Natural Cold Sore Remedies

09. August 2012 · Comments Off · Categories: Health, Herbalism, Remedies · Tags: , ,

Waking up to find a big red dot on your face is never a good way to start the day, but knowing a few natural cold sore remedies will help put you back in control. I was reading through a few natural cold sore remedies on Reader’s Digest the other day, and it got me thinking about the wide array of herbal remedies we can find for just about anything. That’s the beauty of herbs. Can’t get ahold of one thing? No problem. There’s always something else to try.

Let’s take a look at a few options you have if those cold sores won’t leave you alone.

Gold Thread (Coptis trifolia): This is perhaps my favorite remedy because it’s a neat and tidy one. At that very first tingle, apply a few drops of gold thread tincture to the area. You can do this liberally and often, so if you’ve got to go to work or chaperone a class field trip or overthrow a small empire, you can take the tincture with you easily. A strong tea of gold thread will work too, but the tincture is far superior in strength.

Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea or angustifolia): If repeat outbreaks are an issue for you, echinacea tincture is a good option. Cold sores are actually a result of the herpes simplex virus, and since echinacea has a way of building up the body’s defences, it can help you toss that virus out on its ear. Take 50 – 60 drops of tincture in some water up to three times a day. I like a good root tincture or a whole plant tincture that includes the root. Alternatively, balsamroot tincture can be taken 20 – 50 drops up to four times a day. Just like the echinacea, it helps support the body’s ability to make macrophages, these cool little Pac Man type thingies that gobble up all sorts of virusy badness. (At least, that’s how I envision them…)

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis): No, this isn’t some weak, wimpy grandma tea. Lemon balm packs a fierce punch in the herbal world when you’re not talking old brown leaf crumbles found in tea bags at the grocery store. You can choose to apply the tincture topically several times a day, or you can make the tea from freshly dried leaves (no older than one year maximum) and drink it as often as you choose. It’s really good stuff, trust me. You’ll not only see an improvement in the whole cold sore thingie, you’ll feel a lot better about life in general.

Are these the only herbal remedies out there for cold sore outbreaks? Nope. There are numerous and this is a sampling of a few of the best. It’s a good start to not only building your natural cold sore remedies arsenal, but to learning to rely herbal remedies for chemical-free health.

Using Herbs To Control Skin Outbreaks

31. May 2012 · 1 comment · Categories: Health, Herbalism, Mommy Care, Remedies · Tags: , ,

Today’s guest post will help you learn to use herbs to control skin outbreaks – Just love that acne mask recipe! Enjoy!

Chamomile Flowers for Healthy Skin

For millennia, women and men have been using herbs to support the heath of their skin. As modern people become more and more wary of synthetic skin products, they’ve rediscovered some of the herbs that used to keep their ancestors skin fresh, blemishless and healthy. See wrinklecreams.com for more information.

The Good and Bad News About Oily Skin 

Skin outbreaks can happen to anyone, but they seem to be the bane of people with oily complexions, or at least young people with oily complexions. For people with oily skin have skin that holds in moisture, so they tend to have fewer wrinkles as they age.

Since oil does have the benefit of keeping the skin lubricated, nothing should be taken that shuts down oil production all together. Some herbs can stop the overproduction of oil that leads to skin outbreaks like acne. Some of these herbs include basil, eucalyptus, lemon grass, yarrow and the fruit and leaves of strawberries.

Cleaning Away Excess Oil 

A person with oily skin should wash their face at least twice a day with a neutral cleanser. Cotton pads dampened with witch hazel will also help wipe away excess oil. They can also steam their face once a week to unclog the pores and further get rid of excess oil. Alcohol should be used sparingly, as it dries out the skin so much that the skin reacts by producing even more oil than it did before.

One facial steam for oily complexions uses a mix of herbs: 

1 rounded teaspoon each of chamomile flowers, lemon grass leaves, lavender flowers and rosemary leaves. Simmer water, add the herbs, remove from the heat and steep for five minutes. A mask for an oily complexion can be this one:

1 tbs. witch hazel

1 tsp. bentonite clay

1 strawberry, mashed

2 drops each of lemon and cypress essential oils

Mix the ingredients and apply to the face. Leave on for about five to 10 minutes, then rinse.

A mask for acne can be: 

1 tsp. bentonite clay

1 tsp. ground strawberry leaves

1 drop chamomile, sage or rosemary essential oil

1 drop of tea tree essential oil

Water

Mix these ingredients into a paste with the water. Apply to the face in a thin layer and take care to avoid the eyes. Leave on for as long as it’s comfortable, then rinse.

Herbs and their essential oils can make a great difference when it comes to skin care and they’re much less expensive to buy than the batteries of skin care products found on the drugstore shelves!

How to Boost Your Immune System Naturally

07. February 2012 · 1 comment · Categories: Cold and Flu, Health, Herbalism, Remedies · Tags: , , , , ,

If you’ve been wondering how to go about boosting your immune system as naturally as possible, it’s time to take a closer look at herbs. We’re all concerned about the misuse of antibiotics and what that could mean during a real crisis, and it doesn’t look like any new antibiotics will be coming to our rescue any time soon. According to Bill Bryson, author of A Short History of Nearly Everything, “Although a few antibiotics have been toughened up a bit, the pharmaceutical industry hasn’t given us an entirely new antibiotic since the 1970′s.”  But we’re not about getting fearful around here. No, we’re not. We’re about taking charge, gathering some simple knowledge, and going forth with self reliance. With a little help from our botanical friends.

First stop on the herbal train is – you guessed it – echinacea. This is not only the easiest to get in commerce, it’s one of the safest. You can take echinacea tincture for months on end without side effects, and it won’t wear out on you. Echinacea assists the body in building up its own defenses. In other words, it’s like a drill sergeant. He doesn’t fight for them – he teaches them to fight for themselves.

The next herb we’ll look at is balsam root. Similar to echinacea in the way it works, balsam root is an especially good choice for those of us who tend to be immuno-deficient. You know, someone who seems to catch everything that comes around. If you’re one of those and you often feel cold and clammy, balsam root is your herb. It’s got a way of warming you up while it stimulates the immune system. A good combination, if you ask me!

For either of these herbs, I’d recommend going with a tincture. You’ll get a lot more out of the plants that way. If you can’t find tincture, tea is your next best bet. While you may be missing some constituents, as long as the tea is fresh, you’ll still be reaping many benefits. And while we’re talking tea, getting bulk herb is often better quality and much cheaper than getting tea bags.

Don’t forget to eat healthy foods to boost that immune system, either. Yes, dark green leafy veggies are ideal. Don’t feel like munching on a pound of raw kale? Green smoothies make it much easier to get plenty of vegetables in your diet.

Taking these ideas into consideration, you can make it through the rest of the winter “grunge” season with fewer concerns. And fewer antibiotics. For more ideas on how to boost your immune system naturally, as well as helpful info on fighting colds and flu with herbs, subscribe to this blog or check out my ebook Herbs Gone Wild!

How to Cool Off Naturally

04. June 2010 · 7 comments · Categories: Herbalism, Remedies · Tags: , ,

When summer gets hot and steamy, you could crank up the air conditioning and stay indoors.  But that’s no fun! Instead, you may want to try to learn how to cool yourself off naturally with a few easy – and pleasant tasting – ideas.

Mushrooms for dinner, anyone?  Add fresh mushrooms to your summer salads, or perhaps enjoy it in your stirfry and other dishes.  Edible mushrooms (any variety) tend to cool off the body, so it’s a tasty and healthy way to beat the heat.

Don’t enjoy the fungi?  No problem.  Another great way to cool down is to enjoy some citrus fruits.  Fresh oranges, grapefruit, tangerines etc. can quickly turn down the heat.  Take some peeled oranges with you to the beach or on the trail.  Or keep some fresh organic lemons on hand to squeeze into your tap water or mineral water.  You’ll be hydrating yourself while keeping cool and comfortable.  See?  Your grandma knew what she was doing when she served you that fresh squeezed lemonade instead of the yucky powdered stuff.

Lemon balm is perhaps the most lovely way to cool off naturally.  It’s unbelievably easy to grow in your garden, and whenever you need a little cool-down, snip off a few bits and toss them in your water glass.  Or prepare a sun tea by crushing a few handfuls in a large sun tea jar, cover with water, put on a lid, and allow to steep in the sun for several hours.  Refrigerate and enjoy over the next couple of days – if it lasts that long!  Everyone will be filling their canteens with this one.  Oh, and if you need to relax after a “stressful” day of outdoor fun?  The lemon balm will help you kick back and enjoy long summer days despite the heat.

Natural Cures for Jet Lag

20. May 2010 · 1 comment · Categories: Health, Mommy Care, Remedies · Tags: , ,

With the travel season gearing up, I thought we’d take a look at a few natural cures for jet lag.  So today we have an excerpt from the book Chinese Home Remedies: Harnessing Ancient Wisdom For Self-healing, reprinted with permission from New Pages Books.

What is it and What Causes It?

Tired yet unable to sleep; hungry yet unable to eat. Our bodies have a built-in biological clock to regulate the sleep/wakefulness cycle. It has trouble adjusting to the rapid time zone shifts made possible by air travel. The resulting fatigue and insomnia can sometimes take days or weeks to dissipate.

What Should You Do in Daily Life?

- Plan ahead to adjust to the change in time zones. Four days before the start of the trip, adjust schedule to fit to the new time zone.

- Practice so-called “light therapy,” which is spending some specific time in the sun to adjust your biological clock. If you fly from Lost Angeles to London, four days before you leave do more outdoor activities from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. It will gradually move your biological clock forward and change your bedtime from 10 p.m. to 8 p.m. If you fly from New York to Hong Kong, do more outdoor activities after 2 p.m. Change your wakeup time from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m.

- You can ease your transition by drinking coffee or tea at the time corresponding to the morning of the destination. Drink 1 cup of soymilk with honey at the time corresponding to the bedtime of the destination.

- Strictly follow the regular schedule at your destination: Go to bed on time. Use some sleeping herbs if  necessary. When you are awake in the middle of the night due to jet lag, you need to remain lying. If you are bored, listen to relaxing music or the radio. By resting according to the schedule of the new time zone, you can make the transition easier.

- When you are feeling sleepy from jet lag, and it’s still not close to bedtime, start doing things that are guaranteed to keep you awake. This can be socializing, exercises, or other activities you enjoy.

What Shouldn’t You Do?

- Don’t eat spicy food in an airplane at night.

- Don’t drink alcohol.

Folk Remedies

- At your destination, when you sleep, put some dried chrysanthemum on your pillow. The herb helps to tranquilize you.

- At your destination, apply a few drops of jasmine oil on  your temples to help you go to sleep.

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