December 15th, 2007 by admin
Hair is a reflection on the overall condition of your body. A healthy strand of hair should stretch by about 30% before it breaks. Hair is dead protein once it has appear from your scalp. A healthy and well-nourished body reflects in bouncy and healthy hair. Herbs can help all types of hair stay healthy and attractive. There are lots of natural herbs for hair available or in fact being used since hundreds of years by the different countries all over the world. The list of regularly used herbs includes Aloe, Arnica, Birch, Burdock, Catmint, Chamomile, Horsetail, Licorice, Marigold, Nettles, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Southernwood, Stinging nettle, Psoralea seeds, Mulberries and Oyster. Soy is also equally important in preventing the hair loss.
Massage the scalp with warm almond or olive oil. Take half cup of clean water and two egg yolks, beat egg yolks in a cup of water. Use it as a massage on the scalp and hair for 5-10 minutes. Leave it for a few minutes and rinse hair with Luke warm water. After this again rinse with a paste of water and apple cider vinegar. If your hair is very dry, infusions of elderflower, parsley or sage is a great home remedy for dry, frizzy hair and it will calm the frizz and restore moisture. Greasy or oily hair will benefit from a rinse made with lemon balm, rosemary, lavender or mint. Add a teaspoon of lavender oil to the coconut oil and heat it for few seconds. Massage the scalp at night and shampoo the hair next morning. Essential fatty acids found in Evening Primrose oil and Flax Seed oil can restore hair growth.
Collagen that is so essential for luxurious hair is found in Silica. Zine (30 mg) can boost thyroid function and reduce hair loss that comes from an underactive thyroid. Butterfly Pea herb has been used in ancient Thai herbal medicine to treat hair loss and prematurely grey hair for many decades. Amla is very useful for restoring the normal acid in hair such as the balance of alkaline. Reetha and Shikakai is very useful and powerful for healthy hair. One should drink large quantity of water, unsweetened fruit juice and herbal teas for healthy hair. Avoid or minimize excessive use of alcohol as it dilate blood vessels and increase flow of blood to the tissues. The right shampoo should remove the sebum that is secreted by the scalp.
Alicia Stock writes articles for skin care blog and hairstyles picture. She also writes articles for celebrity hairstyles.
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February 23rd, 2007 by admin
Agrimonia eupatoria
Agrimony
Burr Marigold
Church Steeples
Cocklebur
Harvest Lice
Liverwort
Philanthropos
Rat’s Tail
Stickwort
White Tansy
A pretty plant, bearing spikes of tiny yellow flowers (church steeples) and fruit with hooked bristles at the top (cockleburs), agrimony grows wild by roadsides, fields, and woods. Although the plant has no narcotic properties, tradition holds that when placed under a person’s head, agrimony will induce a deep sleep that will last until it is removed.
Folklore aside, agrimony has a long history of medicinal use. The English poet Michael Drayton once hailed it as an “all-heal,” and through the ages it did seem to be a panacea. The ancient Greeks used agrimony to treat eye ailments, and it was made into brews to cure diarrhea and disorders of the gallbladder, liver, and kidneys. Anglo-Saxons made a solution from the leaves and seeds for healing wounds; this use continued through the Middle Ages and afterward, in a preparation called eau d’ arquebusade, or “musket-shot water.” Later, agrimony was prescribed for athlete’s foot.
In the United States and Canada, late into the 19th century, the plant was prescribed for many of these ills and more: for skin diseases, asthma, coughs, and gynecological complaints, and as a gargle for sore throat.
PARTS USED
Aerial parts.
USES
Agrimony has long been used to heal wounds because it staunches bleeding and encourages clot formation. Astringent and mildly bitter it is also a helpful remedy for diarrhea and a gentle tonic for the digestion as a whole. Combined with other herbs such as corn silk, agrimony is a valuable remedy for cystitis and urinary incontinence, and has also been used for kidney stones, sore throats, rheumatism, and arthritis.
Other medical uses – Food allergies, Celiac disease, Emphysema, Eyelid problems, Hangover.
Culinary uses – For a pleasant honey-flavored tea, steep 5 to 10 ml (1 to 2 teaspoons) of powdered agrimony or 15 ml (3 teaspoons) of lightly crushed fresh agrimony in 250 ml (1cup) of boiling water. If desired, sweeten with honey or flavor with licorice.
Add the flowers to home-brewed beer.
Craft uses – Include fragrant agrimony in sweet-smelling sachets and potpourris.
HABITAT AND CULTIVATION
Agrimony is a native European herb commonly found in marshes, wet meadows, and in open areas. Agrimony is harvested when in flower in summer.
Agrimony grows in most types of soil. It is naturally adapted to alkaline soils, but also tolerates somewhat acidic soil. While easy to cultivate in dry soil, the plants do need water during dry periods or they may not flower.
Prefers full sun, but keep the soil moderately moist. Also tolerates partial shade.
Sow seeds outdoors in the early spring. (You can improve germination considerably by storing the seeds in damp soil in the refrigerator for 6 weeks prior to planting.) Plant seeds 1 cm (1/2 inch) deep. Once established, agrimony tends to self-seed.
May also be propagated by root division. Divide the plants in spring to provide time for the winter buds to form. When dividing the crown, be sure to include a live stem.
Space plants 25 cm (10 inches) apart.
Usually pest- and disease-free.
RESEARCH
Agrimony’s blood-staunching and anti-inflammatory properties have been established by experiments in China.
CONSTITUENTS
Agrimony contains tannins, coumarins, flavonoids, including luteolin, volatile oil, and polysaccharides.
HOW MUCH TO TAKE
Infusion: pour a cup of boiling water onto 1-2 teaspoonfuls of the dried herb and leave to infuse for 10-15 minutes. This should be drunk three times a day.
Tincture: take 1-3ml of the tincture three times a day.
SIDE EFFECTS AND CAUTIONS
Agrimony may cause some people to experience photo dermatitis, a skin rash that appears after eating the herb and subsequently being exposed to sunlight.
Some studies have shown that agrimony can lower blood pressure. Don′t consume this herb if you are undergoing anticoagulant therapy or medication treatment for high or low blood pressure.
Agrimony is reputed to affect the menstrual cycle, so you should avoid it if you are pregnant or nursing.
Because agrimony tea has a high tannin content, it should be consumed in moderation. Adding milk to your tea helps prevent tannins from being harmful.
APPLICATIONS
AERIAL PARTS / LEAVES:
INFUSION – A gentle remedy, ideal for diarrhea, especially in infants and children. Can be taken by breastfeeding mothers to dose babies.
TINCTURE – More potent and drying than the infusion, and effective if the condition involves excess phlegm or mucus. Use for cystitis, urinary infections, bronchitis, and heavy menstrual bleeding.
POULTICE – Apply a poultice of the leaves for migraines.
WASH – Use the infusion for wounds, sores, eczema, and varicose ulcers.
EYEWASH – Use a weak infusion (10 g herb to 500 ml water) for conjunctivitis.
GARGLE – Use the infusion for sore throats and nasal mucus.
COLLECTION AND HARVESTING
Pick the leaves, flowers, and stems in early summer, when the plant is in flower. All parts may be used fresh or dried.
To dry agrimony, spread out the leaves, flowers, and stems on a wire rack in a warm, shaded location. When dry, crumble the material to powder, and store in airtight jars.
ANTACID WINE
* 3 cups (750 ml) red wine
* 1 cup (40 g) fresh agrimony leaves
* 1/2 cup (20 g) alfalfa leaves
* 1/4 cup (10 g) oak bark
Macerate the crushed plants in the wine for 1 month. Strain. Drink 2 T (25 ml) 3 times daily to eliminate stomach hyperacidity.
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February 23rd, 2007 by admin
Horse Chestnut
Also Known As:
Aesculus hippocastanum
Buckeye
Horse Chestnut
T’ien-shih-li
Aesculus hippocastanum (Horse chestnut) is a large tree native to northern India, the Caucasus, and northern Greece. It also grows in Europe. In folk medicine horse chestnut tea were taken for diarrhea and hemorrhoids. Horse chestnut cures arthritis, rheumatic pains, and coughs. Applied to the skin horse chestnut treats sores and rashes. It is said that the extract from horse chestnut tree cures varicose veins.
PARTS USED
Seeds, leaves, bark.
USES
Horse chestnut is astringent, an anti-inflammatory, and an aid to toning the vein walls, which, when slack or distended, may become varicose, hemorrhoidal, or otherwise problematic. Horse chestnut also reduces fluid retention by increasing the permeability of the capillaries and allowing the reabsorption of excess fluid back into the circulatory system. The bark can be used to reduce fever.
Horse chestnut has been taken internally in small to moderate doses for leg ulcers, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, and frostbite, and applied externally as a lotion, ointment, or gel. In France, an oil extracted from the seeds has been used externally for rheumatism. In the US, a decoction of the leaves has been given for whooping cough.
Other medical uses - Chronic venous insufficiency, Lymphedema, Swollen Ankles.
HABITAT AND CULTIVATION
Native to mountain woods in the Balkans and western Asia, this tree is cultivated in temperate regions worldwide. The bark and seeds are collected in autumn.
CONSTITUENTS
Horse chestnut contains triterpenoid saponins (notably aescin), coumarins, and flavonoids. Aescin, the main active constituent, has anti-inflammatory properties. In Germany and other European countries, specialized aescin preparations are used because aescin is not easily absorbed from the gut.
HOW MUCH TO TAKE
Traditionally, 0.2-1.0 grams of the dried seeds were used per day. However, only standardized extracts should be used internally. Horse chestnut seed extracts standardized for aescin content (16-21 %) or isolated aescin preparations are often recommended at an initial dose of 90-150 mg of aescin per day. Once improvement is noted, this is usually reduced to a maintenance dose of 35-70 mg of aescin per day. Topical aescin preparations are used in Europe for hemorrhoids, skin ulcers, varicose veins, sports injuries, and trauma of other kinds. A gel of aescin is typically applied to the affected area three to four times per day.
SIDE EFFECTS AND CAUTIONS
Internal use of purified horse chestnut extracts standardized for aescin at the doses listed here is generally safe. There have been two reports of kidney damage in persons consuming very large quantities of aescin. Horse chestnut should be avoided by anyone with liver or kidney disease. Its internal use is also contraindicated during pregnancy and lactation. Topically, horse chestnut has been associated with rare cases of allergic skin reactions. Since circulation disorders and trauma associated with swelling may be the sign of a serious condition, a health care professional should be consulted before self-treating with horse chestnut.
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