If you keep to a healthy diet you should not have too much trouble with your bowels. A diet with a good balance of fruits and vegetables helps to regulate the bowels. Some people think that having a lot of bran in their diet works well. That’s true, but, eating a lot of bran will not help you if you do not take in plenty of water to help it work.

A good exercise program also helps. Keeping the back and stomach muscles strong goes a long way to helping you feel good and keeping you and your bowels healthy. Walking is still the best way to get exercise. The whole family can get into the habit of walking and everybody benefits.

Some of my kids‘ best childhood memories are of the walks we took. We always headed out to the woods, with a stop in the garden to pick our lunch. We even had a dog that would go to the garden and eat peas right off the vine. The kids got in the habit of eating raw vegetables in this way and enjoyed the walks so much that they continue the practice.

Herbal BeautyKids love to walk, even in the rain. Remember how much fun you had as a child when you were caught out in the rain? I loved to play in the rain when I was younger. I taught my kids a game that I played when I was young. We called the game “running in the wind.” We would play it right before a big storm. Even today I run for the front porch so I can watch a storm coming on. I guess my love of nature came about because I was able to participate in the changes of the seasons.

Learn to enjoy all the seasons by taking walks all year round. Your health really does benefit and it’s a good way to learn to identify the wild herbs. Take a good herbal reference book with you when you go and you will find all kinds of treasures.

Some people, for one reason or another, seem to be prone to kidney or bladder infections. It does help to use diuretics to flush the kidneys every once in a while, even if you are not troubled in this way. Diuretics increase the flow of urine. The body rids itself of poisons through the urinary system. You should drink plenty of water to help it do this. To help you, there are many herbs that are good diuretics. You will want to try several until you find the one that suits you. Also, it doesn’t hurt to fast while you are treating either the urinary tract or the bowels.

As you look over these recipes, remember that herbs are not intended to take the place of your family physician, nor are they an overnight cure for ills. It takes much more time to heal then the duration of an illness.

BURDOCK SEED DIURETIC: Add 1 teaspoon crushed burdock seeds to 1 pint of boiling water. Steep covered for 30 minutes. Strain, and drink in order to flush kidneys and bladder. Good to use when troubled by kidney stones.

THYME TREATMENT: Thyme is a good astringent so it will work to clean the kidneys and bladder. Pour 1 cup boiling water over 1 teaspoon of thyme. Let sit for 15 minutes. Strain and sweeten with honey. Drink 1 cup a day for 1 week.

TO TONE UP THE KIDNEYS: Chop several leaves of aloe vera and put into a pint of water. Place in the refrigerator and drink a little every day to tone up the kidneys. This can also be used for headaches. Many people swear by this remedy and drink the juice of aloe vera on a daily basis, as it keeps the whole body toned up.

DIURETIC: To make a good diuretic, pour 1 pint of boiling water over a handful of borage leaves. Let sit for 15 minutes. Strain and sweeten if desired. Drink several cups daily for 2 days.

USE OFTEN TO FLUSH THE KIDNEYS: Firmly pack fresh parsley (stems and all) into a one-cup measuring cup. Pour 1 quart of boiling water over the parsley. Let steep until cool. Strain and refrigerate. Sweeten as desired. Reheat as needed. Drink several cups for 2 days. I do this several times during the summer when the parsley is new in the garden. I use a lot of parsley when I cook and I dry at least 3 quarts yearly.

CORN SILK DIURETIC: This works to clear the kidneys rapidly. Pour 2 cups boiling water over 1 tablespoon corn silk. Let simmer 5 minutes. Strain, sweeten and drink as much as you like for 2 days. I give this to my husband, as I consider it good for the prostate too. I dry plenty of corn silk when I can corn, so it it is on hand when I need it later on in the winter. This is one of the easier herbs to get and dry. You can simply save the corn silk from the times you husked corn for corn-on-the-cob.

FENNEL FLUSH: Pour 1 /2 pint boiling water over 1 teaspoon bruised fennel seed. Let steep until cool. Sweeten to taste. Drink 3 cups a day for 2 days.

DIURETIC: Pour 2 cups boiling water over 2 teaspoons dried meadowsweet flowers and leaves. Let steep, covered, 15 minutes. Strain and sweeten. Drink 1 cup after meals for 1 week.

GOOD DIURETIC: Pour 2 pints boiling water over 1 ounce of bruised mustard seed and 2 ounces freshly chopped horseradish root. Cover and steep 4-5 hours. Strain and bottle. Dosage is 3 tablespoons 3 times daily for 2 days.

DIURETIC: Do not use this one for over 2 days as it is very strong (and effective). Chop 2 pounds of parsley and add to 1 quart of milk. Place in an oven at low heat (about 150-175 degrees). Take out when liquid is reduced to about half. Cool thoroughly and strain. Take 1 tablespoon every 2 hours for 1 day. Skip 1 day and repeat the next. Use this if you suffer from repeated kidney or bladder infections. Clears up the problem fast.

CORN SILK DIURETIC: Add 1 ounce of corn silk to 1 pint of boiling water. Allow to steep 15 minutes. Drink throughout the day for sudden cystitis. Works pretty fast. Use for 1 day.

CYSTITIS: Put 1 teaspoon fresh parsley in 1 cup of boiling water and steep 15 minutes. Strain and sweeten. Drink several cups a day for 2 days.

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Diuretics and Bowel Complaints part 1