Natural Herbal Beauty

Basil: Sweet, spicy scent. Basil is a potent stimulant that increases circulation and eases muscle and joint aches and pains. It alleviates indigestion, and has antiseptic and expectorant properties and helps to treat congestion, coughs, and colds. Basil is excellent for relieving fatigue and nervous tension. Do not use during pregnancy.

Cypress: Spicy, balsamlike scent. The diuretic action of cypress helps to relieve water retention and cellulite. It also improves circulation and is helpful for arthritis. (more…)

Hemp agrimony Eupatorium cannabinum

Description: A tall, sturdy plant with narrow leaves longer at the base and arranged in opposite pairs. The flowers form in dull pink clusters in late summer and early autumn.

Parts used: aerial parts, collected when flowering; roots collected in autumn

Actions: anti-scorbutic, bile stimulant, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge, laxative, purgative and emetic in high doses, possible immune stimulant (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…)

Pre-menstrual Syndrome

Bloating, breast tenderness, irritability, anger, clumsiness, inability to concentrate… the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) are many and varied. The problem can be explained in terms of falling progesterone levels and an orthodox approach thus tends to concentrate on hormone treatments - or use of chaste-tree berries (often given in tincture form, up to 20 drops each morning) as a herbal alternative. Dietary imbalance and candidiasis can also play a part and there is some evidence that cutting out artificial stimulants (themselves a possible stressor on the system) such as caffeine and theobromine in coffee, tea or chocolate can help. PMS has also been linked to various nutritional deficiencies and supplements — notably Vitamin B6 and evening primrose oil - are often successfully used to relieve symptoms. (more…)

The things we hear, see, smell and taste make our lives interesting. So, whenever any of these senses is dulled or impaired by illness, it makes our world a little grayer. Luckily, Mother Nature provides us with different kinds of herbs to help remedy the situation. Over the years, we humans have managed to take nature’s gifts and make them into good remedies.

EARACHE REMEDIES: Heat seems to help stop earache pain. Place a warm damp washcloth over the ear and lay ear on a heating pad to keep warm. Pain that persists should be seen by your physician, as it could signal an ear infection or eardrum perforation. (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…)