Three Simple Home Remedies
by Ana Palles
I chuckled at the headline, it read, “Home remedies gain Mayo Clinic's sanction.” And I said, “Way to go, Mayo clinic! Thank you for helping your patients gain confidence about owning their wellness.”
And thank you for validating all those grandmothers and grandfathers who throughout generations knowingly reached into the pantry for treatments with a variety of ailments. They knew what they were doing.
Our kitchen cupboards always doubled as the medicine cabinet in my house. From the time we were old enough to remember, we knew that cinnamon, licorice and peppermint were all great for various digestive system problems, that lavender helped soothe and cleanse, and that ginger helped nausea and female monthly cycles.
Knowing some basic how to’s is an important skill set in my opinion. So here are a few suggestions on what to keep on hand.
Lavender Essential Oil
In the world of essential oils, Lavender is considered a must-have because of its versatile healing properties and pleasant fragrance. Lavender is an antiseptic and antiviral. It is also an adaptogen, so it assists the body in rebalancing from exhaustion and stress. It can be used directly on the skin, taken internally, inhaled, or as a cleaning agent for freshening your environment.
Lavender oil has a long history as a medicinal. Armies from the Roman legion to WWI soldiers carried lavender oil to help dress wounds. French scientist René Gattefossé proved lavender’s skin healing properties as a result of a laboratory accident. He suffered a severe hand burn during an explosion and used lavender oil to stop the pain and heal the burn without infection and scarring.
How To Use
After doing a skin patch test for sensitivity, apply lavender essential oil directly to the affected area.
Put one or two drops of lavender essential oil into your palms, rub briskly and inhale. Make a lavender room/ linen spray by adding a few drops of essential oil to distilled water in a spray bottle. Shake and spray linens, pillows, corners of rooms, yoga/ pilates mats, wherever you like.
Make lavender smelling salts by placing 2-3 tablespoons of sea salt into a small, lidded container. Add 3-4 drops of oil, and stir well to mix. Open and inhale deeply to soothe and clear.
Add a few drops of lavender essential oil to your bath water or salt scrub.
Please note that there is a difference in properties between Lavandin which is a hybrid, and Lavender which is Lavandula Angustifolia. Look for Therapeutic grade pure Lavender essential oil.
Linden Flower Tea (Tilia Cordata or Tilia Platyphyllos)
Many Europeans are fond of Linden flower tea not only because of its healing properties, but because it tastes good. Linden flowers are full of flavonoids (antioxidants) and help reduce inflammation in the body. Linden is used medicinally for colds, cough, fever, inflammation, headaches, anxiety and stress, indigestion, inflammation and high blood pressure.
My grandmother would make Linden flower tea to calm nerves and anxiety. As teens, our mom would make us a cup of linden flower tea if we were worried about an upcoming test, presentation or performance. Linden and chamomile are a nice combination for soothing stress and can be brewed together for a lovely, healing tea. Linden combines well with chamomile and elder blossoms as a diaphoretic (inducing sweating) to treat colds, flu and fever. And Linden flower tea soothes digestion and gas. With so many benefits, it makes sense to keep Linden flower tea on hand.
How To Use
As a tea, pour a cup of hot water over 1 teaspoon of dried linden flowers. Cover and steep for 10 minutes, then strain into a cup.
For a bath, boil 1 quart of water with 3 handfuls of linden flowers. Let it cool, then strain and pour into your bath. This is a nice way to relieve anxiety and stress in adults and children.
Tea Tree Oil – Topical (External) Use Only
Sometimes called the “first aid kit in a bottle,” the Australian Melaleuca Alternifolia Oil, commonly known as Tea Tree, is a useful addition to our bathroom cabinets.
Tea Tree is antiseptic, antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral and has been shown to be effective against mites and head lice. It is commonly used for skin infections such as acne, fungus (candida), the herpes virus (cold sores, chicken pox, shingles), and in treating dandruff. I have found that applying a drop of Tea Tree oil to a pimple will often clear it up overnight.
How To Use
It is good practice to do a skin patch test first to determine sensitivity. Apply the oil, or a dilution if sensitive (using equal parts tea tree and olive oil), directly to the affected area. A few drops of the oil can be used while shampooing hair to help treat dandruff.
As with most essential oils, it is best to use pure therapeutic grade oil. Tea Tree oil is powerful so use it sparingly. Remember, Tea Tree oil should only be used externally.
Disclaimer. The information in this article is not meant to treat, diagnose, prescribe or cure any ailment. Always check with your physician before taking any products or following any advice you have read on whisperingtree.net. Always consult your doctor before you start, stop or change anything that has been previously prescribed. Certain herbs and holistic remedies are unsuitable to take if you are pregnant or nursing and must always be cleared by your doctor before use.