Natural Herbal Beauty

Lung-Cleansing Tea

This tea will help to relieve congestion related to colds, bronchitis, or allergies. It helps to soothe irritated bronchial passages and cleanses the lungs of excess mucus.

1 tablespoon mullein

1 tablespoon peppermint

1 tablespoon licorice root, if desired (more…)

Description: common plantain (P major) is characterised by its rat tail-like flower spikes and basal rosette of fleshy, rounded or ovate leaves. It grows to around 15 cm high and is commonly found in gardens and pavement cracks. Ribwort plantain (Planceolata) is taller, up to 75 cm, with more pointed, lance-shaped leaves with three to five prominent ribs. Its flowers are dark rust with clear white feathery stamens and appear from late spring to early autumn.

Part used: leaves (more…)

Marsh woundwort Stachys palustris

Description: hardy perennial with tuberous roots and hairy, lanceolate leaves. It has dark red or purple flowers in summer borne on tall spikes flowering from the base. It has an unpleasant smell when crushed. Parts used: aerial parts, collected while flowering Actions: antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, styptic, tissue healer

Country names often provide a clue to a plant’s healing action and marsh woundwort is no exception. Gerard called it “clown’s woundwort” with the “clown” suggesting that the herb was widely used by the common people. (more…)

Today most people believe that colds, flu and coughs are caused by bacteria and viruses. In other ages mysterious “venoms” were to blame, while the Chinese describe colds in terms of attack by external evils — wind, cold, damp, dryness, heat and fire. Whatever the cause there are always some people who will “catch anything going”, while others seem to go for years without the slightest hint of a sneeze. Perhaps John Harrison in his book Love Your Disease has a point:

The common cold is not a disease, so much as an institution. It is employed skilfully and effectively by those who don’t want to be particularly ill but want a period of incapacity. Having achieved that incapacity they can change whatever’s troubling them…in this way the common cold or any minor respiratory complaint is used to rebalance the psyche and the internal organs. (more…)

While we all get colds at one time or another, we can minimize the severity and length of the illness by the condition we keep our system in.

Diaphoretics cause the patient to perspire and increase blood circulation, thus helping the system to get rid of accumulated poisons and toxins in the body.

Expectorants can and do help the body in dispelling mucus from the system.

Demulcents soothe irritated and inflamed areas, thus allowing the body to heal.

Put the patient on a light diet during the illness and while recuperating. If the patient is in a weakened condition, do not use a strong stimulant. Give clear broths and tonics to build the strength back up. (more…)

FLEA POWDER: Mix and grind 1 cup each of rue, wormwood, rosemary, fennel, and peppermint. When the herbs have been ground to a powder, dust the animal with the herbal mixture, working it in as you go.

FLEA POWDER: Mix together 1 ounce each of powdered wormwood and rosemary. Add 2 ounces of powdered pennyroyal, and 2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper. Use as often as you would a commercial flea powder. Be careful—DO NOT GET THIS IN THE ANIMAL‘S EYES. (more…)

Our pets give us unconditional love and loyalty and we should pay just as much attention to their diet and care as we do our own. Animals respond to the use of herbs better than humans do. Almost any herbal treatment that is fit for human use can be used for your pets. Reduce the dosage to adjust for the difference in size (your pets are usually smaller than you are) and give the herbs in capsule form. Capsules may take a little longer to work, but keep the treatment going until your pet shows improvement. (more…)