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.

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.

We’re Back! That, and a few remedies for stress relief… go figure

11. May 2010 · 3 comments · Categories: News · Tags: , ,

Me facing off with a hacker (I'm the really big one)

Looks like dkM is finally back in the saddle, and not without much hair pulling and frustration beforehand.  The site was indeed hacked, but I think I’m finally done involuntarily selling the pharmaceuticals I usually aim to replace with more natural substances.  For those of you who offered your support, thank you so much!  And thanks for sticking with me.  With almost 1,000 posts and 3 1/2 years of blogging into this, the whole experience was pretty unnerving.

We’re still checking for issues (or should I say a professional is – I’m not that adept, although I’ve enjoyed imagining the bear scenario), but so far it looks like things will be functioning normally.

What did I do over the last week to curb my stress and circumvent writing nasty letters to unknown hackers?  I will confess to more than a few cups of herbal tea, chamomile among them.  But there was the less conventional mullein root tea.  I started using mullein root (Verbascum thapsus) for my back last year and I found the relaxing effects to be really – well, noticeable.  Nothing druggy or weird, just something that would definitely take out the knots and leave me in a comfortable state.  You can’t buy mullein root commercially, but if you know the plant well, or if you know an herbalist who does, you can dig up the roots any time of year.  I just wash them well and then chop and dry.  The tea doesn’t have much taste, but you’ll know you drank it.  I wouldn’t recommend it before driving, however.  The tincture is milder in that case.

Me after some mullein root tea. Notice how limber the back is.

To get myself to sleep so I didn’t lay in bed obsessing over how to get to Trinidad or Bangladesh or a second floor apartment somewhere in the heart of Prague (or wherever hackers hide, maybe a potato field in Iowa?) I stuck with the old reliable cat mint tincture.  About 20 drops of that before bed, then some lavender oil, and nighty-night.  And I didn’t wake up feeling dopey.  Gentle and reliable stuff!

Now I can celebrate with a wild cup of yerba mate.  Nice green tea with lots of health benefits.  Wakes up the brain, allows you to think clearly and conjure up all manner of blog posts in record time.  I might be needing more…

Thanks again to all of you for sticking by me!  I’m very glad to see the email subscriber numbers didn’t drop off very much at all.  Some of you emailed me to let me know you’d be back on board once everything was cleaned up, and I very much appreciate that!  Now back to that yerba mate…

Is Antibacterial Soap Unsafe? Some Natural Alternatives to Ease Your Mind

09. April 2010 · Comments Off · Categories: Health, Herbalism, News, Remedies · Tags: , , ,

Yes, it’s all over the news – again.  The question resurges “Is antibacterial soap unsafe?”  You may recall it was a pretty big news flash several years ago in regards to how the use of antibacterial soaps could make our bodies more resistant to antibiotics.  This time around, they’re talking about the actual ingredients, namely triclosan.  An article in Reuters this morning states, “The FDA noted that there was no evidence that triclosan could be harmful to people but noted that an animal study showed the chemical may alter hormone regulation and several other lab studies showed that bacteria may be able to evolve resistance to triclosan in a way that can help them also resist antibiotics.”  Perhaps there’s no evidence of the harmfulness on people because no people were tested?  This is not mentioned, but it makes me wonder.  But whether it’s safe or it’s not, I always find some peace of mind by taking the natural road first.  That’s why I thought I’d share a few natural alternatives to antibacterial soaps.  Start out with the natural course, and it very rarely leads you to scary questions and breaking news later.

So what herbs are antibacterial?  There are too many to list here, but some of the most common are:  lavender, rosemary, garlic, and peppermint.  Apple cider vinegar is another natural item that provides antibacterial protection.  Many of our herb friends are not only antibacterial but antifungal and antiviral as well.  (Makes for a pretty good argument of natural versus manmade when you consider there’s no hard evidence that the antibacterial soaps in question actually work!)  And according to the Reference Guide for Essential Oils by Connie and Alan Higley, all essential oils are antibacterial.  Leaves you with quite a selection!

With the addition of a few drops, or a combination of any, of these and other essential oils into a spray bottle of water, you have a pretty fragrant antibacterial spray.  I’d recommend using about a cup of water to 20 drops of oil.  Experiment with blends that you like, and place in a spray bottle.  (Of course don’t spray it in your eyes, eat it, or let your kids play with it.  But you knew that!)

Another favorite of mine is Vinegar of the Four Thieves.  This historical blend was said to protect four thieves from the Black Plague when they used it after robbing the dead bodies of plague victims.  Gruesome story no doubt, and we’re not certain of the truth there, but we do know the components of most Four Thieves recipes are pretty effective.  I blogged one last year, and you can read the recipe for Vinegar of the Four Thieves here.  If you’re not keen on making your own, For My Kids sells a great version I’d recommend.

Then there’s the old standby:  Wash your hands thoroughly with regular soap.  To get the benefits of herbs in there again, get soaps that contain essential oils.  As it turns out, there is a running debate on whether or not the antibacterial soap versions actually work any better than standard soap.  And we’ve learned since childhood that thoroughly washing our hands with soap and water does in fact kill germs and bacteria.  

If you’re still worried about whether or not antibacterial soap is unsafe, natural alternatives are good to keep in mind.  My philosophy has been that if you start out with the natural solution, it doesn’t really matter what the news says.  What is called safe today might be called unsafe tomorrow, but that rarely happens in the herb world.  Yes, there are herbs we need to be careful with, but as in all of life, moderation is key.  The good news is, plants seem to have a much better – and longer – track record for safe and effective use.  I’m more than happy to stick with my botanical friends!

Natural Remedies for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

09. March 2010 · Comments Off · Categories: Herbalism, Remedies · Tags: , ,

Got GERD? No need to lose your head. Natural remedies may be just what you're looking for.

 

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a “condition in which acid, bile and partially-digested food in the stomach back up into the esophagus.”  For many people, GERD is making a difficult time of their daily lives.  But there are a few simple and natural remedies that can take the edge off the discomfort.

First, try not to eat when you’re stressed.  So many of us eat in a hurry, under pressure, or when we’re all stressed out – as if we’re still those cave men and women trying to get that meal in before the sabertooth comes along to claim his portion!  Before eating, give yourself a few moments of peace and quiet.  During meals, chew thoroughly to aid in digestion.  And think of Uncle Howard, the guy who always loosened his belt at the dinner table:  Don’t wear clothing that restricts your stomach.  (And here you thought Uncle Howard was just a little gross.)

Try and wait three hours after eating before lying down.  And when you do tuck in for the night, you might want to sleep on your left side, which will keep your stomach below your esophagus.

That most versatile of herbal remedies, chamomile, produces a fabulous tea that is known for its ability to soothe gastrointestinal spasms, so you may find a cup of this warm herbal brew is just the thing to naturally relax your GERD.

Of course it’s always good to consult your doctor, but by trying a few natural remedies before taking the trip to the office, you may just find conditions like GERD are controllable without the need for pharmaceuticals.  Nature’s just smart that way.  And so is Uncle Howard.

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