Natural Herbal Beauty

GOUT TREATMENT: Add 1 cup of cherry stems to 1 pint of water. Simmer for 30 minutes. Strain and add 1 pint of honey to the liquid. Take several tablespoons daily to prevent gout.

GOUT TREATMENT: Strawberry tea is good to use in treating gout. Place 4-5 leaves in a cup of boiling water and allow to steep 15 minutes. Strain and drink hot with honey.

GOUT TREATMENT: A diet of nothing but strawberries for 2 days is said to cure gout. (more…)

TREATING RHEUMATIC JOINTS: Grind black mustard seeds and add to an equal amount of solid vegetable shortening. Rub on the affected joint.

PAIN RELIEF FOR RHEUMATIC JOINTS OR ARTHRITIS: Put 2 cups of rosemary in 3 cups of brandy. Steep for 1 week. Strain and use the liquid as a poultice for the affected joints.

ARTHRITIS TREATMENT: Fill #00 capsules with ginger and take 2 daily. This will reduce pain and swelling after several months of treatment.

BATH TREATMENT FOR ARTHRITIS: Put several cups of sea salt in hot bath water and soak in the bath for at least 20 minutes every day. (more…)

Tag Alder Salve: Add 1 ounce of tag alder bark to 1 /2 pint of hot olive oil. Cover and simmer 3 hours. Add 3 ounces of beeswax and 1 /4 teaspoon of tincture of benzoin to the strained mixture. Test for consistency and store in a labeled jar.

Tag alder’s signature is the small corky warts on its bark, so this would indicate that it could be used for various skin disorders. Using the signatures of the herbs is another good way to tell what you could use in preparing the salves.

Aloe Vera Salve: Pour 1 cup boiling water over 1 teaspoon of pekoe tea and 1 tablespoon of Irish moss. Allow to sit until cool. Add 3 tablespoons of aloe gel. Mix well and store in labeled jar. (more…)

Salves need a preservative because they are often used for cuts and wounds and as such need to be free from bacteria. A good preservative to use is tincture of benzoin, which you can purchase from your local drugstore. It is inexpensive and is necessary for the preparation of your salves. Choose stainless steel, glass, or earthenware when you are looking for bowls or containers in which to mix or store your herbal preparations. The containers you use to store the mixtures should be airtight and sterile.

It is helpful to know what the basic ingredients of a salve are. The ingredients used to make the salves are: the herbs you plan to use, an oil, beeswax, and the preservative. The best kind of oil to use is olive or sesame. Do not use the drying oils, such as soybean and linseed. (more…)

Arthritis Liniment: Add 1-1 /2 tablespoons of bruised mustard seeds and 1 /4 cup of cayenne pepper to 1 pint of whiskey. Simmer for about 10 minutes and strain. Dip cloth in the liquid while hot and apply to affected joint. Bottle and reuse by heating the liquid each time. Relieves pain fast. Caution: Apply warm olive oil to the area before applying the poultice.

Wintergreen Rub: Add 1 dram of wintergreen to 1 pint of witch hazel. Bottle and label. Use as a massage for sprains and sore muscles.

Arthritis Treatment: Here’s a recipe that’s included just for curiosity’s sake.When applied to the affected joint, stinging nettle is reputed to relieve pain within several hours. I add this just as a curiosity. I don’t believe I would use this as it could be very uncomfortable. (more…)

One of the best rubs I know is camphorated oil. Because it is no longer sold commercially, it may be necessary to make your own. You can purchase some small, 1 ounce camphor blocks from your local druggist. If it is not in stock, ask your druggist to order it for you, or to please stock it for you. Most druggists are very pleasant and helpful if you tell them why you need a certain product.

The camphorated oil is cheap to make and very handy to have around. It makes a good chest rub for chest colds as well being good for arthritic conditions. Shave the block of camphor in an earthenware or glass bowl, and add 1 ounce of menthol crystals. This too can be purchased at your local drug store. (more…)

A tincture is nothing more than a highly concentrated liquid extract of herbs. A tincture can be applied externally or taken internally. The kind of herbs you choose to put in your tinctures depends upon what conditions you need to heal. For example, you would make a tincture of comfrey root to heal and clean sores, because comfrey has pain-killing properties and it also aids in cell rejuvenation. If you are choosing herbs to use in a tincture that will be taken orally, be careful to choose “safe” herbs, ones that you know you can safely ingest. (more…)

Boneset has been used to improve the condition of the mucous membranes of the alimentary and bronchial systems, the bowels and the liver. It was also used by Native Americans as a diaphoretic, based on the belief that sweating out the toxins will help you heal. It grows in swamps or along the banks of rivers and streams, so could be used for colds, influenza or other “wet”diseases.

It’s history is interesting. It was used by early herbalists to set bones. The leaves were softened with water, wrapped around the injured area, and then bandaged tightly, often with a splint. This was a very primitive way of dealing with broken bones and should

NOT be used today. See your doctor for any bone break. There can be serious complications from broken bones, so don’t fool around— get proper medical attention. (more…)

As you become more experienced in working with the herbs, you will find the confidence to create your own recipes. To help you do that, I am giving you more recipes that include explanations of why each herb is included. The categories listed are: stimulants, diuretics, expectorants, astringents, nervines and tonics. Herbs from one category can be substituted for another from the same category. Of course, not all of the herbs in each of these categories are equal to each other as far as their potency and their secondary effects, so a little research will help you select the appropriate herbs from the categories. Just remember to use the herbs responsibly. When in doubt, consult your health care expert. (more…)

You can make your own cough drops by using the herb of your choice. Choose any of the herbs that are soothing, cooling, and astringent—or any that are used in preparing the cough syrups. To really soothe the throat, use balm of Gilead along with an aromatic herb.

You can even flavor your cough drops with herbs. Lemon flavor can be made by using lemon balm, lemon thyme, or lemon verbena. Licorice mint makes an excellent-tasting cough drop, as it has a light licorice flavor. Color the drops using food coloring if desired. Using horehound as an example, try this recipe substituting an herb of your choice. (more…)