You know the feeling all too well – your palms get balmy, you break into a cold sweat, and your brain fogs over. When you’re worried, your body responds both mentally and physically. Luckily, you can take back control with some cures from nature.
Keep calm with these soothing remedies from Mother Nature. Try the following herbs to decrease worry and stress.
Valerian Root
When you worry, your body goes into fight-or-flight mode. Your hypothalamus activates your nervous system, which makes the body speed up and become ultra-alert. Adrenaline is released into your bloodstream, causing your heart rate to speed up and your blood pressure to increase. You can combat these jitters with valerian root, a medicinal herb which has sedative-like effect. In the ancient Greek and Roman empires, valerian was used to treat insomnia. Take 200 mg, three to four times daily. You can find it in capsules, tea or tincture drops.
Lemon Balm is an herb that has been cultivated for over 2,000 years; in the Middle Ages, it was used to minimize anxiety. Try taking 300-500 mg, three times a day to improve your mood. You can find lemon balm in herbal supplements, tea or essential oils.
Passionflower
Try it for nervous stress and anxiety. Researchers believe that passionflower works by calming the activity of some cells in your brain. You can find it in capsules, teas and herbal supplements. Brew passionflower tea with 1 teaspoon of the herb and drink 3 times daily.
Cherries are not just the fruit of one particular plant. Cherries come from many different species of the plant genus Prunus. Not all Prunus tree fruits are cherries. Prunus trees also produce plums, apricots and peaches to name but a few. Cherries are a small, rich fleshy fruit with a stone in the middle. Their colour is usually dark red but can also be pale pink and even yellowy.
The two cultivated forms of cherries are the sour cherry, Prunus cerasus, and the wild cherry, Prunus avium. Most cultivators grow the wild cherry variety, which is the variety most often utilized commercially. The sour cherry variety is the one most commonly associated with cooking.
The two species are not cross-pollinated although both originated in Asia and Europe. Due to their relative fragility under a barrage of rain or hail, the highly valued fruit is expensive compared to many fruits. Even so, wild and sour cherries are perpetually in high demand.
Depending on where they are being grown, cherries become ripe for picking at different times of the year, but usually their peak season is the summertime. In North America and Europe, June is cherry picking time. In the U.K. and Canada, cherries are harvested in mid-July to August. Based on the data from 2007, annual production worldwide is about two million tons, 40% of that originating in Europe and 13% in the U.S.
Cherries are used in many baking recipes for their tartness or flavorful sweetness, depending on the variety used. The cherry has also been found to have medicinal properties that have been proven to be beneficial in the prevention of some critical diseases and painful physical conditions.
Lucius Licinius Lucullus is recorded to have brought a cultivated cherry from Anatolia to Rome in 72 BC. Later, King Henry VIII, who had enjoyed the fruit in Flanders, had the cherry introduced to his country at Teynham, near Sittingbourne in Kent, England.
Cherries contain anthocyanins which is the red pigment in many fruits. The anthocyanins in cherries have proven to reduce inflammation and pain in laboratory rats. The anthocyanins have also been shown to be potent antioxidants with the potential for being helpful in a variety of ways as health benefits. Studies have indicated that they may be beneficial in the fight against diabetes and heart disease. In addition, the anthocyanins in cherries resulted in lower levels of triglycerides and cholesterol in rats that were given a high-fat diet that included whole tart cherry powder mixed in.
Research also revealed that the health benefits of drinking one full glass of cherry juice daily equals the benefits of consuming 23 portions of vegetables and fruit. Further, it was determined that drinking 250ml of cherry juice provides more antioxidants than five portions of tomatoes, carrots, peas, watermelon and bananas. Antioxidants attack free radical molecules in the body and can also help prevent heart disease, aging, cancer and stroke. The juice tested was from the Montmorency tart cherry variety which is U.S. grown.
Cherries contain numerous vitamins such as Vitamin C and Vitamin A, and are high in nutrients like beta-carotene, perillyl, ellagic acid, bioflavonoids and potassium. This delightful fruit also produces melatonin. Melatonin, in addition to helping slow the aging process, also helps control healthy sleep patterns.
A diet that includes cherries can help decrease body fat, cholesterol and arthritic inflammation.
The health benefits of cherries are quite impressive. In addition to the aforementioned benefits, Cherries also are known to relieve headaches, gout and the associated symptoms of Fibromyalgia Syndrome.
Sweet or sour, cherries have a pleasant taste and are perfect for desserts and snacks. They can be baked in pies, added to homemade granola bars or yogurt, or even eaten as whole fruit by themselves. Of course, a cherry is the perfect topper for an ice cream dessert. Black cherries and bing cherries are also manufactured in teas for a tasty tea and biscuit afternoon tea break. The knowledge that you are adding nutritious antioxidants along with a tasty snack only sweetens the experience.
Nature has provided man with so many delicious foods with high nutritional value. We are only beginning to realize the extent of that nutritional bounty. As science develops new technologies for the exploration of disease-preventing foods, we often find that the simplest things have complexities that offer significant health benefits. Cherries are being championed as one of the best in that category.
Senna is a herb that is generally used for its laxative properties. Senna is also known as cassia senna, wild senna, cassia marilandica, or locust plant. It works by interacting with the bacteria in the digestive track, resulting in intestinal contractions. These contractions are caused by the anthraquinone that is contained in senna. These dimeric glycosides anthraquinone derivatives are known as Senna glycosides or sennosides. They are named after their abundant occurrence in these plants of the genus Senna. The main forms of these glycosides are often referred to by: A, B, C & D. Both leaves and pods of the senna plant are used for their laxative effects. The pods are less potent than the leaves.
Senna is found in many tropical countries.
The plant has been used in India for thousands of years as a laxative. It can be found in capsule and tablet form, tea bags and loose tea, as well as liquid extracts. The undiluted dried root can be found in health food stores.
How Does Senna Work?
Senna contains glycosides, which are a group of organic compounds that are commonly found in plants. These compounds work as a laxative by smoothing the muscles as digested food moves through the intestines. This helps to enhance the stool volume and move it out of the colon. The process is caused by the chain of fatty acids that promote digestion, fermentation, and successfully converting the glycosides into a purgative agent.
How to Use Senna
Senna is generally used by people suffering from constipation. For relief, a person should take ½ teaspoon of the liquid, or one 50 or 100 mg capsule or tablet. After taking the Senna, a bowel movement should occur within six to 12 hours. There is also a tea available, but since Senna has an unpleasant taste naturally, it is good to mix the tea with another flavor of tea.
Senna is the ingredient in the commercial laxative suppository called Senokot. The suppositories are inserted into the rectum for constipation relief.
Senna Tea
Many people like to take herbal preparations in the form of a tea. Senna tea comes in teabags and can be found in health food stores, but some people like to use the loose leaves of Senna and brew the tea themselves. Steep the leaves in a pot of boiling water for approximately ten minutes. The leaves can also be put in cold water and steeped for 10 to 12 hours. Using cold water to steep the leaves will leave less resin in the tea, so the chances of abdominal cramping will be reduced. Regardless of the method used, once the tea is ready, strain and drink. When relieving constipation with Senna tea, it will take up to 12 hours to get relief. It is recommended to take before bedtime, so that relief can occur in the morning.
A common preparation is to boil 100 grams of the tea leaves in distilled water with 5 grams of fresh ginger that has been sliced. Cover and steep for 15 minutes, strain, and drink while hot. Make only the amount to drink, as the Senna tea gets stronger if it sits, and can lead to abdominal cramping. Other carminative herbs that mix well with Senna are peppermint and fennel. When sensitive stomachs are an issue, making the tea from the Senna pod rather than the leaves produces a milder tea as the pods are less potent than the leaves.
Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis)
Spirulina is a simple one-celled microscopic blue-green algae with the scientific name Arthrospira platensis. Under a microscope, spirulina appears as long, thin, blue-green spiral threads. The odor and taste of spirulina is similar to seaweed.
Spirulina can be found in many freshwater environments, including ponds, lakes, and rivers. It thrives best under pesticide-free conditions with plenty of sunlight and moderate temperature levels, but it is also highly adaptable, surviving even in extreme conditions. More than 25,000 species of algae live everywhere - in water, in soils, on rocks, on plants. They range in size from a single cell to giant kelp over 150 feet long. Macroalgae are large like seaweeds. Microalgae are microscopic. Ocean microalgae, called phytoplankton, are the base of the ocean food web. Spirulina is often deemed the most nutritionally complete of all food supplements, containing a rich supply of many important nutrients, including protein, complex carbohydrates, iron, and vitamins A, K, and B complex. It also has a high supply of carotenoids such as beta carotene and yellow xanthophylls which have antioxidant properties. It is also rich in chlorophyll, fatty and nucleic acids, and lipids. Thus, spirulina has countless uses as a supplement for maintaining good health and for preventing diseases.
Spirulina is the richest beta carotene food, with a full spectrum of ten mixed carotenoids. About half are orange carotenes: alpha, beta and gamma and half are yellow xanthophylls. They work synergistically at different sites in our body to enhance antioxidant protection. Twenty years of research proves eating beta carotene rich fruits and vegetables gives us real anti-cancer protection. Synthetic beta carotene has not always shown these benefits. Research in Israel showed natural beta carotene from algae was far more effective. Natural is better assimilated and contains the key 9-cis isomer, lacking in synthetic. As suspected, natural carotenoids in algae and vegetables have the most antioxidant and anti-cancer power.
Spirulina is an ideal anti-aging food; concentrated nutrient value, easily digested and loaded with antioxidants. Beta carotene is good for healthy eyes and vision. Spirulina beta carotene is ten times more concentrated than carrots.
Iron is essential to build a strong system, yet is the most common mineral deficiency. Spirulina is rich in iron, magnesium and trace minerals, and is easier to absorb than iron supplements.
Spirulina is the highest source of B-12, essential for healthy nerves and tissue, especially for vegetarians.
Healthy Dieting with Spirulina
About 60% of spirulina’s dry weight is protein, which is essential for growth and cell regeneration. It is a good replacement for fatty and cholesterol-rich meat and dairy products in one’s diet. Every 10 grams of spirulina can supply up to 70% of the minimum daily requirements for iron, and about three to four times of minimum daily requirements for vitamins A (in the form of beta carotene), B complex, D,and K. By itself, it does not contain vitamin C, but it helps maintain this vitamin’s potency.
Spirulina is rich in gamma-linolenic acid or GLA, a compound found in breast milk that helps develop healthier babies. Moreover, with its high digestibility, spirulina has been proven to fight malnutrition in impoverished communities by helping the body absorb nutrients when it has lost its ability to absorb normal forms of food.
Another health benefit of spirulina is that it stimulates beneficial flora like lactobacillus and bifidobacteria in your digestive tract to promote healthy digestion and proper bowel function. It acts as a natural cleanser by eliminating mercury and other deadly toxins commonly ingested by the body.
Spirulina also increases stamina and immunity levels in athletes, and its high protein content helps build muscle mass. At the same time, it can curb hunger that may develop during the most demanding training routines. Thus, it indirectly acts as an effective way to maintain an athlete’s ideal body weight.
The Disease Fighter
As well as beta carotene, Spirulina contains other nutrients such as iron, manganese, zinc, copper, selenium, and chromium. These nutrients help fight free radicals, cell-damaging molecules absorbed by the body through pollution, poor diet, injury, or stress. By removing free radicals, the nutrients help the immune system fight cancer and cellular degeneration. In some findings, spirulina has helped reduce oral cancer tumors in laboratory rats, and may thus provide a big medical breakthrough in cancer treatment.
Spirulina’s ability to reduce the bad cholesterol LDL in the body helps prevent the onset of cardiovascular diseases, such as hardening of the arteries and strokes. It also helps lower blood pressure. While not clinically proven, spirulina may also protect against allergic reactions and liver infection.
Research confirms Spirulina promotes digestion and bowel function. It suppresses bad bacteria like e-coli and Candida yeast and stimulates beneficial flora like lactobacillus and bifidobacteria. Healthy flora is the foundation of good health and it increases absorption of nutrients from the foods we eat, and helps protect against infection. Spirulina builds healthy lactobacillus, aiding assimilation and elimination and relieving constipation.
Removing Toxins
In 1994, a Russian Patent was awarded for spirulina as a medical food to reduce allergic reactions from radiation sickness. 270 Children of Chernobyl consuming 5 grams a day for 45 days (donated by Earthrise Farms), lowered radionucleides by 50%, and normalized allergic sensitivities. Today we are subject to an onslaught of toxic chemicals in our air, water, food and drugs. Our bodies need to continually eliminate these accumulated toxins. Spirulina has a completely unique combination of phytonutrients - including chlorophyll, phycocyanin and polysaccharides, that can help cleanse our bodies.
How to Take Spirulina
Spirulina is now commercially available in tablet or powder form. Some health tonics contain spirulina as part of their ingredients. A simple daily regimen for spirulina involves taking a 500 mg tablet four to six times daily.
Sources for these forms of spirulina are normally laboratory-grown. Harvesting spirulina from more natural settings has posed a challenge because of possible contamination from toxic substances that cannot be removed from the product. Hopefully, more eco-friendly and safer ways to cultivate the algae can eventually be developed and perfected.
Spirulina Herb Information / Side Effects
Latin Names: Arthrospira platensis
Common Names: Macroalgae, Phytoplankton, Spirulina
Uses: AIDS/HIV, arthritis, athletic nutrition, enhancing natural cleansing and detoxification, supporting cardiovascular function and healthy cholesterol, strengthening the immune system, improving gastrointestinal and digestive health, reducing cancer risks with antioxidant protection, general and long term health.
Precautions and Contraindications
While it has a very high nutritional value, spirulina may also cause some side effects. Some individuals may suffer from allergic reactions to this algae, including rashes, hives, and difficulty breathing. Some commercial versions of spirulina supplements may have also been contaminated with toxic substances during production. It is therefore absolutely critical to buy spirulina only from reputable sources.
People with the rare metabolic condition phenylketonuria (PKU) are not able to metabolize the amino acid phenylalanine, and therefore should avoid taking spirulina. Likewise, people with autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, or lupus should not take spirulina, as it could stimulate the immune system and worsen the condition. Spirulina may also counteract the effectiveness of certain medicines, such as prednisone, which are commonly used for treating asthma and other inflammatory diseases.
While spirulina may appear safe at large doses, healthy adults should seek a doctor’s advice for the right dosage. Children and pregnant or nursing women should also consult a doctor before taking spirulina.
The lemon (Citrus) has many health improvement properties that many people do not know about. The calcium, vitamin C, and magnesium in lemons has been shown to fight all sorts of infections, help with immunities, and even spike weight loss efforts. Lemons can serve as a health aid in many forms, including as a juice, tea, or dressing, as a bathwater, even as a topical aide. The juice of Lemons is often widely used as it is easily extracted from the fruit. Lemon juice is an acid (pH 2-3) as it is made up of about 5% Citric Acid. The word Citric Acid is often confused with the scientific name of Vitamin C which is Ascorbic Acid, as Lemon Juice also contains lots of Vitamin C.
Below are some of the most interesting health benefits of lemons.
Lemons help with acne
The citric acid and vitamin C contained in lemons have been shown to work wonders for acne patients. As an alkaline fruit, lemons also kill many forms of bacteria that are known to cause acne. Drinking lemon juice with water every morning is the easiest way to tap into these healing properties, but there are some more powerful solutions for those suffering with worse cases of acne.
Mixing one part of lemon juice with one part of rose or honey water and placing it on areas of the skin affected by acne has been shown to be an effective solution. The solution is to be left on the skin for a half hour and then washed off with water. This procedure is to be repeated twice daily.
Another treatment is to apply fresh lemon juice directly to affected areas with a cotton ball or swab and leave it overnight. The solution should then be cleaned off in the morning. As this is the least diluted of all the above solutions, it has a tendency to burn at first, but is considered the most effective way to use lemons to treat acne.
Reduce bad emotions with lemons
Not only are lemons good for the skin, but seemingly for the psyche as well. Consumption of lemons, or even just inhaling the aroma (aromatherpy) has been shown to improve mood and lessen or even remove tension, nervousness, anxiety, exhaustion, dizziness, fatigue, and exhaustion.
Lemons are also thought to improve concentration, which is why so many room fresheners and air sprays are lemon scented. Some people even squeeze a few lemon drops on a handkerchief and inhale it to help with focus.
Lemons can treat canker sores
Lemons have scientifically proven antiviral and anitbacterial qualities. A glass of lukewarm lemon juice mixed with water swished around the mouth three times a day has been shown to cure canker sores. As canker sores are open wounds, there may be some burning at first, but this is to be expected until the wounds become more sterilized.
Lemons cure fevers
Lemons have long been thought to help with fevers as well, an offshoot of the calming properties of the fruit. Hot water, lemon juice, and honey mixed together is a great solution to a fever. Consume every two hours until the fever subsides.
Not only for fevers, but for colds and the flu
Lemons have a twofold positive effect on colds and the flu. The vitamin C helps with the internal infection, while the antiviral properties of the lemon will help with the mucous membranes of your throat and mouth.
It is best to catch a cold or a flu at the very beginning and flood your system with as much vitamin C from lemons as you can find. Squeeze lemon juice fresh and mix with lukewarm water. Consume every two hours.
You can use lemon juice as a gargle as well as a juice to help with the throat problems that colds and the flu cause.Combine with a little sea salt to help with a sore throat.
Use as a topical solution for corns
Slices of lemon placed between a bandage and a corn provide much needed nutrients to the callous part of the injury. The use of lemon essential oil is also proven to work wonders for calloused areas.
Lemons cure eczema, in some cases
Eczema sufferers have found relief from lemon wraps. Dilute a small amount of lemon essential oil combined with honey in lukewarm water. Soak a cloth made of linen in this solution, squeeze out the extra solution, and place the cloth on the area of the body affected by eczema for 15 minutes at a time, 3 times a day.
Lemons fight fatigue
Long distance runners and hikers will sometimes simply stick a straw in the top of a lemon for a much needed boost of energy.
Lemon Peel can reduce Cholesterol
A recent study has shown that eating Lemon Peel can be effective in lowering cholesterol. It's thought this is not just due to the pectin concentration of Lemon Peel, but to a variety of active ingredients in the Peel.
Lemons are widely available as they are grown all over the World, especially in hotter climates. India, South America and Spain are all big Lemon growing countries. The ease in which Lemons can be grown makes them a very economic and versatile fruit. Their lovely sharp and vesty flavour coupled with their bright cheery Yellow colour, further explains why Lemons are one of the favourite fruits of the World.
Lecithin, originally isolated by Theodore Nicolas Gobley from egg yolk, is a term now frequently used to describe any of a number of fatty substances with health benefits that occur naturally in a number of plants and animals. Soy lecithin is one formulation that has become popular as a supplement for lowering levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides. Additionally, soy lecithin is said to increase HDL, otherwise known as good cholesterol, and to provide added benefits to patients already on a medication for treating high cholesterol. There are a number of additional uses for lecithin, though most benefits fall in line with the nervous and circulatory systems.
Lecithin is a necessary component of every cell in the human body. Considered a keystone in the construction of cells, lecithin prevents the hardening of cell membranes. Healthy cells lead to a healthier body, and the membranes are a critical part in monitoring a cell's intake and output. Protecting cells is integral in maintaining a body's resistance to many diseases that attack damaged cells.
Phospholipids such as lecithin are produced in certain amounts throughout the major organs of the body (such as the heart, liver and kidney) but can be supplemented to further enhance unrealized benefits.
In addition to the cardiovascular benefits of lecithin, there are indications that lecithin helps to restore livers that have been damaged as well as working with neurological functions such as memory to improve the brain's effectiveness. Since lecithin is essentially composed of fat, it can act as a protective wall or sheath throughout the body to protect and strengthen membranes and prevent detrimental debris from sticking. Internal parts and mechanisms that may be affected negatively by hardening, such as arteries, are kept malleable by lecithin in a natural way through supplementation. Patients suffering from atherosclerosis often start a regimen of lecithin in an effort to reverse the condition's effects.
As a tool for heart health, lecithin also works to reverse and prevent damages that may arise from coronary artery disease. Preventing cholesterol and other fats from sticking is a vital function for the overall health of anyone with a predisposition to heart disease and other cardiovascular afflictions. The lubrication provided by lecithin creates a slippery lining on which it is difficult for large, fatty deposits to adhere. When large deposits of fat cannot adhere to specific regions of the body, they are transported to the liver where they are metabolized and converted to energy. Improved circulation seen as a result of lecithin supplementation helps to prevent blood clots and maintain the health of the liver through which excess fats and energy-providing substances will pass. Lecithin is also believed to have positive effects in the repair of livers damaged by any number of conditions, including excess consumption of alcohol or other toxins.
Lecithin has shown, in addition to the heart, circulatory and metabolic benefits, a tendency to aid the brain in memory and learning. Studies conducted on the effects of lecithin on the brain lean towards a conclusion that users of the supplement are likely to experience increased memory and ability to recall specific information.
The benefits of lecithin on the brain are promising to patients who may be suffering from Alzheimer's disease or other memory-specific neurological conditions. Improved memory and recall is a sign of a brain's overall standard of health, and may imply benefits that extend to orientation and cognitive thought processes.
Lecithin can be used as a tool to help the body recover from previously identified conditions or shortcomings, as well as for preventive purposes. Individuals with a history of any neurological or cardiovascular condition may take lecithin as a supplement to lessen their chances of a recurring issue. Additionally, those with a genetic background indicating certain conditions may occur could take lecithin for preventive reasons. The supplement lecithin should be taken regularly for the most consistent results.
Tea Tree Oil Benefits
Bundjalung Aborigines who historically resided in what is now known as New South Wales, Australia would pick the leaves from the tea tree plant, break them (like aloe leaves.) Then, to heal burns, cuts, and insect bites they would rub the leaves over their skin. They also ground the leaves into a fine paste as wound dressing. Those crushed leaves were also applied over the body as an insect repellant. They taught Captain Cook how to boil the leaves to create a spiced tea, so Cook called the plant a “tea tree.”
In the early 1990s scientists in the University of Western Australia’s School of Biomedical, Biomolecular and Chemical Sciences began a study of essential tea tree oil. Their purpose was to investigate and verify the medicinal properties of tea tree oil, especially the oil’s antimicrobial benefits. Tea tree oil has demonstrated its wide spectrum of ability in healing bacterial, fungal, and viral infections in the laboratory. These researchers have since advocated its acceptance as a topical antimicrobial agent.
Tea tree oil is produced by steam distilling the leaves of the Australian Melaleuca alternifolia. The M. alternifolia is a plant species which grows only in Australia and is native to Northern New South Wales. The plant oil contains more than 100 separate components. These are mostly monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, and their alcohol forms. Tea tree oil is comprised of at least 30% terpinen-4-ol which causes most of its antimicrobial activity. This component--with specific levels of 13 others--are required for tea tree oil to meet the International Standard for Oil of Melaleuca.
Tea tree oil has proven effective in treating skin infections. Whether the cause of the infection is bacterial, fungal or viral, the oil works to heal it. Although it provides strong pharmaceutical medication, tea tree oil doesn’t show dangerous side effects. This pale yellow or colorless oil smells similar to eucalyptus. Although it contains more than 100 compounds, so far only 79 have been specifically identified. Some of these compounds have been found nowhere else in nature.
Each batch of tea tree oil is checked by sampling the quantity of two main compounds: cineole must be less than 15% because it can become caustic to skin in higher percentages, and terpinen-4-ol needs to be 30% or greater for good quality oil. Although these two compounds are the ones measured to verify the oil‘s quality. However, its efficacious treatment of bacterial, fungal, and viral infection is actually produced by a combination of multiple compounds.
Harvesting the leaves from tea trees isn’t easy. They grow in swamps infested with snakes and insects. Machinery won’t work under those conditions, so the leaves must be cut by hand. Workers use machetes to cut suckers off the stumps and then use a cane knife to strip the leaves from the branches. The tea trees’ growth appears to actually increase when regularly cropped. No damage is done to the trees or the surrounding ecosystem because machinery can’t be used. The leaves are then placed in a steam distiller on racks. Oil is drawn from the leaves, floating on top of the water in collection tanks. The tea tree oil goes through a filtration process before it is poured into a container. As the oil has gained in reputation and popularity, tea tree plantations have been established where the product is grown organically.
Tea tree oil is efficacious in various dilution in treating abrasions, minor cuts, acne, arthritis, asthma, athletes foot, bladder infections, bronchial congestion, minor burns, chapped lips, rash from chicken pox, dandruff, dry skin, earaches, eczema, head colds, lice, herpes lesions, warts, hives, shingles, etc. Tea tree oil may be diluted with olive oil and rubbed onto an irritated or inflamed site as in the case of arthritis or gout. Added to bath water, it soothes the entire skin area. A few drops placed on a hot washcloth and held over the nose to breathe through alleviates symptoms of head colds, asthma, and bronchitis.
The popularity of natural treatments for health problems is once again gaining momentum. In past history, before “modern” medicine, natural medicine was the only treatment available. Over the centuries native peoples found many plants which effectively treated various illnesses. Today, with the problems that have risen from overuse of antibiotics and other medications, and the side effects caused by the use of many of these, the old is becoming new again. Due to the wide spectrum of viral, microbial, and fungal pathogens against which tea tree oil is effective, its use is becoming more widely established.
