Herbal body care

Total body care is a necessary regimen. It isn’t enough to take care of the face; the rest of the skin deserves some pampering too. There are a number of herbs which you can use for herbal body care. The body is composed largely of the skin organ. In order to take care of the boy, you need to take care of the skin. The herbal body care applied will essentially provide protection for the skin too.

Herbal body care for dry skin includes using body lotions, scrubs and bath oils. Refrain from using soap since it could dry your skin even more. For dry skin itches, add quarter-cup vinegar to bath. The herbs that could promote oil production and herbal body care in dry skin are: chamomile, fennel, rose, geranium, lavender, palmarosa, sandalwood and small amounts peppermint and rosemary. Frankincense, jasmine, neroli and rose although expensive are also beneficial.

Herbal body care for oily skin involves using herb that normalize overactive oil glands which include herbs such as sage, lemongrass, basil, eucalyptus, cedarwood, cypress, lemon, yarrow and ylang-ylang. Bathing could also help oily skin if used with Aromatic Bath Salts or Aromatic Batch Vinegar. Avoid high heat in saunas since it encourages skin to become oilier. Bath salts make bath water feel silky, remove body oils, perspiration and soften the skin.

Herbal body care for sun-damaged skin involves PABA (part of the B-complex vitamins) and cinoxate (cinanamic acid from cinnamon). These two herbal body cares are commonly used ingredients in sunscreens. Sesame oil is also believed to decrease the impact of the sun’s burning rays by 30 per cent. Olive, coconut, peanut oils and aloe vera are herbal body cares that block out 20 per cent of the rays. Using three to six percent dilution of extract of helichrysum also called immortelle is also an effective herbal body care that serves as sunscreen. Carrot-seed essential oil is very helpful to sun-damaged skin and is used to treat pre-cancerous conditions. The beta-carotene found in this oil is also effective herbal body care used in protecting against skin cancer induced by ultraviolet rays. The South American herb pau d’arco is also an effective herbal body care that is an antioxidant that helps treat skin cancer.

Do not use bergamot if you go out into the sun. This herb contains phototoxic compound called bergaptene which skin’s sensitivity to light and can cause skin discoloration or rashes.

Medieval herbal medicines

During the medieval times, people relied on a number of herbal preparations to treat various ailments. In the twelfth century, people were not even aware of bacteria and viruses. As a result, illnesses were deemed as punishments from God. The underlying principle of medieval medicine revolved around four aspects: black bile, yellow bile, phlegm and blood. It was believed that the balance of these four contribute to the well-being of the person. Some of the medieval herbal medicines used during that period were the following:

Anise Seeds: They were used in medieval herbal medicine to treat gas and encourage seating and an added ingredient in sweets and candies.

Lemon Balm: This herb was used as medieval medicine to counter melancholy. It was also used as food, furniture polish and to attract bees.

Calamus: This was used in medieval medicine as body powders. To achieve this purpose, the roots were dried and ground.

Cloves: This herb was used in medieval medicine as an antiseptic and painkiller.

Coriander: The seeds of this herb were used in medieval medicine to prevent fever.

Chamomile: This herb was used in medieval medicine as treatment for headaches.

Cumin: This herb was used in medieval herbal medicine to treat gas.

Flax: Seeds of this herb was used as laxative and placed in the eye to remove foreign objects.

Frankincense: This was used for incense and as medicine.

Ginger: The warmth in this herb was used to treat stomach problems and as medicine for plague.

Horehound: This herb was used in medieval herbal medicine as cough syrups. The drinks were used for coughs and colds.

Lavender: The dried flowers were used as medieval herbal medicine for headaches.

Marjoram: This was used in medieval herbal medicine as comfort for stomach pains.

Mint: This medieval herbal medicine was used to treat stomach ailments, wounds and to counter venom.

Mugwort: This was used as foot ointments and in treating women’s ailments in medieval herbal medicine.

Myrrh: This was a tree gum used as antiseptic on wounds.

Nutmeg: This nut was used in medieval herbal medicine as aid in improving digestion.

Rosemary: The flowers of rosemary were used in medieval herbal medicine as an all-purpose medicine. It was burned as an incense to eliminate or prevent infection particularly plague.

Rue: It was used in medieval herbal medicine to treat venomous bites and poor eyesight.

Saffron: This herb is used as medieval herbal medicine for treat infections.

Sage: This is used as medieval herbal medicine for cleansing the system.

Thyme: This herb was burnt in medieval herbal medicine to fumigate against infection.

Yarrow or Achillea. This herb was used to treat wounds, headaches and bite of mad dogs in medieval herbal medicine.