamomile tea bags are widely available. To make fennel tea, steep one-half teaspoon of crushed funnel seed in one cup of boiled water for l0 minutes.

Swimmer’s ear. Prevent this painful bacterial infection by wearing earplugs when swimming. But if your ears do get wet, don’t fret. Place a few drops of diluted vinegar (one-part vinegar to one-part rubbing alcohol) in each ear. Keep your head tilted for a few seconds so the solution stays in the ear canal.

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.

The article I picked these from informs us that ob/gyns have taken to prescribing Prozac against severe forms of PMS… oh well. Read the whole article here:
Choose Nature Instead of Prozac for PMS and PMDD

Here’s what’s known about the effectiveness of some of the more common natural products and remedies used to soothe the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome:
* Calcium. Consuming 1,000 milligrams (mg) of dietary and supplemental calcium daily, such as chewable calcium carbonate (Tums, Rolaids, others), may reduce the physical and psychological symptoms of PMS. Regular, long-term use of calcium carbonate also reduces your risk of osteoporosis.

* Magnesium. Taking 400 mg of supplemental magnesium daily may help to reduce fluid retention, breast tenderness and bloating in women with premenstrual syndrome.

* Vitamin B-6. A daily dose of 50 to 100 mg of vitamin B-6 may help some women with troublesome PMS symptoms.

* Vitamin E. This vitamin, taken in 400 international units daily, may ease PMS symptoms by reducing the production of prostaglandin, hormone-like substances that cause cramps and breast tenderness.

* Herbal remedies. Many women report relief of PMS symptoms with the use of herbs such as black cohosh, ginger, raspberry leaf, dandelion, chasteberry, St. John’s Wort and evening primrose oil.

* Colloidal Gold. Colloidal gold is one of the least known yet most effective mood and mental enhancers.

* Natural progesterone creams. These are derived from wild yams and soybeans. Some women report that these creams relieve symptoms. Combine one handful of chamomile and one handful of dried orange flowers in a cheesecloth or muslin bag and hang from the bathtub faucet. The warm water will release the fragrant oils and relieve PMS discomfort.

Other topics that may be helpful:

Cramping

* Pumpkin Seeds. Eat pumpkin seeds about a week before your menstrual period (a handful – 1/4 of a cup a day) and your cramps should be non-existent. Also eat them as a snack during the period.

* Hot water and ginger. Boil the water and stir in two to three tablespoons of ginger and drink it up. You should feel better in 30-45 minutes.

* Dill pickle juice. Drink a half cup when you feel a cramp coming or as soon as it strikes.
One heaping teaspoon of salt in water (1 to 2 to one glass) may also do the trick if you have no pickle juice handy.

* Yogurt or calcium. Eat two cups of yogurt a day in the days or week leading up to your period and you should not be moody or have cramps when your monthly period comes. If you don’t like yogurt, take a calcium supplement… Continue during the period. With either one, you should see a big difference in your time of the month.

* Oregano and water. Take three tablespoons of oregano and mix with one liter of water, then bring to boiling and continue to boil for five minutes. Strain and drink as a tea. You should feel better soon and continue to feel well for an entire day.

Menstrual Cramps

* It should be no surprise that an herb named cramp bark (Viburnum opulus) would work wonders for menstrual pain. It contains at least six compounds that relax muscles, as well as salicin, the pain-relieving compound from which aspirin is derived. Take one teaspoon of the liquid extract every hour until your cramps subside. If they don’t ease within 48 hours, stop taking cramp bark.

* Supplements. Take 1,000 mg calcium and 500 mg magnesium daily. Calcium and magnesium work together to regulate muscle contractions and the conduction of nerve impulses.

* Ginger tea (for cramps). Grate two to three teaspoons of fresh ginger root and simmer in two cups of water for several minutes. Add lemon and honey to taste. Drink as much as desired.

* Acute cramps. Combine equal parts of ginger, valerian, and cramp bark tinctures, to be taken in half-teaspoon doses every twenty minutes until the symptoms subside.

* Aromatherapy. A couple of days before menstruation begins, massage the following combination into the abdomen once or twice a day, as well as using them in the bath. Blend together equal parts of chamomile, an anti-inflammatory; clary sage, which relieves depression; lavender, a relaxing herb; and tarragon and marjoram, which are anti-spasmodic.

* Hot ginger poultice. Make a strong ginger tea or add a half-teaspoon of ginger essential oil to a quart of hot water. Dip a towel in the water and wring it out, lay it over the abdomen, and place a hot water bottle over the ginger towel to retain the heat. Relax for fifteen minutes.

Via: Daily Herald

A cup of tea at breakfast or over lunch is one of life’s simple indulgences. It’s even more special – and not much more difficult – if you grow the herbs yourself.

Many of the best tea herbs are easy to grow, beautiful, and naturally resistant to pests. Even if you don’t have garden space, many delightful tea herbs will grow in containers on a porch or windowsill.

“By growing my own tea, I have total freedom to pick the herbs to suit my mood or revitalize my palette,” says avid herb grower Jekka McVicar, author of “The Complete Herb Book.”

Mint is a must, and many herbs in the mint family such as lemon balm make teas of a different flavor. Other choices include lavender, rose hips and ginger. Daisy-like chamomiles can also cheer up any garden and the flowers make a soothing tea.

Once you’ve chosen your herbs, it’s as easy to harvest, dry, store and brew.

Read here, how

Via: MailTribune.com

Cultivating a tea garden makes a very fresh brew
AP
Staff and wire reports
June 11, 2008

A cup of tea at breakfast or over lunch is one of life’s simple indulgences. It’s even more special — and not much more difficult — if you grow the herbs yourself.

“Tea is one of my favorite ways to use herbs,” says Ellen Scannell, a master gardener and food preserver certified by Oregon State University.

Many of the best tea herbs are easy to grow, beautiful and naturally resistant to pests. Even if you don’t have garden space, many delightful tea herbs will grow in containers on a porch or windowsill.

“Mint is the classic one,” Scannell says.

Consider mint species with other subtle flavors including apple, pineapple, chocolate, orange, ginger and lemon. Scannell also favors lemon verbena. Daisy-like chamomiles can cheer up any garden and make a soothing tea.

Once you’ve chosen your herbs, it’s easy to harvest, dry, store and brew.

Here is how:

This is not new, but probably good to remember anyway

The life of spices: Science finds medical promise in the kitchen cabinet

Getting spices into your daily meals can be a tasty way to get an antioxidant boost. Here’s four that have been the subject of research.

• Turmeric: Its active ingredient is curcumin, used in traditional medicine to treat ailments from gallstones to anemia, to heal wounds and treat arthritis.

• Ginger: Grown underground, but not technically a root. It is one of the most-studied plants in the world and is known as an aid to relieve nausea.

• Cayenne: Includes capsaicin, another antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that may help reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and other pro-inflammatory diseases of aging.

• Cinnamon: A powerful antioxidant. A teaspoon of cinnamon has the same antioxidant power as a half cup of blueberries.

Read more about the four
In 1993, an eager biochemist at University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center struggled to put the brakes on a protein he had discovered a few years earlier, a protein that can turn on cancers and inflammatory diseases.

Bharat Aggarwal knew that the protein, tumor necrosis factor, or TNF, could trigger a whole cascade of inflammation in the human body — a very bad thing. He also knew that turmeric, the yellow curry spice, was a potent anti-inflammatory in traditional Ayurvedic medicine.

The next step, sprinkling some turmeric on a culture of TNF, may seem like a bit of a leap. But it didn’t feel that way to Aggarwal, a professor of cancer medicine at M.D. Anderson.

“In Ayurveda, it is nothing new,” he said. “And the beauty is that it is very, very safe.”

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cherry, eggplant

• Tea from cherry bark, and other ingredients, counteracts the effect of spoiled fish in general.  Bring to a boil 1 pint of water and add 1 tsp of cherry bark, 1 tsp of fresh, grated ginger root, and 1tsp of Bermuda onion, finely chopped, then cover and reduce heat,  Let simmer for 7 minutes.  Remove from the stove and let steep for another 20 minutes to half hour.  While still lukewarm, drink both cups.
• The calyx of an eggplant, turned into a tea, neutralized the side effects of certain berry and mushroom poisonings, and also stops smoker’s hacking coughs.  in 2 cups pf water, simmer 2.5 tsp of chopped eggplant calyx for 20 minutes and drink while still warm.

catnip, ginger, marjoram, mustard, oregano

Warm or slightly coolish tea from marjoram and organo, a tsp each added to a pint of water that just stopped boiling, and let stew for half an hour and strained, helps with fever and relieves cramps too.

Grandma’s Old Time Mustard Plaster still helps for a variety of disorders, just like it used to do, fever among them. Mash leaves and stems of fresh mustard plant into a pulp.  Coat the surface of the skin with petroleum jelly (Crisco lard or Vaseline) before applying the pulp to prevent serious blisters or raising welts on the skin.  Bind into place with gauze and adhesive tape and keep on for several hours or overnight for best results.

Ginger tea breaks high fever:  Grate enough ginger to equal about 2 level tbsps, the add them to 2 cups of boiling water and cover.  Let steep for 30 minutes, drink 1 cup while still warm every 2.5 hrs.

Catnip tea reduces fever and the misery that comes with hayfever and nausea:  Bring 1/2 cup of water to a boil, add a tsp of freshly cut or dried catnip after removing the water from the heat and let steep for 20 minutes. Drink lukewarm, and you can add honey to taste.

cabbage, cumin, ginger, marjoram, oregano, thyme

For external usage:

• Cut out the midribs from several large green cabbage leaves and iron them with a steam iron until they are soft as velvet. Rub a little olive oil on one side and put them on the area of pain, covering them with a heavy towel. Leave for a while before changing again. GUARANTEED relief, every single time.
• For a cumin poultice that relieves stomach cramps, gall bladder and liver pains, soak 2.5 tbsps of cumin seed in hot water for two hours, then crush them with a rolling pin or something else heavy. Then add some drops of peppermint oil to some hot water, and mix a little white flour, the crushed cumin seeds and hot water to form a thin paste. Spread the paste on a piece of clean cloth and apply to the abdomen.
• Hot ginger compresses relief pains of many sorts, abdominal cramps, muscular aches and pains, even neuralgia and kidney stone attacks: 1.5 grated unpeeled ginger roots need to be tied in a small cloth, then hung for 7 minutes into a gallon of hot water that just stopped boiling. The ginger juice colors the water golden. Towels dipped in the still very hot water, then gently squeezed and applied to the aching spot, should stay warm for 15-20 minutes and grant relief. The procedure might be repeated for a total treatment of about 45 minutes, and repeated after 4-6 hours.

For internal usage:

• A tea made of cumin seeds relieves muscle spasms: Steep 1 tsp of cumin seeds in 1 pint of water for half an hour, strain and drink as warm as you wish.
• Warm or slightly coolish tea from marjoram and oregano, a tsp each added to a pint of water that just stopped boiling, and let stew for half an hour and strained, relieves cramps too.
• Thyme tea relieves stomach cramps as well as migraines. Drink one cup of warm thyme tea on an empty stomach before lying down for a while. Here is how you brew thyme tea: Bring 1-3/4 pints f water to a boil and steep a dozen sprigs of fresh or dried thyme in it. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for half an hour.

anise, ginger, walnut

• Anise tea serves many purposes: It relieves coughs and strengthens the memory, it eliminates oily skin problems, stimulates milk flow in nursing mothers and helps with heartburn and indigestion. This Multi-Purpose Healing Tea can be brewed from about 7 tsp of anise seed, added to a quart of boiling water. Then let the tea simmer down to 1.5 pints. Strain. If used to relieve hacking coughs and to strengthen the memory, add 4 tsp of honey and glycerin (to preserve syrup tea, can be obtained in drugstores) while still warm, and take 2 tsp every few hours against the cough, and 2 tbsps three times a day to strengthen the memory. If used to get rid of oily skin, enhance milk flow in nursing mothers or relieve stomach problems, drink 2 cups of the strained tea once or twice daily.
• Ginger tea rids sinuses, throat and lungs of mucus buildup and breaks high fever to boot: Grate enough ginger to equal about 2 level tbsps, the add them to 2 cups of boiling water and cover. Let steep for 30 minutes, drink 1 cup while still warm every 2.5 hrs.
• To get rid of persistent coughing in the throat and excessive accumulation of phlegm in the lungs, add 3 finely ground walnuts and 3 slices of fresh finely grated ginger to any kind of warm liquid or hot broth and swallow slowly before retiring. By the next morning all symptoms of coughing and phlegm will have disappeared for good.

If you are unsure about your home-brewed teas or if you lack time and patience for plasters, Alternative Health & Herbs Remedies Sinus & Lung Congestion 2 Ounces (Pack of 2) might be a good alternative for you.  Otherwise, try the following:

ginger, sage, thyme, mustard

• Hot ginger compresses break up mucus congestion well: 1.5 grated unpeeled ginger roots need to be tied in a small cloth, then hung for 7 minutes into a gallon of hot water that just stopped boiling. The ginger juice colors the water golden. Towels dipped in the still very hot water, then gently squeezed and applied to the aching spot, should stay warm for 15-20 minutes and grant relief. The procedure might be repeated for a total treatment of about 45 minutes, and repeated after 4-6 hours. These compresses also help with all kinds of muscular pains and even kidney stone attacks.
• A tea made of sage leaves helps to remove mucus from congested lungs, as well as provides soothing and healing for soar throats, loss of voice and tonsillitis: Steep 2 tsp dried or fresh leaves in 1-1/4 cups of boiling water for 35 minutes, strain, sweeten with honey if desired, and take 1/2 cup every few hours as needed. For raw, irritated throat, add 1/4 tsp of fresh lime juice and gargle well before swallowing.
• For hot compresses to put on the chest to help break up lung congestion, or as a massage lotion for aching muscles and joints, put 1 1/2 handfuls of fresh thyme in 2 pints of boiling water. Cover and move away from the heat. Let steep for 40 minutes. Strain and use.
• Grandma’s Old Time Mustard Plaster still helps for a variety of disorders, just like it used to do: asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, fever and chills, sciatica, neuralgia, gout, bumps, bruises, sprains, tendinitis, common cold and flu, eruptive sores and boils. Mash leaves and stems of fresh mustard plant into a pulp. Coat the surface of the skin with petroleum jelly (Crisco lard or Vaseline) before applying the pulp to prevent serious blisters or raising welts on the skin. Bind into place with gauze and adhesive tape and keep on for several hours or overnight for best results.

carrots, ginger, sage, thyme, mustard

• To relieve asthma, eat boiled carrots and drink the warm broth. Lukewarm carrot juice has the same effect.
• Hot ginger compresses break up mucus congestion well: 1.5 grated unpeeled ginger roots need to be tied in a small cloth, then hung for 7 minutes into a gallon of hot water that just stopped boiling. The ginger juice colors the water golden. Towels dipped in the still very hot water, then gently squeezed and applied to the aching spot, should stay warm for 15-20 minutes and grant relief. The procedure might be repeated for a total treatment of about 45 minutes, and repeated after 4-6 hours.
• (these compresses also help with all kinds of muscular pains and even kidney stone attacks)
• A tea made of sage leaves helps to remove mucus from congested lungs, as well as provides soothing and healing for soar throats, loss of voice and tonsillitis: Steep 2 tsp dried or fresh leaves in 1-1/4 cups of boiling water for 35 minutes, strain, sweeten with honey if desired, and take 1/2 cup every few hours as needed. For raw, irritated throat, add 1/4 tsp of fresh lime juice and gargle well before swallowing.
• For hot compresses to put on the chest to help break up lung congestion, or as a massage lotion for aching muscles and joints, put 1 1/2 handfuls of fresh thyme in 2 pints of boiling water. Cover and move away from the heat. Let steep for 40 minutes. Strain and use.
• Grandma’s Old Time Mustard Plaster still helps for a variety of disorders, just like it used to do: asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, fever and chills, sciatica, neuralgia, gout, bumps, bruises, sprains, tendinitis, common cold and flu, eruptive sores and boils. Mash leaves and stems of fresh mustard plant into a pulp. Coat the surface of the skin with petroleum jelly (Crisco lard or Vaseline) before applying the pulp to prevent serious blisters or raising welts on the skin. Bind into place with gauze and adhesive tape and keep on for several hours or overnight for best results.

Cabbage, cayenne, ginger, turmeric (curcuma), yarrow, potato

• Cut out the midribs from several large green cabbage leaves and iron them with a steam iron until they are soft as velvet. Rub a little olive oil on one side and put them on the area of pain, covering them with a heavy towel. Leave for a while before changing again. GUARANTEED relief, every single time.
• Cayenne capsules are very effective as pain relievers. Take two capsules 3-4 times a day with milk or apple juice, on a consistent basis. Pain may increase early on for a short time, but will diminish soon enough.
• Hot ginger compresses relief pains of many sorts, including arthritis: 1.5 grated unpeeled ginger roots need to be tied in a small cloth, then hung for 7 minutes into a gallon of hot water that just stopped boiling. The ginger juice colors the water golden. Towels dipped in the still very hot water, then gently squeezed and applied to the aching spot, should stay warm for 15-20 minutes and grant relief. The procedure might be repeated for a total treatment of about 45 minutes, and repeated after 4-6 hours.
• Turmeric, one of the main ingredients of curry, has anti-inflammatory properties. Half a tsp in juice taken both morning and night can relief arthritic pains too.
• A tea from yarrow, in combination with CamoCare Pain Relieving creme, reduces all manners of inflammation nicely: Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and add 3 tbsp of yarrow. Cover and let simmer for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep for 20 minutes. Drink 1 cup several times a day when cool, and use the cream to rub the external points of inflammation at the same time.
• The following potato plaster reduces inflammations caused by contusions, sprains, burns, fractures, hemorrhoids, abscesses, arthritis, neuralgia and eczema: Peel and grate ordinary potatoes, mix half of them with an equal amount of green vegetable leaves (either spinach, radish or cabbage). The vegetable leaves should be coarsely pureed in t a food blender before mixing with the potatoes. To this wet mass add 10% white flower, then mix everything thoroughly by hand in a big bowl. Add just enough ice water (never warm water) to give the paste a wet, somewhat even and thick consistency. Apply plaster directly on the skin. For sensitive skin, rub the affected area with olive oil before applying the plaster. Put a clean cloth over the plaster and secure with a linen bandage. When the plaster dries out, apply warm water on the dry mass until it becomes moist again. Let the plaster sit in place for about 3.5 hours, while reclining. Remove plaster and rinse skin with warm water.