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Honey for Delicate Skin

egg-honey-mask-1This is a skin toner that does wonders for the delicate skin around the eyes. To make this preparation, combine 1 teaspoon of warm honey with one unbeaten egg white. Mix these ingredients well, then with moist finger tips, pat the mixture into the area around the eyes. Always use a gentle patting motion. Allow time for the honey-egg white mixture to dry on the skin, and then remove gently with warm water.

From: The Honey Cookbook

Simple Honey Facial

mat-ongHoney makes an excellent facial, and can be used by itself, or in combination with other ingredients. When applying honey to the skin, first moisten your fingers with warm water and shake off the excess. Pull your hair back and use a towel to protect your clothing and shoulders. Pat the honey gently onto your face and neck, allow it to remain for about 20 minutes, then rinse with warm water.

If you have oily skin, add a few drops of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to the rinse water.

From: The Honey Cookbook

Queen Anne’s Honey Hair Bath

queen anne

Queen Anne of England had a honey treatment for her famously magnificent hair. Though extremely simple in its content, this recipe for Queen Anne’s hair “elixir” was so closely guarded that it became known only after her death.

The Recipe:

Take one cup of honey and 1/2 cup of the finest grade of cold-pressed olive oil. Mix the two ingredients thoroughly with an egg beater or in a blender, and store in a tightly covered jar or other container. Try to prepare the mixture one or two days ahead of time, but do not refrigerate.

About 1/2 hour before shampooing your hair, condition it with this honey brew. First, shake the mixture vigorously, as the oil and honey will have separated. Then, apply a generous amount of the solution to the hair; work it thoroughly through the hair and into the scalp.

Next, wrap a plastic bag or warm towel around your hair and fasten it snugly. Leave the honey bath on your hair from 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the texture and condition of your hair prior to the treatment.

As the treatment tends to darken hair, it is probably best to use it only on dark hair. When the treatment is complete, shampoo your hair as usual. Rinse well and towel dry.

Source: The Honey Cookbook

Licorice for Sore Throat

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In a study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, researchers gave either a placebo or Throat Coat, a licorice tea from Traditional Medicinals, to 60 sore-throat sufferers 4 to 6 times a day for seven days; the tea tipplers reported significantly less pain on swallowing. Add a teaspoon of chopped or powdered root to a beverage tea, and feel relief almost immediately.

~Michael Castleman, Natural Health

Ginseng for Immune Enhancement

the-health-benefits-of-ginseng-tea

Many studies show that ginseng revs up the immune system. Scientists at the University of Milan. Italy, gave ginseng (100 mg a day) or a placebo to 227 people. A month later. everyone received a flu shot (which does not kill the flu virus. but rather stimulates the immune system to resist infection). In the placebo group, 42 people got the flu, but in the ginseng group, the figure was just 15, demonstrating that ginseng enhanced immune response to the shot.

~Michael Castleman, Natural Health

Flaxseed for Menopausal Discomfort

flaxseed

Safety concerns have reduced the number of women on hormone replacement therapy, but flaxseed is rich in phytoestrogens (plant estrogens) that can take the heat out of hot flashes. At Laval University in Quebec, Canada, researchers gave 25 menopausal women HRT or flaxseed (1.4 ounces per day, mixed into food). After six months, flaxseed relieved hot flashes as effectively as HRT.

~Michael Castleman, Natural Health

Echinacea for Colds and Flu

Echinacea purpurea 'Rubinglow' - Coneflowers - July - Oxfordshire

The root of this daisy-like flower revs up the immune system. According to an analysis by University of Wisconsin researchers, in eight of nine studies evaluating Echinacea for upper-respiratory infections, the herb reduced symptoms and accelerated recovery compared with placebos. “As soon as I feel a cold coming on, I take it–and my cold is mild and brief,” says Duke. Echinacea is available in teas and capsules, though most herbalists prefer tinctures. Liquid Echinacea products may cause temporary, harmless numbing or tingling of the tongue; minor stomach upset is possible with tinctures.

~Michael Castleman, Natural Health

Coffee as a Decongestant in Colds, Flu and Asthma

a-cup-of-hot-coffee-with-coffee-beans

Caffeine opens narrowed bronchial tubes, according to Joe and Teresa Graedon, authors of The People’s Pharmacy. According to a report in the Annals of Epidemiology, the odds of experiencing current asthma symptoms were reduced 29 percent for subjects who drank coffee on a regular basis when compared with non-coffee drinkers.

~Michael Castleman, Natural Health

Chaste Tree for Premenstrual Syndrome

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It won’t preserve virginity, but chaste tree has hormonal effects that minimize monthly symptoms. When 1,634 German PMS sufferers took chaste tree, 93 percent reported benefit. In tests against two other popular treatments, vitamin [B.sub.6] and Prozac, the herb worked as well as the drug and better than the vitamin.

“Chaste tree is the best herb for PMS,” says James A. Duke, Ph.D., author of The Green Pharmacy. “It’s safe and the studies are convincing. “Just be patient: It can take three months to experience benefit. Some women report stomach distress, headache and increased menstrual flow.

~Michael Castleman, Natural Health

Chamomile for Digestive Problems

chamomile

“Chamomile tea, perhaps the best-known herbal tisane, is widely employed as a digestive remedy throughout Europe, and its therapeutic use is well documented,” says David Hoffman, author of Medical Herbalism. The herb relaxes spasms of the smooth muscles and counters inflammation in the gut lining; it also has antiseptic and vasodilatory effects. When making the tea, use 1 to 2 teaspoons of herb per cup of boiling water, steeped for 10 minutes. Allergic reactions are possible, especially if you’re sensitive to ragweed.

~Michael Castleman, Natural Health

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