PROPERTIES
Anti-inflammatory, particularly useful for skin conditions
Natural bleach for teeth
Alkaline (neutralizes acids)
CAUTION
Baking soda should be used only externally on children and babies. Consult a physician before taking baking soda if you have high blood pressure or heart trouble.
BREAD
Bread—particularly wholegrain bread—is an excellent source of carbohydrates and B-complex vitamins, which maintain the health of the nervous system and ensure the healthy functioning of body systems. Traditionally, bread was used as a poultice, and applied as a styptic to stop the bleeding of wounds.
USES
Apply cold bread to closed eyes to reduce the inflammation of conjunctivitis and soothe itching.
Apply a warm bread poultice to infected cuts to reduce itching and pain.
Apply fresh bread to shallow wounds to help stop the bleeding.
Ease the pain, and help to bring out a boil by applying a hot bread poultice.
Eat wholegrain bread while convalescing and when under stress—it is rich in B vitamins that feed the nervous system and contains three times as much fiber as white bread.
PROPERTIES
Nutritious
Anti-inflammatory
Styptic (stops bleeding)
HONEY
Honey is the sweet liquid produced by bees from the nectar of flowers. The source of the nectar the honey is made from determines its color and flavor. For centuries, honey has been used as an antiseptic, for external and internal conditions, and as a tonic for overall good health. Each country has a distinctive type of honey, dependent on the local flowers upon which the bees feed.
USES
Honey water can be used as an eye lotion (particularly good for conjunctivitis and other infectious conditions).
Gargle with honey water to soothe a sore throat and ease respiratory problems.
Honey and lemon mixed together are a traditional remedy for coughs.
Mix with apple cider vinegar as a tonic or “rebalancer.” This may also help to relieve the symptoms of arthritis and reduce arthritic deposits.
Honey ointment can soothe and encourage healing of sores in the mouth or vagina.
Honey is an excellent moisturizer, and can be rubbed into the skin as a revitalizing mask.
Honey warmed with a little milk can be used as a gentle sedative.
PROPERTIES
Soothes raw tissues
Helps to retain calcium in the body
Honey helps to balance acid accumulations in the body (because of the significant amount of potassium it contains)
Sedative
Antifungal
CAUTION
Unpasteurized honey should not be eaten by pregnant women, and only sparingly by children. However, ensure that you buy cold-pressed honey, because heated honey contains additives and loses its healing properties.
ACETIC ACID
VINEGAR
Vinegar (from the French vinaigre, “sour wine”) is an acidic liquid obtained from the fermentation of alcohol, and used either as a condiment or a preservative.
USES
Sip first thing in the morning, and just prior to meals to reduce appetite and encourage efficient digestion.
Drink a glass of warm apple cider vinegar with honey a half-hour before bed to encourage restful sleep.
Vinegar can be drunk (warm with a little honey) to treat digestive disorders and urinary infections.
Apply vinegar to wasp stings to ease discomfort.
Coughs, colds, and infections will respond to a cup of warm water with 2 tablespoons of vinegar and some honey. Arthritis and asthma may also be treated with the same drink, adding slightly more vinegar.
PROPERTIES
Helps to make more efficient use of calcium in the body, and can help to encourage strong bones, hair, and nails
Vinegar is antiseptic, astringent, and excellent for urinary tract infections
INHALATION
Vinegar is antispasmodic, and is useful for treating the bronchospasms common to bronchitis sufferers. Bronchitis is the inflammation of the bronchi, which link the windpipe to the lungs. It causes production of thick phlegm, and gives rise to bouts of coughing. Inhaling the steam given off by hot cider vinegar will soothe spasms. Pour some apple cider vinegar into a pan and put it on the cooker to heat. Bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes. Remove from the heat and pour into a medium-sized bowl. Take the bowl to your kitchen table and sit down with it in front of you. Drape a large towel over your head and the bowl, making a tent. Inhale deeply while the steam continues to be produced. This will also help catarrh.
HYDROGEN DIOXIDE
WATER
Pure water is a clear, colorless liquid made up of oxygen and hydrogen. Water is the most common substance on the Earth’s surface, covering more than 70 percent of the planet. It is also present in the atmosphere as a gas (water vapor or steam). Water is essential to life on Earth and constitutes a large part of most living things. Human beings are comprised of about 75 percent water. Water is necessary for maintaining the correct osmotic pressure in cells, and is needed for many other body processes, such as transporting nutrients and waste products around the body in the blood (blood is about 80 percent water). Water that has been cooled or heated to form ice, hot water, or steam can be used to treat minor complaints.
USES
Drink plenty of fresh water if you suffer from edema.
Drink water to counter the effects of a hangover, and during illness to encourage the expulsion of toxins. People who drink excessive amounts of alcohol or coffee, or who smoke, should drink at least eight glasses of water daily.
It can help to prevent tooth decay when sufficient fluoride is present.
Water acts as a diuretic and a mild laxative—it adds water to stools and may stimulate muscle contraction in the digestive tract.
Hard water may play a role in preventing hypertension and heart disease.
Ice reduces swellings and is particularly beneficial for sprains. Ice packs help to relieve backache.
Cold compresses placed around the throat may ease an attack of croup.
Children suffering from croup will get relief when placed in a steamy bathroom. This is best achieved by running the hot water faucet or the shower.
Swallowing cracked ice may be beneficial in relieving morning sickness and motion sickness.
A hot compress can help to reduce skin inflammations caused by infection. Dip a face cloth or other thick cloth