That is, at least, if you have been looking in the pharmacy! If you look in your spice cabinet you might have better results! You can get the best curative results from gargling one of the following mixtures. The mixtures below kill infection as well as pain:

1.        One cup of hot water mixed with 1 tsp. Of turmeric

2.        One cup of ginger tea

3.        One teaspoon of thyme or sage  infused in one cup of hot water.

4.        One cinnamon stick soaked in one cup of water

5.        1/8 of a teaspoon of Cayenne pepper mixed with half a lemon and a pinch of salt.

To sooth and protect your throat once you have used the above remedies try one of the following remedies:

1.        Gargle 2 tsp. of sesame oil in one cup of water

2.        Drink slippery elm tea three times a day

3.        Drink marshmallow herb root tea three times a day

4.        Drink fenugreek tea three times a day.

5.        Suck on peppermint lozenges, drink peppermint tea or gargle with peppermint tea or all three!

Healing Your Hair

Healing your hair naturally can appear to be difficult. Many shampoos that claim they are natural contain many chemicalsand the only thing natural about them is the location in which they taped their commercials. Sometimes, even shampoos that do contain herbs and essential oils, also contain one other ingredient that is very harmful sodium laurel sulphate. It is hard to find a shampoo or hair care product even at the health food store that is truly natural and healthy.

So why look in the health food store or drug store? Look no farther than your own kitchen cabinets. Here are some ideas to rejuvenate and heal your hair using only ingredients in your kitchen:

Deep Oil Conditioner

Heat 2 Tbs. Of Olive oil and spread in in your hair. Cover your hair with a bandana or shower cap. Let sit for 30-60 minutes and then rinse with a natural shampoo.

Eating the Right Foods

Any food with B-vitamins will strengthen the hair cuticle. Eggs are a good source of many B-vitamins.

Rinse with Tea

Make a cup of rosemary or marigold flower tea and rinse your hair with it to condition the hair.

Go for the Produce Bin

Avacados give hair thickness and condition

Eggs and Yogurt can give hair great shine.

Anti-Dandruff

You can rinse with thyme tea, vinegar, diluted lemon juice, or rose water to reduce dandruff

Other tips for the best hair:

1.      Air dry your hair and dont use a hair drier.

2.      Shampoo every-other day and not every day.

3.      Filter the chlorine from your shower if possible.

4.      Brush 100 strokes a day.

5.      Give yourself a scalp massage.

6.      Dont pull your hair back frequently

If I were to bring one thing with me on a trip it would be Tea Tree oil. This is a mild but effective oil that has recently been used in hospitals for its ability to kill any virus AND bacteria or fungus it comes into contact with. To use it for a variety of reasons you can:

1. If you get hair lice you can mix 10 drops with two TBS. of shampoo and wash your hair. You can also mix it with 2 TBS. of olive oil and leave the mixture in your hair.

2. If you are injured in any way you can drop (10 drops per cup of water) some tea tree in warm water to wash the wound. You can also use up to three drops directly ON the wound to help it heal and kill he possibility of infection.

3. If you have eaten something that does not agree with you, you get parasites or simply pick up one of the dozen or so viruses that are around at that time then you can put two drops in a cup of warm water and drink it internally. However, NEVER drink more than the two drops per cup. You could overdose if you take too much. Each drop contains MANY leaves of the tea tree.

NOTE: Tea tree is not the tree that regular black or green tea is made out of.

4. You can also combine ten drops of oil with a TBS. of olive oil and rub it on your chest for any chest infections.

5. Keeping some tea tree rubbed on you as in the manner described in #4 will also protect you against airborne illness.

Be sure to get 100% pure and undiluted essential oil. One bottle will last your entire trip.

In the world of natural healing there are many herbs and oils that are naturally anti-bacterial yet the world seems to demand something different. My theory is that we are trained to believe that if it is too easy it must not work well. In the case of herbs this just isnt the case. It is very easy to simmer up some thyme tea or pat out a few drops of tea tree oil, both of which are highly anti-bacterial, yet companies spend millions trying to better nature. As we all know this is impossible as nature is wiser than man and holds mysteries we cannot even comprehend yet. A BBC special done four years ago on tea tree oil found that in major studies across the globe tea tree oil out-performed all other anti-bacterial products on the market. Thyme oil and Thyme tea are also very strong anti-viral and anti-bacterial herbs.

On 2 October 1996, the BBC Tomorrow's World program reported on the history of tea tree oil and its anti-bacterial properties. Reporter Howard Stableford was dispatched to New South Wales where the properties of the tea tree were demonstrated by members...

http://www.teatree.co.uk/TW.htm

Another benefit of using herbs is that the body does not develop a resistance to herbal anti-bacterial products as nature itself is adaptable and varied. Lately, more and more studies are showing that the new attempts at anti-bacterial products have failed on the market and may even be making matters worse. This article is from the Reuters News Service:

Reuters -  It may be virtually impossible to buy soap in the United States that is not "antibacterial," but such products are a waste of time, experts said on Thursday. Not only that, but their heavy use could contribute to a whole new breed of hard-to-kill super bugs, the researchers told a meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. "It makes you wonder why they call it antibacterial, because according to our research, it isn't any more so than plain soaps," Elaine Larson, associate dean for research at the Columbia University School of Nursing, said

I love to encourage this exploration of the simple with children. So here is another way you can do that too with a simple bandana or piece of cloth. Look at the following website for a list of 101 things to do with a bandana. See below the link for MY favorite one of the 101.

http://www.tfn.net/~kate901/bandana.htm

Dancing Dolls

Tie a small knot in two adjacent corners (arms). Tie a knot in the center of the top hem (head). Hold bottom two corners and spin until you have a very tight roll. Hold both corners in one hand (these are the legs), grab the head (center knot), and pull tightly. Then let go of one leg. The dancer should spin around and maybe even kick.

 Hello! You treated me for an intestinal candid infection.  I feel much better now!  I am mostly eating much simpler now, but am able to have something sweet once in awhile, or have some bread without bloating up and being in pain.  I did have some problems still, after I went off the tea and started eating a more expanded range of foods. Thank you again for helping me heal this problem

 I got a copy of your newsletter in my yahoo account. I have a question for you:  In the article about red clover, you said "To be honest, if herbalism was not my hobby I would need only three herbs in my kitchen to cure everything I have ever encountered!" I was so curious! Which three herbs would these be? If you don't mind sharing. LN

 Dear LN,

I am so glad you are feeling better! Congratulations for following through on the program I gave you. And, no, I would not mind sharing my favorite three herbs. My favorite three herbs are:

1. Fenugreek
2. Nettles or Alfalfa
3. Thyme 

I use fenugreek for the children to cure everything from stomachaches to fevers. It is gentle and they love the flavor with a little milk and honey. It is also good for dissolving fat and lowering cholesterol in adults and is high in EFA Oils. Additionally it helps to balance blood sugar in diabetics and hypoglycemics. 

Nettles and Alfalfa are both very high in vitamins and minerals and great for enriching and cleansing the blood.

Thyme is a fantastic antiseptic and can kill everything bacterial or viral all over your body in your stomach, blood, lungs or intestines! I use it for asthma, flus and colds, bronchial infections, and any infection at all that visits my house. I also use it for stomach bugs and intestinal worms. Editor