Healing Allspice

When you have symptoms such as coughing and sneezing, chest congestion, clogged sinuses, headaches, migraines, muscle aches, joint pain, chills, etc, choose botanicals to stimulate the circulation.

Simple Allspice (Hot and Dry in the fourth degree, Under the dominion of Mars ) Infusion

One part dried allspice powder; 3 parts allspice berries ground.

Eight parts menstruum.

Let steep 5-10 minutes

Fortificants:

• Add one to two ounces of beer, juice, oil, vinegar, wine, etc.
• Optional: Add honey, salt, lemon, etc., to taste.

Internal Use – Drink or Sip this tea during the day.

External Use -- Add 1 tablespoon of powdered allspice to your bath, (this includes foot and hand baths). Use the tea externally as a spray, compress, etc. Make an oil of allspice to rub on the body to relieve joint pain and muscle aches.

You can substitute other warming botanicals for the Allspice -  For instance, these botanicals have a long history of antibiotic and warming action: Cinnamon, Garlic, Ginger, Lavender, Marjoram, Mustard, Onions, Oregano, Turmeric. 

Energetic Body Circulation

In the Western Medicinal system, there is the concept of the body as an elevator or a weather system in constant motion. The Four Humors of Fire, Earth, Water, and Air, interact with the active temperaments of Hot and Cold, and the passive temperaments of Dry and Moist. The goal is to align the body into the fifth state of temperate health.

The two core principles which apply to the movement of the energy within the body

• As Within So Without
• As Above so Below

Many remedies for health take advantage of the body circulatory energetics.

For instance therapy for headaches will consist of applying a cooling solution to the feet. The principle - pain is perceived as hot. Cold is the opposite of hot. In this case, the pain(hot) becomes tempered as circulation occurs from the head into the lower extremities.

Another recommendation using body circulation:

Sprinkle powdered ginger or other warming botanicals into your socks to warm your body. Try this first at home to check that you do not suffer any painful results. If pain results, wash your feet to dilute and remove the powdered ginger.

BE CAREFUL

The author writes this from experience, having suffered a burn using thyme on the skin. Everyone is an individual and reacts to botanicals differently.

Some books blithely recommend using hot peppers on feet to warm the body. Have they even tried this dangerous practice, or is this recommendation an example of copy and paste? Why burn your feet to heat your body?

Simple Fortified Ginger Tea

Ginger 

• Hot and Dry in the Third Degree
• Under the Dominion of Mars

Add one teaspoon of dried or powdered ginger or one tablespoon of fresh sliced ginger in a cup.

Pour 8 ounces of hot water into the cup.

Cover with a lid on top of the container.

Let steep approximately ten minutes.

Filter.

Fortificants:

Add one to two ounces of beer, juice, oil, vinegar, wine, etc.

Optional: Add honey, salt, etc., to taste.

Calendula for Lymphedema

Calendula for Lymphedema

I have been using this method with success. Lymphedema is a constant issue and problem.

Calendula(Pot Marigold) is a world wide wound healer. Lymphedema is a lymph system wound that needs healing.

The following recipes are from www.cancerlynx.com/calendula.html

 Let me share my recipes with you.

       Infusions can be used internally as a digestive, restorative, etc.

       Teas can be used externally as a liniment, compress, etc.

   Follow the maxim, Let medicine be your food.


Calendula Internal Healer (A Simple Infusion)

• Basic proportions:
• One teaspoon dried botanical or 1 tablespoon fresh or frozen plant to eight ounces of water.
• Place the botanical in a cup
• Cover with eight ounces of hot water.
• Place a lid on top of the cup.
• Let steep approximately ten minutes.
• Filter.
• Drink.
• (Add honey, lemon, wine, vinegar, salt, etc., to taste)

Calendula Topical Healer

• Need a clean jar.
• Make the Calendula Infusion.
• Add 3 ounces (88.72 ml) of the infusion.
• Add 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of vinegar of choice - white, apple cider, etc.
• Add 1 teaspoon (5 ml)  of vegetable glycerin.
• Add 1 teaspoon(5 ml) of  healing oil of choice – almond, olive, etc.    
• Shake 
• Apply to affected area.
• (You can use a spray bottle or not)

Directions

Drink a cup of the Calendula tea daily.
 
Apply the Topical Calendula Solution at least 3 times daily.

To avoid spoilage, keep in refrigerator or freeze.
If the solution smells or seems off in any way - throw out and make a new batch.
 
If this is the therapy for you – within two weeks you should see improvements.
Of course if you have any negative effects - QUIT!

Good Luck!

Astragulus Wine Recipes

Astragulus served in wine has a long history in Western Herbalism.

Pliny the Elder recommended astragulus in red wine as a remedy for scurvy.
William Salmon 

• The Decoction of the Root of the Milk Vetch inWine. 
• It is Astringent, and Galen says, it stops Fluxes, and provokes Ulrine.
• 
  

How to use wine as a tincture - see Investigate Botanical Power Let Food Be Your Medicine
Wine with infused botanicals is called Medicated Wine. 
Points to remember when creating a compound formula 

• Additive or Compound solutions include the botanicals involved and also the menstruum. 
• Astragalus is Hot and Dry in the first degree.
• Wine is Hot and Dry in the second degree. 
• White wine is diuretic.
• Red wine is astringent.

Simple Astragalus Wine Tea 

• Take an 8-ounce cup
• Add
• 6 ounces of warm water
• 1-2 ounces of astragalus macerated wine.

Astragalus Powder in Wine

• Take 1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) of Astragalus powder
• Add to wine of choice.
• (Note: Historically, the wine was diluted with twice as much water.) 
• Drink 2 times a day (Morning and Evening).

Astragalus Botanical Benefits

Astragalus - Dioscorides

Astragalus sp. healing powers appear in Greek medicine, Western Botanical tradition, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Unani Tibb and Ayurveda systems.

Modern research has noted that astragalus lengthens telomeres. Telomeres are the caps at the end of each strand of DNA. Shortened telomeres speed up the effects of aging.

Valued medicinal properties of astragalus are restorative, vulnerary (healing), anti-inflammatory, and immunostimulant. A complete list of astragalus virtues appears in the introductory post.

Qualities of Astragalus are Hot and Dry in the first degree.

Hot in the first degree means the botanical warms the too cool body temperament and warms the pores.

Dry in the first degree, the purpose strengthen the body.

The goal—attain a healthy temperate balanced state.

Astragulus (Milk Vetch)

Astragalus

Alas, European traditional healing plants may be forgotten. It is important to know the Latin/Scientific name of a botanical. For example, who has not heard of Astragalus known in Traditional Chinese Medicine as Huang Qi? Historically in the Western Botanical tradition, the medicinal powers of astragalus have been used for centuries. In botanicals, astragalus common names are milk vetch, wild licorice, tragacanth, etc.

Milk Vetch [Astragalus]

Latin or Scientific Name:

Astragalus sp.

Parts Used:

Green leaf, green stalk, root, seeds (pulse). 

Virtues:

Adaptogen, alexipharmic, alterative, antianemic, antiasthmatic, antibacterial, anticarcinogenic, anticatarrhal, anticholesterol, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antilithic, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-radiation, antirheumatic, antispasmodic, antitussive, antiviral, aperient, aperitive, aphrodisiac, astringent, cardiovascular, cephalic, cosmetic, dental, depurative, dermal, diuretic, energetic, gastrointestinal, gout, hepatic, immunostimulant, lymphatic, nutritive, oral, pulmonary, restorative, splenic, stimulant, stomachic, telomerase, tonic, vulnerary.

Qualities:

Hot and Dry in the first degree.