Summer health tips: stay cool and more
And a bit about the biggest drug problem on Earth
Summer heat-clearing herbs
We all know how important it is to stay hydrated when the temperatures rise. But when it gets especially hot, or when we’ve had excess sun exposure there are some key herbs to help us cool down quicker. These herbs can prevent heat stress, even heat stroke.
Also, to avoid over-heating in summer it is best to avoid or really limit spicy food intake (chili peppers, raw garlic, etc — anything that burns when you hold it on your tongue).
Some herbs that can keep the body cool in summer are:
Hibiscus flower (H. rosa sinensis) - a favorite in the tropics and sub-tropical areas from South American to India. Very tart on its own, but if sweetened it tastes like cherry. This is a popular ingredient in many commercial herbal tea blends because of its contribution of a red to purple color and its flavor. But its best quality is cooling heat, fevers, and inflammation. Very good anti-inflammatory. Don’t make it too strong or drink too much or you’ll chill your body, possibly causing cramping in the gut.
Wormwood (a term used for several Artemisia species, but especially A. Absinthum) - Very bitter, so not for popular consumption, but if you’ve got it, it will work. It is a bitter herb that regulates heat in liver and gallbladder, and is an excellent anti-inflammatory for conditions such as arthritis or infections. As the name suggests, it is a ‘deworming’ herb, but it has many more uses.
Borage (Borago officinalis) - It is especially good when there is a lung condition or respiratory infection that needs clearing out. It decongests the lungs and cools things down.
Watermelon - a diuretic with great cooling power.
Cucumbers - same.
Mung bean - a food that is cooling and anti-inflammatory, and can regulate blood pressure.
Some other herbs that can help regulate heat due to an over-active liver/gallbladder, or just cool and slow down the nervous system’s response to heat:
Gardenia flower, Plantain, Water Plantain (alisma), Gentian root, Red Sage root, Gota Kola, Chrysanthemum flower, Feverfew.
An important part of natural medicine …
is trusting what you feel when you encounter any plant or herb medicine. Trust which ones you are drawn to. Use them. This is part of regaining our direct, positive relationship with nature.
The biggest drug problem on planet Earth
Antibiotics overuse.
The reason for this is germophobia, which has been promoted consistently by mainstream medicine for most of the last century. At first sign of infection, too many people go running to the MD for antibiotics, even if it has not been determined what has caused the infection (virus, bacteria or other).
Folks, remember antibiotics do not work on anything but bacteria.
The problem of bacterial resistance to antibiotics came from overusing antibiotics. It’s why we have the so-called ‘superbugs’ like MRSA.
Please, pursue natural remedies first and believe in your immune system. It knows what to do if you just feed it what it needs to work well.
Anti-infection herbs are very effective, and there are lots of them (in addition to those above) …
Forsythia fruit, Lonicera stem/flower, Purslane (yes that hated weed called spurge), Echinacea, Rudbeckia (Black-eyed Susan), Isatius, Baptisia, Usnea (Bear lichen); Goldenseal, Barberry, Oregon grape roots … and many others.
The irony is that viruses called viral bacteriophages (phages) are a key in overcoming bacteria that are antibiotic resistant (superbugs). So don’t get drawn into the hype and dystopia of escalating germophobia. The future is bright. Here is a really interesting video on phages:
Natural remedies are better for treating infections
I’m including some pointers on this because Heather (my wife) went through a patch of cellulitis recently, and because we both went through and upper respiratory infection (apparently a virus).
First, summer infections. Many of the herbs listed above can work quite well for combating feverish infections.
The #1 natural remedy for respiratory infections is dilute purified Iodine spray inhaled through the nostrils and into the lungs. Spray through nostrils and at the back of the throat. I had to direct the spray upward to my pallete/sinus area to stop the infection.
Here is my first article on The Iodine Solution with instructions on how to make it.
However, if you have chills nothing beats good ole Garlic. Raw Garlic is really potent, so dose yourself carefully multiple times and day rather than all at once.
Garlic tea is a good way: Smash 2-3 cloves of Garlic and pour boiling hot water over them in a mug. Let steep at least 20 minutes. Drink a couple mouths full every half hour or hour until you feel the chills go away. Keep doing this until the chills are gone for at least an entire day.
About cellulitis …
Cellulitis is an infection in the skin layers. The skin can get very red, swell up, and become pitted like the surface of an orange.
It can be very difficult to heal up unless you get to it quickly and use topical applications directly on the affected area.
Standard medical treatment for cellulitis has been repeated rounds of antibiotics. That did not work for my friend Roger who had a chronic cellulitis infection in his legs. It is very unlikely to work for most cellulitis because many of these infections are due to MRSA or other bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics.
You don’t want to go through numerous rounds of antibiotics while the MD tries to find an antibiotic that will work. It is very destructive to the gut flora and immune system.
The primary treatment must be topical on the affected area. Iodine spray can be alternated with topical applications of one or more liquid herbs.
We treated my wife’s outbreak of cellulitis on her lower abdomen with only one herb: Plantain. Yes, the common weed that grows prolifically like Dandelions:
Plantain reduced the redness and pitting in Heather’s skin within days. We made topical applications using concentrated Plantain (5:1 liquid), rubbing it into the skin twice daily for the first few days. After that, we were less consistent, but a single daily worked to get rid of the redness and smooth out the pitting of the skin.
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You deserve total health and well being.
Sometimes we only achieve it by conquering subconscious fears that have settled into our belief systems and bodies. We can all identify what we are afraid of and prayerfully release these fears to Spirit for healing. “I release this ___________ (fear / emotion) to you Spirit for healing. Take it from me. I don’t want it anymore.”
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You are an essential piece of all that is.
You are perfectly acceptable as you are.