Growing Herbs (General) | Healing with Herbs | Glossary |
Herbal remedies work!! Herbal medicine is not the answer to all medical problems, but they can benefit us a great deal. Herbal medicines work holistically. By that I mean that herbs work in a variety of ways to heal your entire body, not just to elleviate a single symptom like the synthetic drugs. To often, commercial drugs act as a "band-aid" without addressing the root cause of the problem.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
I am not a "fanatic" about herbal healing. If I, or my family, suffers from a serious problem that herbs cannot handle safely, I have absolutely no problem going to the doctor. The information presented here is in no way intended to discourage you from consulting with a qualified medical professional. In fact, I encourage you to do so. If you have a persistant condition, or a condition that causes you pain, PLEASE consult a Qualified Physician. I am not a doctor, I don't even play one on T.V. I simply feel that if an alternative to synthetic medications is available, I owe it to myself to take advantage of it.
I have included here a small listing of herbal remedies that I have found. My sources for this information have been the books and links listed on the Growing Herbs page. I hope to be adding more soon, as I get the opportunity to research them. If there are terms that you don't understand in the instructions, please consult the glossary.
Stress Relief | Headache | Fever |
Heartburn | Inflamation Pain | Nerve Pain |
Nerve Pain | Inflamation Pain | Sore Throat |
Immune System | Sinus Congestion | Lung Congestion |
Cuts/Scrapes | Minor Burns | Poison Ivy/Oak |
Combine the ingredients. Take as needed, up to 1 teaspoon per hour. Can be mixed with water, as a tea, or juice . As a general relaxing aid, take 1/2 to 1 dropperful a day. Alternatively, you can add the mixture to a warm relaxing bath and soak. Herbs such as lavender, chamomile, sandlewood, and orange are particularly effective this way.
Combine ingredients. Take a dropperful as needed, up to 8 times per day.
Combine herbs and pour 2 cups of boiling water over them. Cover and let steep for 10 minutes, then strain. Drink as much of the hot tea as possible. Can also be mixed in equal parts with orange juice or lemon water.
Combine herbs and pour hot water over them. Let steep for 15-20 minutes. Strain out the herbs and add the juice. Take 1 cup after each meal. If stored in the refrigerator, the mixture will keep for a couple of days.
Combine ingredients. Take half a dropperful a few times a day, or as needed. As with all symptoms involving pain, if the condition persists, consult a doctor.
Combine ingredients. Take 1 dropperful every half hour, as needed. For chronic pain, take 2 to 4 dropperfuls a day. As with all symptoms involving pain, if the condition persists, consult a doctor.
Combine ingredients. Take entire formula twice daily for two weeks to build up your immune system. If you are fighting an active infection, take 4 to 6 times a day.
Combine herbs and pour a quart of boiling water over them to cover. Steep for 20 to 30 minutes. Strain out the herbs and drink often, throughout the day. The same mixture can be made with tinctures, using the same proportions.
Steep sage leaves in the hot water for 20 minutes. Strain and add the pinch of salt. Gargle with this mixture as needed (don't swallow it). You can store this in the refrigerator for several days.
Combine ingredients. Take half a dropperful at least 5 times daily. Can also be made into a tea, but the tincture is more convenient. The earlier in the "sneezing season" that you begin the treatment, the better.
Pour one quart of boiling water of the herbs and steep for 20 minutes while covered. Strain and drink the tea 2 or 3 times a day, or every hour when really "stuffed up".
Take 1/2 to 1 teaspoon 3 to 5 times per day. The herbs can be very bitter, it is best to mix with juice, or some other beverage.
Mix ingredients in a blender until it becomes a thick slurry. Spread on the wound, holding it in place as a poultice. Leave it on for 1/2 to 1 hour. This can be stored for emergencies by freezing the slurry in ice cube trays, and storing the cubes in a bag in the freezer. You can then thaw out a cube when needed.
Aloe vera has a multitude of uses, not the least of which is its use for treating burns. Simply remove one of the outer leaves and peel a small section of the green skin. Underneath, you will see a gel-like substance. Apply this gel directly to the area affected. The unused portion of the leaf can be wrapped up and stored in the refrigerator for about a week.
Combine ingredients in a Jar and shake well before using. Apply as needed to affected area.
You can also try this:
1/8 cup of the above mixture
1/8 cup distilled water
1/4 cup colloidal oatmeal
Stir ingredients together to make a paste. Store in an airtight container. If it gets too thick, add a little more distilled water.