Who Needs Meds When You Have Herbs?
Things you'd do well to have in your cupboard
I am a fan of charcoal. That’s not to say you can overuse it, because you’d end up depleting yourself of necessary minerals as a result of detoxing from nasties. However it’s great to clear the stomach if feeling sick/ you want to quickly detox from something you’ve ingested. It is also a fantastic face mask for acne. Only problem is you need to wash it off thoroughly, otherwise people will wonder why you have black patches on your face.
A similarly effective detox substance is diatomaceous earth, which helps replenish minerals, not just take them away.
Having studied herbal medicine for a multitude of health complaints or just tips for living well, I’ve made a list which hopefully covers a few ground basics. Which leads us onto —
*~Anika’s Overview of Home Remedies~*
Disclaimer! The disclaimer is -
Do your own research! Extensively, diligently, before you prescribe yourself a herbal medicine. They may be healthier than drugs, but side effects do still exist. Also certain plants are lethal, even if a specific part of it may be extracted to treat something. The point being, to tread carefully when bringing a new supplement into your routine, by starting with small doses and checking for any changes in your being.
Ginger - Quick and easy sore throat fixture, when chewed raw. Also aids digestion and general immunity.
Garlic - 1 raw clove. Yes, it will burn. But it will also remove the sniffles instantly, or if you already are plagued with a cold, then eating the clove is like throwing a bomb into the army of snot.
Spirulina - Incredibly nutrient dense sea algae, which is especially useful when fasting or for exercise recovery. Also helps thyroid.
Cayenne Pepper - Quick relief for cold hands/ feet. Simply take a pinch of the powder and rub into the area you would like to keep warm and toasty. Lasts a good few hours, especially if worn inside socks and gloves. Just avoid contact with eyes.
Mugwort (Wormwood) - Wormwood opens the way for some crazy dreams, but it’s best function is to induce a period. Girls with amenorrhoea or weak/ irregular periods would benefit (although if yours is already normal flow it is not always advisable to boost).
Dandelion or Chicory - Tasty caffeine-free coffee alternative. Dandelion is also known to kill cancer cells, by helping your body become alkaline.
Plantain - Anti-inflammatory, making it good for digestion and wound healing. The pulverised leaf can be rubbed on the skin to reduce irritation.
Mullein - Instant chest/ throat clearer. People wishing to quit smoking could try replacing nicotine or cannabis with mullein, as it serves to clear the lungs and improve your health, while still maintaining the habitual behaviour of smoking. Marshmallow leaf also has this benefit.
Iodine - All round safe disinfectant, whether externally to clean cuts and fungus, or internally to ward off colds & infections. Promotes thyroid & endocrine function.
Magnesium Oil - Relieving for sore and tired muscles & replenishing a mineral most of us are deficient in. Good massage oil, just a tad sticky and can make the skin itch if overused. Magnesium or Epsom bath salts are lush, too.
Queen Anne’s Lace - The contraception all women need to know about. The chemicals in a pill are destructive in many women’s lives, causing hormonal, mood imbalances or harming their physical health, whereas the carrot seeds have no side effects. A pinch per serving is enough, although it is also useful to know the backup option…
Black Cohosh - An abortifacient, in other words this powder can be mixed into tea (1 teaspoon, not heaped) to ensure your period comes on time (as well as Mugwort). This is early stages only - I would not promote self abortion (or any kind, really) not only because of the ethics, but also because after a certain amount of weeks it just isn’t safe anymore. If you think you need the tea, stick to a timescale of 1-2 weeks after love-making and you should be fine.
Lavender - Has a calming effect on the nerves, as well as promoting a good night’s sleep - so you could keep a sachet by your pillow. It wards off insects, including headlice, and the smell is said to put people off wanting to smoke. Mosquitoes, ticks, and other unwanted parasites all hate the smell of citrus, so smother yourself in the essential oils, or an actual citrus fruit when you are preparing to head off into a bug-filled area.
Ginseng - Increases testosterone levels, making this effective as an aphrodisiac. Aside from that, the root’s potent taste helps upkeep immunity and ward off colds.
Aloe Vera - Soothing effect on the skin, for bites, burns and other complaints. Makes a healthy juice.
Bearberry - Very specifically, this is good for polycystic ovary syndrome, as it provides oestrogen. May help in treating of diabetes by managing sugar levels. Chasteberry/ Agnus Castus help balance female hormones also.
Coconut Oil - Good for sunburn as a soother (NOT sunscreen!! Anyone who tells you to go out in the sun wearing coconut oil is basically telling you to baste yourself in cooking fat. NOT advisable.) Works well as a base oil in massages, similar to castor oil. It is ok to use as a conditioner with dry, damaged or afro hair, but if you try conditioning normal fine hair with coconut then it will turn out even greasier than when you entered the shower.
Henna - Natural dye for redheads. Unlike bleach, it strengthens the hair shaft instead of damaging it. Also the colour will be less sharp. Depending how much you use, it will add red/ golden highlights to your natural hair colour and can blend in very nicely.
Hops - Silicone-free boob growth. A little known fact is that being the main component of beer, hops is responsible for the infamous beer belly and moobs! However the pure plant extract can be rubbed on the breasts once a day for the duration of 1-3 months (depends how big you want them. Remember - unlike plastic, they can’t be removed once they’ve grown). Curiously, this works for all ages, men or women, since the high oestrogen levels don’t discriminate, they just work.
Cloves - Chew or create a mouthwash by steeping the cloves in boiling water. This helps toothache and gum infections.
Camu Camu - A Peruvian berry containing the highest density of Vitamin C of all fruits. the powder dissolves in water and makes a zesty drink. Promotes healthy and regular bowel movement.
Urine - Antiseptic, heals insect or jellyfish bites and even acne. I will not detail much more about urine therapy as it might put off some readers.
Stinging nettle - Antihistamine. Both raw or cooked leaves relieve symptoms of an allergy. So does getting stung, but that’s not necessarily a pleasant experience. To eat a raw leaf it’s advisable to fold it in on itself and use your fingers to crush the spikes inside. This will take away most of the sting on your tongue. Honey is said to be an antihistamine as well.
Fly Agaric - Brewed correctly, the tea should be taken in micro-doses (a sip or two per day) to improve the mood and treat depression and digestion. Any bigger doses, and Amanita is one of those mushrooms that will send you into woo woo land. Which is great if that’s what you want, but pretty traumatic if not. Else, you might get sick.
Vaseline or Beeswax - When rubbed inside the nose, it aids to prevent sneezing and slows down snot build-up from allergic reactions or dust. I use this to go to sleep because a whistling nose is annoying and stops me from dropping off.
Elecampane - Has various uses including against stomach complaints, cancers, coughing and antibacterial.
Borage - Reduces inflammation and asthma, promotes sweating. May help with arthritis or seizures.
Cranberries - Awesome source of Vitamin C. Cranberries deal with urine infections, although you will need to consume a fair amount of them. The juice also works, if you’re ok with the added sugars.
Colloidal Silver - Natural cleanser, antibacterial and soothes skin irritation, itchy eyes or runny nose, plus general immunity.
St John’s Wort - Helpful for depression and menopausal symptoms
