Natural Herbal Beauty

Uva ursi, pronounced yuva ursee, is traditionally prescribed for kidney and bladder infections, especially when water retention is a problem. This bitter herb has long been used successfully in the treatment of inflammatory diseases of the urinary tract, including urethritis and cystitis, and is said to help dissolve kidney stones. It is considered valuable against disorders of the spleen, liver, pancreas, and small intestines.

DESCRIPTION AND PARTS USED

A small evergreen shrub, uva ursi is found throughout Europe and in the northern United States. This shrub grows sideways and can eventually spread into a low-growing bushy clump that covers an area up to fifteen feet. It makes quite a nice ground cover. Uva ursi has a long, tough root that sends out burrowing stems which turn upward and attain a height of from four to six inches. Its flowers can be pink or white; the fruit can be bright red or pink. The leaves, which contain this herb’s medicinal properties, are only 1/2 to 1 inch long. (more…)

Valerian is a champion nervine. This calming herb has tranquilizing properties with marked sedative action. It has long been considered valuable against anxiety, nervousness, stress, hysteria, and insomnia, as well as nervous conditions associated with pain, even those nasty “cluster-type” migraines. It is also used to bring down high blood pressure and to help quiet intestinal spasms, convulsions, and muscle cramps.

DESCRIPTION AND PARTS USED

Valerian grows in damp meadowlands and on riverbanks. It can reach a height of up to three feet and bears feathery leaves. The tips of its branched stems put forth composite flowers with tiny rosy petals ranging in hue from very pale to almost fuschia. The root of the plant is the part considered medicinally valuable. Once the hairy roots are thoroughly washed, the fiberous root hairs have to be removed. The best utensil for this odd job is an old comb. (more…)

White willow bark tea has been used down through the ages as a fever-reducer, pain-reliever, and anti-inflammatory agent. This herb breaks fevers, eases headaches, and reduces the pain and swelling of affected joints and sore, aching muscles. Because it works on the central nervous system as well as the musculo skeletal system, willow tea can ease stress and tension, both mental and physical.

DESCRIPTION AND PARTS USED

The graceful willow thrives in moist, even wet, locations and loves the banks of rivers, streams, and lakes. Because of their extensive root systems, willow trees are able to anchor and hold the land against shore-line erosion. The willow is indigenous to Europe, but has been well naturalized in North America. The active properties of this historic medicinal rest in its bark. (more…)

This hot herb, a noted stimulant traditionally taken in small doses, acts on the stomach, heart, and respiratory system. Wintergreen is considered valuable against rheumatic pain, joint pain, lumbago, gout, sciatica, headache, and sore, aching muscles. There’s a use for wintergreen from top to bottom: Gargling with the tea relieves a sore and inflammed throat; douching with the tea helps get rid of a yeast infection.

It was once thought that an application of the oil expressed from the leaves could eliminate warts, corns, callouses, cysts, and even tattoos. A poultice can help bring down swellings and boils. (more…)

Yerba mate, pronounced herba-mah-tay, is a traditional herbal brew taken throughout the South American countries. In some areas, it is the national drink, more popular than coffee or any other type of tea.

This herb is a powerful stimulant with tonic, diuretic, and diaphoretic action. It is said to cleanse the blood, tone the nervous system, stimulate the mind, fight fatigue, and ease stress. Yerba mate is even credited with age-retarding properties. It is prescribed to treat arthritis, headache, constipation, and allergies. As an aid toweight-loss, its historic ability to control appetite and its diuretic properties are considered valuable. (more…)

There are dozens of herbs used for skin problems, just as there are dozens of different kinds and causes of skin problems. Different herbs help different rashes and different people. Most herbalists believe that a rash is a symptom of an internal complaint and prescribe ‘blood cleansing’ herbs or diet. Nutritional supplements such as zinc, vitamins B6 and E can help.

Before you rush off to seek professional advice, try these herbs:

Comfrey

Comfrey is available as an ointment or cream, or you can make a strong decoction (i.e. a tea boiled rather than infused) of the roots and leaves. Wash the roots with a nail brush before boiling. (more…)

In a very old undated medical book of mile, William Whitla M.D., `Professor of Therapeutics in Queen’s College, Belfast’ gives this obviously Irish remedy:

Of the drugs used to counteract sleeplessness, there is not, on the whole, one so generally valuable as Alcohol in most mild cases. The various wines are inferior to whisky, and brandy does not produce as good results as whisky. Strong ale is highly hypnotic, and so is porter or stout. Alcohol acts more certainly if given warm, but not hot. One wine-glassful of good whisky, made into warm punch, and swallowed as a draught—not sipped’ in spoonfuls—is a most invaluable soporific.

It should be noted that alcohol can also act as a stimulant and keep you awake or wake you up in the wee small hours. (more…)

To cease smoking is the easiest thing I ever did; I ought to know because I’ve done it a thousand times.

Giving up smoking was one of the hardest things I ever did. It is also the best thing we can do for our bodies. After many stops and starts, two things finally helped me: Quincy and ginseng. ‘Quincy’?—the old TV series! In one episode, the county coroner had a case of a baffling child poisoning. The child lay in the hospital dramatically dying from some mysterious, unknown poison. New to parenthood, I sat on the edge of my seat. At the stroke of doom the mystery poison was discovered—cigarette butts! The concentrated nicotine in the filters is deadly. I knew of nicotine’s effectiveness in killing bugs in the garden— so with this motivation the pipe was thrown into the rubbish bin. (more…)

Place a few drops of The Fragrant Garden Breathe Easy Oil on the pillow at night, on a light ring or in a scent pot in the room overnight. The Fragrant Garden Breathe Easy Pot Pourri is also helpful. Put some in a large bowl in the bedroom and refresh with a drop of the oil nightly.

Often snoring is caused by congested airways, especially the sinuses. A change in diet, avoiding alcohol and/or beef, milk and cheese can be helpful. One of my female customers once said ‘Why do men always snore when they drink?’ While this is a physical impossibility, alcohol may make one snore more at night due to its depressant effect on muscles of the upper airways, causing some degree of obstruction. Unfortunately, there is only one way to find out if this is the cause of your snoring problems. Stop drinking! (more…)

Sunburn should be prevented with lots of fresh sunscreen lotion put on half an hour before going out into the sun. The sunscreen should then be reapplied every hour if you have been swimming, or every two hours if you are not wet.

The best herb for sunburn is Aloe vera gel/juice. Our two-year-old daughter spent the day in a backyard pool with some bronzed Italian friends. She came home raspberry red all over, much to everyone’s horror. The poor little girl was in terrible pain. We slathered her all over with fresh aloe gel from the garden. After the second application her pain was virtually gone. Without aloe she would not have been able to sleep. The next morning she had all but recovered and there was no blistering. This was interesting because she is a redhead with very fair skin. (more…)