Natural Health Tutoring » Herbs

Top 10 Herbs To Have In Your Herbal First-Aid Kit – Peppermint

admin — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 02:44:56 +0000

The primarily ailment I have used peppermint for is related to digestion – but as I began digging for more information, I have found that it helps with a host of other issues!

Let’s start with those tummy problems, though.

Since peppermint is safe for babies and children, this one is a real life-saver for parents of colicky babies. By relaxing the stomach muscles it relieves indigestion and eases gas pains, problems that are said to cause colic. But, whether you are 8 weeks old or 80 years old, a nice hot peppermint tea will do wonders for your stomach. (Keep it close by after that next holiday meal – you know, an after dinner mint!)

In fact, peppermint can have a calming effect on the whole body, so it may do you some good to drink a cup before bed, especially in times of elevated stress.

Peppermint will bring a calm to the storm in the belly thereby easing nausea and vomiting. Hand some over to the next pregnant lady that you hear is suffering from morning sickness – it just might do the trick! Folks with Crohn’s disease may find some comfort when using this herb after meals because it stimulates the acidity in the stomach which allows food to be digested more fully before entering the intestines and colon.

Now, besides the digestive system, peppermint can also help you with*:

insomnia
colds (by easing the irritation of the lungs and nasal passages)
bad breath (its antiseptic and antibacterial properties kill bacteria in the mouth)
sore or strained muscles (make it into a rub to harness its menthol content)
weaning a baby (peppermint will decrease a mother’s milk supply)
fevers
diarrhea
headaches and migraines
cleanses and tones the body
hiccups (just a dropper-ful will chase them away)

(* – some information taken from “The How To Herb Book” by Velma Keith and Monteen Gordon)

Also, because it has such a distinct taste, I use peppermint in all my tinctures in hopes that it will cover the taste of some of the more unpalatable herbs! Peppermint is known as a catalyst or activator which means that drinking a cup of the tea before administering other herbal remedies helps to open up your circulation and receive the remedy more fully.

How have you used peppermint to better your health? I’m sure there is something I left out – chime in here to share your experiences!

Top 10 Herbs To Have In Your Herbal First-Aid Kit – Chamomile

admin — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:33:50 +0000

Long before I ever started down the “natural health” path, I drank chamomile tea. Many of us have because of its wonderful ability to calm a stomach and induce relaxed sleep. But, did you know there is more to this herb?

As early as the time of the ancient Egyptians, chamomile was used for reduction of fevers, something they considered to be the ‘ague’. The Egyptian royal women used the petals in preparations for their skin. The Anglo Saxons in the Middle Ages counted it among their nine sacred herbs. More recently, it was called the “plant’s physician” because it helps keep other plants near it more healthy and happy.

Beautiful Chamomile

Chamomile is one of the gentlest of herbs, which is why it is a perfect addition to most treatments for children. Colicky babies may benefit from a few doses during their especially irritable times because of it’s ability to expel gas from the bowels and aid in digestion. Many believe that colic is a result of digestion problems. Using chamomile to calm a young one’s nerves after a traumatic event or injury will also induce a restful sleep.

There are a myriad of uses for chamomile in the life of a woman as well. This herb will bring on menstruation and regulate its flow. It will also help to relieve some of the cramping many women experience during their cycle because it relaxes the uterine muscles. As a matter of fact, the Latin name Matricaria is often translated “uterus” – a name it received because of the many benefits to that organ of a woman’s body.

Because of its effect on a woman during menstruation, intake of chamomile during pregnancy should be carefully monitored, but not ruled out altogether. Many have taken this herb to help reduce morning sickness and ease labor pains.

I wonder if Mother Rabbit gave little Peter Rabbit his chamomile tea before bed to calm his nerves, help his digestion of all those veggie treats and help him sleep a little better after his long and naughty day!

I’m sure I didn’t think of something that chamomile is great for! Please add your two cents in the comments section below!

Top 10 Herbs To Have In Your Herbal First-Aid Kit – Elderberry

admin — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 01:29:50 +0000

The book “Practical Herbalism” calls it the universal remedy.

In the 17th century, John Evelyn, a British researcher, declared, “If the medicinal properties of its leaves, bark, and berries were fully known, I cannot tell what our countryman could ail for which he might not fetch a remedy [from the elderberry], either for sickness or wounds.”

Those are pretty big promises from such a small berry! But, experience after experience and study after study are proving those statements to be quite true.

History

In recorded history, the use of the elderberry goes back as far as Hippocrates but could extend even farther. The history on this herb is so powerful that people in Medieval Ages thought one would die within three days of chopping down an elderberry bush! Of course, as experience would prove otherwise, that idea died out and gave way to superstitious beliefs that the berries would bring good luck or had mystical powers for ridding you of bad spirits.

I don’t know about spirits, but I do know that elderberry is a powerful healer in the physical realm!

Usages

Got the flu? Reach for the elderberry first! One of the most popular and most successful reasons for having elderberry around is to ward off the flu or shorten its duration if you’ve already contracted it. When a virus invades your body, it cannot multiply on its own – it must take over healthy cells within your body. When you consume elderberry, the antiviral agents within actually attack the virus by coating it before it can reach your cells to multiply. It stands to reason, then, that you would be better off with some elderberry in your system before the flu virus reached you to begin with.

Elderberry was used in 1995 to treat the flu epidemic in Panama and has been further researched in fighting the “bird” flu and the “swine” flu!

Some other illnesses that are treated by elderberry include (but are not limited to):

bronchitis / coughs / other respiratory ailments
all inflammatory bowel diseases
constipation AND diarrhea
fever
allergies
burns / rashes / minor skin problems
bacterial infections
helps lower cholesterol
improves vision
improves heart health
boosts immune system function
hemorrhoids

As you can see, so many issues can be treated with elderberry. You will be well on your way to a complete first-aid kit even if you only add this one herb!

How To Buy

You can purchase elderberries in nearly any form for a multitude of uses. Here are just a few:

Wholes Elderberries (dried) from MoreThanAlive
Berry Well is a fruity syrup packed with elderberries and more to make a great remedy
Ultra Immune gel capsules contain the powerful elements of elderberry, stabilized Allicin (the good stuff in garlic), and olive leaf to give you an amazing immune boost.
Sambucol – this is a company that specializes in making health-promoting products from elderberries
Elderberry Tea
Elderberry Capsules

Preparations

I have two favorite ways to prepare elderberries – tea and tincture.

Tea is probably pretty self-explanatory – pour some hot/boiling water over some elderberries, steep for a few minutes, strain, sweeten and enjoy. I usually just use the “eyeball” method of measuring, but if you want to get technical you can use 2 teaspoons of berries to 1 cup of water. Many use this as a remedy to overcome the fever as it induces sweating. Make a large batch of the tea and consume several cups in the late afternoon and evening.

The tincture is a bit more advanced but you can store this in the refrigerator and have it around longer than a tea. A tincture also includes another ingredient called food-grade vegetable glycerin. I purchase mine at Azure Standard because they have the best pricing on the glycerin and the shipping. I usually get two one-gallon jugs per order and that lasts me about a year.

Ingredients:

1 cup water
1 cup glycerin
4 teaspoons elderberries

Instructions:

Start with a large pot that has a nicely fitting lid.
Measure your berries and liquids into the pot and cover. (The ratio here is 2 teaspoons of herb to 1 cup of liquid, just in case you want to make a larger batch.)
Heat the mixture over very low heat for 2 to 3 hours.
Strain the berries out – I bought a very large mesh strainer for this after years of using the regular little ones and what a difference it made in the process!!
Pour into a large glass jar and close tightly.
Store in the refrigerator for two weeks. (I have stored my for longer – up to 2 months sometimes – with no problems.)
Dosage: I give my children approximately 2 teaspoons every few hours when they are sick or in the morning and at night when they have been exposed to a sick person or are just getting over something.

I would really like to use the sealed-simmer method at some point but it takes advance planning as the mixture needs to simmer for a few days. I never seem to plan that far in advnace and find that I need something right away when the kids start coming down with something! There are also alcohol tinctures but I have never made one.

Another way to use elderberries would be in a poultice and there are as many ways to make poultices as there are people who make them! You can pour a small amount of hot water over a hand-full of berries in a bowl and mash them a bit. Transfer this to some cheese cloth or a piece of well-layered gauze and fold the berries inside, somewhat like an envelope. Apply the poultice to the effected area as hot as you can stand it without burning yourself.

There are many other ways to use this wonderful herbal cure-all but these should get you started!

Top 10 Herbs To Have In Your Herbal First-Aid Kit

admin — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:30:03 +0000

Regardless of how long you have been interested in the wonderful world of natural health or alternative medicine, you know by now that there are countless herbs that you can use for countless reasons!

The information out there is absolutely exhausting! Trying to learn about all these herbs and their uses can be overwhelming, to say the least.

In my journey down this natural road, I have found that focusing on a handful of herbs and really getting to know them inside and out is a very good way to get you started. You can feel confident in your knowledge and begin using just a few herbs much sooner than if you tried to learn about several hundred different herbs at once. You will find that herbs are so versatile, one herb will usually cover a multitude of issues.

Over a period of time, I would like to introduce you to the herbs in my herbal first-aid kit, one by one. These are the herbs that I simply will not be without. There is rarely an issue that comes up that cannot be treated by one or more of these herbs. I have gotten to know them very well and they work absolute miracles!

Top 10 Herbs

Elderberry
Chamomile
Peppermint
Yarrow
Echinacea
Lobelia
Comfrey
Dandelion
Aloe Vera
Red Raspberry

You can just keep tabs on this one article, as I will be linking in all the new articles here. Or, you can easily subscribe to the RSS or email updates and have the articles delivered right to your “door” as they are released!

Top 10 Herbs To Have In Your Herbal First-Aid Kit – Comfrey

admin — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 23:49:58 +0000

Comfrey is a natural healing herb that has been in use since medieval times for a myriad of maladies. The Greeks used it often to assist in the mending of broken bones and as a pain reliever. One Greek botanic physician, Dioscordies, treated the armies of Alexander the Great with much success. It has been used down through the ages as an ornamental and medicinal plant.

Today, it has been proven to have both antibacterial properties and antifungal properties and is often used topically to relieve pain, swelling, and irritation due to scrapes, minor cuts, and burns. Comfrey can help encourage clotting as it has been proven to contract capillaries and larger blood vessels. It has also been shown to be effective when used as a poultice on large bruises, shortening the healing time.

When the root is used to make a tea, comfrey has the ability to relieve congestion and mucus buildup that come with colds and allergies thereby reducing the pain associated with it. It can also be a mild sedative in this form helping you sleep when you are ill.

Individuals with irritable bowel syndrome claim it helps decrease their symptoms. Comfrey is a laxative, but should diarrhea be due to poor food digestion, it can relieve the diarrhea by promoting better digestion.

Many diabetics use comfrey to help control their diabetes. Comfrey has a substance called mucilage in it that suppresses glucose and insulin peaks after eating a meal. This can be very beneficial to both diabetics and hypoglycemics and anyone else who needs to regulate their blood sugars.

Why does Comfrey work so well?

Primarily, allantoin gives comfrey its power. Allantoin is a cell proliferant, which means that it helps healthy cells to multiply instead of diseased cells. When you have an injury, you want to create more new, healthy cells to replace the broken and damaged ones. Comfrey will mend all kinds of tissues and bones found within the human body. Did you know that allantoin is found in mother’s milk?

Another piece of the comfrey puzzle is mucilage – a sticky substance that oozes from the plant. The root of this plant contains the highest amount of mucilage. This slimy fluid is great for sore throats and other irriations of the skin and body.

The last large compound within comfrey are tannins. These give the herb its antiseptic and antibiotic properties as they bind up proteins and constrict surrounding tissue.

Usages

The list of things you can use comfrey for is nearly endless. I have personally used it for several bruises, cuts, scrapes, mosquito bites, etc. I’ll include a brief portion of “The How To Herb Book” by Velma J. Keith and Monteen Gordon that lists the uses for comfrey …

Has been used historically in the following:

Acne

Bed sores

Ulcerated bowels

Sore breasts

Bronchitis

Bruises

Burns

Dandruff

Douches

Healing after child birth

Female problems

Fractures

Gum infections

Hemorrhoids

Infections

Itching

Pain

Pulled tendons

Yeast infection

and more!

Preparations

Since comfrey is a “contact healer”, the way I use it most often is in a poultice. Get a handful of dried comfrey leaves and pour some hot/boiling water over them. Scoop this onto a cheese cloth or piece of well-layered gauze and fold like an envelope. Apply to the area to be treated as hot as you can stand it, while not getting burned.

Another great way to use this herb is in a salve. Melt some beeswax – you can use pot on the stove but the beeswax may leave a film that you can’t get out. Instead, you could use a glass jar in a crockpot full of water. Add the comfrey and heat until the beeswax is very dark green/brown. Strain as much of the herb out as possible using a porous cloth such as a t-shirt or gauze. Add some vitamin E or grapefruit seed extract as a preservative and mix well. Pour into a wide-mouth glass jar, label and enjoy! This is great on mosquito bites, chapped lips, diaper rash, minor skin irritations – and the list goes on!

How/Where to Purchase

You’ll need lots of dried comfrey leaves on hand to give your miracle salve to all your friends!
Comfrey Soap with Aloe
Comfrey Ointment in case you don’t have time or supplies to make your own

Precaution

Taking comfrey internally can sometimes cause damage to an already damaged or at-risk liver. By and large, people are able to use comfrey internally but just use care if you have a severely damaged liver.

Echinecea

admin — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:47:47 +0000

Echinacea – The Little “Coneflower” Gets Praise For Healing

Echinacea is a widely used herb, known for it’s medicinal qualities and it’s use in many natural healing home remedies. Methods include burning, tinctures, washes and mixtures. It is commonly called Coneflower, and the old Folk name for Echinacea was Black Sampson.

From the roots, many remedies are taken for their almost magical effects. Some of Echinacea’s natural healing properties, by preserving the white blood cells, as well as medicinal characteristics, are employed when it is used as a blood purifier and stimulant, when the blood stream becomes infected. For years it has been used to kill disease causing viruses and bacteria. It also makes an excellent pain reliever, detoxifier, and a powerful deodorant when dealing with bad odors from an infected patient’s illness. It is hailed for it’s wound healing properties. It has even been touted as an antibiotic, as Echinacea strongly boosts the immune system, fighting infection and healing wounds.

As a home remedy, Echinacea has even seen praise, when mixed with other herbs, as a mouthwash and to help with bleeding gums. As a natural healing method, Native Americans used it for snakebites and insect stings, though one is cautioned to seek immediate medical care in this instance. They also relied on Echinacea to help with cough, headache, sore throat, and as an analgesic. These are just a few of its many healing properties.

Echinacea has been used to treat yeast infections and actually prevent further cases of. It has been used for generations to help with the common cold, and studies have shown it can significantly shorten the duration of the cold, reduces symptoms, and possibly the chances of catching a cold at all, when taken at the beginning of the symptoms.

If used to treat the common cold at home, it is recommended, as stated above, to take at the onset of the cold. It is also recommended to take it every two to four hours, even at night, as Echinacea works best at a steady dose. It should be used until the symptoms of the cold are gone. It has also been suggested that it can have the same healing affects for the flu.

For someone wanting to try Echinacea at home, it is easily found at drug stores, health food stores and variety stores. It is recommended that you take it with food and a full glass of water. Also consult your doctor if symptoms are not better two weeks after starting Echinacea. And of course, ask your doctor about Echinacea if you are taking any other medications.

Lobelia

admin — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:47:03 +0000

Lobelia the “Jack of All Trades” of the Home Remedies.

Lobelia, a natural cure for centuries, has also been referred to as Asthma Weed, Indian Tobacco, Pukeweed, and Vomitwort, has been used for many years, for it’s medicinal characteristics, natural healing properties, and in home remedies. Lobelia has been used in a large variety of ways, such as: poultice, fluid extract, infusion, decoction, pills or capsules, ointment, powdered herb or seed, syrup, and acid tincture. Lobelia can also be used as an enema. Lobelia acts on the regulating centers of the body: the circulation, digestion, and the nervous and hormonal system.

Because there are several varieties of Lobelia, there are many uses for it’s healing properties, as well as inducing vomiting and reducing fevers, and cleansing the blood of toxins. Drug-resistant tumors have also been known to succumb to the effects of Lobelia.

As a medicinal home remedy, the healing properties of Lobelia are as a nerve depressant, and assist with nicotine withdrawal because it reduces the craving for nicotine and has also been effective in reducing the effects of alcohol withdrawal. It is also used as an anticonvulsant. Due to its antispasmodic characteristics, it relaxes the muscles in the chest, making coughs more productive in expelling phlegm.

It has also been shown to treat certain spinal problems, as well as help with chronic sprains, when applied topically. Lobelia also aids in cold sweats, colic, constipation, and cramps.

As a natural healing home remedy, many people, especially the Native Americans, used Lobelia to treat the symptoms of asthma and bronchitis because it relaxes the bronchial passages during an asthma attack. It also stimulates the respiratory center of the brain, and is very useful when supplied at the commencement of an asthma attack, Lobelia clears blockages in the lungs, and laryngitis and mucus build up. It removes congestion and obstructions in the body, particularly in the blood vessels. It is also very helpful with relieving edema and cardiac pain.

Lobelia has been smoked, particularly during an asthma attack, to reduce lung spasms. It is used, as well, for other bronchial issues.

Lobelia is also used in natural healing to induce vomiting, reduce cold sensitivity, lessen spasms, is an excellent expectorant, and reduces symptoms of food poisoning. It is also a recommended mild sedative that can assist with respiratory issues and muscle problems.

It has also earned great praise as a medicinal remedy for rheumatism, boils, whiplash injuries, ulcers, tennis elbow, hard to heal sores, and helps relax sore, tired muscles. It has also been used to counteract poor circulation and reduce allergies. In the past is has been used to relieve symptoms caused by measles, chicken pox, scarlet fever, and tetanus.

Natural Health Tutoring » Herbs

Top 10 Herbs To Have In Your Herbal First-Aid Kit – Peppermint

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Top 10 Herbs To Have In Your Herbal First-Aid Kit – Chamomile

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Top 10 Herbs To Have In Your Herbal First-Aid Kit – Elderberry

History

Usages

How To Buy

Preparations

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Top 10 Herbs To Have In Your Herbal First-Aid Kit

Top 10 Herbs

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Top 10 Herbs To Have In Your Herbal First-Aid Kit – Comfrey

Why does Comfrey work so well?

Usages

Preparations

How/Where to Purchase

Precaution

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Lobelia

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