Today, many people are turning to non-traditional medicine as a way to treat ailments and disease such as, alternative and natural health. Many individuals are refusing treatments composed of harmful toxins that may have serious side effects and cause more harm than good.
Over-the-counter drugs are taken for everything from colds, allergies and headaches to back aches, ear aches and tooth aches. Most of these drugs are ineffective and short-term relief and may even prolong the aches/pains you are trying to treat.
Our planet has provided herbs and spices that have helped alleviate and treat common ailments for centuries. Taking a more holistic approach to health has great benefits. Personally, I prefer trying alternative and natural health remedies to treat my ailments before I go to modern medicine.
I recently read an article in the February 2015 issue of Vitality Magazine entitled, Old World Cures for Late Winter Ailments. I thought I would share some of my favorites with you.
Homemade Herbal Cough Syrup
Add 3 cups fresh mixed herbs or 1/2 cup of dried herbs into 2 cups of water. Herbs to choose from are sage, thyme, rosemary, parsley, lavender, oregano, borage and mint. You can also add dried plantain leaf, crushed dried clover blossom, chamomile flowers, dried raspberry leaves, ground wild ginger rhizomes or fresh grated or dried ginger root to the herb measure.
Bring mixture to a boil, simmer about 20 minutes or until reduced to half. Remove from heat, cover and steep until cold. Strain liquid into a clean pan. Put back on stove and add 1 cup of creamed clover honey. Heat until blended. Cool. Pour into sterilized bottle and cap. Take 1 tsp as needed. Store the cough syrup in a cool place and it will save indefinitely.
Chamomile Tea for Aiding Digestion and Warding off Heartburn
This fragrant tea is reputed to aid digestion and should be served before mealtime. Put 3 Tbsp fresh chamomile flowers or 1 Tbsp dried flowers into a warmed teapot, cover with boiling water and steep for 5 minutes. Strain into a teacup. It also alleviates mild nausea. Good for pregnant women experiencing morning sickness, seasickness in travellers.
2 Tbsp fresh sage leaf or 1 tsp of dried plant in a heated teapot and cover with 1 cup of boiling water. Steep 5 minutes. Add lemon if using as treatment for sore throat. Sweeten with honey if you wish.
***In China, sage tea is recommended for many ailments including bad nerves, ulcers, liver, kidney troubles and to reduce fevers***
Thyme Tea for Cough and Bronchitis, and Oregano Tea For Sinus
Thyme makes a comforting cup of tea that is useful for breaking up coughs associated with bronchitis. Steep 2 Tbsp fresh plant or 1 tsp dried plant per cup of boiling water for 15 minutes. Oregano tea is a good treatment for sinus congestion – made the same way as the thyme tea. A blend of the two herbs makes a potent tea for fighting any cold or influenza virus.
This tea is noted as being a good cleanser for the intestines and helps prevent bloating from overindulgence in rich foods. To make the tea from fresh plant, simply put a handful fo fresh, picked, washed flowers in the teapot, cover with boiling water and steep for 5 minutes. To make it out of dried plant, use about 2 Tbsp dried flowers per cup of water. The tea can be sweetened with honey and served hot to ward off cold and flu in winter, or served cold with a bit of lemon to cool down the body in summertime.
Lavender Tea for Depression, Insomnia, Headaches
Nothing is more uplifting than catching a whiff of lavender in the summer breeze. The good news is, you can grow lavender in your indoor herb garden all year round to fill your room with the calming scent. Of course, you can also dry the excess bounty from your summer herb patch to use as a picker-upper whenever you’re feeling down and out, can’t sleep, or are suffering from headaches caused by stress. To make lavender tea, use 2 Tbsp fresh lavender or 1 tsp dried plant per cup of boiling water. Steep 15 minutes. For headache, inhale the steam before drinking the tea. To cure insomnia, drink the tea while soaking in a bath to which you’ve added a good handful of dried plant for a calming, relaxing scent before going to bed.
You can find the above recipes and more in the February 2015 issue of Vitality Magazine (pages 24 – 30). The article is written by Linda Gabris.
Vitality is published 10 times per year (December/Jan and July/August are combined). It is released the first week of each month. To subscribe, contact: Vitality Magazine, 356 Dupont Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5R 1V9 Telephone: (416) 964-0528. You can also find the magazines statement of purpose on page 4 of the magazine.
Disclaimer – The above information is provided as ‘information only’ and not to replace any medications you may be taken for any serious illnesses. It is always good practice, and proactive, to talk to a health-care professional or your physician with all your alternative, traditional or non-traditional health issues.
Our state of mind can easily cause physical and emotional health issues. Find activities and hobbies that stimulate the brain, stay active and provide your body with the nourishment from a plant-based diet and this will ensure that you continue to create positive change in the world for a long time.
COALITION OF POSITIVE ENERGY 