Natural Herbal Beauty

Making your own herbal infusions, decoctions, and tinctures is easy. Herbal infusions and decoctions are basically teas prepared in a specific way to maximize the healing properties of the herb. They are similar to teas, in that the fresh or dried herb is steeped or simmered in hot water. Herbs are best prepared in glass, porcelain, earthenware, or enamel-coated steel pots. You can use stainless steel, but avoid aluminum or nonstick cookware. (more…)

COUGH SYRUP: Put 1 tablespoon elecampane, 3 tablespoons boneset, 1 tablespoon coltsfoot, 1 tablespoon Irish Moss and 1 tablespoon of lobelia in a pint of water. Boil down to half the liquid. Strain well and add 1 pint of honey. Refrigerate and take by the tablespoon as needed for cough.

COUGH SYRUP: Put 1 tablespoon each of boneset, Irish moss, white yarrow, slippery elm bark, thyme, peppermint, horehound and lemon balm in 1 quart of boiling water. Steep for 30 minutes. Strain well and add 1 quart of honey. Drink several cups of this liquid a day for coughs.

CURRENT COUGH SYRUP: Simmer 3 teaspoons of black currents in 2 cups of water for 15 minutes. Strain and add 2 tablespoons of honey. Use as needed for coughs. (more…)

BEST FOR BRINGING OUT MEASLES, AS IT WILL INDUCE SWEATING: Measles is a childhood disease that was thought at one time to be an uncomplicated disease. We now know that complications can and do happen. Best treatment is to have the little patient stay in bed and keep the room dimly lit. Provide quiet activities to keep the patient as quiet as possible. Provide plenty of liquids and keep the patient on a light, wholesome diet. Tepid baths seem to help the patient keep fever down and provide comfort. If the child is running a fever and the rash has not yet broken out, this herbal remedy will help them. Once the rash has broken out, the fever seems to go down somewhat. The disease lasts about 5 days. The fever should subside during those 5 days as the rash starts to disappear. (more…)

EYE WASH: Add 1 teaspoon of eyebright to 1 cup boiling water. Let steep 15 minutes. Strain well and cool. Use this as an eye wash. Fennel, elder flowers, or verbena can also be used. Helps tired eyes and eye strain. Very helpful when conjunctivitis is present.

EYE WASH: Mix 1 teaspoon of honey with 1 /4 cup of hot water. Cool the mixture slightly and use with eye cup for gentle wash.

BLOODSHOT EYES: Apply a few drops of castor oil to the eyes to clear the redness from them.

INFLAMED EYES: Pour 1 cup boiling water over 2 tablespoons of yarrow flowers. Steep for 10 minutes. Strain and dip clean cloth in liquid and apply to eyes as a compress. (more…)

GINGER HELP: Fresh ground ginger stops the formation of blood clots. Grind 1 /2 teaspoon of fresh ginger and add to 1 cup of boiling water. Sweeten with honey and drink hot.

TO INCREASE THE BODY’S ABILITY TO DISSOLVE BLOOD CLOTS: English scientists are advocating the eating of fried onions to help the body dissolve and prevent blood clots.

AN OLD REMEDY TO STOP THE FLOW OF BLOOD FROM WOUNDS: Gather up cobwebs and roll in a ball. Save these to apply to wounds that are bleeding, as it stops the blood quickly. It would take a diligent person to gather up cobwebs, but the knowledge might come in handy some day. (more…)

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…)

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…)