Herbs, Colds and Smart Ancient Peoples.

Usually when I have an ailment that lasts over a day week, I go online and google the symptoms.  Normally it suggests that I have some weird disease that has never even been seen in America, or….it’s cancer.  I can’t tell you the times when I’ve googled something, was sure I was dying, went to the doctor and he said, “OMG, DO NOT GOOGLE!”  So I’m going to put myself out of my self-induced misery and go all out herbal.  

What better way to learn about alternative treatments then to look toward the very people that survived on this land (before we came and decided to take it).  I remember when we were on vacation in Arizona, our jeep tour guide was very well versed on Native Americans.  He told us that they never took more than they could use and always replenished what they did take.  If they killed a buffalo, they used every bit of it for something, including the skin and bones.  If they picked a plant, they only took as much as they needed.

And I got to thinking, these people, just like the asian people, survived for thousands of years on what nature provided.  Every thing had a use.  In fact, most of our medicines today are derived from the same herbs and plants that the natives used. 

Let’s look at cold remedies:

Echinacea builds the immune system.  It’s not going to cure the cold, but it lessons it and helps your body fight it.  I remember years and years ago when this first came out, the FDA was all like….’oh, that’s not safe!’…..’oh, it’s not regulated’.  Now it’s in everything. 

Goldenseal:  This works to promote a healthy spleen.  Spleens produce white blood cells to fight viruses.  I think we should all get bumper stickers that say:  “Have you hugged your spleen today?”

Garlic:  Not only does it keep away the vampires but it can actually block the cold virus.  There’s nothing worse than being stuffed up AND getting bitten by a vampire.  Urghhh.  Seriously though, although they say that garlic is most effective when eaten raw (oh! yuck!) it can also be made into tea (smash a few cloves in 1 C. water and let steep 6 hours, strain and drink)  And….when you eat garlic, the active ingredients shoot right to your respiratory system!  Ahhhh! 

Willow Bark:  First off, don’t give this to children.  It has salicin in it, which is like Aspirin.  Very, VERY bad for kids!  But, adults can take it to fight fevers, aches and pains.  Willow Bark Tea:  1 teaspoon to 1 Cup boiling water.  Let steep 15 minutes, strain and drink.

Licorice:  No, I don’t think Twizzlers qualify here.  The Native Americans used this to clear out the lungs.  It’s an expectorant!  And it’s also helpful in treating stomach ulcers, colic and inflammation.  It also increases the bodies interferon which helps fight viruses.  Drink it in a tea:   Mix 1 teaspoon of licorice syrup to a cup of boiled water.  Note:  Pregnant woman should never take licorice.  And no one should over do it with ingesting it….you can get high blood pressure.

Ginger:  Not only does ginger reduce fever but it relieves pain, headache and motion sickness, and it helps to stop the cold virus in it’s tracks.  You can buy ginger at the grocery store.  It’s an ugly rooty looking thing.  Look for a smooth brown skin on the bulb, it should be hard and heavy.  Chop fresh ginger and steep a teaspoon full in a cup of boiling water.  Note:  Ginger is also used for athlete’s foot!  Cool the tea and soak your feet in it.  Since ginger contains ‘cineole’ it helps with stress relief and boosts your mood.  You can even drink ginger ale, just make sure that you look at the ingredients:  must say made with real ginger.  If it doesn’t contain real ginger, you’ll just get fat, and be more stressed.

Now listen, if you are pregnant or nursing or on any other medicines, you should never ever ever take herbals without asking your doctor.  Never.