Natural Herbal Beauty

The skin is always contaminated by a large number of micro-organisms which generally cause us few problems. Stress, exhaustion or a weak immune system usually gives them the opportunity they need.

Athlete’s foot (Tinea pedis) is a very common fungal infection affecting the space between the toes and toenails. Depending on the infecting fungus it can either involve inflammation and itching or may simply result in scaling skin and general discomfort. Like all their species, the yeasts causing athlete’s foot thrive in warm, damp places, so good, sensible foot care — making sure the toes are well dried after bathing and that shoes are comfortable — is important. Using creams based on anti-fungal herbs, such as tea tree, marigold and echinacea, can help. (more…)

Insect bites and stings

For most people insect bites and stings in temperate zones lead to little more than local irritation which eases in a few days. However, for an unfortunate minority stings lead to severe allergic reactions which can range from weeping and persistent dermatitis to anaphylactic shock characterised by dizziness, sickness, breathing problems and marked swelling of the affected area. When severe, this can be fatal. Immediate emergency medical treatment is vital in such cases.

Bees will sting only if they or their hives are attacked, as the hooked barb on the sting cannot be withdrawn and the insect dies defending itself.Wasps have a straight sting and can, rather unpleasantly, repeatedly attack their victims. Bee stings are acidic and in traditional first aid were treated with blue-bag (an alkaline starch used in laundry) or bicarbonate of soda, while alkaline wasp stings were soothed by vinegar. Both, however, respond well to slices of onion or leek.

To soothe irritant mosquito and gnat bites try rubbing them with fresh common plantain leaves, aloe vera sap or lemon balm leaves, lemon juice, slices of cucumber or tomato, or use infusions or ointments containing sage. If bites become infected, echinacea or tea tree cream can be helpful.

Keeping the insects away is another way of tackling the problem and several herbal oils will help here: tea tree and lemon balm are ideal sprinkled on clothing; at barbecues or when sitting out of doors, try burning citronella (Cymbopogon nardus) candles.

Anxiety and worries can lead to depression and unhappiness. Severe depression needs professional help but for minor “downs” lemon balm and borage can be especially uplifting, while St John’s wort is gaining in reputation as equivalent in effect to many orthodox drugs. These herbs can also be supportive for those undergoing professional treatment.

Old herbals often describe how even looking on cheerful plants can lift the spirits and “comfort the harte”. Perhaps it is worth remembering part of an old Persian poem:

If of thy mortal goods thou art bereft, And of thy store, three loaves alone are left,

Sell one, and with the dole

Buy hyacinths to feed the soul. (more…)

While a certain amount of stress is essential to keep us alert and active, an excess is probably one of the most pervasive ills of the late 20th century. We live in an age in which people frequently describe themselves as “time poor, cash rich” — in other words, too busy working and earning to spend much time relaxing and enjoying life.

Taking soothing remedies is only a small part of the solution. Many of the ills caused by stress could be solved with a little relaxation — time spent on learning to relax with yoga or Tai Ch’i classes or going for unhurried rambles in the fresh air. Instead of resting on the seventh day we spend it in supermarket queues, endless home improvements or catching up with the housework. We all — even the busiest parent — need to find space for ourselves each day in order to cope and a few minutes of relaxed deep breathing or listening to a favourite piece of music will work wonders. (more…)

Using herbs such as shiitake mushrooms can help to strengthen the spirit and give a patient the will and self-determination to make the major lifestyle changes essential for long-term recovery. A few drops of rose oil in the bathwater can perform small miracles for those who believe themselves unloved or unlovable.

Herbs can also be used to strengthen the chakras - the body’s spiritual centres defined in Eastern philosophy. The familiar kitchen basil (Ocimum bosilicum – highly regarded in Ayurveda) is believed to reinforce the root, second and third chakras, while plants like lavender and elecampane are said to act on the crown chakra, which is associated with the pineal and pituitary glands. Using these types of herbs in conjunction with remedies for physical complaints can be very effective. (more…)

Colic

This is a severe abdominal pain which tends to come in waves a few seconds or minutes apart. In adults it can be due to an obstruction in the intestine or simply to constipation and can need professional treatment. In babies, colic is usually caused by air becoming trapped in the intestines and is generally associated with feeding difficulties — or a failure to “wind” the infant properly after it has finished sucking. Colicky babies often remain so for the first three months of life, which can be extremely wearing on the parents as the child’s only reaction to the pain it feels is to cry — loudly.Traditional gripe water is, of course, a herbal remedy usually based on dill extracts. Alternatively, use weak infusions of fennel or dill. Another suitable option for colic is homoeopathic chamomile (Chamomilla 3X), which is available in drops or pilules. (more…)

Many herbs are quite safe for children — although unfortunately, the taste is often far from pleasant and administering the remedy can prove a problem. Giving babies weak infusions of soothing herbs, such as chamomile or linden, by bottle from a very early age can encourage acceptance of herby flavours, while dosing breast-fed babies can often be best achieved by the mother taking the herbal remedy herself, as many of the active ingredients will then pass into the breast milk. This is an especially neat solution for colic and wind remedies (see below), which can thus be dispensed precisely at feeding time. (more…)

Herbs have been used for centuries for all sorts of injuries and wounds. Their very names remind us of the fact: yarrow’s botanical name (Achillea) comes from Achilles, who reputedly used it before the gates of Troy to heal his fellow Greeks. In some cultures a warlike nature tended to dominate views of herbs: the Maori of New Zealand, for example, were always fighting each other and the vast majority of their traditional remedies involve poultices and compresses to heal the injured.

Herbs are still ideal for all sorts of minor cuts, grazes and burns: the choice is wide, so even when you are far from home there is generally a suitably styptic healer close at hand. (more…)

For most women the menopause passes by with little more inconvenience than occasional hot flushes and night sweats. For others, it can be a time of major emotional upheaval, depression, weight gain and heavy bleeding.

Today, many of these symptoms may be treated by hormone replacement therapy which boosts oestrogen levels, although critics still have doubts about the long-term effects of such treatment, For some women (including those with a high risk of osteoporosis) HRT can be a preferred solution, but for those who want to complete this transition period in their lives as naturally as possible, (more…)

SUNBURN: Taking a PABA tablet of at least 100 mg a day should stop you from burning. Apply PABA lotion also.

TO REMOVE WARTS: My father had the gift of rubbing warts to make them go away overnight. I well remember people coming to him to have their warts rubbed. I honestly can’t remember one time where it failed. Several people have mentioned that rubbing castor oil on the warts also help to dispel them.

WART REMOVER: Apply the milk from a dandelion stem several times daily. This is said to work well.

WART REMOVER: Rubbing the milk from milkweed several times daily also is good to use. This was a popular remedy used by Native Americans. (more…)