Category : Herbs

Herbs: The Best Home Remedies for Allergies

Whenever your body’s defense mechanisms has become over sensitive to specific materials, a person suffers from allergies. The materials that induce allergies are classified as allergens. Numerous people in the U.S. are allergic with the greater part of these people falling prey to breathing problems triggered due to reactions to plant pollen, dust mites and molds. These individuals try different ways to eliminate their allergies but do not get any adequate successes. What these individuals don’t fully understand is allergies can be simply treated by incorporating basic herbs. For individuals that need to get rid of allergies below are some allergies home remedies which can cure allergies properly.

The Various Allergies Home Remedies

• Licorice: It’s among the best home remedies for allergies that help to eliminate asthma. It’s also possible to make use of this herb to stop chest blockage and cough. The anti-inflammatory materials inside the root of licorice work as the most effective remedy for allergies such as hay fever and conjunctivitis. There exists loads of scientific research, that confirms that licorice can be used to decrease swelling and can also assist in decreasing allergic symptoms.

• Nettle: This herb helps you to eliminate hay fever. The root extracts of nettle increase the creation of T-cells within your body. These T-cells regulate the body’s defense mechanisms and decrease the allergies signs and symptoms including watering and scratchy eyes as well as assist in relieving sinus blockage. You may consume nettle in a choice of the type of herbal tea or can also ingest them by using pills.

• Angelica: Additionally, it is among the best home remedies for allergies particularly for allergies such as hay fever. Angelica contains certain materials, in which prevent your system from making antibodies which are generally generated as a result of allergic response. You are able to ingest Angelica by including a ½ tsp in a glass of drinking water or you can certainly drink it as herbal tea.

• Eucalyptus: The oil obtained through eucalyptus can assist you to eradicate chest blockage. Eucalyptus, any time used in steam inhalation, can also help one to get rid of nasal blockage.

• Chamomile: This particular herb is well known for its anti-inflammatory qualities. This specific all natural herb, when consumed in the form of tea, functions as one of the best home remedies for allergies. It can benefit you to get rid of hay fever as well. Additionally, it is an antihistamine. Histamines are nothing but substances that your body’s defence mechanism produces during allergic reactions. Simply by countering the activities of histamines, chamomile lowers hypersensitivity of the immune system and therefore inhibits allergies.

• Vitamin C: This can be one of the greatest home remedies that will help you to cure allergies. Consuming fruits such as lemons, grapes, plums and others which are full of Vitamin C can be of great help in decreasing the effects of allergic reactions. It’s primarily because; it includes a number of components which help in combating allergies.

• Ginger: Recognized for its anti-microbial properties, ginger increases the production of platelets in your body. These platelets create inflammatory responses to allergy and thus allow you to treat allergies.

Just read was a few of the herbal remedies, which will serve as the most effective home remedies for allergies. The primary fact of using these natural treatments is these do not include any sort of side-effects. They are completely all-natural.

Some Herbal and Home-Made Sinusitis Remedies

There are numerous sinusitis remedies in the market today, both herbal and chemical. Chemical related remedies are prevalent in the market, but it may also have some side effects. Since everybody contracts sinusitis at one point or another, as this usually follows the common cold, this article is all about natural sinusitis remedies that you can try to minimize the inflammation and help you get better soon.

Herbal Medication

Some herbal medication work great as great remedies. Some examples include:

1. Brolemain – this is an enzyme derived from pineapples. It assists in breaking down mucus, relieves some symptoms of sinusitis, and also helps with fighting infections.
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2. Echinacea – Echinacea is an anti inflammatory and leads the list of immunostimulators. This inhibits the production of an enzyme in bacteria whose job is to attack and penetrate the mucus membrane.

3. Olive leaf extract and goldenseal – these two are very effective in fighting bacterial and fungal infections.

4. Vitamin C – known for boosting the immune system, vitamin C is also a great sinusitis remedy because it helps reduce the level of histamine, which causes inflammation.

5. Zinc – this is a nutrient that can kill the common cold virus. It’s beneficial because since it shortens the span of a cold, it also reduces the possibility that your cold will turn into sinusitis. This is also essential to reduce pain and prevent inflammation.

6. Quercetin – this is a flavonoid that occurs naturally in fruits and vegetables. This aids vitamin C and assists in the reduction of histamine as well.

Other than these herbal options, here are also some home sinusitis remedies that you can try.

1. Mangoes – mangoes contribute to the creation of healthy epithelium because of a healthy dose of vitamin A found in the fruit. This helps prevent frequent attacks of common infections.

2. Garlic and onion – pungent foods can assist in opening the nasal passages and promote expelling mucus. You may also add these in small amounts to regular meals.

3. Cumin seeds – a teaspoon of black cumin seeds tied in a light cloth can provide relief when inhaled.

4. Vegetable juice – there’s no limit of vegetables that you can use to combat sinusitis. The most common vegetables include carrots and spinach.

5. Vitamins A and C – vitamins A and C are known to be great sinusitis remedies. This helps build healthy mucus membrane in the nose and throat and boosts your immune system.

These are just some examples of herbal and home sinusitis remedies you can try. Of course, you may also want to use traditional remedies like steam inhalation and nasal irrigation. Whichever remedy you choose, just make sure that you take the proper dosage and do not overdo it – your nasal cavity also needs time to heal and overdoing the herbal medication may cause it to dry up even more, resulting in inflammation.

Senna – The Healing Qualities Of The Herb Revealed

Senna is a bush or semi-bush. There are various species of the herb. Cassia angustifolia is a bush growing to a height of 1-2 meters, but Cassia acutifolia is a semi-bush growing to a height of 60 centimeters. There is cultivated Cassia obovata, as well.

Leaves are 2-5 centimeters long and 0.5-2 centimeters wide. They are arranged in 5-10 pairs. Blossoms are yellow in color and approximately 8 millimeters long. They are shaped like butterfly. Fruit is brown pod shaped like kidney. The pod is 3-6 centimeters long and up to 2 centimeters wide. It contains 5-8 seeds.

Cassia angustifolia is a herb native to areas around the Red sea, especially, in India. Cassia acutifolia can be found growing in Central Africa and Egypt. Senna loves warmth and withers away as soon as temperature drops below 10 degrees Celsius. As a result, the herb is cultivated only in certain places and as an annual plant.

You should collect separate leaves and fruits of the herb when they are ripe. Leaves can be collected several times starting from the 70th day after the moment the herb has appeared above the ground.

  • Senna leaves and fruits are said to contain 2-3 percent anthracene derivatives. The structure of these derivatives changes along with the aging and senescence of leaves. The main glycosides are sennosides, sennidines, physcion and their aglycones. Leaves, in addition, contain resinous substances, which are absent in fruits.
  • Anthracene derivatives found in senna leaves have laxative action. The effect of the leaves is stronger in comparison to the effect of the fruits. In addition, pods do not contain resinous substances, which might lead to undesirable side effect – stomach ache. In order to make an infusion, you should infuse either 3-6 dry fruits of cassia angustifolia or 4-12 dry fruits of cassia acutifolia with 150 milliliters of warm water. You can use 0.5-2 grams of senna leaves instead of the fruits, as well. Let the infusion brew for 8-12 hours and decant it. Use the remedy 3 times a day. Mix equal quantities of senna and ethanol at 25 percent concentration to get a liquid extract. One dose of the extract is 0.5-2 milliliters. A decoction, in its turn, should be boiled for 10 minutes. Afterwards, let it brew till the moment it becomes cold and forms dregs. You should not use the dregs due to the resinous substances they contain. These substances might cause stomach ache.
  • Mix senna leaves with liquorice root, ginger rootstock and fennel fruits to get great remedy for the treatment of stomach ache.
  • When using senna remedies, you must not use cinchona bark, heavy metal salts, mineral acids, carbonates and chalky water.
  • Pharmaceutical companies produce various remedies containing pure glycosides

    Herbal Remedies for Insomnia

    There could be a series of insomnia that you could feel experience. Well, this could not only be the cause of some health problems, as it is also a sign of psychological illnesses. It could be due to anxiety, stress, grief as well as depression. However, since going on a consultation and medications could be a little expensive, it could be daunting for you.

    One good thing is that, you don’t have to rely on that idea, as there are simple ways on how you could help yourself and treat insomnia. It could only be by using special herbs that you can find inside your home or even at your backyard.

    Herbs can help you to have a good night sleep by simply nourishing and calming down your nervous system. There are ones that you could use in various methods in order to treat different roots of insomnia. The only thing that you need to consider with using herbal remedies for insomnia is that, you might have an overdose or a wrong dosage. So, it is still essential that you are using them as what your doctor consults.

    If you would like to know the kind of herbs to remedied insomnia, here are some of those that you can take:

    1. Celery SeedThis is a treatment for nervousness, anxiety and insomnia. The seed has vitamins A, C and B complex. It is cultivated since it is used for its aromatic as well as flavorful seeds. It can also be found as the best ingredient in spice mixes around the globe. It is also available in plain and in whole or ground form.
    2. ChamomileThis herb is also called as ground apple. Its flowers are used as tranquilizers and most of the people truly find it efficient. The Chamomile tea relaxes the drinker and alleviates anxiety. So, if you are an insomniac and you would like to eliminate it all over, it would be a good thing for you to make use of chamomile. However, if you are pregnant, you should not be taking it.
    3. HopsIt is known as a natural sedative that encourages sleep. It is bitter in taste, but if you don’t want to taste its bitterness, it would be a good thing for you to simply take a capsule, tea or even some sort of tinctures. On the other hand, the hops you usually found in beer are not considered as herbal remedies.

    Making use of these herbal remedies could help you out in curing insomnia in a natural way. So, get them out now or better consult your doctor to see what kind of herb suits you well.

    Herbal Remedies – Means of Treating ADHD

    Herbal remedies are often sought out and preferred by people who are interested in resolving their health problems in a more natural way. These herbal remedies can be used instead of conventional prescription medications or used alongside those medicines prescribed by doctors. Attention Deficit Disorder or ADHD, a behavioral illness usually affecting children and increasingly affecting adults, is one of the many disorders for which herbal remedies can be helpful.

    There has been a marked increase in the number of medications prescribed to treat ADHD, as the disorder becomes increasingly diagnosed. Among those medications which are prescribed by doctors are the stimulants. These stimulants can help individuals who suffer from ADHD; however, many individuals are wary of the negative effects of using those strong drugs on children. Also, most of the ADHD drugs contain amphetamine and methylphenidate substances which can make a drug addictive causing an individual to be a drug abuser and drug dependent. That is why herbal remedies for treating ADHD are becoming popular among people who suffer from said disorder.

    • Popular herbal remedies used to treat ADHD are Ginkgo biloba, Siberian ginseng/Panax Ginseng, Brahmi or Bacopa monniera, and Gotu kola. They have antioxidants, and brain/nerve tonics making them an effective stimulant. In addition, these herbal remedies affect body structures involved in ADHD. These include the brain as well as neurologic and behavioral body structures.
    • Ginkgo Biloba is a well-known herb which contains flavones and ginkgolide. This herb has the ability to improve blood circulation to the brain, as well as increase the brain’s neurotransmitter levels, helping the brain to focus. Also, Ginkgo Biloba’s positive effects have the tendency to be permanent, thus, eliminating the need for continuous usage of the herb.
    • Siberian Ginseng is another brain stimulant which increases endurance and concentration, and also moderates the release of body energy and normalizes body function. In addition Panax Ginseng, an herb similar to Siberian Ginseng, reduces stress and fatigue, strengthens the immune system, increases motivation and also normalizes body function.
    • Brahmi, also known as Bacopa monniera, is an herb that is known to enhance the brain’s cognitive and learning function. This herb also provides protection for the brain against free radicals.
    • Lastly, Gotu Kola is known to reduce anxiety levels and enhance memory and brain function. It can also help in increasing blood circulation to the brain as well as improve general circulation.

    Furthermore caffeine, though technically not an herb, has stimulating effects which can also address symptoms of ADHD. Many undiagnosed individuals self-medicate by using caffeine.

    Finding Quality Herbal Supplements to Treat ADHD

    More parents choose ADHD herbal remedies over medicating their kids because of the harmful and long-lasting side effects of stimulant drugs. As herbal treatments for ADHD become more popular and publicized, a number of manufacturers have released their own variants of herbal remedies for hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity. You’d think it would be easy to just choose from the available supplements, but the wide range of options only confuses parents who are new to ADHD. So how can you tell which supplements work and which ones do not?
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    In the first place, there is no telling which particular natural remedy will work unless your child tries it out. Every child has a unique biochemical constitution that might elicit different reactions from different herbs – in other words, a particular herbal remedy will not have the same effect on every child. Have your child visit a naturopath or herbalist so you can obtain a professional opinion on which herbs are most likely to help your child’s unique set of symptoms and problems.

    Once herbal recommendations have been given, you can shop for supplements with the help of these guidelines:

    Do your research and buy only from manufacturers who are GMP compliant. This means that the company adheres to the strict regulatory standards and safest manufacturing processes. The production of herbal supplements is not legally standardized in the United States, which means cheap supplements might be contaminated by harmful ingredients or make false claims.

    Look for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seal of approval. This means that the product has been tested for immediate reactions and basic safety. However, FDA approval does not mean that the remedy will bring the benefits it claims.

    The supplement should have standardized extracts so your child can consume the same amount of the herbs’ active ingredients in every capsule.

    Examine the ingredients, and look for herbs that have been proven to improve attention span, reduce hyperactivity, and calm the mind: gingko biloba, ginseng, pycnogenol, skullcap, spirulina, and l-theanine.

    Keep an eye out for additives, fillers, or artificial coloring, such as gluten, sugar, rice starch, corn starch, silica, artificial color, artificial flavor, etc. Artificial food additives are known to aggravate ADHD, and it won’t do your child any good if the treatment contains the trigger!

    Herbal remedies, no matter how effective they are, cannot cure ADHD without the help of other interventions. In addition to taking herbal supplements, consider putting your child on an ADHD diet, or removing foods that are known to aggravate ADHD symptoms. These foods include refined sugar, gluten (from wheat), casein (from dairy), and foods with artificial coloring, flavor, and adjectives. Fill your supermarket cart with organic vegetables and meats, nuts, and other natural, unprocessed foods if you want to make the most out of your child’s recovery.

    Herbal Cures for Urinary Incontinence

    Cypress essential oil can be excellent to use because of it’s astringent qualities. This oil can help in toning up the tissues and encourage efficient excretion of fluid. You will want to use about six drops in a bath or you can also make a compress with two drops in a small bowl of warm water. You will need to wring out a small towel in this liquid and place it over the lower abdomen. For daily use it will be easier to use a diluted oil, about 2 percent, then massage a little into the lower abdomen each day. If used properly this can be a good treatment.

    Horsetail is the foremost treatment for urinary incontinence. Horsetail is quite a strong diuretic, but most significantly it contains appreciable amount of silica. This herb will have a astringent and toning effect on the bladder tissues and this will encourage it to empty efficiently and will help to regain some of the lost muscle tone. This herb is best taken as a fresh juice, available in some countries. You will want to take two teaspoons twice a day.

    If emotional upset is part of the problem St. John’s Wort will help a good deal. Use the juice at the same rate or an infusion with other treatments for a week or two. Be sure to not go overboard with this remedy if you plan to go out in bright sunlight, as this treatment can increase sun sensitivity.

    Saw palmetto can help in urinary incontinence because it inhibits a form of testosterone that stimulates cell reproduction in the prostate gland. Having an enlarged prostate in men causes them to have to go to the bathroom more often than usual. Women may also benefit from this remedy because research has shown that Saw Palmetto strengthens the urinary organs, and this is especially helpful for women who have gone through menopause.

    Hot and cold compresses is another natural way to treat urinary incontinence. This will be done by alternating hot and cold compresses. You will want to do about three minutes hot compress followed by one minute cold, repeat once or twice. You can also try taking a fairly warm bath followed by a short splash of cool water around the waist and bladder area. If you prefer a shower this can be done the same way, just before getting out turn the water on cooler for a minute or so focusing on the same area. This method will help to stimulate pelvic circulation, which will in turn help you get better muscular control.

    Meditation and exercise will also help to relieve stress and helps tones and strengthens the organ muscles which includes urinary organs. As with a lot of problems we face with our bodies a simple change in diet can go a long way. Most of the time if we try to eliminate certain foods from our diet we can help ourselves a great deal. Spicy foods along with foods with sugar or honey as well as citrus foods and tomato based sauces can very much improve our urinary incontinence. You may also consider reducing the amount of alcoholic, carbonated and caffeinated beverages from you diet as well. You may also consider consulting a doctor before starting any herbal remedy to treat your urinary incontinence problem.

    The Sleep Herb – Valerian Root

    Valerian root has long been used a sleep herb. It has also been used as a natural remedy for nervousness and anxiety since the time of ancient Rome. Valerian root was mentioned by Pliny the Elder (ancient Rome) as a cure for nervousness, while other Greek and Roman physicians used it to cure insomnia and to treat coughs and asthma. The calming effects of valerian was appreciated by European soldiers and civilians during World War I, who used it to treat “overwrought nerves” attributed to artillery shelling. Valerian was part of the United States Pharmacopeia until 1942, and part of the National Formulary until 1950. It is still part of many official pharmacopeias in Europe today, and is widely used there as a sedative. Its medicinal benefits have also been confirmed by modern scientific research.

    How valerian works.

    The benefits of valerian root have been documented over and over again. It relieves anxiety and insomnia both. In 1966 a group of chemicals called valepotriates were isolated from valerian and later found, like modern sleep drugs, to have a depressive effect on the central nervous system. In later animal research with these compounds, these findings were thrown into doubt. As yet, the exact mechanism by which valerian helps induce sleep is not known. It is thought to have an action similar to that of the neurotransmitter GABA.

    The benefits of valerian root for insomnia..

    Valerian benefits a number of aspects of sleep, called sleep parameters. These sleep parameters are used by researchers to assess the overall quality of someone’s sleep. Some of the sleep parameters that are improved with valerian are:

    • It decreases “sleep latency”. Sleep latency is how long it takes to get to sleep after turning out the lights. Valerian shortens the time it takes to get to sleep.
    • It lengthens the “final wake time after sleep”. If you go to bed at a certain time, valerian root lengthens how long you stay in bed. Another way of saying it is it extends the time until you finally wake up and get up. This is a measure of how long you sleep from lights out to finally getting up in the morning. Or put simply valerian increases how long you sleep.
    • Valerian decreases how frequently you waken at night.
    • Valerian decreases nighttime motor activity or how restless you are during sleep. Valerian has muscle relaxing effects and decreases movement in bed at night.
    • Valerian improves the quality of sleep. Just because you sleep eight hours doesn’t mean that you’re getting healthy sleep. Researchers evaluate the health of sleep by looking at what is called your sleep structure. Do you go through all of the cycles of sleep normally? Do you spend the appropriate amount of time in REM and non-REM sleep, in deep sleep? These factors are all part of a healthy sleep structure.

    Chinese Herbal Medicine

    While modern medicine has certainly managed to cure and eliminate many diseases, we are starting to see far more medical issues arise. Some of these can be attributed to the changes in our diet, while others are a direct result of stress, the use of pharmaceuticals and poor choices. The Western World is starting to take a much closer look at Chinese herbal medicine as a possible form of treatment.

    The culture of Chinese herbal medicine is among the oldest in the world with written records that date back over 2000 years. Of course, pre-historic Chinese herbal medicine treatments, must go back much further. The goal has always been to balance the entire body as a whole, not only treating the symptoms, but curing the source of the illness. This is referred to as treating the branch, but curing the root. In order to restore this balance, traditional Chinese medicine uses any one or more of hundreds of different herbal supplements, acupuncture and massage, along with a variety of meditative and physical exercises to properly restore the person’s Qi, balance one’s yin and yang, and along with it their health.

    In the Western World we have long thought that the practice of Chinese herbal medicine was more charlatan than the real medical practice. Our scientists have invested many years and billions of dollars in proving that herbal cures are folk medicine that does not work. It has only been in recent years that science has begun to take a second look and rethink their position on the use of many of these ancient Chinese herbal remedies. Today all the herbs used in the Chinese herbal Materia Medica, have been chemically analyzed, and we now know the chemical make up of these herbs, showing us from a scientific perspective how they actually help cure diseases. Furthermore, ALL of the Chinese herbal remedies that are used in the West have been documented in various clinical trials, showing positive results.

    You only have to look at the longevity of the Chinese to see that much of their knowledge is based on thousands of years of practice and that Chinese herbal medicine does indeed help to relieve the symptoms of many illnesses and diseases. Modern science is no longer turning a blind eye to this history and is beginning to embrace the possibilities, with some amazing results for countless amounts of people.

    Top Herbal Remedies That Can Alleviate Allergy Attacks

    We are exposed to allergens every season. During spring time, pollens from budding plants can be carried by the wind. During summer, people spend a lot of time travelling leading to the increased emission of smoke. During autumn season, everyone is trying to sweep leaves scattered on the ground which will then transfer dirt particles into the air. During winter, most people are confined inside the house causing prolonged contact with dusty objects and allergens.

    Do not underestimate the symptoms of allergy attacks because they can be quite debilitating. You cannot possibly concentrate while you are experiencing constant sneezing, coughing, itchy and watery eyes and wheezing. And these are just the mild symptoms. For other cases of allergies, the skin can swell up. Allergens might also cause an enlargement of the tonsils and inflammation of the throat lining which will make it harder for the sufferer to breathe.

    When allergens enter our system, the body reacts by producing histamine. This is our body’s way of fighting allergens. But histamine brings forth uncomfortable physical symptoms such as those mentioned above.

    In order to relieve symptoms of allergies, you can try using herbal remedies such as:

    1. Chamomile – this has soothing and calming benefits. When taken in tea form, it can help reduce the duration of allergy attacks, especially hay fever. This can also calm down your frazzled nerves.

    2. Eucalyptus – If you suffer from runny nose, sneezing and coughing due to allergens, you should try this remedy. Steep it in hot water to release the essential oil of eucalyptus. Inhale the steam to soothe congestion of the nose. This will also soothe irritated throat lining.

    3. Rooibos – This herbal remedy has anti-histamine properties. It reduces the effects of histamine production in your body. You can try taking this in tea form for better results.

    4. Ginger – If your body and lungs feel inflamed, try taking ginger tea. Its tangy flavour can calm down the usual symptoms of this condition. This also has antimicrobial properties that can counteract the negative effects of harmful micro organisms.

    5. Nettle – If your sinus got inflamed because of overproduction of histamine, try this. It can reduce sinus inflammation and relieve congestion. It also clears air passageway so you can breathe easily.

    It is nice to have these herbal remedies in your kitchen just in case you are suddenly seized with an allergy attack. Using natural treatment is better because it does not have side effects.