This is going to be a long one but I wanted to give you a great natural herbal remedies that doesn’t take anything to make or prepare. This one you can use right out of the bottle.

Honey is one of the best home remedies a person can use. Its been know and proven to clear up sinus stuffiness within 5 minutes; its been know and proven to kill dysentery (the runs) in 10 hours; its been known and proven to kill the typhoid fever germ in 48 hours; its been known and proven to take care of chronic broncho-pneumonia in four days and honey has been known and proven to stop bedwetting, coughs, induce sleep, heal burns, control PMS and a host of other ailments you have to live through.

Honey can heal what ails ya’.

So, what does honey have that other medications don’t? Honey is loaded with potassium and potassium draws moisture out of germs and bacteria. Without moisture, germs and bacteria can’t live so they die and you are healthy again. Sometimes in just 5 minutes or so, depending on your ailment.

Honey, as I said, contains potassium but it also contains trace elements, gotten from the surrounding area where the pollen was collected. Honey contains all the trace elements such as iron, copper, manganese, silica, chlorine, calcium, sodium, phosphorus, aluminum, and magnesium that the body needs. When getting your honey try to buy from the local sources because that honey contains the minerals you need for the area you live in.

Every person in every area needs different minerals and honey will supply that for you. Since our food supply has little or no trace elements due to processing, we need all the help we can get. And when I say we, I mean people of all areas. Unless, of course, you need a specific honey such as tupelo or manuka honey for health reasons.

Every type of honey has different trace elements in it depending where it came from but the one constant is potassium. That’s what makes honey so good for us. Most people are lacking in potassium, however, some say a banana a day will give you all the potassium you need and that’s true but it can’t give you all the trace elements you need. We (people) need the trace elements to make all the other vitamins and minerals, fats and proteins and carbohydrates work properly in our bodies. And Mother Nature provides the best natural herbal remedies, sometimes right in our own back yards.

I was reading the book, Folk Medicine, by Dr. D.C. Jarvis. The book was written in 1958, old by our standards but he had a handle on folk medicine that few doctors today have. Here are a few of his facts about honey and facts known today.

Facts about honey:

Dr. Jarvis Known Facts Today
It’s nonirritating to the stomach lining It heals the stomach lining
It’s easily digested Goes directly into the blood stream - no need to digest it
Furnishes the demand of energy Rapid recovery from exertions such as running marathons.
Easily handled by the kidneys Goes directly into the blood stream - doesn’t need to be digested thereby missing the kidneys
Natural laxative 3 teaspoons a day will keep you loose
Acts as a sedative for the body Can’t sleep - 1 teaspoon before bed - instant sleep
It’s inexpensive You have to hand it to the beekeeper-they haven’t raised the price due to colony collapse disorder (CCD) - prices are up a little due to inflation.

Luckily for us distributors of honey only heat it up to keep it from forming crystals. But even if you do have honey that crystallizes all you have to do is heat it up in a pan of water and it will return to its former self.

The crowning glory of honey is its medical value. Where else can you find a sedative to calm the nerves and kids, a sleep remedy, a soothing aid for the stomach or that annoying cough without any side effects? Not to mention what it does to germs and bacteria and did I mention arthritis?

Dr. Jarvis has an amusing story about arthritis and honey I’d like to share with you. It goes thus: “A school teacher had a great pain (arthritis) for a long time and she had become quite philosophic about it. Then one year she was transferred to a new school district and went to board in a farm family. Honey was the standard sweetening agent used in the household. By the end of the teachers first school year the arthritis had disappeared.” (Page 104, Folk Medicine. 1958)

Dr. Jarvis believed the potassium in the honey was responsible for the decline of her arthritis. Many people believe today honey and cinnamon or honey and apple cider vinegar help with their arthritis.

If you try these recipes make sure you use natural apple cider vinegar with the “mother” (sediment) in the bottom. Otherwise it just vinegar. Apple cider is beneficial because of what the apples give to it.

Mix 1 teaspoon of honey to 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar then add at least 6 to 8 ounces of water, cold or warm, and sip it throughout your meal or during the day. You can mix any amount but keep the ratio of honey and apple cider vinegar the same. If you drink it all at once it will upset your tummy. Sip it slowly…sorry I got sidetracked looking something up on the Internet and the amount of wrong information is really scary.

Now back to the honey…where was I? Oh yea, Honey and Bed Wetting

If you have a child that wets the bed after they’ve learned bladder control you can give them a teaspoonful of honey just before bed time to calm their nerves and give them a dry sleep. What honey does is hold the fluid during sleep “so that bed-wetting does not take place” (page 109, Folk Medicine. 1958)

Honey retains, absorbs and condenses moisture. A teaspoon of honey before bedtime acts as a sedative and retains moisture in the bladder, sparing the kidneys and helps your child from wetting the bed. Give it a try and let me know how it works. (Not having any kids, I can’t try it myself.)

Honey and Cough Medicine

Boil one whole lemon slowly for 10 minutes. Boiling softens the lemon so you get more juice. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into a regular drinking glass. Add 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) of glycerine and stir together. Fill the glass with honey. Stir before using. (glycerine or glycerin is used as a sweetener and as a preservative. You don’t have to use it but it keeps the lemon from going bad.)

Take one teaspoon morning, noon and night for a cough. If you have a severe cough take it 6 times a day and taper off as your cough gets better. If you don’t have lemons you can use apple cider vinegar - the good kind. This cough remedy can be used by adults and children.

Don’t Forget the Honeycomb

Last but not least, try to get your hands on some honeycomb. Its healing powers are amazing. I’ve seen it at work. A friend of mine has severe hay fever and she chews honeycomb the whole time hay fever season is going on and she doesn’t have any problems. She says it works better than the hay fever shots she used to get.

The honeycomb is loaded with protein and fats with carbohydrates and it has bee pollen in it. As you all know, bee pollen is very good for you and with the honey it’s a powerful sinus remedy.

Chewing honeycomb helps the breathing track stay healthy. For stuffy noses from colds and flu, chew a piece of honeycomb the size of chewing gum and in 5 minutes or less you will notice a difference in your breathing. One “chew” should last about 2 weeks but if you feel stuffy again, chew another piece.

For mild hay fever chew honeycomb once a day - for moderate hay fever, chew 5 honeycomb pieces a day for the first 2 days then 3 times a day until hay fever season is over.

For severe hay fever, start 3 months before hay fever season with chew honeycomb once a day. At 2 months before keep chewing plus add 2 teaspoons of honey to 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar in a glass of water at breakfast and dinner. Continue this though hey fever season to get the best natural herbal remedy for your hey fever. You might not even need a shot!

So why not give honey a try - it may cost a little more than sugar but the health costs will benefit you in your old age.

Leave me a comment when you try any of these natural herbal remedies and don’t forget you can add any herb or spice to honey to please your taste buds. Honey butter is good, honey and raspberries are great, honey and strawberries are fantastic, and honey in your coffee is the best coffee you’ll ever taste. You won’t be going back to sugar.

You can use this link to find honey in your area.  Very cool site!  And you can find apple cider vinegar (the good kind) here at Amazon.

Just one more thing…Don’t let anyone tell you organic honey is better therefore more expensiveall honey is organic. Bees are the only creatures that make honey and it’s all organic. Bees do all the work…all beekeepers do is collect the honey when the hive is full.

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Ahhhh…today’s world is getting tougher. Home foreclosures, layoffs, economy is down, and China is making all the money. It’s a no wonder everyone is suffering from anxiety and stress. It’s not an easy world to live in these days. However, there are ways to combat anxiety and stress with natural herbal remedies.

The following herbs are a great way to relieve your stress and anxiety without giving into prescription drugs or non-prescription drugs like that wonderful martini after work. These herbal remedies help with anxiety and stress without any side effects and they make your life seem like a dream.

Anxiety and stress are controlled by the adrenal gland and it can become over stressed or over used the longer you’re under stress and anxiety. To read more about how it can effect your life visit Adrenal Fatigue.  They have a lot of information on how and why on stress and anxiety.

Anxiety and stress can bring on panic attacks with symptoms that are often taken for heart attacks. Hospitals are reporting an increase of stress related panic attacks in the emergency area. So, before you succumb to a panic attack, try some of these herbs to starve them off.

The first and foremost best natural herbal remedy for anxiety is Valerian. Valerian has been studies by the medical industry for the last couple of years and has verified that valerian works like it did for the ancient healers. Have a cup of Valerian an hour before bed for a great nights sleep.

 For anxiety and stress during the day, Chamomile is the best. It also helps keep your stomach from clenching with anxiety. One ounce of blooms to one pint of water. Simmer or steep for 15 minutes before drinking. You can also use a Chamomile tea bag.

Although there hasn’t been any studies (that I know of) its best not to over task your body so don’t exceed 6 cups a day. And don’t take for long term - use another natural herbal remedy and trade off between them.

Another herbal remedy you can take for anxiety is Catnip. I like it better than other herbs for keeping calm. It’s load with a nervine (a beneficial effect on the nervous system). Make a tea with one ounce of Catnip to one pint of boiling water. Steep for 15 minutes then enjoy.

One natural herbal remedies most people don’t know about is Licorice Root. There are times when I crave Licorice Root and usually it’s after I’ve been under some heave stress. Since I’m not a fan of taking pills, I use this recipe and make my own tea.

 

My Anxiety Tea

1 part Licorice root
1 part Ginger root
1 part Wild Yam
1 part Cinnamon
3 parts Sassafras (or not. It’s a personal preference)
1 part Dandelion root
1/2 part Orange peel

I mix the herbs together and store in an airtight glass jar for when I want some tea.
To make a pot of tea, I use 6 tablespoons to 1 quart of water, steep 5 minutes then drink. You can add honey or sugar to sweeten but it’s fine without either. You can drink it throughout the day. To make one cup use 3 tablespoons to one pint of water. You can also add Valerian to the mixture for a nighttime tea.

I believe the body gets more benefits from herbs if they’re eaten or drank. The body is designed to use the chemical components of herbs and food more efficiently than flooding the system with a capsule of herbs. But you can use capsule if that’s your preference, I just think they work better if you use them like food.

There are a lot of other herbs to use for anxiety and stress and I try to use them so I’m not taking one herb all the time. The body will build up an immunity to the herb and when that happens you stop getting the benefits of the herb. So it’s best to use different herbs daily to get the maximum benefits from natural herbal remedies.

You don’t have to do yoga or chanting to relax. You can sit outside for a half hour, go for a walk, throw rocks, surf the Internet, talk to the neighbors, or paint your walls. Just be sure to do something that will take your mind off the anxiety and stress so your body has a chance to recover for the overload of stress.

And one last piece of advice - eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, get plenty of sunshine (if you can) and get as much fresh air as possible. It helps keep your body relaxed and calm.

Here’s a list of other herbs that are good for anxiety and stress. Mix and match them into teas or add them to your food as you cook it. You can also make these herbs (in any combination) into tinctures or essential oil.

  • Fennel Tea — relieves gastrointestinal upset
  • Kava – Tincture or capsules help minimize anxiousness
  • Hops — Relaxing effect on nervous system
  • Motherwort — Tincture helps stabilize emotions, has calming effect
  • Passionflower –Used in tea or as tincture to promote relaxation and calm
  • Skullcap –Tincture or capsules help relax and nourish nervous system and induce sleep
  • St. John’s Wort - tincture helps restore emotional stability and ease depression
  • Bergamot — promotes the body’s ability to inner heal
  • Cedarwood – widely used for its tranquilizing effects
  • Geranium — helps relieve pain, soothes anxiety and stress, and diminishes swelling and inflammation, has a sedative effect and is useful for nervousness
  • Lavender — ability to remove nervous tension, relieves pain, disinfect scalp and skin, enhance blood circulation and treat respiratory problems.
  • Lemon — attributed to its stimulating, calming, carminative, anti-infection, astringent, detoxifying, antiseptic, disinfectant, sleep inducing, and antifungal properties. Also, Lemon oil is calming in nature and helps remove mental fatigue, exhaustion, dizziness, anxiety, nervousness and nervous tension. It’s also believed that inhaling lemon oil helps in increasing concentration and alertness. That cup of lemon water in the morning works wonders to start the day.
  • Neroli — anti depressant, aphrodisiac, anti septic, bactericidal, cordial, carminative, cicatrisant, cytophylactic, disinfectant, anti spasmodic, deodorant, digestive, emollient, sedative and tonic.
  • Patchouli — attributed to its properties like anti depressant, anti phlogistic, anti septic, aphrodisiac, astringent, cicatrisant, cytophylactic, deodorant, diuretic, febrifuge, fungicide, insecticide, sedative and tonic.
  • Sandalwood — It improves memory and induces concentration. It keeps the brain cool and relaxed and saves from undue stress and anxiety.
  • Sweet Marjoram - It induces a calming, relaxing and sedating effect on the mind and the body. It also gives a happy feeling in cases of anger or sadness.
  • Kava Kava — is used for treating anxiety, promoting sleep
  • Oats — Oats strengthens and relaxes the nervous system. Look for preparations that contain the oat seed along with the straw. Take ½ teaspoon of tincture, three times daily.
  • Passion Flower — A gentle sedative that soothes nervous tension and alleviates insomnia. Use half to one teaspoon of herb in one cup of boiling water. Drink the infusion every three to four hours.
  • Peppermint – Excellent for an upset stomach or frazzled nerves. Use equal parts of peppermint, caraway seed, and wood betony to total one teaspoon. Infuse in one cup of boiling water for fifteen minutes. Strain and sweeten to taste.

You can get all these herbs at Mountain Rose Herbs where I get a lot of herbs I can’t grow in my backyard. 

I could go on forever on natural herbal remedies that will help you reduce your stress and anxiety but I’m sure you’re tired of reading by now. So I’ll let you go and don’t forget to come back in February when I’ll be visiting Maggie’s Herb Farm and Healing Waters in St. Augustine, Florida for more information on natural herbal remedies.

Enjoy…until next thyme!

Leave me a comment on anything you want to know and I’ll research it.

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