You should know these eight home remedies!
Eyebright for eye inflammation
Nomen est omen: Eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis) brings relief in eye disorders, such as a slight conjunctivitis or a barley grain. And not only that: the flowers in white and delicate purple with yellow spots and thin black lines actually remind a little on eyes.
Pour one teaspoon of eyebright into a cup of boiling water and pour through a fine sieve after ten minutes. Let cool and soak a clean cloth with it. Put envelope on closed eyes for ten minutes.
Important: Necessarily sterilize all equipment for ten minutes before use, because otherwise germs may come into the eye, and filter thoroughly! If irritation occurs, discontinue treatment.
Camomile against stuffy nose
The Latin name Chamomilla derives from the Greek and means "apple of the earth". The "Leipzig herbal book" from 1435 praises Kamilleal's "refining, flowing and pain-relieving power". Just like then, the white flowers are used today as a soothing steam bath for skin rash as well as irritant-reducing tea for stomach problems. In addition, it has been found that the essential oil loosens cramped muscles - presumably because it inhibits the supply of calcium into the muscle cells.
For coughing, hoarseness and sniff nose, inhaling with chamomile helps. Pour a tablespoon of chamomile flowers with half a liter of boiling water, inhale the vapors under a towel for ten minutes. But beware: Children should only inhale under supervision on a stable table, under no circumstances in bed - there is a risk of scalding!
Melissa against stress
Diving in the bathtub - that's the nicest way for many to relax. Even better: hang 60 grams of lemon balm leaves in a linen bag in the tub. According to comparative studies, balm baths are unbeatable as tranquilizers.
By the way, Melissa can do a lot for us as a tea too. According to studies by the University of Northumbria, the herb mobilizes the brain messenger acetylcholine and thus promotes the ability to think and to remember. It is best to drink several cups throughout the day: pour two teaspoons of lemon balm leaves over a cup of boiling water, cover for ten minutes, strain. Teabags with melissa are only a good alternative if they are welded in foil. Otherwise, the essential oils evaporate quickly.
Ribwort plantain against hoarseness
Long narrow leaves, towering stems with fluffy heads - this is how he stands in this country on meadows and fields and along roadsides. Ribwort plantain is one of the most common medicinal herbs. "Ruler of the Way" means the Old High German root of his name. Its leaves act like a natural plaster, they enjoyed over millennia as a healing agent, even as a universal remedy, highest reputation. Due to a lack of medication, doctors treated infected wounds with preparations from medicinal plantain, as they called him, during the Second World War.
The antibiotic effect of the fresh plant is proven today. But also prepared as a tea, it shows its healing power when the harsh wind of the neck hurts and the voice stays away. The beneficial effects of ribwort are the mucilage, which covers the irritated throat with a protective layer and ensures that the mucous membranes calm down again. Its tannins also have anti-inflammatory and slightly analgesic, the contained zinc supports wound healing. To gargle, pour two teaspoons of ribwort leaves with 250 milliliters of cold water and leave to stand for one hour, stirring occasionally, then drain.
Valerian against insomnia
Valerian is probably one of the best known home remedies for insomnia. Not only valerian supplements from the pharmacy help, you can also process self-collected valerian to tea. Valerian is recognizable by its feathery leaves and pink flowers, which show up between June and August. The dried rhizome, which is collected in autumn, is used.
For the tea, pour two teaspoons of minced valerian root with a cup of boiling water, let it cover for five minutes, and strain. Drink several cups in sips. Valerian does not taste good, so it is recommended to mix lemon balm and passionflower.
Ginger against nausea
Ginger acts just as well on nausea as chemical remedies, but does not affect the central nervous system, as most medications do against nausea. It calms down directly in the digestive tract and therefore does not make you tired.
Even with a bad stomach or nausea due to poorly tolerated drugs ginger relieves nausea and dizziness.Simply chew a piece of ginger or boil a tea: cut two centimeters of peeled ginger into small pieces and cook with the peel of one organic lemon and possibly one teaspoon of aniseed in a liter of water for about ten minutes. Strain and sweeten with a little honey.
Pregnant women, however, should seek advice from their doctor because there is not enough evidence for pregnancy.
Stinging nettle against water retention
Attacking, almost hostile, the stinging nettle meets us with its cross-shaped arranged on the stem, sharply jagged and covered with burning hair leaves. If you come too close, breaks off the spherical hair tip and thus releases a biting juice. Pastor Sebastian Kneipp knew how to use this warming stimulus: For rheumatic pain and lumbago, he recommended the "Urtication", whipping the affected body parts with fresh nettles.
Meanwhile, applications with less "bite" are preferred. Juice, drunk as a cure, from fresh and dried leaves, rich in chlorophyll, vitamins and minerals such as potassium, calcium and silica, purify the blood, act diuretic, flush out toxins, even in rheumatism and gout, and inhibit inflammation , especially the urinary tract. Fresh stinging nettle shoots therefore also belonged to every "Nine herb soup" in the spring, disarmed by cooking.
Nettle tea helps against swollen feet and hands: brew three teaspoons of nettle herb per cup, let it soak for ten minutes. Drink three cups daily.
Sage against sweating
The blue-violet flowers of sage are decorative accessories. Only the herbaceous, aromatic leaves are rich in essential oil and valuable phytochemicals. Even Hildegard von Bingen used her disinfectant effect on sore throat, tonsils, mouth, throat and gingivitis. Salebeee also helps against coughs and colds.
Sage is also a mild herbal remedy for excessive sweating: brew two teaspoons of sage leaves per cup of boiling water, infuse for ten minutes. Get cold and drink two cups a day.
However, the tea should only be used in moderation. Because the essential oil is rich in thujone, a vegetable alcohol that can cause unpleasant side effects such as palpitations, dizziness and cramps in higher dose.
