Mama's Home Remedies: Discover Time-Tested Secrets of Good Health and the Pleasures of Natural Livin Svetlana Konnikova (life books to read txt) 📖

blood pressure.

day 30 minutes before a meal.

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r 45. Mix three tablespoons each peppermint, valerian root, bogbean dried leaves (Menyanthes trifoliata). Put one tablespoon of the herbal mixture in a glass jar. Add one cup boiling water. Steep for one hour, filter, and drink one cup three times a day. This drink acts as a sedative and healing medicine for nervous disorders. Soak your way to relaxation

r 46. A valerian bath: Add eight ounces cut and chopped valerian root to about 24 ounces boiling water. Boil 10 minutes, filter, and pour into the tub. This medicinal bath wil soothe your nervous system, decrease excitement in the spinal cord, lower blood pressure, and decrease and regulate the pulse. r 47. A pine bath: You wil need pine needles, twigs, and cones.

^ Ful bath = three pounds to five cups water

^ Half-bath = two pounds to four cups water

^ Sit or foot bath = ½ pound to two cups water

In a glass or enamel pot combine pine needles, twigs, cones, and water. Boil 30 minutes, then cover with a lid and steep for two to three hours. Pour into a warm bath. Pine extract should have a rich brown color. This is a very effective remedy for nervous disorders, sleeplessness, and inflammation of the larynx, asthma, pneumonia, and cardiovascular problems.

r 48. Bathe with the flower from the island of stars. Do you remember the story of chamomile from the previous chapter? That wonderful herb comes to the rescue again! You wil need chamomile flowers—fresh or dried.

^ Ful bath = one pound to four cups water

^ Half-bath = eight ounces to three cups water

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^ Sit bath = five ounces to two cups water

^ Foot bath = 4½ ounces to one cup water

Boil the herb in a covered enamel pot with cold water for 10 minutes. Strain and add to bath. A bath of chamomile wil al eviate nervousness and emotional stress. The essential oil of chamomile is also used to treat skin inflammation, wounds, and abscesses. r 49. A lavender bath: For 10 minutes boil one pound lavender dried flowers in a covered pot with 2½ quarts water. Steep 30 minutes. Add to tub for a healing bath. You’l delight in the fragrance of this healing herb and may experience slight irritation of the skin. There is no cause for worry, however, because the herb is merely increasing activity in the blood vessels. Because of this, it is used to treat cardiac and nervous disorders.

The pharmaceutical industry has addressed the issue of insomnia by providing us with myriad chemical medicines which promise to ensure sleep. Consult your doctor before using them and don’t use them for more than two to three weeks in succession. Long-term use of these

over-the-counter sleep aids may disrupt your normal

sleep pattern and cause nightmares, memory loss,

or sexual dysfunction.

All soporific drugs (sedatives) don’t depress the

functions of the central nervous system. In small

doses they act as soporific medicine. In large doses

they become narcotics, literally sleep inducers.

When you try self-treatment, you can consider yourself to be your own best friend. Try using natural remedies—innocuous medicines—and have

a healthy sleep like a child.

At the beginning of this chapter is an ancient

Russian remedy containing hops. People’s wisdom is

even more extensive than we could ever assume. For

instance:

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r 50. Combine two teaspoons of hops flowers in a glass jar with eight ounces boiling water. Cover with a lid and steep four hours. Filter and drink one cup before bed.

r 51. Combine one teaspoon minced hops flowers with four ounces vodka or white grape juice in a covered jar. Steep it in a dark place for two weeks. Filter and take five drops in a tablespoon of boiled water, twice before eating and once before bed.

r 52. Dil tincture. Combine two ounces dil seeds and one pint Port wine in an enamel pot. Simmer 15-20 minutes. Steep one hour, filter, and drink ¼ cup before bed.

r 53. “Southern Night” balm. Mix one teaspoon lemon balm, dried or fresh leaves (Melissa officinalis), two teaspoons dried rose hips berries (Rosa canina), two teaspoons eucalyptus leaves, two twigs juniper (minced), three teaspoons sage, and three teaspoons thyme. Combine minced herbs in a thermos with one quart boiling water and steep for six hours. Filter. Pour balm into an atomizer. Mist bedroom with the balm. The effect of this natural medicine wil be enhanced if combined with an evening walk before bedtime and a relaxing self-massage.

Calming tea blends

r 54. Mix one tablespoon valerian root, two tablespoons mint leaves, one tablespoon hops flowers, and two tablespoons yarrow. Combine one tablespoon of this herbal mixture in a porcelain bowl with two cups boiling water. Cover and steep 30 minutes. Filter, add one tablespoon honey, and drink four ounces once in the morning and once before bed. This is especial y effective in the treatment of nervous excitement or irritability.

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The fol owing four recipes are prepared by steeping the specified amount of herb in one quart boiled water for 10 minutes in a covered pot. Filter and enjoy!

r 55. Try two tablespoons of one of the fol owing: peppermint leaves, fennel seeds, valerian root, chamomile flowers, or caraway seeds. Drink one to two cups in the morning and before bed.

r 56. Combine three tablespoons chamomile flowers, five tablespoons caraway seeds, and two tablespoons