Calendula: The Healing Flower

Known as the Healing Flower, it has been used to dress wounds and a variety of other skin conditions as far back as the 16th century. It was brought to America by settlers from Europe and was used during the Civil War to stop bleeding and promote healing of wounds.

Calendula has been used to treat pink eye and swollen eyelids, eczema, stomach ulcers, intestinal swelling, minor burns including sunburns, warts, and minor injuries such as sprains, wounds and abrasions. It has a gentle sterilizing property that keeps afflicted areas clean, that make it especially useful for slow healing wounds like ulcers. With its anti-oxidant content when applied to affected parts prevents damaged cells to further decay and helps the body heal by increasing blood flow in the applied areas.

Calendula is excellent in skin care, commonly used for cuts, abrasions, sunburns, sores and ulcers. It is great for inflamed skin and rashes (including diaper rashes and cradle cap), many fungal conditions such as ringworm, athlete’s food, and thrush. It has been seen to clear up acne and crab lice, according to the a Medicinal University in Romania who observed results in as little as 3-4 days. Aside from the skin, Calendula has some internal use as well. Calendula extract is used to treat bee stings and scorpion bites. Calendula tincture is can be used for fevers, cramps, flu, and stomach ache. Calendula oil when applied directly to the ear can help reduce earache and the tea is helpful in treating ear infections. Calendula tea can be used as eye-wash for sore, reddened eyes.Calendula brings out highlight in blond and brunette hair.

The volatile oils in Calendula stimulate blood circulation and induce sweating, thus reducing body heat and fever. It can increase urination, aid with digestion, stimulate the immune system, increase the production of collagen, it can help detoxify the body and regulate the menstruation cycle.

Calendula tea may be used as a gargle to help relieve sore throat and inflammations of the mouth and it relieves athlete’s foot because of its anti-fungal effect. Preparation of Calendula Tea: To make a tea, pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1/2 teaspoon of dried flower tops or place in diffuser or tea bag and steep for 10 minutes. Read more

2011
12/15
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Holistic
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The Benefits of Homeopathy

For those looking for an alternative to traditional western medicine, and something holistic in nature, consider homeopathy. Homeopathy is based on the theory that you treat “like with like”. Or rather, when the body is sick or diseased, you need to cure or treat it with whatever caused the disease to begin with.

At the outset this may not sound like very good theory. However, since the 1800′s people have been using homeopathy to cure their ailments. Homeopathy is the second most widely used treatment in primary medicine around the world. Therefore, there must be something to the benefits of homeopathy that have so many practitioners using it and so many patients healing from it as well.

With homeopathy, the practitioner uses minute amounts of the natural healing ingredient or remedy to heal the body. Because the remedy is so extremely diluted there is no risk of toxicity to the body.

So first and foremost, the greatest benefit of homeopathy is its ability to “do no harm” to the body. This alternative method of treating the body is healthy enough to treat children and can help women who are pregnant as well and may be extremely limited in the remedies they can take to cure themselves in things like headaches, stomachaches and allergy symptoms.

Rather than advising patients to take multiple medicines to cure a single disease, homeopathy focuses on just a single treatment. Thus you do not have to worry about building up toxic side effects from multiple medicines in your system.

Because homeopathic treatment is comprehensive, the treatment for a patient is individualized. The entire person as a whole is taken into consideration when being treated, as well as their thoughts and feelings. A homeopath takes the necessary time with their patient, to get to know them so they are able to better understand and then treat their problem. Like a “therapist” for the brain, homeopathy is “therapy” for the body as well as the mind together. Read more

2011
12/15
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Holistic
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