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.

Native American herbal remedy

Native American herbal remedy pertains to the healing beliefs and practices of the indigenous people of North America. The Native American herbal remedy comprised of spirituality, herbalism and magic in curing all sorts of ailments from common colds to depression.

Healing methods of the Native American tribes were varied. But the four most common practices include:

- The presence of healers called ‘medicine men’ or ‘medicine women’.

- The use of herbal remedies

- Use of purification or purging ritual

- Observance of symbolic rituals and ceremonies

Native American herbal remedy required young people to go through a number of mentally and physically tough ceremonies and training. The Medicine Man who practiced Native American herbal remedy was considered almost immortal at that time. Native American herbal remedy believes in the harmony of nature and that each is connected with the other. Native American herbal remedy also believes in the presence of spirit world corresponding to every human and object. These spirits can enhance health or cause illness. The main idea of Native American herbal remedy revolves around spiritual rejuvenation and sense of physical, emotional and communal harmony. A healer is necessary in the Native American herbal remedy as intermediary to the spiritual world. Healers or trained herbalists prescribe herbal remedies. They could also use purification rituals to cleanse the body. Community coming together is another form of treatment. Patients are often surrounded by praying or chanting family and friends.

These herbal remedies should not be used to replace medications recommended by doctors but as complements to them. Some of the Native American herbal remedy includes the following:

Skunk cabbage. This is a Native American herbal remedy to treat asthma.

Horsemint. This is medicine used by Native American to treat backache pains.

Yellow-spined thistle. This is a Native American herbal remedy to treat burns.

Patridgeberry and blue cohosh. These are used for faster childbirth.

American Licorice and broom snakeweed. These are for delivery of the placenta during childbirth.

Wild black cherry and cotton are used to relieve pain of childbirth.

Boneset. This is Native American herbal remedy used for colds.

Catnip. This is Native American herbal remedy for colic.

Aspen, Wild cherry, white pine and sarsaparilla. These herbs are used to treat coughs.

Wild carrot and devil’s club. These herbs were used for diabetes.

Dandelion and yellow root are used for digestive disorders.

Dogwood, willow and feverwort were used for fevers.

White oak was used to treat hemorrhoids.

Witch hazel was Native American herbal remedy for inflammations and swellings.

Native hemlock was used to treat influenza.

Goldenseal was used as an insect repellent and insecticide.

Pokeweed and bloodroot were used to treat rheumatism.

Wild black cherry, hops and wild lettuce were used as sedatives.

Geranium and persimmon were Native American herbal remedy for children affected with thrush.