Tag: medicine

Health And Wellness, Medicinal

Basic Liver Tonic

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Well, today is day 4 of my parsley tea and it’s working!  I feel much better (and think it may be a small kidney stone … sure hurts and moves like one).  So, I can’t do much moving around.  I’ve decided to finally finish cleaning up my website and found this little tidbit hiding amongst the huge numbers of text files I have stored on my server.  I do not know who originally shared it nor who wrote it (if you do, please let me know).

Liver Tonic

* 2 T Wild Yam root
* 2 T Milk Thistle Globes
* 2 T Oregon Grape root
* 2 T Dandelion root
* 2 T Chicory root
* 2 T Goldenseal Root (optional)

Simmer in water 20 min, Golden seal may lower blood sugar and may be deleted from this remedy.

Food Storage, Garden

How Anyone Can Be More Self Sufficient

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I have always felt this way. As much as I dream about it, you don’t have to live completely off-grid and make all of your own items, to be self sufficient (or live a sustainable life). Just do whatever you can to not HAVE to rely so much on the outside world.

http://www.littlehouseliving.com/how-anyone-can-be-more-self-sufficient.html

Health And Wellness

Homemade Healing & Antibacterial Cream: Like Homemade Neosporin®

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Although this one calls for more ingredients, this one I’m “drawn to”. Due to my slightly impaired immune system (type 2 diabetes), EVERYTHING gets infected if I don’t immediately clean/treat it. It’s irritating! Well, I have just discovered what I’ve done wrong with ointments. It is lack of stirring. I’ve been sitting here for 30 minutes, stirring continuously, and it’s finally looking like ointment. My patience is limited, so I’ll have to choose wisely and not make too many of these! 🙂

http://livesimply.me/2014/01/20/homemade-neosporin-four-simple-steps-healing-salve-recipe/

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup dried lavender (where to buy)
1/3 cup dried calendula (where to buy)
4 TB beeswax (where to buy) equals 2-3 oz. if using bars
1 TB raw honey
10 drops tea tree oil (where to buy)
5 drops lavender essential oil (where to buy)
glass jars (I use these)

Health And Wellness

How to Make an Herbal Raw Honey Ointment: For the Treatment of Burns and Wounds

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I have come to realize that I truly hate blogs that just post links to other blogs and that’s what I’ve turned into! LOL! I just find so much out there that is cool and from people who are much more knowledgeable (and creative) than me. The recipes I’ve been sharing on my Atkins/Keto blog, I include the link with list of ingredients, so at least you can see by the ingredients if you are even interested or not prior to clicking on the link. I’ll try to do that here, either including pictures or ingredients with the link. You will have to go to the blog post or website for instructions. I will tell you this: I have not had good luck at making ointments/anything thick like this. I was thinking that it might be due to lack of stirring, so I’m going to re-melt one and sit here, at my desk, and continuously stir to see if that is what I did wrong.

http://frugallysustainable.com/2012/06/how-to-make-an-herbal-raw-honey-ointment-for-the-treatment-of-burns-and-wounds/

“we use it for the treatment of:

-1st or 2nd degree skin burns
-Rashes
-Sunburns
-Minor wounds
-Chapped skin and lips

The Recipe

Ingredients

-1/4 ounce of each dried comfrey, marshmallow root, wormwood, and witch hazel bark*
-1 1/4 cup olive oil
-4 ounces raw honey*
-1-2 ounces beeswax*
*All measurements are by weight and use of a simple kitchen scale.”

Health And Wellness, Medicinal

Salves

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All-Purpose Salve

These reciepts are Rosemary Gladstar’s work:

All Purpose Salve:

* 1 part Golden Seal
* 1 part Myrrh
* 1 part Echinacea
* Olive oil
* Beeswax.

Excellent for wounds, cuts, burns and rashes.

Please if using Golden seal, obtain it from a source that grows and harvests it ethically and with respect, as it is an endangered species in the wild.

As always,
Ela

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Burn Salve

From: Ela Younger
Date: Sun Jan 16, 2000 0:56pm

This reciept is Rosemary Gladstar’s work:

Burn salve:

* 1 part St. John’s Wort
* 1 part Calendula Flowers
* 1 part Comfrey
* Olive oil
* Beeswax
* *optional: 10,000 I.U. Vitamin E per cup of salve
* 1/8 part Aloe Vera Powder (not fresh aloe)

Prepare as directed for basic salve recipe. Pour in glass jars and store in shaded area. Excellent for all first and second degree burns, sunburns, diaper rash, cuts, and wounds.

(When I make the above I do not use the Aloe vera powder because it is not an easily gotten ingredient for me and I also use a bit of the Essential Oil of Lavender in it as well).

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Chickweed Salve

Leda,

I use chickweed infused olive oil to make a nice salve and also to make a hand cream for my hands when they are badly chapped. No real measurements,though.

I drop a tablespoon of beeswax in a pan and let it warm on a medium stove setting until melted, then I lower the heat or turn it off and pop in a spoon full of shea butter, a few drops of lavendar or tea tree oil if it’s for wounds. Let that all melt, remove from heat and add the strained infused oil a bit at a time as it cools. When it is nearly cooled completely, I check the consistency, adding more oil if needed.

If you want a stronger more medicinal salve, then you’d want to measure carefully and add the maximum amount of eo per ounce of salve, I suppose. The hand cream is a bit more complicated because it has water added.. LOL did that help at all?

Nigella

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Throw In The Kitchen Sink Salve

Having received a good amount of very nasty blackfly bites this weekend I set out to make a ‘ Throw in the kitchen sink salve’ last night.

In a double boiler, I put a handful of plantain, comfrey (wilted and chopped), dried calendula blossoms, and on very low heat kept it on the stove for about 3 hours. Than added some SAW oils, EOM’s of helichrysum, chamomile, lavender and tea tree.

It took the swelling down right away and curbs the urge to itch. But the itch returns regardless find it amazing how easy we forget every year how nasty those buggers are and darn it, every year I get zapped before I learn to put stuff on myself before I go out, so I won’t have to deal with it afterwards.

I keep a pot with wormwood right by my back door and when going out, pick a few leaves, rub them with my hands and swish them over the exposed parts of my body and hair, but only learn that lesson after I had a few good bites.

Also make a 4 thieves vinegar that works pretty well, when misting on every so often while in the woods. Best on my bursitis.

On Lake MIchigan in summer we get very nasty flies, that look like houseflies and bite our ankles.They bite right through the shoelace holes of your sneakers and have on my body an affinity for the top of my hands, ankles and top of my head. They like to live close to the beach and if you see someone beachcombing wearing a goofy hat, leather gloves and plastic breadbags over their ankles, that’s me! Good thing is that when applying the 4 thieves vinegar the bites about vanish in their itching capacity.

Bugs, they need to be there to become food for the birds…but they surely are a nuisance.

C-M

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Healing Herb Salve

* 1 oz dried comfrey leaves
* 1 oz dried calendula flowers
* 2 cups olive oil
* 1 oz pure beeswax
* 4 drops tea tree
* 4 drops lavender essential oils
* 1 400 vit E

Heat herbs in olive oil over low heat for about 5 hours. Do not let the oil boil or bubble. A Crock-Pot or the lowest temperature setting on a range should be suitable for heating this mixture. (If the lowest setting is too hot, turn off the heat once it has warmed the oil…it should keep warm for at least and hour….then repeat the process twice.) After cooking, strain out the herbs while oil is still warm. Place 1 1/4 cups of the herb oil in a pan, add beeswax and heat just enough to melt the wax. Add essential oil and stir. Finally, pour the salve into wide mouthed jars. Store at room temperature. Use for minor scrapes and cuts, to protect and promote healing.

Betty
NvwodiWaya

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Roxanne’s Salve

* 1/2 oz beeswax
* 1/2 oz emu oil
* 3 oz double infused comfrey oil
* 1 oz calendula oil
* 1 oz plantain oil (I used sunflower for the three above)
* 10 d vitamin E oil
* 20 d vitamin C serum
* 2 Tbl honey
* 10 d lavender eo
* 1 tsp tea tree eo
* 5 CoQ10 caps squeezed out.

The vitamin C and CoQ10 are optional.

Health And Wellness, Medicinal

Elderberry and Influenza (the Flu)

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Elderberries – A tasty way to fight viruses

Posted by anke under General
Ripe elderberries (Sambucus) in Rochester, Min…

After the recent spade of sickness in our house I have decided it is time to stock up on disease fighting remedies. Surely I am not the only one who always leaves things to the last minute and then finds that the very thing they need takes 6 weeks to make?

Traditional and scientific research indicate that elderberries promote disease resistance and that they also have the ability to prevent and even treat a virus. Elderberries have been used for centuries in the treatment of colds, viral infections and upper respiratory conditions including asthma. These little powerhouses are said to build the blood, cleanse the system, ease constipation, enhance the immune system function, fight inflammation, increase perspiration, lower fever, soothe the respiratory tract, and stimulate circulation – oh and they are a powerful antioxidant! Did I mention they taste great too? In the old days a syrup or a hot cup of elderberry wine would be often be prescribed before bed to ward off cold and flu related symptoms.

I popped over to The Medicine Woman’s Roots for her Elderberry Elixir recipe. I took Kiva’s suggestion and added some rosehip as well plus 1/2 a cinnamon stick. As this recipe takes a good month (and more) to mature I have also put some elderberries to soak for an Elderberry Syrup. I understand Kiva’s preference for the elixir but when compared to the elixir the syrup is much faster to prepare and contains no alcohol – which of course is a bonus when treating small children. While the elixir is soaking I can fall back on the syrup in the meantime. It may not be as powerful but it does still possess a lot of the virus fighting benefits.

Elderberry Syrup

2 cups dried elderberries
1 litre of boiling water
1/4 cup raw honey
1/4 lemon juice

Put the elderberries in a non reactive saucepan, add boiling water – cover and leave to soak overnight. The next day simmer berries for 30 minutes, cool a little then blend. Once blended add honey and lemon juice. Cool, then pour into a clean bottle. Store in the fridge. NOTE: I havent decided if I am going to blend all the berries or whether I will strain the pulp out as I have seen in a few other recipes. I might do one of each and see if there is any added benefit from keeping the pulp. Will keep you updated on results down the track.

As with the elixir I chose to add a small handful of rosehips as well. We love the taste and it is high in Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C & K – helpful in the treatment of colds and infection.

Updated to add: If you are going to add dried rosehips like I did do add some extra water or else you will end up with slush in the morning as all the dried plant material has soaked up the water and there is nothing left to simmer.

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SIMPLE ELDERBERRY TINCTURE RECIPE

Clean Quart Jar add 1/4 pound dried elderberries (Must be Sambucus nigra)
Now fill to top with vodka. Put lid on tight.
Store in a dark cupboard and shake once every few days.
Label and date your jar.
Let it sit for at least 30 days before you strain it.
You can use it without straining it too and it will just continue to get stronger.

Preventative – Adult – 1 teaspoon in water once a day
Children scale back by weight.

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http://herbs.lovetoknow.com/Elderberry_Tincture

Elderberry Tincture
From LoveToKnow Herbs

Elderberry tincture has long been known as the ‘poor man’s medicine chest’ for its usefulness, but especially its efficacy in treating cold and flu symptoms. Long used throughout Europe and the Americas, elderberry has a long and respected history as an herbal remedy. Both Pliny the Elder and Hippocrates mentioned and recommended elderberry as a medicinal herb in their writings.

Research indicates Elderberry fights the flu.

The Poor Man’s Cure

Elderberry(Sambuca nigra) grows throughout Europe, North America, parts of Asia and Africa. Other names for elderberry include elder, black elder, elder flower and sambucas. The berries and flowers of this tree are used to make herbal medicine as well as flavors to enhance beverages. The berries taken straight from the tree are poisonous, but when properly cooked, are safe to eat. You may even come across recipes for elderberry pie in older cookbooks as many housewives made special pies after properly preparing the berries.

The plant parts must be prepared properly to eliminate potentially poisonous toxins, but elderberry purchased through a reliable supplement or herbal products manufacturer should be fine for most people to take. Unless you have a known allergy to elderberry, simply consult your doctor to ensure no potential drug interactions or other negative impacts on your health before using elderberry tincture. The only known potential side effect of elderberry is that it acts as a diuretic, so if you are taking diuretics or have bladder or kidney problems, discuss using elderberry with your physician before taking this herbal remedy.

Uses of Elderberry

Elderberry has a very long history in herbal medicine as a cure for colds, coughs and flus. Elderberry tincture, capsules or dried powdered are often taken along with several other herbs when a cold or flu threatens. According to the National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine, the European elder is most commonly used for supplements. It’s also the elderberry tincture most frequently studied for its effect on cold and flu viruses.

The most common uses for elderberry tincture include treatment for:

* Common cold
* Influenza (flu)
* Coughing
* Bronchitis
* Sinus infections
* Infections
* Constipation


Scientific Research on Elderberry

Promising scientific research has begun on the use of elderberry tincture to shorten the duration and severity of colds and flus, but no reliable conclusions may be drawn from the preliminary studies.

According to Prevention Magazine, elderberry “fights (flu) virus and speeds recovery.” Scientists from Hebrew University – Hadassah Medical School in Jerusalem conducted a study in which 60 men and women who were suffering with the flu took either elderberry tincture or a placebo. Those who took the elderberry got better faster, on average about twice as fast as those who received the placebo. They also used fewer pain medications such as aspirin and other medications to control flu symptoms.

Another study conducted in Oslo, Norway, showed similar results. In this study, those who received the elderberry recovered more than twice as fast as those who did not receive elderberry, on average three days as compared to seven days for the placebo group.

Combining Elderberry Tincture With Other Herbs To Combat Flu

Two studies are too small a research pool for serious scientists to draw conclusions and make recommendations. The results, however, neatly back up many centuries of folkloric use of this wonderful herb.

If you choose to use elderberry tincture to combat a cold or flu, you may wish to combine it with other healing herbs useful to boost the immune system. Echinacea and goldenseal, for example, are recommended for infections, particularly upper respiratory infections. Other herbs may be comforting herbal teas, such as chamomile, and herbal remedies for bronchitis. Whatever natural remedies you choose, be sure to see your doctor for advice and especially if symptoms persist for several days.

Health And Wellness, Medicinal

Four Thieves Vinegar

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Four Thieves Vinegar

4 Thieves is named after 4 thieves that robbed people during the plague and never got it, they got immunity for revealing their secret. I have seen all kinds of different recipes for it and mine is usually somewhat like this. ( I rarely use recipes).

* Handful of lavender buds
* Handful of wormwood
* Some thyme
* Rosemary
* Sage
* A bit of rue
* Several cloves of garlic
* Cider vinegar

I use a gallon jar for this concoction but do not fill it all the way up, just use one of those regular cider bottles, think it’s a 32oz bottle.

Soak all for 2 weeks, strain and use spray bottles to douse yourself with it when going outside or clean with it.

C-M

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Legend has it that there were Four Thieves who would go in a loot home etc during the plague as people passed on or lay dying, but did not get ill themselves…..once caught they agreed to hand over the herbal formula that protected them in order to have their own lives spared from hanging or the like…

One version is:

* 2 quarts apple cider vinegar
* 2 tablespoons lavender
* 2 tablespoons rosemary
* 2 tablespoons sage
* 2 tablespoons wormwood
* 2 tablespoons rue
* 2 tablespoons mint
* 2 tablespoons garlic

Combine the dried herbs except the garlic which should be fresh and steep in the vinegar in the sun for two weeks. Strain and re-bottle. Add several cloves of garlic. Close lid. When garlic has steeped for several days, strain out…melt paraffin wax around the lid to preserve the contents.

The thieves drank and washed with the solution every few hrs as they were on there merry tirade.

Linda M.

Health And Wellness, Medicinal

Cough Care

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Borage Cough Syrup

* 1/2 cup of borage leaves
* 1/2 cup water
* 2 cups of honey
* Juice from 2 lemons

Put borage leaves in a blender along with water. Blend until mixture is smooth. In a non reactive pan, pour borage and honey. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice.

Take 1-2 Tblsp as needed for coughs.

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C-M’s Cough Syrup

This is how I make my cough syrup.

* Mullein
* Dry Wild Cherry bark
* Hyssop
* Plantain
* Elderberries
* Wild Cherries
* Thyme
* Sage
* Mahogany Birch bark
* Mint
* Honey
* Brandy or Vodka

Start with mullein and ‘stirfry’ it in a dry pan, add water. I use with it dry wild cherry bark, hyssop, plantain,elderberries, even wild cherries, thyme, sage, a bit of mahogany birch bark, mint and bring to a boil, than simmer for a good while. Strain add about 10:4 honey and 10:3 parts brandy or vodka. I do not have an exact measure really, it varies a bit every year. Can’t give you a dose for willowbark, it’s an individual thing. You might want to scour some books and see what is the most common dosage. That’s what I do, when in doubt. Get 4 o 5 out and see what the common denominator is. I found that the ‘Herb book’ by John Lust has pretty safe and accurate advice for dosages.

Although I have more than a 100 books relating to herbs etc. this is the one, I almost often grab for a fast reference. It has lousy drawings, but is comprehensive in material. Not a coffee table book, but a good one to look things up fast. Scour Michael Moore’s website and Henriettes, and you will find solid material there as to tincturing and dosages.

C-M

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Elderberry Brandy

Elderflower tincture has a strange taste that I’m not fond of. I prefer to dry the flowers and combine them with yarrow and mint for a fever-reducing, flu-easing tea. The berries, when I’ve been lucky enough to find them here, I usually pop into the freezer (still on the stems). Once frozen, it is easy to strip off the berries for use in muffins and other baked goods. Here is a recipe from Judith Berger’s ‘Herbal Rituals’ that may be helpful:

* elderberries
* brandy
* jar with good lid

Steep the berries in the brandy for six weeks, adding some brandy every couple of days, to keep the jar filled to the brim. After six weeks, you will have a warming cordial which acts as a superb iron tonic while opening the sinuses and reducing fever.

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Elderberry Syrup

Elderflower tincture has a strange taste that I’m not fond of. I prefer to dry the flowers and combine them with yarrow and mint for a fever-reducing, flu-easing tea. The berries, when I’ve been lucky enough to find them here, I usually pop into the freezer (still on the stems). Once frozen, it is easy to strip off the berries for use in muffins and other baked goods. Here is a recipe from Judith Berger’s ‘Herbal Rituals’
that may be helpful:

* 1 ounce dried elderberries
* 1 quart jar
* honey
* brandy

Infuse the berries in boiled water for eight hours. Then heat two cups of the infusion under very low flame until you are left with one cup of decocted berries. Add several teaspoons of honey and a teaspoon of brandy to preserve the syrup. This syrup is an excellent expectorant.

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Horehound Cough Drops

Here’s another recipe for horehound cough drops that was given to me by a friend, I don’t know the orignal source (where she got it from) but it is a really good recipe and has worked well for me.

Love & Happiness
Autumn

Horehound Cough Drops

* 2 cups sugar
* 2/3 cup light corn syrup
* 2/3 cup water (strong herb tea)

Blend in saucepan, the sugar, corn syrup and tea. Place over low heat, stirring until mixture boils. Now put in candy thermometer, cook, stirring occasionally, to hard crack stage (300 degrees). You may add flavoring such as cherry, licorice, eucalyptus, mint or horehound. Pour into candy molds or onto a greased sheet and when hard break into pieces.

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Here is a recipe for Horehound Cough Drops from ‘Magic and Medicine of Plants’ from Readers Digest

Horehound Cough Drops

* 1 c boiling water
* 3/4 c dried horehound herb
* 2 c refined sugar
* 1/3 tsp cream of tartar

Pour the boiling water over the horehound: cover and let steep for 30 min. Strain the infusion into a heavy saucepan, pressing to extract all the liquid. Add the sugar and cream of tartar and stir over low heat until the sugar is fully dissolved. Cover the pan and let it cook for 3 or 4 min. until the steam has melted any sugar crystals clinging to the pan’s side. Then remove the lid and cook the mixture, without stirring, over high heat; skim off any scum. When it reaches the hard-crack stage-when a candy thermometer reads 300 degrees F. or when drops form brittle threads in ice water-immediately remove it from the heat. Brush a marble slab or a baking sheet with butter or oil and pour out the mixture. As it begins to set, score it into small squares with a sharp knife. Cut it along the lines when it is cold and brittle. Store the pieces in an airtight container.

PatinMO

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Horehound Cough Syrup

Betty, I’ve always heard you use the dried leaves for this, I am hoping my clump will be big enough this year to make a batch

In ‘The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants’ by Andrew Chevallier, it lists the parts used as the leaves. Also, in ‘The Healing Herbs’ by Michael Castleman, he says the parts used are the leaves and flower tops. He says, ‘For a cough-remedy infusion, use 1/2 to 1 tsp of dried leaves per cup of boiling water. Steep for 10 min. Drink up to 3 c a day. To offset its bitter taste, add sugar or honey. In a tincture, take 1/4 to 1/2 tsp up to three times a day. Horehound should not be given to children under age 2. For older children and people over 65, start with low-strength preparations and increase strength if necessary. Considered safe for healthy nonpregnant, nonnursing adults who do not have heart disease.

PatinMO

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John Cramer’s Cough Syrup

Hi guys, I’ve made this for many friends, and it’s very good for the throat and sinus cavities.

* 1/4 C honey
* 1/4 C FRESHLY squeezed lemon juice
* 5 cloves
* 1 good shake cinnamon (or stick of it)

Bring all to a boil. Remove the cloves (and cinnamon stick). Then use 1/2 – 1 Tbs in a cup of HOT tea.

Abundant blessings,
John

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Red Clover Cough Syrup

Source: Judith Berger’s ‘Herbal Rituals’

* 1 once of whole dried red clover blossoms
* boiled water
* honey

Though most flower infusions only require ten minutes to two hours of infusing time, red clover blossoms sit for the full four hours, because the plant’s mineral richness requires a lengthier time to seep into the water.

After the infusion has sat for four hours, take a pint of the infusion and decoct it [strain and cook over low heat till reduced by half]. Add some clover honey and a bit of brandy and use this syrup when experiencing the type of cough that sounds like a car engine trying to turn over (this is known as a “dry, hacking cough”).

Live Happy, Live Long

Leda Meredith

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Violet-Mullein Cough Syrup

Hello Everybody, With all the wonderful post on violets, I thought you might be interested in the cough syrup I am making It is great.

Make a Tincture with Violets by filling a jar with violet flowers and covering with your preference of Alcohol, I use Golden Grain as I can not find Everclear, wait a week and drain off liquid and change flowers and por liquid back over them, do this 3 times (you will be suprised as the liquid is emerald green) strain and then on the fourth poring add liquid to a jar packed with mullein leaves leave 1 wk and drain liquid and add liquid to a jar which has lemon, orange and lime slices . agin leave a week no longer as it will get to bitter, drain and bottle, to make the syrup add half of the tincture and half honey It is also good for sore throats.

Linda in Ga.

Health And Wellness, Medicinal

Medicinal Borage Recipes

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Borage Eyewash

* 1 cup boiling water
* 1 teaspoon of dried borage leaves

To clear redness from fatigue and stress. Pour boiling water over dried borage leaves. Steep until cool. Strain and put into a sterile jar. Use as a compress or a few drops directly in the eyes.

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Borage Tea for Sore Throats

Borage Tea for sore throats 1/2 cup of fresh borage leaves to 1 pint boiling water. Steep for 30 minutes. Strain and refrigerate. Use as a gargle when needed for sore throats.

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Borage Tonic

* 1 Tblsp each of borage flowers
* 1 Tblsp each of borage chopped leaves
* 2 cups of boiling water

Borage Tonic to stimulate the adrenal gland and give energy. Pour boiling water over flowers and leaves. Steep 10 minutes, strain and sweeten with honey. Take several cups daily for 1 week. (I love the taste of borage tea with no sweetener, it has a nice clean flavor).

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Borage Cough Syrup

* 1/2 cup of borage leaves
* 1/2 cup water
* 2 cups of honey
* Juice from 2 lemons

Put borage leaves in a blender along with water. Blend until mixture is smooth. In a non-reactive pan, pour borage and honey. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice.

Take 1-2 Tblsp as needed for coughs.

Health And Wellness, Medicinal

Asthma Care

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Horsetail (Shavegrass) Tea

The tea mixture that I make is very plain and bland but I mostly use it for asthma and bronchitis so you don’t need much of it or do I advice that you use much as any herb can have side effects and a little is better when trying a new herb. Also note that I was taught to use horsetail for external bleeding wounds, you moisten the horsetail or steep a concentrated mixture and apply to the wound and it stops bleeding. Note these are the things I was taught by my people the things I now have never been proven scientifically to me or what I have been taught by my father and grandfather. The name of shave grass/horsetail in my language is: “KEZIBSKOL” it’s translation is Hissing Plant, Scouring Bushes, Horsetail.

I boil approximately 1/4 ounce of horsetail in one quart of water and then steep for 10-minutes. You can add other things to better the taste I suppose what ever you might want, but keep in mind that I only recommend 1 tbl. to try it to see if you have any bad reactions to it and if not then I drink one cup a day while having respiratory problems.

I hope this helps.
Love & Happiness
Autumn

Disclamer: I am no way recommending anyone take any of my advice or even follow my recipe for the tea or wound healer. I am not a doctor, I am Native American and am just saying how I use “KEZIBSKOL” for my own use what I was taught by my people the Penobscots.

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Asthma Information

Since we were talking about Asthma I thought you might like to peruse the following
information.

Adriane
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Nutritional supplements that may be helpful: Vitamin B6 deficiency is common in asthmatics. This deficiency may relate to the asthma itself or to certain asthma drugs (such as theophylline and aminophylline) that deplete vitamin B6. In a double blind study of asthmatic children, 200 mg per day of vitamin B6 for two months reduced the severity of their illness and reduced the amount of asthma medication needed. In another study, asthmatic adults experienced a dramatic decrease in the frequency and severity of asthma attacks while taking 50 mg of vitamin B6 twice a day. Nonetheless, the research remains somewhat inconsistent, and at least one double blind study did not find high levels of B6 to help asthmatics who require the use of steroid drugs.

Magnesium levels are frequently low in asthmatics. Magnesium supplements might help prevent asthma attacks because magnesium can prevent spasms of the bronchial passages. Intravenous injection of magnesium has been reported to stop acute asthma attacks within minutes in double blind research. Although the effect of oral magnesium has not been appropriately studied, many doctors recommend magnesium supplements for their asthma patients. The usual amount of magnesium taken by an adult is 200 400 mg per day (children take proportionately less based on their body weight).

Supplementation with 1 gram of vitamin C per day reduces the tendency of the bronchial passages to go into spasm, an action that has been confirmed in double blind research. Some individuals with asthma have shown improvement after taking 1 2 grams of vitamin C per day. A buffered form of vitamin C (such as sodium ascorbate or calcium ascorbate) may work better for some asthmatics than regular vitamin C (ascorbic acid).

Very high amounts of vitamin B12 supplements (1,500 mcg per day) have been found to reduce the tendency for asthmatics to react to sulfites. The trace mineral molybdenum also helps the body detoxify sulfite, though the ability of supplemental molybdenum to help asthma patients remains mostly unexplored. A nutritionally oriented physician should be involved in any evaluation and treatment of sulfite sensitivity.

People with low levels of selenium have a high risk of asthma. Asthma involves free radical damage that selenium might protect against. A double blind trial gave 45 mcg of selenium to twelve people with asthma. Half showed clear clinical improvement even though lung function tests did not change. Most doctors of natural medicine recommend 200 mcg per day for adults (and proportionately less for children) a much higher, though still safe level.

Double blind research shows that fish oil partially reduces reactions to allergens that can trigger attacks in some asthmatics. Although a few researchers report small but significant improvements when asthmatics supplement fish oil, a review of the research shows that most fish oil studies with asthmatics come up empty handed. Nonetheless, there is evidence that children who eat oily fish may have a much lower risk of getting asthma. Therefore, even though evidence supporting the use of fish oils remains weak, eating more fish may still be worth considering.

Stomach levels of hydrochloric acid were reported to be low in asthmatic children many years ago. Supplementation with betaine HCl in combination with avoidance of known food allergens led to clinical improvement.

Quercetin, a flavonoid found in most plants, has an inhibiting action on lipoxygenase, an enzyme that contributes to problems with asthma. No human studies have confirmed whether quercetin decreases asthma symptoms. Some nutritionally oriented doctors are currently experimenting with 400 1,000 mg of quercetin three times per day.

Bromelain reduces the thickness of mucus, which may be beneficial for those with asthma, though clinical actions in asthmatics remain unproven.

Are there any side effects or interactions? Refer to the individual supplement for information about any side effects or interactions.

Herbs that may be helpful: Ephedrine, an alkaloid extracted from ephedra, is an approved over-the-counter treatment for bronchial tightness associated with asthma. Over-the-counter drugs containing ephedrine can be safely used by adults in the amount of 12.5 25 mg every four hours. Adults should take a total dose of no more than 150 mg every twenty-four hours. They should refer to labels for children s dosages. Ephedrine has largely been replaced by other bronchodilating drugs, such as alupent and albuterol. Ephedra sinica, also known as ma huang, continues to be a component of traditional
herbal preparations for asthma, often in amounts of 1 2 grams of the herb per day.

Traditionally, herbs that have a soothing action on bronchioles are also used for asthma. These would include marshmallow, mullein, and licorice.

Ginkgo extracts have been considered a potential therapy for asthma for some time. This is because the extracts block the action of platelet-activating factor (PAF), a compound the body produces that in part causes asthma symptoms. A study using isolated ginkgolides from ginkgo (not the whole extract) found they reduced asthma symptoms. A controlled study used a highly concentrated tincture of ginkgo leaf and found this helped decrease asthma symptoms. For asthma, 120 240 mg of standardized extract or 3 4 ml of regular tincture three times daily can be used.

Eclectic physicians doctors at the turn of the century in North America who used herbs as their main medicine considered lobelia to be one of the most important plant medicines. Traditionally, it was used by Eclectics to treat coughs and spasms in the lungs from all sorts of causes.

Checklist for Asthma

* Selenium
* Vitamin B6
* Ephedra
* Other Betaine HCl
* Bromelain
* Fish Oil (EPA)
* Magnesium
* Molybdenum
* Quercetin
* Vitamin B12
* Vitamin C
* Elecampane
* Ginkgo Biloba
* Licorice
* Lobelia
* Marshmallow
* Mullein
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Copyright ) 1999 Healthnotes, Inc. 1505 SE Gideon St., Suite 200, Portland, OR 97202
http://www.healthnotes.com Authors of the best-selling book The Natural Pharmacy

The information presented in Healthnotes Online is for informational purposes only. It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage as cited in each article. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. For many of the conditions discussed, treatment with prescription or over-the-counter medication is also available. Consult your physician, nutritionally oriented healthcare practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications.

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Reviewed: 01-Jul-1999