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.

Herbal body wraps

Herbal body wraps are used to produce both therapeutic and cosmetic benefits. This is done by cleansing the body of toxins and reducing several inches. Herbal body wraps are good for anyone who wants to improve, tone and tighten the skin. People with loose skin due to weight loss or pregnancy can especially benefit from it. Those who undergo joint pain and inflammation can benefit from the effects of herbal body wraps.

Simple herbal body wraps are made up of clay and some natural sea salt. To make these herbal body wraps more complex you can add more ingredients such as herbs and not more than 2 tablespoons of essential oil.

Essential oils that you could use for herbal body wraps include: lavender, sage, lemon, sandalwood, lemongrass, rosemary, grapefruit and olive oil. Herbs that can be added to herbal body wraps include: alfalfa leaf powder, ground basil, chamomile flower powder, rose petal powder and rosehip powder.

Herbal body wrap recipe for clay body wrap include:
1 cup bentonite or green clay
¼ cup sea salt
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cups water

To make the body wrap concoction, boil water and add sea salt until has dissolved. Add the remaining ingredients and stir. Adjust the water to form a wet paste. Rub the mixture over the entire body and cover yourself with thin towels or a clean white sheet. Salons recommend that you use proper wrapping sheets in order to squeeze the tissues together for better results. Then lay in the tub for 45 minutes to one hour.

Herbal body wrap are considered messy. So, the best place to do herbal body wraps is in the bath tub. Better bring a portable television or listen to your favorite tunes while laying on the tub for 45 minutes to one hour. Take a warm shower before you apply the herbal body wraps in order to open the skin pores. Drink plenty of water before and after the herbal body wrap to flush out toxins. You can use an inexpensive thermal blanket to keep warm. And finally, avoid caffeine, sugar, fried fatty foods, soda drinks and alcohol for the next 48 hours.

Another way to draw out toxins from the body is to take a hot Epsom salt bath. Hot water draws out toxins out of the body and as the water cools it pulls of the toxins from the skin. When magnesium sulfate or Epsom salt is absorbed through the skin while bathing, it draws the toxins in the body, reduce swelling and relax muscles. Do not take hot baths if you have high blood pressure, heart, diabetes or kidney problems.

Epsom salt detox bath recipe:
1 cup Epsom salts
1 handful sea salt
2 tbsps. bath oil

Pour the above in the bath tub as the water is filling.

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.

Herbal Tea Remedy

Herbal tea remedy is one of the simplest ways to prepare herbs and use its curative value to heal ailments. A cup of tea costs just a few cents too. One teaspoon of herb per cup would suffice. This is to be ingested three or four times daily for it to be effective as an herbal tea remedy. A number of the herbal tea remedy such as fever-reducing teas and diuretics are best taken when hot because the heat induces perspiration.

There are several ways to prepare herbal tea remedy. These are:

- Infusions. This herbal tea remedy is made by pouring hot water over herbs and steep for five to ten minutes using saucepan, teapot and cup. To retain the essential oils in the herbs, cover the pot or pan. Flowers and leaves are used in infusion.

- Decoction. This herbal tea remedy is made by gently simmering the herbs in water for 15 to 30 minutes. Decoctions usually made use of roots and bark. The high heat can release more properties from roots and bark.

- Cold infusions. This herbal tea remedy is done by soaking herbs in cold water for eight hours. This method is usually done for delicate herbs that would lose essential oils if heated. There are currently two versions of tea in the market: flavor-enhanced tea and instant tea.

- Tinctures. This herbal tea remedy is herbal extracts that are concentrated liquid herbal medicine. This is good for years. You can dilute this into an instant herbal tea remedy by adding water or juice. Average does is 30 drops or a quarter teaspoon.

Herbs that can be used as an effective herbal tea remedy include the following:

Alfalfa
Fenugreek
Hyssop
Rose hips
Blackberry
Feverfew
Lemon Grass
Rosemary
Chamomile
Flaxseed
Orange
Sarsaparilla
Chickweed
Ginseng
Peppermint
Savory
Chicory
Gotu kola
Psyllium
Slippery Elm
Dandelion
Hibiscus
Raspberry
Spearmint
Echinacea
Hops
Red Raspberry
Valerian
Fennel
Horehound

Due to the astringent tannin found herbal tea remedy, it could alleviate indigestion, diarrhea and other forms of stomach upset. It also aids in burning of fat calories in people who are overweight according to a Swiss research study. Perhaps the side effect due to herbal tea remedy could be derived from its caffeine content. Excessive amounts of the brewed tea could lead to irritability, sleeplessness, irregular heartbeat, dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea, headache or loss of appetite. To avoid side effects, do not take herbal tea remedy in excessive dosage, read package labels carefully and do not exceed recommended intake. Exercise caution when it comes to toxicities of certain herbs that are used as herbal tea remedy.

Ginkgo Biloba

Nicknamed as a “living fossil”, the Ginkgo biloba is a unique tree that remains unchanged through the passage of time. It has been in existence since the time of the dinosaurs and therefore considered as the sole living link between the lower and higher plants. The Chinese, and later the Japanese, who called it Ginkyo, meaning “silver apricot” referred to it as a symbol of longevity because of its history.

The Plant

The Ginkgo biloba is classified under gymnosperms (meaning “naked seeds”) for its seeds are not enclosed in a ripened fruit but are protected only by a fleshy seed coat. The Ginkgo biloba is distinguished from other gymnosperms by its fan-shaped foliages. Its leaves are bi-lobed, hence the name “biloba.”

A Ginkgo biloba tree can grow up to about 30 or 40 meters (100 ft.) in height and spread its foliage across 9 meters of space. The trunk can be as wide as 4 meters (13 ft.) in diameter and in open areas, can even become wider than that. The girth of Ginkgo bilobas that grow in temple grounds are about 10 meters in diameter.

The Ginkgo biloba has branches that may be long or short growing at nearly right angles. Because of the highly variable branches of the Ginkgo, older trees are usually irregular in form. The buds of are mounded with distinct form and leaf scars. The short leaf shoots clustered near the tip of the branch produce the seeds and the pollen.

The leaves of the Ginkgo biloba are its most recognizable feature. They are 5-8 cm wide and sometimes even twice as broad as that. They also resemble the leafshape of a Maidenhair fern (Adiantum), hence it is often referred to as the “Maidenhair tree.” During fall, the leaves turn a brilliant gold making the people in the olden times think it precious; so much so that they called it “tree of forty gold crowns” for that was how much it cost in former times.

Health Benefits

In the last three decades, the Ginkgo biloba has been proven to prevent many problems and ailments throughout the entire body. It is gaining recognition as a brain tonic, enhancing the memory as it positively affects the vascular system, especially the cerebellum. Ginkgo biloba is also used as treatment for vertigo, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and a variety of neurological disorders and circulation problems. Because of its strangely soothing effects on the neurological aspects of the body, it is also believed to help counteract the effects of aging, including mental fatigue and lack of energy.

The Ginkgo biloba has the ability to increase blood flow to the brain and throughout the body’s network of blood vessels. These vessels are very important since they supply the blood and oxygen to the organs. Because of this ability of the Ginkgo biloba tree, it promotes increased metabolic rate, regulates neurotransmitters, and boosts oxygen levels in the brain.

Preparation Tips

Ginkgo biloba was used in the ancient times as a water-based herb so it may be effective as a tea. However, some studies have suggested that Ginkgo biloba doesn’t break down in water. Fortunately, the herb is available in capsules, tinctures, or powdered form. As a tea, it blends well with sage, rosemary, and Gotu kola.

Herbal Neck Wraps

Stiff neck and shoulder pains are the most common discomforts we experience after a long day’s work. If you spend your day facing your computer, chances are, you’ll experience neck pains and shoulder aches. These kinds of discomforts may also arise from stress and pressure we face every day. Massage parlors and spas offer all sorts of remedies for these types of discomforts, from body wraps to acupuncture and herbal neck wraps to aromatherapy. Herbal neck wraps, especially, work well for reducing the discomfort from neck and shoulder pains.

Herbal Neck Wraps – What is it?

Herbal neck wraps are similar to body wraps. That is, they combine the benefits of moist heat therapy and aromatherapy to produce better results. Herbal neck wraps are excellent for pain relievers, as well as effective decongestants. People suffering from cold can use herbal neck wraps to relieve congestion. Also, athletes can make use of herbal neck wraps as a replacement for ice packs.

Herbal Neck Wraps – The Herbs

Herbal neck wraps use a variety of herbs mixed together to produce excellent results. Some of these herbs are stated below:

- Lavender

One of the main ingredients for mixing herbal neck wraps is lavender. Native to the mountainous regions of the Mediterranean, the plant prefers sunny, stony habitats where it can grow to heights of 3 and half feet. Lavender produces an aromatic essential oil that is considered as very versatile and useful. It is the oil used in perfumes and aromatherapy. Lavender essential oil relaxes, soothes, restores, and balances your body and mind. It refreshes tired muscles, feet, and head.

- Valerian Root

Valeriana officinalis, the scientific name of Valerian root, is also another important ingredient in herbal neck wraps. The plant is indigenous to England’s marshy thickets where its tall stems may be seen towering over other species of flora. The Valerian root is an excellent herb that allays pain and promotes sleep. Its effects are similar to the effects of narcotics with none of the unpleasant after-effects. It highly valued in herbal neck wraps as a relaxing antispasmodic ingredient.

- White Willow

White willow, or European willow, is a large tree with a rough grayish bark that is native to Central and Southern Europe. The bark of the white willow contains a high percentage of tannin, which is a natural salicylic acid that is nearly as potent as aspirin. Because of its analgesic properties, this herb is added into most neck wrap mixtures.

Other herbs found in neck wrap mixtures are chamomile (nerve tonic, relaxant), rosemary (headache relief), peppermint (pain relief and anti-spasm), spearmint (nerve support), and hops (sedative). Some many neck wraps may also contain traces of yellow dock root to improve circulation, lemon grass, cinnamon, and yarrow.

Rosemary

Rosemary originates from the Mediterranean. It is a silvery evergreen shrub that is now grown worldwide. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is an important culinary and healing herb.

Greek and Chinese traditional healers used the rosemary to sooth digestive aid and relieve intestinal gas or flatulence. Rosemary leaf tea is currently being used as a standard treatment for these conditions. Germany has approved officially the use of rosemary to treat indigestion, gas, bloating and other digestive symptoms. Tea can be prepared by drying rosemary leaves. Or, you can use small amounts of either tincture or liquid extract mixed with warm water.

In the past, the Greeks believed that the plant can enhance memory and the students even wore the rosemary garlands as they take the exams. Even Shakespeare believed that rosemary is good for memory as Ophelia added rosemary in her mad scene lists. The herb’s well-earned reputation as a memory enhancer is partly due to its high concentrations of health-promoting antioxidants. These compounds protect the brains and other parts of the body against unstable oxygen molecules that are called free radicals which is the primary cause for cell damage in the body. It also sharpens the memory by breaking down the brain chemical called acetylcholine.

There are different uses for rosemary:

Inhalation use. Inhaling the rosemary oil can sharpen the mind, counter mental fatigue and treat nervous exhaustion. It’s essential oil can be added to bath water, inhaled directly or diluted with neutral carrier oil and used for massage.

Topical use. It can be applied to the skin topically to soothe muscle sprains, strains and arthritic joints. The oil contains camphor, skin irritant that can increase blood circulation to the skin when applied topically. This oil is frequently added to hair preparations. Rosemary oil when added with thyme, cedarwood, lavender oils in a neutral carrier oil such as jojoba could lessen type of patchy hair loss called alopecia areata.

Internal use. Rosemary oil is recently made available in capsule form for internal use. Capsules that contain memory oil together with oregano and thyme oils are used for the treatment of yeast overgrowth in the intestines. This blend is due to rosemary’s antibacterial and antifungal characteristics.

There are no known drugs or nutrient interactions that are connected with rosemary. To prevent possible problems linked to rosemary doses, you should remember the following:

- Rosemary oil could not be taken internally unless in enteric-coated capsule. If taken in other form, it can irritate the stomach and cause heartburn.

- If applied topically, rosemary oil may cause dermatitis and skin redness to people who are sensitive to the herbal medicine. Stop using it when you noticed such symptoms.

- Don’t use the herbal medicine in high dosage when pregnant since it could possibly cause complications.

- If you have epilepsy, do not take medicinal amounts of rosemary. The camphor found in the herb could worsen seizures.

- If you have insomnia, do not take insomnia bath in the evening since it has stimulant effect which could keep you awake.

Herbal Remedies for Migraines

Many people suffer from migraines. As such, several herbal remedies for migraines are developed and distributed anywhere in the world. Nevertheless, herbal remedies for migraines are not really as popular as more commonly advertised pills that we see in television. But still these remedies are gaining certain level of popularity as many people discover their efficacy.

In the first place, there is basically a few contrasting theories for the onset of migraines. And one of those theories is known as Neural Theory. According to such theory, migraines occur since when certain chemicals are released by the body which causes the blood vessels in the brain to become inflamed. Such action then provokes the nerves into a painful response, hence migraines.

Since there is still no concrete proof for the safety and effectiveness of herbal remedies for migraines, it is then important to know that herbal remedies for migraines should be comprised of essential nutrients that can assist the pain with the least probable amount of some unfavorable side effects. And the herbal remedies for migraines are not really bale to treat migraine that has already occurred.

As part of a preventative measure, herbal remedies for migraines can aid in eliminating or lessening the symptoms that are connected with it and some other forms of headaches. Numerous studies have found out that the herbal remedies for migraines can assist in such action by means of easing the blood vessel constriction, and by that it can treat the cause and symptoms of migraine headaches.

To mention, there are some proven effective herbal remedies for migraines as opposed to synthetic drugs. And one of those promising herbal remedies for migraines is chamomile. This herb is considered as one of the best natural sedatives for the fact that it can provide relief to migraine including tension headaches. Chamomile can also lessen the symptoms like irritability and nervousness.

Aside from that, ginkgo biloba, which is one of the oldest herbal remedies for migraines, ahs been demonstrated to enhance the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain. Thus it can assist to dilate blood vessels and ease migraine pain.

Gotu Kola is another one of the best herbal remedies for migraines. It was found out that this herb can develop the circulation in the brain and enhance the strength of the blood vessel. It also harbors anti-inflammatory qualities and as such, it can ease migraines.

There are still some other herbal remedies for migraines such as SAMe, DMAE, passion flower, rosemary, yucca root, and 5-HTP. All of these herbal remedies are generally acclaimed as great solutions for easing the unfavorable effects of migraines.