Natural Health Tips:

Parsley Wine

Parsley wine has been used to improve blood circulation since medieval times, and it's actually very simple to make. You will need:

10 large sprigs of parsley 1 quart of wine (preferably red, but you can use white) 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar

Boil these ingredients for 10 minutes, then strain the mixture. Add honey to taste and mix well. Store the wine in dark bottles and take one tablespoon of the wine at least three times a day.

Overworked Muscle Massage

This is the time of year when many of us are doing our spring yard work and getting sore muscles as a result. Try this massage to ease the stiffness in those muscles. You will need:

3 tablespoons of base oil (cold-pressed almond or grapeseed oil) 2 drops of rosemary essential oil 2 drops of eucalyptus essential oil (One of these essential oils can be substituted with lavender oil if you prefer)

Mix the oils well then dip your fingertips in the mixture to apply to your skin, working it in with a good massage to those tired muscles.

Aromatic Waters

An aromatic water can be used for perfume or to refresh or relax you, in the same way that the base oils used provide aromatherapy benefits. Use a base of orange flower water, rosewater, or distilled water. Add to this base several drops of your favorite essential oils or a blend of those oils. For example, one relaxing aromatic water would be two cups of the base (I usually use rosewater), with ten drops of ylang-ylang oil, ten drops of lavender oil, and five drops each of rose oil and orange oil. Put this mixture in a small spray bottle and spray it on your lower back, behind your knees, on your stomach, or at the top of your shoulders to help you relax.

Bites And Stings

So you were cleaning out the gutters this spring and a wasp stung you. You'll be glad to know that plantain, a very common weed in yards and gardens, can be used in a poultice to safely take the pain out of mosquito bites and bee stings. A little lavender oil rubbed on the sting or bite is another alternative. Or combine plantain and witch hazel for a soothing wash.

If you were stung, remove the stinger, wash the area in cold water, then gather up some of those plantain leaves from your yard to mash up and apply on the sting. If you are allergic to stings, seek medical attention first. This remedy is for those people who are not allergic to stings.

Tired, Puffy Eyes

My general rule with tired eyes is to start off small. Take out your contacts, if you wear them. Dip a clean washrag in cool water, wring it out, and place that over your closed eyes. If those simple steps don't help, nothing beats a slice of cucumber for tired and puffy eyes. Be warned that those little slices feel very cold coming from the refrigerator and take a little getting used to. A cool tea bag (regular tea or something mild like chamomile) also can soothe tired eyes. For one last remedy, try this mixture. You'll need a small piece of clean cotton cloth or a few cotton balls, three teaspoons of marigold flowers and one teaspoon of lavender flowers. Bring a cup of water to a boil, turn off the heat source, then steep one teaspoon of the mixed flowers in the water for 10 to 15 minutes. Strain out the flowers and use the clean cloth or cotton balls as a compress, soaking it in the mixture, wringing it out, then laying it over your eyes until it feels dry.

Headache Compress

Try this compress for that headache pain that seems to start in your neck, either from stress or from work that used those neck muscles. Fill a bowl or basin with about four cups of cold water. Add five drops of peppermint oil to the water and mix this around. Dip a clean washcloth in the peppermint water, wring it out, and apply this to the back of your neck. You can also use this remedy for other types of headaches (applying the cloth to your forehead and temples instead of your neck), but for me it seems to work best when applied to my neck. If you don't have any peppermint oil, use peppermint tea bags, steeping two bags in a cup or two of hot water for fifteen minutes, then adding your cold water to this and applying it in the same fashion.

- Carla Joy

Dandelion is a great diuretic, and it doesn't rob the body of potassium like diuretic drugs can. This herb is safe to use during pregnancy. Choose tincture, capsules or tea according to your preference and follow label directions.

- Victoria Snelling

-- Anonymous, April 02, 2002