Herbs have long been an acceptable way to fight common ailments and while they should not take the place of medical advice, can be a great supplement to your current medical care. There are many common herbs that have healing properties which you may not even know about.
Some of the herbs like garlic, parsley, rosemary and cayenne you may associate more with cooking, but these plants also have medicinal properties that you can easily put to use by using them in teas, compresses and even as spices in your meals!
Some common healing herbs include:
Aloe Vera
The gel within this plant is reputed to heal wounds and other skin problems such as sunburn. It is also a strong laxative. The plant can be grown in your garden in tropical climates or on your window sill. Slit open the leaves and use the juice inside.
Cayenne
Cayenne is great for the circulation and its no wonder with it's spicy bite! You can use it in your food, or if you are really brave, in a tea. You can also take it in a capsule. It is said that Cayenne will help to expedite the healing effects of other herbs.
Chamomile
This herb has many uses. In a tea, it has a relaxing effect and can sooth the digestive system. It is also excellent for the skin when applied topically in a cream or lotion. Many herbal soaps, shampoos and lotions include this herb which has been used since ancient times.
Echinacea
This much publicized herb can help stabilize the immune system. It can be taken as a pill or tincture or pulled out of the ground an eaten as a snack! You may have some of these purple daisy like flowers growing near you and not even realize that they have medicinal properties.
Garlic
You thought it was just a tasty root to put on bread but this herb has been used since ancient Egypt and has properties that strengthen the immune system. It is used as a treatment for infections, coughs and colds.
Ginger
Our herb guide likes ginger as it can be used in so many dishes. It is reputed to aid in circulation.
Parsley
Rich in potassium, this herb is often used as a garnish and left uneaten. I suggest you put it right in your salad and eat it up - it has many vitamins and is reputed to strengthen the kidneys and help with waste removal.
Rosemary
This herb stimulates circulation and aids in memory.
St. John's Wort
No herb guide would be complete without mention of this herb which is used to treat mild depression and elevate mood.
About the author:
Lee Dobbins writes for pet and health related websites. Visit
http://www.herbs-home-remedies.comfor more on natural home remedies and herbs. Dont forget to check their extensive article database at
http://www.herbs-home-remedies.com/articles1.html<
Aromatherapy Spotlight on Lavender Essential Oil Lisa MaligaImagine a flower being able to calm your nerves, reduce inflammation and swelling, promote faster healing for minor burns, decrease muscle pain, alleviate insomnia, and work as a natural bug repellant? That purple colored flower named lavender, which is derived from the Latin word lavera meaning to wash, is one of the most versatile essential oils the plant kingdom has to offer. Additionally, its obtained without a prescription and the price is considered quite inexpensive.
Types of Lavender:
Lavandula angustifolia is the most common type of lavender and it hails from England It is oftentimes referred to as true lavender. Any true lavender will have the botanical name of lavandula as the prefix. (There are up to 50 different species, including lavandula officinalis and lavandula vera, yet they will all be simply lavender). Lavender grows all over the world, including many parts of the United States and Canada, France, Italy, Bulgaria, Russia, Croatia, China, and Australia. The reason the true lavandula angustifolia genus is so popular is due to the low rate of camphor, less than one percent, it retains after distillation. This lends the essential oil a strong floral aroma, but it also makes it quite effective in aromatherapy usage, especially in accelerating the healing of minor burns. Camphor is a chemical constituent that you dont want near a burn, and other versions of lavender, such as lavandin, lavenders cousin, which can contain up to 8% camphorare not effective for soothing delicate skin tissue.
Lavandin (lavandula x intermedia) ~ According to The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils by Julia Lawless, lavandin is: A hybrid plant developed by crossing true lavender (lavender angustifolia) with spike lavender or aspic (lavender latifolia). Due to its hybrid nature, lavandin has a variety of forms: in general it is a larger plant than true lavender, with woody stems. Its flowers may be blue like true lavender, or grayish like aspic. The scent of lavandin is also sharper and more penetrating. While the plant grows in parts of Eastern Europe, Hungary, and Spain, cultivation is mainly in France.
Spike Lavender (lavandula latifolia) ~ Spike, sometimes referred to as Spanish lavender, is native to Spain, France, Italy, the Mediterranean region, and Northern Africa. The bright purple-blue flowers commonly found in true lavender are often a grayer hue in the spike variety. The essential oil is very penetrating, more herbal than floral, and retains a higher concentration of camphor than true lavender.
Lavender 40/42 ~ The lavender is blended with other lavenders to bring the percentage of linalol to between 40% and 42%. Linalol is an active component of Lavender that contains therapeutic benefits. Some Lavender essential oils can contain 40% and 45%.
Historical Uses for Lavender:
Lavender was cultivated by the ancient Egyptians in the sacred walled garden at Thebes. They prized the herb greatly, using it to make a soothing and healing balm that was part of the ritual of mummification. It was turned into an expensive perfume to adorn both the living and the dead. Perfume urns were sealed into tombs to provide fragrance, and when Tutankhamens tomb was excavated, the scent of lavender was still strong even after 3000 years. From The Book of Magical Herbs by Margaret Picton.
Surprisingly, lavender is found more frequently in commercial fragrances for men rather than women. This is one of the oldest scents in the fragrance world, made from oils extracted from the lavender and lavandin plants grown in France as well as spike lavender grown in Spain. From the book Perfumes, Splashes & Colognes by Nancy M. Booth. Examples of mens fragrances are: Aqua Lavanda, Cool Water, Drakkar Noir, Hai Karate, Lavanda, Le Male by Gaultier, Old English Lavender, Old Spice Fresh Scent, Pino Silvestre (conifer), Pour un Homme and Ungara Pour Homme all contain lavender and/or lavandin essential oils.
Benefits of Lavender:
This versatile essential oil is familiar to many of us. You should have a small bottle of it for your First Aid kit and/or to keep in your kitchen. Lavender is one of the best natural ingredients to help stop the pain from minor kitchen accidents such as burns from the oven/stove or knife cuts. A drop of lavender can ease the pain, and only the addition of the gel-like innards of a freshly sliced open aloe vera leaf is as good a remedy for instant relief. Combining the two is recommended, as aloe vera instantly cools a hot burn.
For sunburn pain, lavender is also recommended. Pesky mosquito or other insect bites bothering you? Try adding lavender essential oil to the problem area(s) and your skin will thank you.
Headaches may disappear when you massage a tiny amount of lavender on your temples or the nape of your neck.
Lavender and relaxation are two words that are virtually synonymous with each other. However, according to author Erich Keller in his book Aromatherapy Handbook for Beauty, Hair and Skin Care he writes: Lavender is an all-purpose oil for skin care. Its effect is antibacterial, pain-relieving, healing for wounds, soothing for skin diseases, deodorizing, antiseptic, fungicidal, insect-repelling, rejuvenating, and anti-inflammatory. It may be used to treat all types of skin and is effective for acne and oily hair (as it regulates sebum production), itchy skin, hand care, cracked skin, bruises, shock injuries (in ice-cold compresses), acne scars, blisters, abscesses, furuncles, warts, boils, eczema, athletes foot (tea tree is more effective here, however), wounds, and burns. A bath with lavender soothes and heals the skin after sunburn.
Safety/Precautions:
Unlike many other essential oils, there are few safety notes to share with you. Lavender essential oil can be used neat, meaning without diluting it in a plant based carrier oil, but it must be done in small amounts and only for minor skin problems. However, it is advised to dilute lavender with a vegetable carrier oil such as olive oil, jojoba, sweet almond oil, etc., just to make certain that your skin doesnt have an allergic reaction. Please be very careful when purchasing pure lavender essential oil to be used for minor medical burn treatment emergencies as you will need true lavender, the type containing the lowest amount of camphor, and NOT lavandin, the genus which has up to 8% camphor a burn causing ingredient!
Please do not take lavender essential oil internally!
Uses for Lavender:
Bath soak ~ All you need is approximately 15 drops in your bathtub of warm to hot water and you should find yourself relaxing.
Candle ~ Add a few drops to a candle, next to the wick, not on it as essential oils are flammable. Lavender will fill the room with its soothing floral aroma and relaxation should follow.
Sachet ~ Add dried lavender buds to a small muslin bag and store in your drawers/cupboards, and especially where linen is stored. This method also works well as a natural bug repellent if you hang a scented lavender sachet in your closet(s) on a hanger.
Hair ~ Add two to four drops to your hairbrush and brush your hair. Not only will it smell great, doing this helps to condition it naturally. Also, lavender is believed to stimulate hair growth and its antibacterial properties can help eliminate scalp conditions.
Blending With Lavender:
The happy combination of two florals is pronounced with the intermingling of rose, jasmine or geranium (Bourbon or Rose). For more dramatic combinations, consider mixing lavender with the following essential oils: bergamot or any citrus essential oil, clove, rosemary, eucalyptus, patchouli, clary sage, cedarwood, tea tree, oakmoss, vetiver, or pine.
Finding High Quality Lavender:
The most important things to look for on any glass bottle of lavender essential oil will be four categories. Naturally, you would expect to see Lavender on the label. However, here are the four facts that you will find on any bottle of essential oil from a reputable supplier/company:
1. Botanical/Latin name. If in search of true lavender it would be Lavandula angustifolia.
2. Part. What part of the plant has the essential oil been extracted from? For lavender, that is the flowering tops.
3. Method of extraction. Is it an absolute, enfleurage, carbon dioxide (CO2), or has it been steam distilled? In this case it has been steam distilled. While lavender can be found in CO2 form as its the most expensive, or as an absolute, the most common type is steam distilled.
4. Country of Origin. As noted, lavender comes from many different countries, and my personal preference is for the type from Bulgaria. Location can make a sizeable difference for many reasons such as climate, type of soil, high/low altitude, etc.
Other factors to look for are price, as too low of an amount means it has been adulterated in some way or is possibly synthetic. Essential oils should be stored in a glass bottle to protect the contents. Then you must continue to keep your lavender in the best environment and that would be in a cool, dark place.
For practical reasons, its better to buy a small amount. Not only is this more economical, but this way you can determine what lavender oil you like the best. You can consult with a certified aromatherapist for advice on obtaining the best quality lavender. Another way is to locate a reputable farm where lavender is grown, as this would be the best place in which to purchase your lavender essential oil. Lavender farmers will be able to answer your questions and advise you on what type of lavender is best suited for your needs. You will be advised that lavender is harvested in the summertime and that immediately after it has been distilled is not the best time to buy itusually one to two years after distillation is when it matures. For example, I purchased a bottle of lavender in April, and the following spring I started to notice a less herbal, and more rounded floral aroma. Another benefit to lavender is that it has a fairly long shelf life (approximately five years) and, like fine wine, can improve during its bottled lifespan.
About the author:
Lisa Maliga is the bath & body products designer for Everything Shea Aromatic Creations
http://www.everythingshea.comEverything Shea offers a variety of glycerin soaps, (including Bulgarian Lavender), lip balms, scented/unscented shea butter, Whipped Shea Butter, Shea Comfort, custom SoapCakes and Mini SoapCakes. Discover 275+ fragrances, designer duplicates and essential oils.
exerciseTim FradyAmerica is getting more obese every year. Even our children are becoming dangerously obese, even though we are more self conscious over our appearance. So what's the magic bullet to getting trim and fit. Well, I'll be honest, there isn't any. First, we are all limited by our heredity. If your father has a spare tire, you're probably going to be predisposed to have one yourself if your a man. If you're a woman, you are going to have fight off your mother's big hips. Today Americans have more money than they ever have before. No matter what people say about the economy, gradually over the years, Americans have become richer, and they eat to prove it. Even poor families eat more than middle class families of previous generations. Poor families often find it even harder to lose weight because junk food is cheaper, and they don't have enough money, or as much time to be active, other than working.
If your job requires you to sit all day, you are in a world of hurt as well. You are not going to burn very many calories sitting all day. Plus boredom tends to create a desire to eat more.
So what am I suggesting? Here are some thoughts you might want to consider. First of all, you really have to want to be in shape if you are going to have a prayer of losing weight. It's not easy. You've got to want it. Second, you have to make a decision in your life to live healthier. Eat moderately all the time. Don't starve yourself and set yourself up for failure later. Your metabolism is just going to slow down anyway.
Most of the time people just eat too large of portions. Keep your portions moderately sized, and eat more times a day. Stop eating when you are full. There is no need to stuff yourself every meal. And, contrary to what your mother may have taught you, you don't have to eat everything that is on your plate. The smaller your portions and the more times you eat the faster your metabolism is going to be. Here is the biggest thing people don't want to do. You have to exercise. Moderate exercise can bring you from obese to a much healthier size. Find activities you like to do, and do it. The more you enjoy it, the more you'll be able to stick with it.
No excuses. There really is no reason not to attempt to get into shape. I heard something from a preacher's sermon that really makes sense. He basically said that some men work half of their lives to make money, and then give away the same money the other half of their lives to try and regain the health they lost gaining the money in the first place. The idea is don't put work in front of health. Health costs are getting worse all the time. Unless your health insurance is great, you can't make enough money to overcome the health costs you are going to have if you don't take care of yourself now. If your excuse is that you are too out of shape to do anything, or you just can't cut back on your food because of depression, boredom, etc. Then see your doctor and ask what you can do to start heading towards physical fitness. You've got one life to live. So don't waste it.
The biggest problem we face in America today is laziness. Pure and simple. Did you know that working out helps you when you are depressed or having problems with anxiety. The more you lay around, the more discouraged you are going to get. It's a terrible cycle. People say they are too tired from working. I can understand that, but even 30 minutes a day can make a big difference. Work out during the commercials while you watch television. If you've got kids take them outside and play with them. Kids are doing nothing, but watching TV and playing video games. If you play with your kids your helping yourself and them at the same time.
It's a lot easier to keep it off than it is to lose it after you gain it. So even if you think you are in great shape, don't stop working out. It's a lot easier to keep up a steady routine than to have to burn off extra fat. Your body tends to fight you when your losing weight by giving you cravings for food. Just remember your body is more important than your big screen. Don't just sit back watching football all day. Go play some football. Live life don't just be a spectator.
webmaster of several site and weight lifter. check out these health and fitness magazines for great exercise tips
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