Herbal Household Remedies

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:

banana, carrot, peppers, parsnip, tomato

• Bananas are the perfect mid-morning snack that keeps adults cheerful and attentive, overall less tired, at work.
• A glass of carrot juice will give you a surge of energy, probably because carrots have a high natural sugar content. If you mix pineapple juice and carrot juice equally, you get a good drink for those who have to deal with hypoglycemia.
• Capsicum and paprika both increase energy levels. Eating different kinds of peppers, including cayenne peppers, regularly gives you additional vitality and vigor.
• Parsnips are great fatigue fighters, and also help the body to cleanse itself. For those with hypoglycemia, their diet should include parsnip once a day or at least every other day. The same counts for those recovering from serious illness or surgery.
• A diet that contains plenty of tomatoes can also help in fighting hypoglycemia, fatigue and lack of energy in general.

sage, pineapple, rosemary

The following solutions help against eczema, psoriasis, jock itch, diaper or poison ivy rashes, and similar skin conditions.

Any kind of intense itching can be relieved and cured by bathing the affected area in a solution of sage. Steep a handful of freshly cut and slightly crushed sage leaves in 1 pint of water for an hour, then strain. Bath the affected parts. While still wet, sprinkle whole wheat flour (not white) over the entire area. Relief is said to come within 10 minutes.

You can also bath the affected areas in a solution of pineapple rind and rosemary. Simmer for 35 minutes the cut rind of one pineapple and 1 tbsp dried rosemary in a quart of boiling water, uncovered.  Wash the affected skin frequently with this solution.