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Caroline Begin asked:


Teas and relaxation herbs have been used for centuries to help people relax, gain more energy, lose weight, as well as many other benefits. This article will enlighten you on a few relaxation herbs that you can use at home to relax.

Chamomile Tea The Common Way to Relax with Tea

Chamomile Tea (also spelled camomile tea) is a well-known tea to help people who have trouble sleeping. Its aroma helps release tension and prepares your body and mind for a relaxing night. It doesn’t contain caffeine and it can also help settle an irritable bowel.

In case youve tried and disliked chamomile tea in the past, you should try the “loose leaf” or “loose flower” version. The flavor is not as bland as the chamomile tea bag version. For more information on chamomile tea, visit:

http://www.relaxation-at-home.com/benefits-of-chamomile-tea.html



Headache, Indigestion and Congested Sinus Relief

Ginger can help relieve tension headaches, indigestion or congested sinuses. In addition, it can also help pregnant women deal with morning sickness and it will not harm the fetus.

Here is how to prepare ginger tea at home:

1. Grate enough fresh ginger to produce 2 tsp of ginger.

2. In a pot, bring 1 1/2 cup of water to a boil with the freshly grated ginger. Let it boil for 5 minutes.

3. Remove from heat and let it steep for 10 minutes.

4. Pour in a cup and sip slowly while inhaling the steam as you drink the ginger infusion.

Rosemary Tea Perfect Herbal Remedy for PMS

If you suffer from PMS, add 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary to a cup of boiling water. Cover your cup and let it steep for about 12 minutes. Drink slowly and enjoy.

Relaxation Herbs Combined into Delicious Tea

Here is a blend of tea that you can use at home to relax. You should be able to find all of these ingredients from a local naturalist store.

1/2 tsp Dandelion Root

1 tsp Nettle Leaf

1 tsp Raspberry Leaf

1/2 tsp Chamomile Flower

1/2 tsp Rosemary Leaf

1/4 tsp Licorice Root

1/4 tsp Ginger Root

Simply bring water to a boil, then let these relaxation herbs steep for 3 to 5 minutes before drinking. If you prefer iced tea, simply let it cool, then add ice cubes for a deliciously refreshing and relaxing drink.



Other Ways to Enjoy Relaxation Herbs – Aromatherapy

There are many other ways relaxation herbs can be incorporated into your life to help you relax. For example, you can use aromatherapy and benefit from particular herbs such as jasmine. Jasmine essential oil can be added to your bath to relax your muscles and improve your mood. Try adding 10 to 15 drops of jasmine oil to warm bath water.

You can also use lavender to promote a good night sleep. If you have access to dried lavender flowers, simply place a few in your pillowcase. The aroma will help lull you to sleep and remove the tension in your muscles.

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Alien asked:


This infection may be due to a skin reaction to an irritant substance, to a skin allergy, or to an internal allergic reaction. Some forms of allergic eczema run in families, along with asthma and hay fever. The symptoms of eczema are patches of dry, red, itchy skin, which may be scaly and flaky, or weeping and crusted.

Treatment

Diet and Nutrition As allergies to certain foods could be part of the problem, try to figure out which ones are affecting your condition. (Atopic eczema is less common in breastfed babies, and affected children are often allergic to cow’s milk, or other foods.) Many complementary practitioners recommend nutritional modification as part of the treatment of eczema. Evening primrose oil supplements are very helpful.

Hydrotherapy Hot mud or sand baths, and Dead Sea bathing salts reputedly reduce long-term sensitivity. Add half a cup of sodium bicarbonate to bathwater for short-term relief from irritation.

Consult a qualified practitioner/therapist for:

Herbal Medicine Drink calendula or marigold tea, and take golden seal – either by mouth (mix with honey), or as an infusion to bathe the skin. St. John’s wort oil is also effective.

Acupuncture This reputedly has good success rates.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Herbal teas have been proven highly effective in alleviating childhood eczema.

Massage Daily local massage with essential oils such as rose, geranium, juniper, lavender, or hyssop has been found to be beneficial for some people who are suffering from eczema.

Urticaria (Nettle Rash or Hives)

Urticaria is an allergic reaction to certain foods, to drugs such as antibiotics, or to direct contact (insect stings, for example). The common foods for causing urticaria are milk, wheat, corn, citrus fruit, eggs, strawberries, and shellfish. Some urticaria seems to be caused by emotional distress. No matter what the cause, stress will always exacerbate the complaint.

Urticaria is characterized by raised red patches, sometimes with pale centers, which are intensely itchy. They are normally caused by a food allergy (shellfish, strawberries, and nuts are common allergens), food additives, drugs, insect bites, extreme cases of hay fever, stress and, in people prone to this condition, heat, cold, or sunlight.

Nettle rash occurs when the skin causes the body to release histamine into the affected tissues. These raise into the characteristic weals, normally appearing on the lips, around the eyes, the limbs, trunk, and neck. Occasionally there will be swelling of the tongue and voice box (larynx), which may cause the throat to close and prevent normal breathing. In this case, urgent medical help is needed. Nettle rash can last for several days or simply a few hours.

Treatment Naturopathy Apply vitamin E cream

Herbal Medicine Soak infected area in an infusion of camomile or chickweed to relieve itching.

Diet and Nutrition Vitamin C may reduce the risk of repeated attacks.

Homeopathy Take Urtica for a reaction to nettles; Apis for irritating weals; and Rhus tox. for blotchy swellings.

Fever is a good thing. It’s your body’s attempt to kill off invading bacteria and other nasty organisms that can’t survive the heat. The hypothalamus, which is the body’s thermostat, senses the assault on the body and turns up the heat much the way you turn up the thermostat when you feel cold. It’s a simple defense mechanism, and the sweat that comes with a fever is merely a way to cool the body down.

Small amounts of whole grain bread or biscuits can be taken with milk. Heavy foods that are difficult to digest like fried foods, fast foods, meat, chicken, fish, and raw foods should be completely avoided.

Take 10 grams (one-tablespoon) raisins and 10 grams (one tablespoon) fresh ginger. Crush and put in 200-ml. water for one hour. Boil this decoction till the water reduces to 50 ml. Strain and drink while warm.

Mix the herbs. Place in a quart saucepan. Pour 1/2 pints of distilled boiling water over it. Cover and allow to steep in a hot place for 10 to 15 minutes (do not boil). When ready, strain into another saucepan. Sweeten with honey if desired.This remedy drops high temperature associated with flu quite effectively. In some cases, the temperature has been reduced from 104 to 99 degrees within two hours!! According to Dr. Dr. Edward E. Shook, well known herbalist, “there is no remedy for colds and fevers of any description equal to this simple life-saving formula.

In a bowl mix together 5 capfuls of white vinegar and 2 caps of luke warm water. Soak 2 wash cloths in the mixture then wring out. Wrap the cloths around the lower legs and your temperature will be gone within 5 minutes.

An oatmeal bath is a natural remedy for relieving the Chicken Pox itch. The bath can be prepared by cooking two cups of oatmeal in two liters of water for 15 minutes. This mixture is then put onto a cloth bag made of cotton, with a string tied on to its top. This is allowed to float in a tub of warm water and swished around until water becomes turbid. Care should be taken to ensure that the bag is not torn. Ensure that the water is splashed over all the scalds, but the oatmeal pouch remains in the tub.

Aromatherapy is now often used for relaxation. It should be strongly noted that some of exotic plant extracts in these formulas have been associated with a wide range of skin allergies.

The Pomo tribe boiled the inner root bark, and then drank strong doses of the resulting tea to induce sweating in cases of chills and fever. In the south, the Natchez prepared their fever remedies from the bark of the red willow, while the Alabama and Creek Indians plunged into willow root baths for the same purpose.

A traditional remedy that is said to minimize the effects of hayfever is Nettle Leaf. Researchers believe that it may prevent the body from making inflammatory chemicals known as prostaglandins. At least one German preliminary study found that the capsules made from free-dried leaves had an anti-allergy action in people, additional research can confirm these findings. Nettle is also available in syrup forms such as Napiers Nettle Blend syrup.

Allergies plague millions of people worldwide each year. Different people are allergic to different types of irritants, but the pain and discomfort they feel is always the same. The stuffy nose, watery eyes, sneezing, and other adverse affects caused by allergies, can make you miserable anytime of the year. Many people resort to using expensive and often unsafe medication to treat their allergies, just to get a little bit of relief. However, there is a better way to get relief, natural allergy cures are both inexpensive and effective, and can often provide you with instant relief.

Prepare a Clean Environment

The first step in treating your allergies with natural methods is to create a clean home environment. Take the time to clean every inch of your home, and to wash all of your clothing and bedding in an allergy free detergent. Removing irritants from your home will ensure that you can breathe easier there.

Consider investing in an air purifier for your home that is made for reducing allergy causing irritants. An air purifier will take in and cleanse the air in each room of your home. They come in a wide variety of sizes, and can clean anywhere from one room to an entire house within a few hours time.

Stinging Nettles

Once used for joint relief many years ago, stinging nettles are also useful when used as an expectorant. They are a wonderful natural allergy cure for helping to clear up your sinuses and solving any breathing problems you may be having as well. The best part is that they are available in convenient capsule form, and can be taken every day.

Gingko Biloba

Gingko Biloba is a sacred Chinese medicine that has many different healing properties. As a natural cure for allergies, it is often used to treat pressure in the sinuses. This unique substance helps to increase circulation of blood and remove discomfort, especially from behind the eye area.

Eyebright

As its name might imply, Eyebright was originally used in Greece to treat diseases of the eyes. Since then, it has been found that Eyebright is effective in treating congestion of the chest, and reduces the allergy symptoms in those who are suffering from hay fever. This herb can be purchased at any health or vitamin store, and is inexpensive as well.

Echinacea

Echinacea is an ancient natural allergy cure once used only by the Native Americans. While Echinacea cannot directly cure your allergies, it can help to boost your immune system, so that your body is better able to fight the effects of allergy symptoms. Since allergies destroy and tear down your immune systems defenses, Echinacea can also help to keep you from becoming ill.

There is no reason to spend a lot of money trying to fight your allergies. Natural allergy cures do exist, and they are just as, if not more effective than expensive prescription medications. With safe natural remedies like the ones listed above, you can breathe easier, and recover faster from debilitating allergy symptoms.

Rudy Silva asked:


When spring comes it is time for a liver cleanse. This is a good time to rejuvenate the liver for the coming year of work. One good way to cleanse the liver is to use herbal teas. They are easy to use and they provide a powerful punch to reawaken the liver.

Here is a herbal formulation for the liver provided by Brigitte Mars (herbalist in Colorado) called “Puri-Tea” which consist of:

Peppermint, red clover, fennel, licorice

cleavers, dandelion, oregon grape root, burdock root

butternut bark, chickweed, parsley root, nettles.

Another liver herbal tea is:

Fennel Seed (1 part), Fenugreek (1 part)

Flax Seed (1 part), Licorice Root (1/4 part)

Burdock (1/4 part), Peppermint (1 part).

Here’s another herbal combination that is good for detoxifying and cleansing the liver:

Yellow Dock root, Dandelion root, Licorice root

Red sage, Sarsaparilla, Hyssop

Pau de Arco, Milk Thistle Seed, Parsley leaf.

Here’s something else you can do for you liver. Buy an extract of Milk Thistle Seed. Then when you make the liver tea’s list here, add 2-3 full droppers of the Milk Thistle Seed extract to the tea.

Here are the effects of some of the herbs listed above.

fennel seed – white cell formation, acid/alkaline balancing

peppermint – body cleanser and toner

red clover – blood purifier

licorice – adrenal stimulation

cleavers – anti-infection

dandelion – cleansing and strengthening

oregon grape root – cleansing, building

burdock root – purifying

nettles – rich in minerals

chickweed -

fenugreek – helps to eliminate toxins and mucus

yellow dock root – cleansing, white cell formation

pau de arco – cleansing, white cell formation

milk thistle seed – cleansing, building

You can make these teas yourself or look for a ready made one at a health food store. What I do is buy a 1/2 or 1 oz of each herb. Then I mix one full tablespoon of each herb into a mason jar. Shake it up and its ready to go.

Preparing the tea

Boil 1 1/4 cup of distilled water in a glass container. Add 1 heaping tablespoon of herbal mixture. Let tea sit for 10-15 minutes. Strain and drink when it cools down a little.

Drink one cup of tea before breakfast and one before dinner for about 1-2 months.

Abhishek Agarwal asked:


For the body to function well, it is important to clear the accumulated toxins. In order to regain energy, the body needs to be healed. Body detoxification or body detox using herbs is one way of clearing unwanted toxins from the body. However, it is not a single step but a series of steps forming a process that ensures that the body’s natural ability is supported for dispelling toxins effectively everyday.

Along with herbs there is another way of cleansing the body of toxins that enter it. Restricting or stopping the consumption of products such as refined sugar, alcohol, carreine, drugs, tobacco, household chemicals, synthetic or petroleum based paraphernalia is an excellent method of detoxification. Instead of these products start eating natural organic diet foods, get regular exercise and drink sufficient amount of water to facilitate the body detox process. It is easy for the body to adjust to a gradual change that is better when compared to other procedures.

The herbs listed below have been known for years to be effective as home remedy.

1. Psyllium husks and seeds contain a high content of fiber that gently functions as a natural laxative. It can be used after soaking its seeds in water. Generally, psyllim is considered to be adaptogenic that supports healthy bowel functions. It can also be used in treating irritable bowel diseases like diarrhea. Its gelatinous substance absorbs toxins after soaking and hence is popularly used for body detoxification.

2. Gravel root (Joe pye weed) and Hydrangea root help in dissolving, expelling and preventing crystals and stones in the kidneys and bladder. It is necessary to ensure that your kidneys are free from any obstructions that can affect the good working condition that is required for the elimination of toxins.

3. Cascara sagrada is also used as a natural laxative. It helps in strengthening the colon muscles and is safe even when used for a longer duration.

4. Alder buckthorn’s bark is another substance used but it necessary to first dry it and store it for a year at least as the fresh barks are too strong and can be toxic.

5. Juniper berries promote the overall health of the urinary system. It strengthens and detoxifies the urinary tract, kidneys and the bladder. It is an excellent cleaser but should not be used for a prolonged period of time as it can cause overtaxing in the kidneys.

6. Nettle helps in detoxification and has properties that apply to more than just the urinary system. However over use of nettle can display the same effects as juniper berries.

7. Burdock roots and seeds have similar properties as nettle. It has cleansing and mild diuretic properties but also has stronger effects. Burdock can help in the removal of heavy metals in the body.

8. Cypress, celery, basil, lemon, rosemary, fennel, patchouli and thyme contain oils that are essential for the effective flushing of toxins that are present under the skin. They also stimulate circulation of the lymphs.

9. Milk thistle and dandelion root help in strengthening and cleansing the liver. Silymarin, which is present in milk thistle, helps in not only protecting ht eliver but also in its regeneration. Waste products present in the kidneys and gallbladder are removed by dandelion root.

There are numerous ways of body detoxification at home. You can avail the benefit of natural remedies by using these wonderful herbs. Feel good about rejuvenating yourself.

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James Lamb asked:




The stinging nettle is a pest to many a gardener but the health advantages of this plant are truly amazing. Who would have thought a weed common to roadsides and wasteland could prove such a friend.



You see nettles are of such benefit because they contain high levels of minerals especially calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorus, manganese, silica, iodine and sodium. They are also a great source of vitamins A, C and E, B complex vitamins and beta-carotene. All of which are hugely important to good health and if thats not all it proves to be a great natural antioxident.



The plants leaves, young shoots and roots are all used either dried, boiled, in soups, teas and tinctures. Its uses for health are wide ranging.



Because nettles naturally contain anti-histamine they may be used for hay fever and other allergic reactions such as rashes, while a tincture may be applied to soothe burns and scalds or insect bites. Often it is drunk as a tea to treat respiratory problems like catarrh, nuisance coughs and tuberculosis. Its also said to strengthen the immune system and fight off colds and flu symptoms.



The nettles diuretic properties increase urine flow which is huge benefit to sufferers of an enlarged prostate gland that would otherwise restrict that urine flow. Indeed there is evidence that the humble nettle may inhibit the growth of prostate cells and treat prostate enlargement and cancer.



Another use for nettle is its ability to aid the production of haemoglobin in red blood cells and assist blood coagulation, ideal if you are prone to heavy nosebleeds or menstrual periods. While finely ground dried root can stem blood loss when applied to minor cuts too. The plant has long been considered an aid to digestion and circulation.



A couple of thousand years ago Roman soldiers beat their limbs with stinging nettle to stimulate circulation when frozen by bitter cold . Nowadays we take that same plant to use in preparations for hair care and to cure baldness.



These are just a fraction of the multitude of beneficial uses this much maligned plant can offer. If not improving your health or curing your ailments the humble nettle comes into its own in many other ways too.



Harvest nettles and turn them into a powerful free liquid feed for your garden and plants, particularly tomato plants. Drink nettle tea as a refreshing and healthy pick-me-up or use nettles in your cooking for soups, stews and as greens.



Mother nature has provided a gift in the lowly nettle and we should take full advantage of it.

Juliet Cohen asked:


Hair is a reflection on the overall condition of your body. A healthy and well-nourished body reflects in bouncy and healthy hair. Healthy Hair care encompasses a wide range of treatments ranging from preventive hair care to tips for maintaining long hair. Because healthy hair is dependent on the health of the scalp (hair requires a plentiful supply of nutrient-rich blood to nourish the hair follicles in the scalp) it makes sense that eating nutritionally balanced meals will promote healthy follicles and healthy hair growth.

Herbs For Healthy Hair

1. Rosemary: Enhances dark hair.

2. Burdock Root: Promotes hair growth and reduces hair from falling out.

3. Chamomile: Promotes healthy hair growth.

Home Hair Treatments

Here are some herbal homemade hair treatments and natural home remedies for hair, which have also stood the test of time:

1. When your hair looks very stressed, nettles are a wonderful tonic and detox. Infuse dried nettle leaves (some health food stores now carry nettle tea bags) and drink the tea. The infusion can also be used as a hair rinse.

2. Home remedy for conditioning your blond hair – To shine and condition blond hair, rinse in chamomile tea. Add one teaspoon of lemon juice to a liter of tea for extra shine.

3. If your hair is very dry, infusions of elderflower, parsley or sage is a great home remedy for dry, frizzy hair and it will calm the frizz and restore moisture.

4. Greasy or oily hair will benefit from a rinse made with lemon balm, rosemary, lavender or mint. All these herbs will calm the scalp and reduce the sebum production. Learn more about natural remedy or shampoo for oily hair.

5. Red heads add highlights to their hair by using a strong infusion of calendula (marigold) as a hair rinse.

6. A rinse made with sage will darken brown hair as will an infusion of rosemary. Both can also be used to darken gray hair, giving a brown tint.