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Allergy: Ephedra Anesthetic: Aloe Vera Anodyne: Willow, White Willow, Black Willow, Purple Willow, Sallow,
Catnip Antibacterial: Aloe Vera Antibiotic: St. John's
Wort Antiseptic: Willow,
White Willow, Black Willow, Purple Willow, Sallow Antidepressant: St. John's
Wort, Ginkgo Anti-inflammatory: St. John's
Wort Antiperiodic: Willow,
White Willow, Black Willow, Purple Willow, Sallow Antipyretic: Willow,
White Willow, Black Willow, Purple Willow, Sallow Antiseptic: Aloe Vera Antispasmodic: St. John's
Wort, Catnip, Black Cohosh Antiviral:
Echinacea, Goldenseal Aphrodisiac: Catnip Appetite Suppressant: Ephedra Aromatic: Catnip Arthritis/Rheumatism: Willow,
White Willow, Black Willow, Purple Willow, Sallow, Black Cohosh Asthma: Ephedra Astringent: Willow,
White Willow, Black Willow, Purple Willow, Sallow, Raspberry, St. John's Wort,
Catnip, Black Cohosh Blood Pressure (reduction of):
Black Cohosh Blood Pressure (stimulant): Ephedra, St. John's Wort Bronchial Support: Ephedra,
Catnip Bruises: St. John's Wort Burns: St. John's Wort, Aloe Vera Cardiovascular: Ephedra,
Black Cohosh Childbirth: Raspberry Circulatory: Ginkgo Colds/Flu: Citrus,
Rose Hips, Echinacea, Goldenseal Consumption: Black
Cohosh Cough: Sallow Diarrhea: Raspberry, Aloe Vera, Catnip Diuretic: Willow, White Willow, Black
Willow, Purple Willow, Sallow, Black Cohosh Emollient: Aloe Vera Estrogenic: Black
Cohosh Expectorant: St. John's
Wort, Ephedra, Black Cohosh Eyes: Aloe Vera Fatigue: Black Cohosh Fever: Purple Willow (actually, any
willow will help.) Febrifuge: Willow,
White Willow, Black Willow, Purple Willow, Sallow Flatulence: Catnip Gynecological: Black
Cohosh, Ginkgo Hayfever: Willow, White Willow, Black
Willow, Purple Willow, Sallow, Ephedra Headache/Migraine: Willow,
White Willow, Black Willow, PurpleWillow, Sallow Immune System: Echinacea,
Goldenseal, Willow, Catnip Indigestion: Sallow Insomnia: St. John's Wort, Catnip Kidney Stones: (see
urinary tract) Laxative: Aloe Vera Memory/Concentration: Ginkgo Menopause: Ginkgo,
St. John's Wort, Black Cohosh Menstruation (promotion of):
St. John's Wort, Catnip Mental Alertness: Ginkgo Metabolism: Ephedra Miscarriage (prevention of):
Raspberry Miscarriage (stimulation of):
Aloe Vera Nausea: Raspberry Nervine: St. John's Wort Pain: Willow, White Willow, Black
Willow, Purple Willow, Sallow Poison Ivy, Oak, and Sumac: Aloe
Vera Pregnancy Aid: Raspberry Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS):
Ginkgo, St. John's Wort Prostrate: Black
Cohosh Purgative: Aloe Vera Respiratory: Ephedra Sedative: Black Cohosh Sleep (suppression of):
Ephedra Smoking (quitting): St. John's
Wort Sore Throat: Black
Cohosh Stomachache: St. John's
Wort, Catnip Stress: St. John's Wort Sunburn: St. John's Wort, Aloe Vera Tonic: Willow, White Willow, Black
Willow, Purple Willow, Sallow Ulcers: Aloe Vera Whooping Cough: Black
Cohosh Herbs
and the Digestion Many
of us experience digestive problems. Some of us only occasionally after a
food-binge or perhaps a careless selection of menu items.
Others suffer on a regular basis, seems no matter what we eat (or don’t
eat) our digestive system assails us continuously. There are many herbs that
have been used over the years to help ease digestive complaints.
Some are quite effective and some not so. One
point of concern, however, if you are experiencing recurring digestive problems
of any kind, it’s best to see a doctor or professional health care
practitioner for a diagnosis. It
may only be excess stomach acid and the doctor might prescribe an ant-acid, or
it could be something quite serious and need professional medical attention. Occasional Indigestion For
occasional upset tummies, very often an infusion of chamomile (which is a member
of the ragweed family, so those who are allergic to ragweed should exercise
caution), fennel seed, or peppermint, either singly or in combination will ease
the temporary discomfort. Papaya leaf has been useful in correcting
under-acidity, whereas anise seed may relieve over-acidity. One herbalist
recommends sprinkling cayenne pepper liberally over your food, or alternately
using cayenne in capsules. I know
this sounds crazy, but it really does help in many cases.
A good rule of thumb to follow when making herbal infusions is 1 to 1-½
teaspoons of herb to 8 ounces of boiling water. Pour the water over the herb and
allow to steep for 10-15 minutes. A
nice combination that usually settles indigestion quickly is 1 tsp. each of
fennel seed, aniseed, coriander seed and caraway seed. Mix these together and
take 1 tsp. of the mixture, and bruise well (bruising consists of putting the
herbs into a mortar and crushing slightly with the pestle). Pour 1 cup of
boiling water over all, cover and let steep until cool. Tasty, too! Now,
on to the more serious stuff. Remember, these conditions are nothing to be
ignored. Be sure to visit your health care practitioner whenever needed. Irritable Bowel Syndrome Many
people suffer from this condition, twice as many women as men. Some scientists believe that a virus or bacteria may have
something to do with this disorder. Others attribute it to stress and diet, the
overuse of antibiotics, ant-acids or laxatives. Whatever the cause, there are several herbs that can play a
role in easing the condition. Alfalfa
(yep, the stuff that horses and cows eat) is a good source of Vitamin K which
helps contribute intestinal flora for good digestion, and chlorophyll for
cleansing the blood. This can be drunk as a tea or taken in capsule form.
Alfalfa is also an excellent source of most vitamins and minerals. Soothing the
nerves that control muscle activity in the intestine can be very important in
easing the symptoms of this disorder. Skullcap and valerian are two herbs that
can be quite beneficial. A
nice combination for Irritable bowel might be: 2 parts Bayberry, 1 part Mugwort,
2 parts Chamomile, 2 parts Peppermint, 1 part Wild Yam and 1 part Valerian or
Skullcap. Mix well, pour 1 cup boiling water over 1 to 1-½ tsp. of the mixture,
cover and let steep 10-15 minutes. Irritable
Bowel Syndrome has two extreme varieties, spastic colon and mucous colitis.
Symptoms of spastic colon run the gamut between constipation and diarrhea, which
is often brought on by eating. In Mucous Colitis, the colon secretes unusually
large amounts of mucus, which appears in the stools. Constipation A
gentle, effective mixture that avoids problems of laxative dependency can be
made by combining 2 parts yellow dock, 1 part dandelion root, and 1 part
aniseed. A decoction can be made with 2 tsp. of the mixture to 1 cup water may
be drunk 3 times a day. Diarrhea is usually responsive to an infusion of
Meadowsweet, however, this herb contains salicylic acid, so those who cannot
take aspirin should avoid this herb. In instances where Meadowsweet isn’t
indicated, Oak Bark or Slippery Elm might be used instead. Diverticulitis/Diverticulosis This
condition is characterized by the development of pouches in the colon wall (diverticulosis).
Much of the time these pouches cause little or no trouble, however waste matter
can become trapped in these pouches triggering inflammation and infection (diverticulitis)
and possible perforation can occur. This can be an extremely serious condition
if left untreated. If you suspect that you may have a diverticulitis or
diverticulosis, please seek medical attention. There are herbs that can be used
in adjunct with medical care. Wild yam, which is an anti-spasmodic and an
anti-inflammatory, has been shown in many studies to be quite specific for this
condition. A mixture of 2 parts wild yam, 1 part valerian or skullcap, 1 part
cramp bark and 1 part peppermint might be useful to help relieve the symptoms. Gastritis This
is an inflammation of the stomach lining. Gastritis can be acute (usually only
lasting a short time), or chronic (recurring or lasting a long time). Acute
gastritis many times can be controlled by diet. Avoiding anything that is an irritant is the first step.
Things like very hot or cold food or drink, vinegar, aspirin, alcohol,
tobacco, steroids and many drugs. Symptoms
may include appetite loss, nausea, vomiting and discomfort after eating.
In instances of chronic gastritis, it is more likely that something else
is wrong, like an ulcer. If you are experiencing chronic gastritis, you should
seek professional medical care. The following combination may help soothe and heal the stomach lining: 2 parts comfrey root, 2 parts marshmallow root, 1 part meadowsweet, 1 part chamomile and 1 part golden seal root. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 2 tsp. of the mixture, allow to steep 10-15 minutes. May be drunk 3 times a day.
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