Posted on 03/19/2019 5:52:42 PM PDT by little jeremiah
Many FReepers have knowledge to share about improving and maintaining health and would like to share it and learn from others; and others may not know much yet but want to learn. Some of us don't have much money for good insurance or doctors, some want to try other methods besides prescription meds, and some have experience in treating and solving health problems.
More and more "regular" doctors have accepted treatment methods such as the benefits of acupuncture, massage for many conditions, better diet, use of herbs and so on. There are limits, and often side effects, to some standard medical efforts.
My field is Ayurvedic herbalism and related measures, and have a lot of information I can post when I have time. I have seen herbs and sometimes dietary changes help people (including myself) with issues such as rheumatoid arthritis, high BP, gallstones, kidneystones, repeated boils, UTIs, prostate problems, insomnia, allergies, urinary incontinence, and many more. I hope to learn a lot from others with their knowledge and experience.
There are many "old fashioned" home care methods that were in common use a few generations ago that actually work and are cheap, such as castor oil packs, fomentations using alternating hot and cold water, and the like, which are easy to do. I am sure there is a lot of knowledge here on Free Republic that can be shared.
I would like this thread to stay civil without distruption, so my request is that people who think natural health methods are bunkum, make your own thread.
Thank you, LJ, I ordered the book to get me started!
Spinal stenosis is narrowing of the spinal canal which compresses the nerves along the spine. Occasional pains on the upper part of my back but severe problems at the lumbar level. It’s not fun to live with the fire in my legs and feet, have to keep the house very cold in summer.
Neurosurgeon refused to operate since he could not guarantee me success.
Oh my goodness, that sounds very hard. So the vertebrae somehow get narrower, compressing the spinal cord?
This is just off the top of my head, but I remember when I used to get a weird type of, I guess it would be called neuralgia, nerve ending pain in areas where the skin is thinner. Inside of thighs, inside of arms, on face sometimes. It was very painful. Once a friend gave me some salve she made, she actually made it is a solid perfume to smell like Chai tea. I rubbed some on and it amazing took away the pain within 15 minutes.
The EOs were clove, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, black pepper. It did smell like Chai tea.
I make a Pain EO blend that I use in linament and some medicated oil, and also in Dragon Balm; along with other EOs like Eucalyptus etc. I will describe how I make it. Since muggs can’t use some of the more volatile EOs maybe the “chai spice” ones might help with respiratory issues too. So many herbs and EOs are mutlipurpose.
Here are my two favorite herb books in additional to the one above, I hate Amazon but anywhere this gives you (or anyone who might be interested) a bit about the book. The ones below as well as the Yoga of Herbs have a lot of other useful info besides just herb info.
https://www.amazon.com/Ayurvedic-Herbology-East-West-Practical/dp/0940985071
Ayurvedic Herbology East & West: A Practical Guide to Ayurvedic Herbal Medicine
And I think this is my fave - the main author is a Sikh, with a great sense of humor, and tons of info including scientific stuff. Loads of uses.
The Way of Ayurvedic Herbs: A Contemporary Introduction and Useful Manual for the World’s Oldest Healing System
Thanks, LJ, I will also check out these books.
Question - I injured my wrist & thumb. Had stabbing pains like an ice pick. Doctor said it was gamekeepers thumb. Said to use a splinted brace for two weeks. I did, then saw a chiropractor which helped some. Only occasional stabbing pain, but continued muscle soreness and weakness when tryig to use it. Still using the brace because if I don’t I overuse it and go back to wrist stabs.
If anyone has had this experience and knows of home therapy treatments? Or did it just take a long time to heal? This has been going on for two months now.
This week someone recommended horsetail for inflammation. Anyone have eperience with this.
I have tried oils - (I sell doTerra) - but have not had success with any so far.
Anyone have suggestions?
I don’t know what gamekeepers thumb is. But I have used castor oil packs for all manner of injuries. First time I used one my wrists were shot due to a few years of practicing shiatsu massage. I could not even lean on my hand due to intense wrist pain in both wrists. A friend’s father suggested castor oil packs so I did one on each wrist overnight. Next morning almost all better; I think I did the next next, and cured.
The wrists had been bad for a long time (weeks? can’t remember, it was 35 yrs ago) and were just getting worse.
There are online directions for castor oil packs, you can search, here is how I did it then and still do. Works fo soft tissue injury and joints/bones.
Get castor oil, masking tape, old clean cut up tee shirt material or old flannel such as flannel sheet material (traditionally supposed to use wool flannel - no have!) and a plastic bag or two cut up into large pieces.
1. Rub castor oil on the affected area liberally
2. Smear castor oil on a cut piece of flannel/tee shirt and wrap around on or affected area, castor oil side down. Cover with a couple more pieces of flannel/tee shirt
3. Place piece of plastic bag over it all so all castor oily stuff is contained
4. Tape it on securely with masking tape. Cheaper than regular adhesive tape and works fine as long is it is not taped onto oily part
5. Do at night so it can stay on for hours
6. Take it off in the morning and save all the works so you can do it again.
When you are finished the cloth gets thrown away, no way you can wash castor oil out if it. I always have a large plastic container filled with all kinds of clean rags as I use for bandages and castor oil packs and other stuff. I often make my own “band aids” as my skin gets very aggravated by regular band aids and my mother taught me how to make home made ones. That’s another story and turmeric is involved...
I plan to more several medicated milk recipes, one particularly rejuvenating to the lungs, and more EOs to help with pain and ways to apply.
Re gamekeepers thumb aka skiers thumb. It is an injury to the wrist and thumb caused by over-extending, like a fall. For me, it was from repeatedly (over days / weeks) pouring a gallon jug of water into my Birkey - reaching over my head. My old bones can’t work like they used to.
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Thank you so much. I will try it.
I assume castor oil is available at drug stores, right? I’ve never bought or used it in my life.
You are a wealth of information. Have you written any books?
Any drug store will have castor oil. I always have a bottle or two of castor oil on hand. Castor oil is interesting stuff, made from castor beans, which ricin is also made from. It is extremely viscous and not like other oils, it is almost impossible to wash off. Everyone knows the purgative effect of castor oil (not personally, shudder...) but if a strong purgative is needed, a spoonful of castor oil will do the trick.
Castor oil was made popular for external use in the 19th century, I think maybe Edgar Cayce recommended it, but it was known to the ancients, and has been used in Ayurveda for uncountable years, usually mixed with sesame oil, herbal extracts and essential oils. I have some of that therapeutic oil on hand, it’s called Mahanarayan oil, works very well for all kinds of joint and soft tissue pain, just rubbed in well, without the need for the flannel/etc wrapping.
But with just plain castor oil, the pack is the best method.
No books written, I just glean from many sources and try stuff on myself and anyone else who will hold still!
I guess in my decades of study I’ve probably gone through at least 75 books (??) on natural healing, and kept maybe 40. I haven’t counted. I keep my favorites.
Is your Berky up high? Maybe you could put it lower so it isn’t so hard to pour water into?
Had a cold, ended with fluid in my ear, went over to health food store, she peroxided my ears and candled the ear with the fluid. No relief, still sounds like fluid in my ear, tried a hot salt compress, great help, but have a candida overgrowth (the health food store lady said) making my ears itchy.
Any recommendations?
We tried ear candling years ago when it became popular. Nada results at all. Don’t know if anyone gets good results. The only wax that happened was melted wax from the candle, didn’t pull anything out of our ears.
Regarding candida, it is one of those fad diseases that makes the rounds. In the mid 1980’s it was all the rage to have candida, so since I had health insurance for a couple of years then (the only time in my life) I went and got tested since the symptoms seemed to fit.
No candida....
Not saying that no one has a candida overgrowth, but to know for sure one needs to get tested. There are herbs that take care of it, but they are not that mellow (no doubt easier on the system than whatever prescription meds are given) but still not something to take unless one really has candida.
I’ve had two clients fairly recently (and one a few years ago) that do or did have candida - were tested - and they had both tried all kinds of herbs that are supposedly to kick it out. But both clients were underweight, very depleted energy. So I made a program for them to build up tissues and strength first before trying to get rid of the candida, and that help considerably. Two so far either got rid of it entirely or were on their way, the newest one is working on for a week or so now.
Another aspect is that since candida is all over the place and often on our skin without causing any problem, getting the immune system stronger often helps, and since you had a cold, there’s that to take into consideration.
Do you have any other symptoms besides liquid in your ears?
A couple of things that may give some relief would be steam inhalations and neti, as these helps the sinuses and upper respiratory passages, and the inner ears and sinuses are very connected.
And don’t drink or eat anything cold, nice and hot stuff, including use of ginger (fresh is esp good for respiratory conditions, dry powder is esp good for digestive conditions, but they’re both good for both) and black pepper, which helps dry up secretions.
A tea with part black pepper and part ginger would be good, honey is also astringent.
One thing about herbs - good potency is important, they should have a noticeable strong aroma and taste. They need to be stored in glass and in a cool dark place, like cupboard not right next to or above the stove. Black pepper is a very useful spice/herb and the kind in little boxes at the grocery store is generally stale. I buy in pound bags as I use a lot in herb formulas, especially trikatu.
Which brings us to trikatu, I am planning medicated milk discussion a bit later today. Trikatu is basically Magic - a mix of equal amounts of powdered ginger, black pepper and pippali. It assists in any infective illness as it is strongly anti-microbial, it helps clear the lungs and entire respiratory system, it aids metabolism, digestion and assimilation of food and herbs, and is often added in small amounts to other herbs to help catalyze their action.
But since most people don’t have pippali/long pepper on hand, mix ginger and black pepper and use that in tea, in hot lemonade, etc I add trikatu and/or pippali to all hot drinks in the winter or if I otherwise need that action.
Re the Birkey - hubby built a shelf in the pantry at the just the right height for me to use the spout. I can pour the water with my right hand - no problem - but I got the bright idea to use my left hand to build up my muscles. Ugh...I really hurt myself. It was hurting already when I had to do a whole lot of moving of boxes in the garage and shed. That made it worse....lesson learned. The old grey are just ain’t what she used to be :(
Thanks for the info on the castor oil - trying it tonight.
About your research - what would you say is your most valuable reerence book for home remedies?
Be liberal with the castor oil. I have a box and put all the castor oil works in it - plastic bags, masking tape, the castor oil, flannel or old tee shirt stuff, etc. Have it all ready because once you get oil on your hands, you don’t want to go trying to find stuff. Get scissors out, and I cut lengths of masking tape and stick the end on the table or counter or whatever, at the ready.
I don’t know of one book, sorry. I have a good book on hydrotherapy which uses hot or cold water in many ways, and a few other useful things, I can dig up the author and title, it’s pretty old. But mostly I just remember things I’ve read or used.
I’ll discuss burns, too, and using turmeric externally.
Yes, Edgar Cayce was a big proponent of castor oil. Called it “The Miracle Oil”.
I’ll have to look up and find out how else he recommended it. He was an interesting fellow. I was brought up to scorn anything that was not standard/orthodox/modern/secular etc. My mother mentioned him with scorn.
Sometimes the apple DOES fall far from the tree, maybe a changeling...
What these thyroid-supporting herbs you used?
My ears itch so bad, I can hardly stand it. The only reason I’m stating candida was the Health Food Store lady, she is a CNHP if that means anything.
The fluid sound in my right ear is about 95% gone, but the itching in both ears is awful.
Hmm, itching is deep inside ears?
Candida treatments generally require some dietary restrictions (sweets, fermented things like vinegar) and some herbs.
I’m thinking whatever is causing them to itch appears to be localized unless you have symptoms elsewhere.
One Ayurvedic method that is general for ears is oil applications, there is a method where oil is poured into the ears (one by one) but that requires two people and it’s a bit of a procedure. The other is just get a good amount of oil (refined sesame is generally used) and apply into the ear. With your symptoms, I’d recommend sesame or almond oil, with one drop (per about 3 T of oil) of tea tree oil or something similar. 3 or 4 oz of oil in a little jar or cup, a drop of tea tree oil, stir up well, and keep putting into the ears with your little finger. It certainly can’t do any harm.
Sometimes if a virus is trying to get me one or both ears ache a bit and I do that. Putting oil in the ears is considered protective just as a regular habit, too.
Years ago I was involved with the A.R.E. because some friends were taking the massage therapy courses in Virginia Beach. They were telling me some of the uses of castor oil, very much like your method.
https://www.edgarcayce.org/the-readings/health-and-wellness/holistic-health-database/
The main one that really has helped me is called Kanchar guggulu. It is a traditional Ayurvedic formula for all kinds of thyroid problems. In 2009 I started taking it and within 5 days almost all my thyroid symptoms reduced or went away. Such as:
No hunger or appetite
No energy, exercising just made me more exhausted
Hair thinning a lot and very dry
Dry nails that were thin and breaking
Heart irregularities
It has not helped with losing extra weight, sadly. Maybe because I have other things going on (RA in remission, MCS). Guggulu is a type of resin that has many benefits on its own and there are several traditional formulations using guggulu and other herbs for specific effects.
Maybe more but those were the main ones.
Here’s a link to where you can get it, best is the powder as that is cheaper too, at first all I could get were the tablets and I took I think about 6 a day. I got mine from Banyan Botanicals, I also get from another source but they have gone wholesale only so not useful for most people.
Hmm, it’s cheaper from the Banyan site and has some info:
https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/kanchanar-guggulu-tablets-10/
More info and much cheaper, I am not familiar with this site:
https://mavcure.com/kanchnar-guggul/
THis is what the above site says about Kanchanar gug and thyroid, it does other things too:
8. Kanchnar Guggul For Thyroid
There are two types of thyrodism- Hyperthyroidism and Hypothyroidism. When the thyroid gland produces more thyroid hormone, then it is called as Hyperthyroidism. When the thyroid gland produces fewer hormones than required, then it is said to be Hypothyroidism.
Both of these are treated using Kanchnar Guggul. It works by maintaining hormonal balance in the body especially the thyroid hormones. Further, it also regulates the functioning of the thyroid gland to improve the condition.
A friend of mine who is an acupuncturist and herbalist used Kanchanar gug on a woman with a very large goitre and it reduced it tremendously.
Thank you, I will read that.
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