Witch Hazel Tips

Witch Hazel -

Witch hazel is a topical astringent derived from the bark and leaves of Hamamelis virginiana, the common or North American witch-hazel shrub.  Native Americans have long recognized the medicinal properties of witch hazel and used a decoction of the boiled plant parts to treat skin irritations and tumors.  Nowadays this popular herbal remedy is recognized world-wide as a natural cleanser and toner, but witch hazel has many more uses than simply to clarify skin and shrink pores.

In this article, we explore fourteen amazing witch hazel uses for your health, beauty and in your home.

1. Natural Astringent

Probably the most famous way witch hazel is used is as a natural astringent. High concentrations of tannins in witch hazel make it an excellent astringent which means it has the ability to remove excess oil from skin and shrink down pores.  Health-wise, those who are exposed to lots of environmental pollutants may apply witch hazel to the face in order to reduce the amount of contaminants that enter pores and, consequently, the amount and severity of blemishes.  Also, because astringents remove excess oil, regular use of witch hazel may further prevent blemishes, especially black heads which result from dried sebum build-up in pores.

2. Fade Bruises and Blemishes

Witch hazel may also be used to treat blemishes already present on the face or other areas of the body.  Apply witch hazel with a cotton ball or cosmetic pad to reduce irritation and appearance of acne or other inflammatory skin conditions.  Witch hazel applied to bruises can also help to fade discoloration and speed up the healing process of any underlying damage.

3. Brighten Around Eyes

The ability of witch hazel to tighten skin and reduce inflammation makes this an ideal natural remedy for treating discoloration and puffiness under and around eyes and is one of the most popular uses for witch hazel.  Just make sure not to get any of this natural astringent on the eyes themselves as it will result in significant pain and lingering discomfort from dryness.

4. Shrink Swollen Veins

Soak soft terry cloth in witch hazel and lay over skin affected by varicose veins to temporarily reduce swelling and pain.  Also, remember to prop up the areas to be treated as high as possible.  This will decrease blood pressure in swollen veins and maximize the effectiveness of your treatment.

5. Stop Bleeding

Witch hazel naturally tightens skin and promotes faster healing.  Apply organic witch hazel  to minor cuts and scrapes to stop bleeding.  Store-bought witch hazel also often contains isoproply alcohol which disinfects, making it a popular choice for cleansing wounds before bandaging.

6. Post Hair-removal

For both men and women, witch hazel is a great follow-up to shaving any part of the body.  Not only will it stop bleeding from nicks or cuts, anti-inflammatory witch hazel can also work to prevent razor burn.  Furthermore, those who employ hot wax treatments for hair-removal may also apply witch hazel as an anti-inflammatory post-waxing or use it to stop bleeding from damaged hair follicles.

7. Hemorrhoid Relief

Witch hazel is great for easing the pain, itching, swelling, and bleeding of hemorrhoids.  In fact, it’s a common ingredient used in many commercial hemorrhoid creams.  Just mix witch hazel with a carrier like Aloe Vera gel and apply to affected areas for fast relief.

8. Ease a Sore Throat

Due to its astringent properties, an herbal tea of witch hazel (not the store-bought kind which almost always contains isopropyl alcohol) can help to ease the discomfort of a sore throat.  Gargle with witch hazel tea to reduce swelling, dry up excess mucus, and ease pain caused by laryngitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis, or other throat maladies.

9. Treat Damaged Gums

A witch hazel mouth rinse (again, don’t use witch hazel that contains isopropyl alcohol) can help to reduce pain and swelling of irritated or infected gums.  Witch hazel can be used stop minor bleeding of the gums and mouth.  Try a teaspoon of witch hazel tea with one drop each clove and myrrh oil to safely relieve teething pain for infants.  The same treatment may also be used to soothe pain caused by emerging wisdom teeth or after oral surgery to reduce discomfort and inflammation.

10. Dry Up Swimmer’s Ear

Otitus externa – commonly known as ‘Swimmer’s Ear’ – is caused by microbial infection of the ear canal.  Use an eye dropper to insert several drops of witch hazel into each ear to dry up pus, clear away excess oil, and break up wax and debris that may be clogging the ear canal.  Allow ears to drain then clean gently with a cotton swab or cosmetic pad.  Follow up with a natural anti-microbial like basil oil, apple cider vinegar, or tea tree oil.

11. Soothe Diaper Rash

Anti-inflammatory properties of witch hazel make it an effective and safe remedy for soothing pain from diaper rash.  Regular application will also assist in healing damaged skin faster, further reducing your baby’s discomfort.

12. Cool Down Sunburn

Mix some witch hazel in with your Aloe Vera gel the next time you need to treat a sunburn.  The anti-inflammatory power of this incredible plant extract will aid your skin in healing while it and the Aloe help to cool the burn.  This treatment can also help to prevent skin from peeling in the days following a bad burn.

13. Neutralize Contact Dermatitis

Because of its drying and anti-itch power, witch hazel can also be used to counter the effects of skin-irritating plant compounds like urushiol, the sap oil contained in poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac that causes contact dermatitis in about 85% of adults who come in contact with it.

14. Bug Bites and Stings

Just as witch hazel can be used to ease pain and itching from poison ivy and its cousins, the same works for bug bites and stings.  Yet another reason to carry a small bottle of this awesome remedy with you the next time you plan to spend a day outdoors!

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Tea Tips

Tips for using Tea -

Face brightener

Try this skin saver from Skinsational Skin and Body Spa in Carlsbad, California. Soak a washcloth in warm chamomile tea with three drops of lavender oil; wring dry, and press onto face. Chamomile tea contains azulene, an anti-inflammatory that calms skin.

First-aid fix

Treat minor scrapes, bug bites, and sunburn with green tea, which contains tannins that act as a natural antiseptic and relieve itching and swelling. Just apply cooled tea with a cotton ball, says Leah Sherman, a naturopathic physician in Portland, Oregon.

Cavity fighter

Want healthy teeth? Sip some antioxidant-rich white tea. “Polyphenol antioxidants in tea inhibit the growth of oral bacteria, like those that cause tooth decay,” says Milton Schiffenbauer, PhD, a microbiologist New York City’s Pace University, who has led research on the subject.

Tension buster

In a British study, people who drank black tea four times a day for six weeks calmed down more quickly in stressful situations than those who didn’t drink tea. Black, green, and oolong teas all contain theanine, an amino acid that helps the brain and body relax.

Revive puffy, tired eyes

        Black tea is chock-full of astringent compounds called tannins

        that can help deflate and tighten  the bags under your eyes.

        (Not to mention black tea is associated with a lower risk of type 2

         diabetes.)

        Activate the  tannins in a tea bag by dipping in a cup of hot water

         for several minutes.   Cool in the fridge, then  apply the damp bag

         as a compress to the closed eye for 10 minutes.

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Back Pain

Back Pain Remedies -

Unfortunately for the millions of people suffering from chronic low back pain, there is no one certain cure. The key is to find what works for you, often through trial and error.

Medical approaches usually focus more on addressing anatomical problems in the lower back, but treating pain is often more than just treating the medical issue. For best results, try a well-rounded approach.

We've borrowed these tips to reduce or relieve lower back pain from our readers. Try them out, and let us know which ones work for you.

1.Release your inner endorphins

 Endorphins, hormones made naturally in the body, can be just as strong as any manufactured pain medication. When endorphins are released in the body, they help block pain signals from registering with the brain. They also help alleviate anxiety, stress, and depression, which are all conditions that are often associated with chronic back pain.

  

Try the following activities to release these feel-good messengers:

•Aerobic exercise

•Massage therapy

•Deep breathing

•Meditation

•Acupuncture

•Laughing and smiling

•Eating dark chocolate

•Listening to music you love

•Being social

2.Get restorative sleep

 Out of all medical conditions, pain is the number one cause of insomnia. Approximately 2/3 of patients with chronic back pain suffer from sleep disorders. Paradoxically, inadequate sleep can make back pain worse. This vicious cycle makes it ineffective to treat just one of the problems. Both the sleep problems and the chronic pain need to be treated. 

There are many options for treating sleep problems that accompany chronic lower back pain:

•Medication

•Relaxation techniques

•Psychological techniques

•Cutting back on caffeine

•Eating the correct foods

•Getting the right amount of exercise

•Writing your worries down

Often, a combination of approaches will work best.

3.Exercise your core

 The muscles in your abs and back play a critical role in supporting the lower lumbar spine. These muscles don't get a good workout in most people's normal day. Consumer Reports reported that in retrospect, 58% of people with back pain wished they had done more back strengthening exercises.1

4.Soothe the pain with temperature

 Don't underestimate the impact of regularly applying cold packs and/or hot packs to help reduce lower back pain and help the healing process.

Cold therapy

 Cold application has two primary benefits:

1.It reduces inflammation, which usually occurs with back pain.

2.It acts as a local anesthetic by slowing down nerve impulses, which keeps the nerves from spasming and causing pain.

Homemade ice and gel packs are a simple, affordable way to relieve chronic back pain.

◦See Ice Massage for Back Pain Relief

Heat therapy

 Heat application has two primary benefits:

1.It stimulates blood flow, which brings healing nutrients to the affected area of the low back.

2.It inhibits the pain messages being sent to the brain.

Heat can come in many forms, and it's best to try several to find what works best for you. Taking a hot bath or shower, soaking in a hot tub, or using a heating pad, hot water bottle, or wrap that provides continuous, low level heat are all ways to bring healing warmth to your lower back.

5.Stretch your hamstrings twice daily

 One of the easiest things you can do to help alleviate lower back pain is to gently stretch your hamstrings. Tight hamstrings place additional stress across the lower back and sacroiliac joint, leading to more pain. Hamstring stretching should be done at least twice per day.

There are many gentle stretching exercises that should not hurt.

 6.Engage your brain

 Pain specialists have long understood that pain is more complicated than just a sensation. The way the brain interprets and processes the pain signals plays an important role in how people perceive their pain.

•Read more: Modern Theories of Chronic Pain

The good news is that you can develop skills for your brain to reduce or ignore the pain signals. Developing expertise in these skills can go a long way to help you have more influence over the pain.

 Bonus Tip: find activities that make you happy

 Ongoing pain can wreak havoc on your life, affecting your cherished relationships, finances, and/or productivity at work and at home. It can also interrupt your sleep and destabilize your mood. Because many other problems commonly occur along with chronic lower back pain, anything you can do for yourself that is a natural anti-depressant will help.

Some people find that even doing just 3 things that make them feel good each day, such as enjoying a good cup of coffee, talking on the phone with an old friend, walking the dog, or receiving a 30 second hug from a loved one can make chronic pain more tolerable.

The tips in this blog are simple ways to help your spine and back stay in alignment and maintain a stronger, healthier you. Even if you are in severe pain and are undergoing extensive medical treatments, we encourage you to still try to remember the simple things you can do for your back to help it heal and get stronger and healthier over time.

References

"Relief For Your Aching Back: What Worked For Our Readers." Consumer Reports, March 2013. www.consumerreports.org.

http://www.spine-health.com/blog/6-overlooked-remedies-lower-back-pain-relief

Homemade Pain Cream

 This cream can be used topically on many pains.

You Will Need:

Pan or double burner

Whisk

Measuring equipment

Ingredients:

1.5 oz beeswax

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup oil of choice ( olive oil, grape-seed oil, ect)

Essential Oils (You can use your own combination):

Wintergreen

Eucalyptus

Lavender

Peppermint

Clove

Directions:

Add your beeswax, coconut oil, and your oil of choice to your pan. Turn it on medium to low heat and let it all melt down slowly.

Remove from heat and begin allowing your mixture to cool. Depending on the consistency you want you can add 1/4 cup of water* to get a more lotion type texture or leave as is for it to be a thicker cream. If you add water make sure to stir well.

After the mixture has cooled some add your essential oils. It is normal for it to still be in a liquid state. Then transfer it to your storage container of choice with a secure lid and allow it thicken. Then it is ready for use!

If the texture is thicker than you like make sure you try it before changing anything. Often as soon as it hits your skin it melts and blends in. However, if you would like it to have a softer look you can whip it with a whisk or mixer.

Can Be Used For:

Sore muscles

Arthritis

Joint Pain

Inflammation

Pulled muscles

 Do you have a homemade pain cream? What do you use it for?

*Note, if you add water the shelf life will be less.

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Fever and Nausea

Quell Nausea -

Try frozen ginger chips. First, infuse fresh ginger in hot water. Strain, then freeze the concoction in ice cube trays. Crush the cubes and suck the icy chips throughout the day to provide your tummy with a steady soothing dribble. Ginger's anti-nausea properties are particularly effective during pregnancy or after surgery.

–Expert: Eric Yarnell, ND, faculty member of the department of botanical medicine at Bastyr University

Ginger, be it in the form of ginger ale, tea, or even raw, is almost a guarantee to help stop nausea in its tracks. Ginger promotes the secretion of various digestive juices/enzymes that help neutralize stomach acid. It also contains phenols that relax stomach muscles and act similar to a sedative on irritated stomach tissue, reducing over activity of the stomach. At the same time, the phenols are helping your intestine move digested food and toxins through your system quicker, getting any bad stuff that may be making you feel ill pass faster. You can take it in capsule form, nibble the root raw, or grate some into a soothing soup. Personally, if it’s possible, I find fresh tea or ginger ale (the real stuff) to be the best way to calm an upset stomach.

  If making tea you will need…

  - 1 ginger root, 2 inches

  -Honey (optional)

  -A peeler or sharp knife

  -2-3 cups of water

  -Wax paper

  -A cutting board

Directions

Wash your ginger root well and then peel. Slice it into small pieces, cover with wax paper, and crush it or make your pieces extra small. Boil 2-3 cups of water over medium high heat and then add your ginger, letting it boil for 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and strain if you like, or pour everything into your mug. Add honey if you like. Sip slowly and relax.

  

If your nausea is caused by something like the stomach flu or food poisoning, follow the BRAT diet to keep it under control. It is comprised of:

-Bananas

-Rice

-Applesauce (without sugar)

-Toast

It has a little less ring to it, but you can do the BRATPP diet, which is adding on:

-Pasta (lightly buttered or with a little oil)

-Potatoes (avoid the steak or gravy)

Make milk toast

Bland foods can help tame your tummy, and 2 that are particularly favored are milk and bread. Bread absorbs excess acid, while milk coats your stomach, which is also why they are generally recommended when you something like aspirin, which can hurt an empty stomach. However, you do not want to drink milk straight, as dairy alone can cause upset, so make milk toast for a happy medium. Do NOT make this if you have gastroenteritis (the stomach flu) which reacts poorly to dairy. Milk toast helps the most when the stomach is irritated from over-the-counter pain meds.

  You will need…

  -1 cup of milk

  -1 piece of toast

  -unsalted butter

Directions

Heat up 1 cup of milk until it’s hot, but not boiling, and then pour into a cereal bowl, or one similar. Toast a piece of bread, and spread a tiny bit of unsalted butter on it. Crumble the toast into the milk, and eat slowly.

Stretch

Upper back and neck pain can set off reoccurring bouts of nausea. In this case, the nausea is your bodies’ way of reacting to the discomfort in your back or neck. Try doing some simple neck and back stretches to release the tension causing the queasiness.

 A back exercise: Try lying on a flat, solid surface (aka the floor.) Put down a yoga mat or something similar if you like. Lie like you’re about to do a push-up but instead of lifting up your whole mid-section, only lift up your upper body. Let your back arch and stretch as you tilt your head back as far as possible, the underneath of your chin facing the ceiling.

 For neck exercise: Do not do actual neck rolls. Growing up playing rugby my coaches emphasized that when we stretched out in warm up rolling your neck around was not a good thing. It can pinch nerves, make you dizzy, and grind on disks. The vertebrae of your neck are not shaped for motion that follows a circular path, and overtime this hyperextension can have detrimental effects. Instead tip your head forward and touch your chin to your chest. Hold for 10-15 seconds. Follow this with tilting, not rolling, your head to left (like you’re trying to touch your ear to your shoulder) and hold for 10-15 seconds. Repeat on the right side.

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Stubborn Fever -

 Sip linden flower tea, which works in two ways: It stimulates the hypothalamus to better control your temperature, and it dilates blood vessels, inducing sweating. Steep 1 tablespoon of dried herb (available in health food stores) in a cup of hot water for 15 minutes, then sip. Drink three to four cups a day. If you still run hot after a day of sipping tea, seek medical attention.

 For a high fever (above 102°F), take a tepid bath, which simply cools the body to match the water temperature. Bathe until your temperature decreases to 101° to 102°F, then sip linden flower tea to lower it even more.

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Colds and Congestion

Home Remedies for Colds -

Cut a cold short

 Sip a faux hot toddy. Cut a vitamin C-rich lemon in half and squeeze the juice from one half into a cup. Studies show that vitamin C taken before the onset of a cold shortens its duration and severity. Drop the lemon half shell into the cup. Add boiling water and a teaspoon of organic raw honey, an immunity booster that also coats painful throat tissues. Breathe in the healing vapor to open sinuses, and sip a cupful two or three times daily to fight the bug. (To make a traditional hot toddy, add a half shot of brandy.)

 –Expert: Ellen Kamhi, PhD, RN, clinical instructor at Stony Brook Medical School and co-author of Alternative Medicine Definitive Guide to Arthritis andThe Natural Medicine Chest

DIY Vapor Rub

Simply take a small amount of coconut oil or palm shortening (about an ounce) and add a good quality essential oil (eucalyptus, mint or wintergreen or combination)  (7-10 drops or more if needed) to get the strength you want and mix well.  Never use essential oil directly on your skin – always use a carrier oil.  Spread on the chest area or dab under the nose.

I have heard that oil pulling will also help loosen mild congestion, as will salt water gargles, but these are generally less effective than the above remedies.

Foods

Livestrong.com suggests the following foods to help fight sinus congestion:

Pineapple

Omega 3 Fatty acids (found in cold water fish, nuts, eggs, fish oil, cod oil and flaxseed)

Garlic

Fluids (see hot tea)

Spices and Herbs

Vitamin C

Apple Cider Vinegar

The Holistic Herbal suggests limiting the following foods to reduce mucus:

Dairy products

grains

sugar

potatoes and other starchy root vegetables

Hot Tea – Herbal or “Regular”

Hot tea with lemon and honey has been a congestion fighting favorite of mine for years.  Momma always stocked Lipton tea bags, but now I buy my black, green and oolong in bulk, and sometimes enjoy some tulsi (holy basil) tea blends as well.  Lemon is a great mucus clearer on it’s own, and can provide extra vitamin C, and honey is naturally antibacterial, so do include them in your brew.

For extra “oomph”, try herbal tea such as mullein, sage, ginger, peppermint, chamomile, eucalyptus, wild thyme and blackberry. (Source – New York Sinus Center.)

To make an herbal tea, cover 2 teaspoons dried leaves or 1/4 cup fresh leaves with 1 cup boiling water, steep for five to ten minutes, then strain and enjoy.  (For ginger root, use about a 1/2 inch piece of fresh root, or 1/2 tsp-1 tsp of dried root bits.)  I like to steep in a tea pot or cover my tea mug to keep the vapors from escaping.

Steam – With or Without Herbs

A hot, steamy shower is a godsend when you’re stuffed up, but you can sneak in a little relief in a much smaller area by using a bowl of boiling water tented with a towel. Take a large bowl and add fresh or dried herbs such as eucalyptus, rosemary, peppermint or New England Aster. (A few drops of high quality essential oils may also be used, or you can skip herbs altogether, but in my experience they do help.) Pour in boiling water. Lean over bowl and inhale as best you can, tenting your head with a towel to trap the vapors.

 Apple Cider Vinegar

Whether you drink it, inhale it, gargle it or squirt it up your nose, Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is another popular choice for treating congestion. For drinking, some folks take a shot of it straight up, others add lemon juice and cayenne, or mix it with water and honey. Popular proportions on Earth Clinic are 6 ounces of water, two tablespoons ACV, two – four teaspoons honey, consumed warm, every 6 to 8 hours.

To inhale ACV, boil some ACV on the stove and breathe the fumes, or mix a drop or two in your saline nose spray. (Make sure not to overdo it, and keep things clean.)  Read more about ACV and sinus congestion at Earth Clinic.

Tomato Tea

From Earth Clinic, a great site for home remedies, the top choice for sinus congestion is a recipe called “Jean’s Famous Tomato Tea“.  This recipe has received rave reviews for its ability to clear congestion. (Follow the link to read more from Jean and all the feedback from others at Earth Clinic.)

TOMATO TEA RECIPE

2 cups V8 Juice

2-3 cloves Garlic crushed (use more if you can)

2 T Lemon Juice

Hot Sauce (the more the better, so as much as you can handle)

Mix and heat in a pan or in the microwave. Sip slowly and re-warm as needed to get the full effects of the fumes. Let it sit in the back of your throat to bathe it. Suck the fumes through your sinuses and also down into your lungs. Its all natural and healthy, so drink as much of it as you want or need until you are SURE the infection is gone. This is past the time when you “feel better.”

This appears to be the best recipe, but from the comments, people often don’t have the right ingredients. Don’t let that hold you back. Use whatever you have available. Below are some substitutes that may not work as well or as fast, but will still help. I’ve listed them by their likely effectiveness:

Substitutes:

V8 Juice – tomato juice, vegetable juice, canned or fresh tomatoes crushed, tomato soup (if really desperate, try another kind of fruit juice, vegetable soup or even chicken soup. You’re aiming for high Vit C content)

Garlic – garlic in olive oil, dehydrated garlic, garlic salt (aiming for the strong anti-bacterial/fungal effects)

Lemon Juice – Fresh lemons, bottled juice, limes, lime juice, oranges, frozen lemonade

Hot Sauce – ANY kind of hot sauce works, fresh hot peppers, cayenne pepper, dried pepper flakes (if really desperate, try horseradish, black pepper or even mustard. You’re aiming for the highly anti-bacterial/fungal properties of capsaicin which is found in hot peppers, and its effectiveness at clearing out the sinuses.)

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DIY Vicks Shower Pucks

Put these in the bottom of your shower when you're sick and let them melt away while you have a hot shower. Leaves you feeling less stuffy and helps to clear up colds faster.

 Ingredients: - ***NOT EDIBLE!!****

 1 Cup Baking soda

 1/2 Cup Cornstarch

 1/3 - 1/2 Cup Water

 2 - 3 tsp Vicks vapor rub

 do not eat!@

 Heat water enough to melt vicks in. Add in baking soda and cornstarch and mix into a thick paste, if you need to add more water. Line a muffin tin with paper cups, fill each cup about half way with mixture. Let dry overnight. Remove from paper cups when discs are hard and store in an airtight container.

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Cold?

Or Sip a faux hot toddy.

Cut a vitamin C-rich lemon in half and squeeze the juice from one half into a cup. Studies show that vitamin C taken before the onset of a cold shortens its duration and severity. Drop the lemon half shell into the cup. Add boiling water and a teaspoon of organic raw honey, an immunity booster that also coats painful throat tissues. Breathe in the healing vapor to open sinuses, and sip a cupful two or three times daily to fight the bug. (To make a traditional hot toddy, add a half shot of brandy.)

–Expert: Ellen Kamhi, PhD, RN, clinical instructor at Stony Brook Medical School and co-author of Alternative Medicine Definitive Guide to Arthritis andThe Natural Medicine Chest

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Aches and Pains

Homemade Pain Cream

 This cream can be used topically on many pains.

You Will Need:

Pan or double burner

Whisk

Measuring equipment

Ingredients:

1.5 oz beeswax

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup oil of choice ( olive oil, grape-seed oil, ect)

Essential Oils (You can use your own combination):

Wintergreen

Eucalyptus

Lavender

Peppermint

Clove

Directions:

Add your beeswax, coconut oil, and your oil of choice to your pan. Turn it on medium to low heat and let it all melt down slowly.

Remove from heat and begin allowing your mixture to cool. Depending on the consistency you want you can add 1/4 cup of water* to get a more lotion type texture or leave as is for it to be a thicker cream. If you add water make sure to stir well.

After the mixture has cooled some add your essential oils. It is normal for it to still be in a liquid state. Then transfer it to your storage container of choice with a secure lid and allow it thicken. Then it is ready for use!

If the texture is thicker than you like make sure you try it before changing anything. Often as soon as it hits your skin it melts and blends in. However, if you would like it to have a softer look you can whip it with a whisk or mixer.

Can Be Used For:

Sore muscles

Arthritis

Joint Pain

Inflammation

Pulled muscles

 Do you have a homemade pain cream? What do you use it for?

*Note, if you add water the shelf life will be less.

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 Painless Sleep Tea -

Combining chamomile, peppermint teas and rosemary(herb) and lavender (dried or fresh flowers) if available, and make a tea,  to help with pain, muscle spasms, relaxation, is anti-inflammatory (fibro symptoms). Drink at bedtime to relieve pain and get sleep.

Sweeten with honey.

**in a tea ball combine teas(use amount for one cup tea, half of each flavor) and herbs (pinch or 2 of each rubbed or crumbled between fingers) and steep...

*No tea ball? - open teabags for each type tea and add pinch or 2 of herbs(rub or crumble between fingers) to each one, then fold over and staple closed again…steep with both bags in one cup of water to desired strength… can reuse for a second cup.

This really works... I have used it with very good results!!

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Coughs and Sore Throats

Nighttime Cough? -

 The ultimate cough suppressant - Vapor rub and socks!!

Its TRUE... In order to quiet night time coughing, before going to bed, rub Vicks vaporub on the bottom of your feet, be sure to put socks on and keep them on. Not sure why it works, there isscientific evidence that it does. So if you are being bothered with a cough especially if it keeps you awake try this remedy!! I have actually used the Walmart brand of vapo rub and it works just as well!!"

 Indulge in a square or two of dark chocolate. Researchers found that chocolate's theobromine compound is more effective than codeine at suppressing persistent coughs without the side effects of drowsiness and constipation.

 To calm a nagging cough that keeps you awake at night, take 2 teaspoons of honey (1 to 2 teaspoons for kids; don't give to children younger than 1), along with 500 mg of Ester C 30 minutes before bed. The vitamin C (nonacidic Ester type won't upset stomachs) boosts the immune system in the early stages of your cough. Research shows that honey works better than either a cough suppressant or no treatment at all for relieving children's nocturnal cough and promoting sleep.

 –Experts: Jacob Teitelbaum, MD; Mark Moyad, MD, MPH, Jenkens/Pokempner director of preventive and alternative medicine at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor

 Sore Throat -

If you have a sore throat, and will have to wait a day or two to get in at the Dr.'s office, try these Home Remedies…

LemonAde

I have used this remedy for years… drinking Real Lemonade numbs the throat and the vitamin C helps the immune system… and also the acidity also helps rid the body of the bacteria. (also a bit more tasty - helpful when you have a child with a sore throat)

I use 1 c. lemon juice, 1 c. sugar, and enough water to fill a half gallon pitcher (<<a new pitcher to help you smile too?)… stir well and drink up!!!

The first few sips may burn a tiny bit, but as I said it will numb it up pretty quickly.

Other ideas :

Salt water

Gargling salt water is probably the best-known and most popular remedy for a sore throat, and for good reason: It works. Aside from drawing moisture out of any bacteria living in our throats, salt water also draws moisture out of our swollen tissues, thereby relieving inflammation. Additionally, a saline environment prevents future bacteria from growing in the first place.

Salt water tends to work best when moderate, rather than excessive, amounts of salt are added to the water. Ideally, you'll want to add no more than one tablespoon of salt per glass of water (warm water is recommended). Then, do around three 10-second gargles in a row around three or four times a day until the infection subsides.

Garlic

Garlic might not be the most appealing remedy for a sore throat, but it's arguably the most effective. Garlic contains numerous bioactive compounds, including the sulfur compound allicin, that possess significant antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiviral and antifungal properties, and studies have shown that the herb can treat a large number of infections.

To use garlic for this purpose, slice a fresh clove of organic garlic in half, place one half of the clove in each cheek and suck on them like a cough drop. Though there's no need to bite into the garlic pieces, it's a good idea to crush them against your teeth on occasion to release more allicin into the mouth. This routine should be done once per day.

Apple cider vinegar

Like garlic, apple cider vinegar isn't the most pleasant remedy to use, but many people swear by it. While apple cider vinegar alone can treat sore throats (its high acidity makes short work out of most bacteria), mixing a little unprocessed, raw honey into it can improve its taste and soothe any soreness caused by the infection. Cayenne pepper is also a good ingredient to add to apple cider vinegar due to its high concentrations of capsaicin, a proven anti-inflammatory and analgesic.

For best results, mix one tablespoon of organic apple cider vinegar (along with one tablespoon of raw honey or cayenne powder if desired) into a cup of warm water and drink the mixture first thing in the morning. If you'd rather gargle the mixture than drink it due to its unpleasant taste, it's a good idea to increase the amount of apple cider vinegar in the water to two or three tablespoons.

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