Plethora of perfect remedies : Can’t sleep? Try lemon balm. Suffer from anxiety? Lemon balm. Want to boost your immune system? Lemon balm. Cold sore? Lemon balm. And this lemon-scented mint relative is also antiviral, good for fevers, and great for indigestion, gas, and bloating. Find it surprising that one plant can do so much? Herbs are not always as multipurpose as lemon balm – not to mention delicious, safe, and effective – but sometimes herbs can deliver up healing powers that pharmaceutical companies can only dream about. And if that sounds crazy, then give it a try with an open mind and see for yourself. Migraine fix: peppermint essential oil. Safe, cheap, non-prescription, and non-addictive. I smear the stuff all over the part of my head that hurts, keeping it well away from my eyes, and within minutes my headache dissipates. For me, that’s an herb I cannot live without. Hey! Did I mention, peppermint oil is also a great remedy to keep mice out of the house. Put a drop on a cotton ball inside of the place where you notice droppings and almost as quickly as they came, the mice will leave. I keep one (peppermint, cotton ball) under the hood of my parked car. Each of us is unique, with different health problems and needs, and sometimes the best herb for you depends on where you live and what grows nearby. In the Pacific Northwest, Oregon grape is likely an herb you can’t live without, whereas in Southern California, you’d find use after use for white sage or creosote. But there are a few herbs that are fantastic across the board, no matter who you are or where you live. These plants can help you take your health into your own hands. 1. Lemon Balm: As noted before, lemon balm is a highly versatile herb that is useful for a number of different conditions. The fact that it’s safe for all ages and tastes good makes it a great choice for kids. In fact, use it as an ideal choice to help teething babies deal with pain. also for cold and flu, particularly when you’ve also got a fever, digestive complaints, cold sores, and stress.*** (The only note of caution here: don’t use lemon balm too much if you suffer from hypothyroidism.) 2. Ginger: You’ve likely sipped ginger ale or ginger tea when you’ve had an upset stomach. Ginger’s fantastic for nausea – and so much more. Because it gives your immune system a boost, it never hurts to add ginger to your cooking if you like its flavor. It’s also antimicrobial and pain-relieving, properties you can take advantage of both internally or externally – for example, by applying cooled ginger tea to burns. Its expectorant and diaphoretic properties make it a great choice for colds, coughs, and fevers. Try ginger for menstrual cramps. Drinking a tea of ginger alone can be overwhelming, so you might wish to combine it with other herbs so your tea has a little zing without making it too difficult to drink. Try an immune-boosting blend of equal parts ginger, lemon balm, rose hips, and dandelion, for example. Pour one cup of water “just off the boil” over one teaspoon of herbs and steep, covered, for 20 minutes. Then sweeten with honey, add lemon if you wish, and enjoy. 3. Turmeric: Turmeric is another herb – well, a spice technically – that acts like one-stop shopping. What doesn’t turmeric do? This curry ingredient is used for everything from eczema to Alzheimer’s. It helps with heart health, digestion, liver function, and more. You can find many resources on turmeric online, from a scientific analysis to sites telling how to use it as everything from a natural dye to a tooth whitener. Great for cancer patients too.
Posted on: Thu, 10 Oct 2013 15:09:57 +0000
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