Acne can certainly be a trying time for teens and adults. One of the most effective methods of battling acne in our family is with herbal acne remedies. Our quest for a natural way of dealing with acne came about quite by accident. I never really thought of dealing with acne in a natural, homeopathic way, but after watching what my nephew went through with traditional methods of acne management, I knew we needed to find a better way for our family when the time came.
My nephew struggled with severe acne, to the point of needing an antibiotic to control the infections that had been caused by acne. Then he had a reaction to the antibiotic. It was really heartbreaking to watch his struggle week after week. His struggle prompted me to start researching natural acne treatments. I knew there had to be a better way for him and I wanted to be prepared for my daughters when they reached their teen years.
One of the great things about a natural alternative to acne treatment is the gentleness of the treatment. There are no major side affects, the herbs just seem to naturally and easily take care of the problem without causing dry skin, rashes, etc.
There are three main herbal acne remedies that I recommend. The first is a honey and cinnamon paste. Mix three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon, this will make a paste. Apply the paste on your face right before you go to bed and wear overnight. In the morning wash it off with warm water. If you can do this for two weeks consistently, you will see your acne disappear!
The second herbal acne remedies treatment, burdock root, can be taken orally or used as a wash, like a toner. Some herbs, when taken orally, act as a blood cleanser. This is what burdock root is well known for; it’s a good blood cleanser. Sometimes if you can get the blood cleaned up and detoxified, you can clear up acne. This herb can be taken orally with no problems. However, you can also make a tea out of it and apply it to the affected areas with a cotton ball.
Before I give you the next natural treatment, I want to mention one thing; when recommending herbal acne remedies, I usually start with the easiest and move on to the more complex. The third acne treatment does require a few different herbs and this can be overwhelming for those who have never used herbal treatments before. If you are just starting out with herbal treatments, I suggest you try the honey and cinnamon paste or the burdock root first. If you are familiar with herbal remedies, you may have most of the required herbs for the following treatment in your home already.
The third herbal treatment for acne is what I like to call the acne combo. Like Burdock root, the acne combo is a blood cleanser or purifier. Use the following herbs: Barberry, Burdock, Cascara Sagrada, Chaparral, Dandelion, Licorice, Red Clover, Sarsparilla, Yarrow and Yellow Dock. These can be ground together in a coffee grinder and put into gel capsules.
Overall, our family much prefers herbal acne remedies over traditional medication. If used consistently and as directed, we find these treatments to be effective and well worth the effort.
We all know the symptoms; sore or scratchy throat, aches, chills, stuffy nose, cough, fatigue and headache…..they all point to the flu. Sometimes you can develop a fever and nausea/vomiting as well. It is a difficult time for the sufferer and the caretaker. Did you know there are many flu herbal remedies available? All those over the counter so-called flu medications sure can get expensive and quite frankly, they never really worked that well on me and my family.
A few years ago I began researching more natural ways to deal with flu symptoms. I was thrilled to find that there really are cost effective flu herbal remedies that can quickly alleviate the discomfort of the flu. I’m not saying these remedies will cure you, but they will lessen the severity of the symptoms and the length of time you will feel lousy.
One of the first signs of the flu can typically be a cough. At the fist sign of a cough, place one dropper full of Echinacea (alcohol-free, of course) in your mouth for five to ten minutes. You can repeat this every hour for three to four hours. If you have congestion, put five drops of Eucalyptus oil in a hot bath or, if you don’t feel like or are incapable of getting into the bath tub, just pour six drops of the Eucalyptus oil in a cup of boiling water, then put a towel over your head and inhale the vapors.
Cayenne, also known as capsicum, will keep the mucus flowing which will help with congestion and also headaches. Yes, this is the same cayenne we use in cooking and it can also be used in flu herbal remedies. Cayenne can be bought and taken in capsule form or you can add it to soups or other foods. However, eating food may not be something you feel like doing while suffering from the flu, so I suggest adding the cayenne to your soup or broth.
Extract of Elderberry contains antiviral properties. For this reason, it can actually reduce the flu symptoms. An easy way to use Elderberry in flu herbal remedies is to make a tea, simply simmer 1 tablespoon of dried berries in two cups of hot water for 15 minutes. You should have this tea three times a day to be effective. Alternatively, you can use elderberry in tincture or capsule form.
Tea is very soothing during times of illness or stress so it is one of my preferred flu herbal remedies. Making a basic tea for the flu is easy. The following blend will soothe the symptoms of flu as well as a cold by fighting viruses and bacteria. This mixture can be made and stored away from heat and light in an airtight container for up to one year.
Mix:
¼ cup dried peppermint leaves
¼ cup dried lemon balm leaves
¼ cup dried elder flowers
¼ cup dried yarrow flowers
To brew tea:
Bring 1 cup water to a boil and remove from heat.
Add 1-2 teaspoons of the tea blend and ½ teaspoon freshly grated ginger. Steep for 5 to 10 minutes, strain and add honey and/or lemon juice if desired.
It is no fun to get the flu, but I hope this article has shown you the flu herbal remedies can be an effective alternative to the traditional over-the-counter medicines. Being prepared by having the suggested herbs in your home and available to use when needed is a good idea because when you are not feeling well, you definitely will not want to go to the store to buy anything. Be prepared and have them readily available.
The phone rang, it was Linda and she was in tears describing how the previous night her and her husband had to sleep with their son between them, holding his arms so he would not scratch his skin off as he slept. Linda, my best friend, needed help and she needed it now. Traditional medication [...]
