Category: Natural Remedies

Soya For Weight Loss And Lowering Cholesterol

Natural Remedy For Weight Loss

Use Soya Milk To Replace Dairy Milk

Dairy milk, wheat flour, and sugar are, I believe, the worst foods imaginable.  They all contribute to bloating of the stomach, often caused by intestinal worms, and general obesity issues.

I fully recommend replacing all these problematic foods with other, healthier, options.  You can start with buying soya milk instead of dairy milk.  Make sure you get the GE Free kind of milk, which has been made from UNgenetically modified beans.

Japanese people, who traditionally eat a good amount of soy in their daily diets, are seldom fat. Of course, they eat very little wheat, as rice is their staple diet. And they do not eat a lot of sugary or fatty foods, such as we do in the west.

Research has shown that Japanese people eating their traditional diet are many times more healthy than UK or American people:  The incidence of deaths from breast cancer in Japan is only one sixth the rate of breast cancer deaths in the UK.

Soya beans contain phyto-oestrogens.  These are natural oestrogen-like substances which help prevent the harmful cancer-causing oestrogens from becoming active.  Thus, soya beans help prevent cancer, noteably breast cancer.  The death rate of breast cancer in Japan is only one sixth that of the UK figures, according to Dr Marilyn Glenville. (see Alternatives To Dieting’)

The death rate from prostate cancer is also much lower in Japan than USA or UK.

Soya is also thought to help prevent osteoporosis.  Asian people have fewer hip fractures than Westerners of the older age group.  Of course, seaweed and other mineral-rich foods in the Asian, or Japanese diet will have a bearing on the healthier condition of the bones.

Soya Contains No Saturated Fats:  This is a huge plus for those of us who wish to lose a few pounds of flesh.

Replace Dairy With Soya Milk:  By simply switching to using soya milk to replace dairy milk, you will be doing you and your body an enormous favour.  Even if you do nothing else but to include soya milk in your diet,  within a few weeks you should note an improvement in your general state of health, as well as a reduction in fat tissue.

Toxic Chemicals In Food:  Do try to avoid all foods which have additives of any kind – artificial colourings, flavourings, preservatives.  These are very bad for the health and are a real problem in producing obesity, diabetes, heart malfunctions and blood pressure problems. I am convinced of this.

Also avoid other toxic chemicals, such as agricultural herbicides or pesticides.  These can affect the thyroid, the hypothalamus gland, and the pituitary, which have a big influence on hormone production.  If they get upset by being exposed to poisonous chemicals, then you can end up with obesity issues such as water retention,  or high blood pressure, or low blood pressure, heart irregularities, and depression.  It is important to avoid toxic chemicals if you want your nutrition-related diet to have a good effect on your health, body, and mind.

Dairy milk, meat, wheat and sugar are very problematic foods which can have a very deleterious effect on the health.  None of these foods is helpful in avoiding cancer or other diseases, least of all obesity.

Soya beans are a wonderful food.  The wee soya bean is the only edible bean which contains all the essential amino acids, of which there are eight.  These eight amino acids make soya a complete protein in itself.  You can live on soya bean protein.

Soya beans also have another great quality which is of help to those wishing to lower their cholesterol levels:  Soya is free of natural cholesterols. Soya milk, and soya products, will not raise your blood pressure.

In fact, eating a quantity of soya beans each day, or using soy products, can actually lower your cholesterol levels, as well as your blood pressure.

Dr Marilyn Glenville says in her book, ‘Alternatives To Dieting’, that soya initially has a dramatic effect on people whose cholesterol levels are very high.  Research, she says, shows that consuming 25mg of soy protein per day definitely helps to lower so-called bad cholesterol.

If you switch to using soy milk instead of dairy milk, then two glasses of soy milk per day will provide you with 20mg of soy protein.  Another quarter of a glassful, and you have your 25mg.

100g of tofu apparently contains around 12 g of soy protein.

Brain And Nerve Food: Soya milk and other soy products are rich in essential fatty acids.  These essential fatty acids are utilized in the assimilation of other vitamins and minerals, many of which are needed for skin, hair, nerve and brain health.

For people wishing to lose weight, for high-blood pressure people, or people with any chronic health problem, soya milk would be a wise choice.

Another post on weight loss treatment:

Castor Oil And Ginger For Weight Loss

Natural Remedies

Culpeper says of Sage that it ’causes the hair to become black’.

Garden sage has many therapeutic uses.

In the garden, its flowers provide medicine and nectar for the bees, as well as a herbal tonic to the neighbouring plants.

It is well-known as an aid to oral hygiene.  It has strong antiseptic qualities and is supposed to whiten tooth enamel.

Sage is still used today in some tooth-pastes.  It is reputedly one effective remedy for bleeding gums,  and improving gum health:  The crushed fresh leaves are massaged several times a day onto the gums and teeth.

The tea is gargled to relieve sore throats, colds and flu,  and ulcers in the mouth.

It can be effective to reduce fevers, and has been used in the past for thyphoid fever. (see ‘Herbal Remedies  and Homeopathy’ published by Geddes and Grosset.)

It is a valuable nerve medicine, and is a useful stomach remedy for improving a weak appetite.

Natural Herbal Hair Dye and Tonic:  Sage can help restore healthy hair and improve the colour.

Strong sage tea encourages hair growth and darkens the hair, if it is used on a regular basis. Many herbalists describe it in their writings:  see John Heinerman’s ‘Encyclopedia of Fruits Vegetables and Herbs’.

Rosemary is another wonderful herb which can help hair growth, but it does not have such a darkening effect on the hair, as sage does.

Recipe For Sage Hair Dye:  Here is a simple, natural hair dye and tonic which you can try.  It is perfectly safe to use, as it does not contain any harmful additives such as you might find in commercial dyes for darkening the hair.

Take two cups of fresh sage leaves and put into a stainless steel saucepan.

Add one cup of dry black tea leaves

Add half a cup of cider vinegar and eight cups of water.

Simmer very gently, with no lid, for one hour on a very low heat.  You should have around half the original quantity of liquid left at the end of an hour.  If you need to add a little more water, make sure you do so well before you finish simmering the brew.  If you add more water at the end of the simmering, then your mixture will not keep so well.

Take off the heat after an hour of simmering.  Set aside to cool.

Once your sage mixture has cooled properly, strain it off.

To the liquid remaining add the same amount of vodka.

Put into a bottle with a screw-top lid and store in a cool place.

Massage around a tablespoonful of the sage infusion into the hair each day.  Use more or less, depending on how much hair you need to cover.

Massage the sage tonic well into the roots of the hair as well, so that it feeds the scalp and hair follicles.  Massaging the scalp with the sage tonic will help the hair to grow again.

The oils in the sage leaves will put a natural shine to the hair.

Once the hair is sufficiently darkened, which may take several weeks, you can reduce the amount of applications each week.  Once or twice a week may be enough to maintain the darker colour.

Sage is really very good for the hair in so many ways.

Alternative Sage Tonic Without Alcohol:  You could make up your sage tea without the alcohol if you wish.  Only, remember that your mixture will not keep for longer than a week, and it must be kept in the fridge.  You could make up a lesser amount, enough to last a week, and then make up a fresh brew of tea for the following week.

My new book is available on Amazon:

Soya Can Help Prevent Cancer

Natural Remedies

Prevention of Breast Cancer

In ‘Natural Alternatives To Dieting’, author Dr Marilyn Glenville has quite a lot to say about the benefits of including GE-free soya in the diet.

Soya is cholesterol-free and a complete protein in itself.  It is the only edible bean which contains all the eight essential amino acids, which makes it an ideal protein food for vegetarians.  Soya is the perfect substitute for dairy milk.

Soya not only helps you to lose weight, it can help prevent cancer, says Dr Glenville.

She refers to research done recently: Japanese women, whilst they remain on their traditional diet which includes soya products such as tofu, miso, soy sauces, etc,  have a low incidence of breast cancer, as well as minimal menopausal symptoms, and, I presume, lower obesity levels.  Japanese women, though, do not have such good health when they move away from Japan and assume a western-style diet in America.  Under these new conditions, rates of breast cancer increase dramatically.

Of course, there will be other beneficial foods in their traditional diet besides soya, such as fish and seaweed, which may account for their supreme good health.  These may not be as abundant in the diet once the homeland has been left behind.

It also might be a trend, once in America, to switch from the healthy Japanese diet to one which includes plentiful dairy foods, wheat flour products, and meat, none of which are known for their ability to prevent cancer.

There is also the stress level to consider:  Moving to a new place is supposed to be one of the most stressful conditions we might suffer, even more stressful than losing a loved one.

So, while it is probable that it is not just soya which prevents Japanese women from getting cancer, there is a scientific basis to the argument that soya has cancer-inhibiting properties.

According to Dr Glenville, soya contains a number of cancer-inhibitors, including a chemical similar to Tamoxifen, which is a pharmaceutical drug given for the treatment of oestrogen-caused breast cancers.

Soya beans’ phyto-oestrogens, genistein and daidzein, are just two of the several known to exist within the soya bean:   These have a beneficial effect in that they inhibit cancer cells from developing in the breast. They somehow act to prevent the hormonal type of oestrogen, which is carcinogenic, from forming.

Japanese women eating a traditional diet rich in soya products have less breast cancers than their American counterparts.  This correlates with the amount of phyto-oestrogens found in the urine:  The Japanese who consumed a large amount of soy in the diet had 100-1,000 times more phtyo-oestrogens in their urine than their American counterparts.

It is interesting to note that Japanese men seem to benefit from eating plentiful amounts of soya products also.  Whilst their rates of prostate cancer seem to be equivalent to those found in the UK, not so many Japanese men actually die of the disease.

Dr Glenville concludes that the phyto-oestrogens in soya products have ‘a balancing effect on hormones in both men and women’.

Natural Remedies

Culpeper says of Sage that it ’causes the hair to become black’.

Garden sage has many therapeutic uses.

In the garden, its flowers provide medicine and nectar for the bees, as well as a herbal tonic to the neighbouring plants.

It is well-known as an aid to oral hygiene.  It has strong antiseptic qualities and is supposed to whiten tooth enamel.

Sage is still used today in some tooth-pastes.  It is reputedly one effective remedy for bleeding gums,  and improving gum health:  The crushed fresh leaves are massaged several times a day onto the gums and teeth.

The tea is gargled to relieve sore throats, colds and flu,  and ulcers in the mouth.

It can be effective to reduce fevers, and has been used in the past for thyphoid fever. (see ‘Herbal Remedies  and Homeopathy’ published by Geddes and Grosset.)

It is a valuable nerve medicine, and is a useful stomach remedy for improving a weak appetite.

Natural Herbal Hair Dye and Tonic:  Sage can help restore healthy hair and improve the colour.

Strong sage tea encourages hair growth and darkens the hair, if it is used on a regular basis. Many herbalists describe it in their writings:  see John Heinerman’s ‘Encyclopedia of Fruits Vegetables and Herbs’.

Rosemary is another wonderful herb which can help hair growth, but it does not have such a darkening effect on the hair, as sage does.

Recipe For Sage Hair Dye:  Here is a simple, natural hair dye and tonic which you can try.  It is perfectly safe to use, as it does not contain any harmful additives such as you might find in commercial dyes for darkening the hair.

Take two cups of fresh sage leaves and put into a stainless steel saucepan.

Add one cup of dry black tea leaves

Add half a cup of cider vinegar and eight cups of water.

Simmer very gently, with no lid, for one hour on a very low heat.  You should have around half the original quantity of liquid left at the end of an hour.  If you need to add a little more water, make sure you do so well before you finish simmering the brew.  If you add more water at the end of the simmering, then your mixture will not keep so well.

Take off the heat after an hour of simmering.  Set aside to cool.

Once your sage mixture has cooled properly, strain it off.

To the liquid remaining add the same amount of vodka.

Put into a bottle with a screw-top lid and store in a cool place.

Massage around a tablespoonful of the sage infusion into the hair each day.  Use more or less, depending on how much hair you need to cover.

Massage the sage tonic well into the roots of the hair as well, so that it feeds the scalp and hair follicles.  Massaging the scalp with the sage tonic will help the hair to grow again.

The oils in the sage leaves will put a natural shine to the hair.

Once the hair is sufficiently darkened, which may take several weeks, you can reduce the amount of applications each week.  Once or twice a week may be enough to maintain the darker colour.

Sage is really very good for the hair in so many ways.

Alternative Sage Tonic Without Alcohol:  You could make up your sage tea without the alcohol if you wish.  Only, remember that your mixture will not keep for longer than a week, and it must be kept in the fridge.  You could make up a lesser amount, enough to last a week, and then make up a fresh brew of tea for the following week.

My new book is available on Amazon:

 

 

 

Breathing For Asthma With Prana Yoga Techniques

Natural Remedies

Yogic Breathing To Reduce Asthma Attacks

‘You know some very complicated things can go on within your body as a result of apparently simple exercises.’

This profound thought comes from the pen of Dr M. Doreal, who wrote an insightful book about healing with yoga techniques called ‘Sahaj Yoga’, published by Brotherhood of the White Temple, Inc., Sedalia, Colorado, 80135.

It is true that Yoga Breathing techniques can have some amazing effects on long-standing conditions of ill-health , such as asthma, high blood pressure, heart disease and depression.

Yogic breathing practices have been practiced by yogis for literally thousands of years.  These yogi adepts have long understood the healing value of yoga and yoga pranic breathing.  It is believed in yoga that a longer life can be earned through proper, deeper breathing.  People who habitually breathe quickly. and with shallow breaths. tend to live shorter lives than people who have developed the yoga style of slow, deep breathing.

Nowadays orthodox medical people are just beginning to accept these yoga practices into the mainstream of medical practice, but usually without the acknowledgement to yoga which it deserves.

Yogic breathing practices have been adapted and adopted by many orthodox practitioners and institutions of health.  Proper breathing is recognized by orthodox asthma foundations as being one very good healing tool for the prevention of an attack of asthma. But these breathing exercises come from the ancient yoga traditions.

Many people have been healed of asthma, high blood pressure, heart disease and depression after bringing yoga and its wonderful breathing practices into their daily lives.

Yoga Breathing Exercises Which Help Asthma and High Blood Pressure:

First Exercise: Abdominal Breathing:  This is a technique which develops the capacity to breathe into the lower part of the stomach.  Asthma sufferers tend to have shallow breathing, and breathe into the top part of the chest.  People who suffer anxiety usually breath in a similar way.  With daily practice, a person can train themselves into breathing with full, deep breaths, using the whole of the lung capacity instead of just the top part of the lungs.

Abdominal Breathing can be done anywhere, at any time.  But the most effective way to practice it is lying down, whilst doing Yoga Nidra relaxation, if you have the time.

In all yoga breathing exercises, except for one practice which I will tell you about after this, the breathing is always done through the nose.

Abdominal Breathing Exercise is most important for asthma sufferers:  Lying down comfortably, feet a little apart, and hands off the sides of the body. Watch the tummy rising and falling as you breathe.  Inhale slowly and deeply through the nose, watching the tummy rising up.  Try to count a slow ‘four’.  Hold for one or two counts if you can, and then slowly exhale, again through the nose, watching the tummy falling back down towards the spine again.

Relax into the rhythm, and repeat many times.  Try to remember as you breathe in, to visualize the pranic energy coming to the front part of the body.  As you breathe out, visualize the energy or prana going to the back, to the spine.

Another neat healing trick is to use the ‘whispering breath’, called the Ujjayi breath in yoga.

With this, you breathe in and out through the nose as usual, but you make a ‘ha’ sound in the throat as you breathe out. Mouth remains closed.  This practice has an especially soothing effect on the nervous system, on the mind, and on the lungs.

Second Exercise:  Alternate Nostril Breathing

Nadi Shodan Pranayama Preparation:

The best way to begin this exercise is to practice five breaths in and out through one nostril, and then five breaths in and out through the other nostril.

Place the right hand forefinger and middle finger between the eyebrows.  Use the thumb to block off the right side nostril.  Breathe in and out through the left side for five breaths, and then change sides:  Use the fourth finger to block off the left nostril, breathe out through the right nostril, and continue for five more breaths.  Then do five more rounds on the other side.  Repeat.

Stop the practice if you feel dizzy or strange.  Do just a few breaths to start with if you feel uncomfortable.

After some time, when you have become familiar with the technique, you can practice the regular Nadi Shodhan technique, which is done one breath each side, and continue the practice for a longer time.

Third Exercise: The Cooling Breath

Sheetali Pranayama: 

This is the only breathing exercise in yoga where you breath in through the mouth. It is very, very cooling and soothing to the mind and nervous system.  It is also a very good stimulant to the digestion, as it encourages the production of saliva.

The Sheetali Pranayama is one exercise which, although very simple to do, can achieve astounding results.

Sit comfortably.  Now curl the tongue into a tube. Slowly breathe in through the curled tongue.  Hold the breath for a few counts if you can, and then breathe out through the nose.  Repeat.

For high blood pressure, Swami Satyananda recommends that this exercise can be done up to 60 times in one session.  But it is best to build up slowly from five or a little more at a time.  Again, stop the practice if you feel dizzy or light-headed.

Natural Remedies

Culpeper says of Sage that it ’causes the hair to become black’.

Garden sage has many therapeutic uses.

In the garden, its flowers provide medicine and nectar for the bees, as well as a herbal tonic to the neighbouring plants.

It is well-known as an aid to oral hygiene.  It has strong antiseptic qualities and is supposed to whiten tooth enamel.

Sage is still used today in some tooth-pastes.  It is reputedly one effective remedy for bleeding gums,  and improving gum health:  The crushed fresh leaves are massaged several times a day onto the gums and teeth.

The tea is gargled to relieve sore throats, colds and flu,  and ulcers in the mouth.

It can be effective to reduce fevers, and has been used in the past for thyphoid fever. (see ‘Herbal Remedies  and Homeopathy’ published by Geddes and Grosset.)

It is a valuable nerve medicine, and is a useful stomach remedy for improving a weak appetite.

Natural Herbal Hair Dye and Tonic:  Sage can help restore healthy hair and improve the colour.

Strong sage tea encourages hair growth and darkens the hair, if it is used on a regular basis. Many herbalists describe it in their writings:  see John Heinerman’s ‘Encyclopedia of Fruits Vegetables and Herbs’.

Rosemary is another wonderful herb which can help hair growth, but it does not have such a darkening effect on the hair, as sage does.

Recipe For Sage Hair Dye:  Here is a simple, natural hair dye and tonic which you can try.  It is perfectly safe to use, as it does not contain any harmful additives such as you might find in commercial dyes for darkening the hair.

Take two cups of fresh sage leaves and put into a stainless steel saucepan.

Add one cup of dry black tea leaves

Add half a cup of cider vinegar and eight cups of water.

Simmer very gently, with no lid, for one hour on a very low heat.  You should have around half the original quantity of liquid left at the end of an hour.  If you need to add a little more water, make sure you do so well before you finish simmering the brew.  If you add more water at the end of the simmering, then your mixture will not keep so well.

Take off the heat after an hour of simmering.  Set aside to cool.

Once your sage mixture has cooled properly, strain it off.

To the liquid remaining add the same amount of vodka.

Put into a bottle with a screw-top lid and store in a cool place.

Massage around a tablespoonful of the sage infusion into the hair each day.  Use more or less, depending on how much hair you need to cover.

Massage the sage tonic well into the roots of the hair as well, so that it feeds the scalp and hair follicles.  Massaging the scalp with the sage tonic will help the hair to grow again.

The oils in the sage leaves will put a natural shine to the hair.

Once the hair is sufficiently darkened, which may take several weeks, you can reduce the amount of applications each week.  Once or twice a week may be enough to maintain the darker colour.

Sage is really very good for the hair in so many ways.

Alternative Sage Tonic Without Alcohol:  You could make up your sage tea without the alcohol if you wish.  Only, remember that your mixture will not keep for longer than a week, and it must be kept in the fridge.  You could make up a lesser amount, enough to last a week, and then make up a fresh brew of tea for the following week.

My new book is available on Amazon:

 

Antibiotic Medicine Harmed By Herbicides Including RoundUp

Toxic Chemicals Weaken Antibiotic Medicine As Well As Homeopathic Medicine

It was not surprising to hear on Radio New Zealand news just before Easter, that scientists have found that the efficacy of antibiotics is dramatically reduced by herbicides such as the glyphosphate-containing RoundUp weedkiller.

RoundUp and other toxic herbicides and pesticides, I find, have a dramatic effect on digestion, because they interfere with the natural digestive flora and enzymes in the body.

Candida infections, and bladder and kidney inflammations can result after being exposed to toxic chemicals which kill off the beneficial bacteria within the body, and change its natural, healthy,  pH level.

Other chemicals such as those found in printing inks and clothing dyes, and arsenic-treated timber, can also have a damaging effect on the health for the same reason.

It is a logical conclusion to draw, then, that if the natural and beneficial organisms living in the body’s digestive system can be killed off by toxic chemicals such as weedkiller and pesticides, that the organisms present within antibiotic medicines are likely to be affected too.

Many commonly used drugs are also likely to behave differently on the body when the digestive system is not functioning properly, as is the case when the useful digestive flora is damaged because of exposure to herbicides such as glyphosphates and neonicotinoid poisons or other harmful chemicals.

The efficacy of herbal medicines and homeopathy is also affected when a person has been exposed to chemical poisons such as weedkillers and pesticides.  Homeopathic preparations themselves are very sensitive to such poisons, and can be weakened if left in an area which has been made toxic for some reason.  People who use toxic chemicals, or even antibiotics and other pharmaceutical products, on a regular basis will find that Homeopathic medicines are not as effective as they are said to be, because of the negating effect of stronger chemicals.

It is now well known that antibiotics are losing their strength as disease-combatting medicines, because bacteria are becoming resistant to them.

And now it has been proven that RoundUp and other herbicides and pesticides are also diminishing the effect of antibiotics in curing disease.

Plenty of reasons, then, for governments world-wide to curb the free and irresponsible use of herbicides and pesticides.  They are not necessary for healthy agriculture:  We have survived thousand of years without these modern chemicals which are having an adverse effect on our environment and good health.

And nor is it necessary to use antibiotics and modern drugs.  They do have a purpose, of course, but often a simple herbal or homeopathic remedy will do just as well, or better, without the unwanted side effects you can expect from many modern drugs.

There are many good reasons to consider natural methods of farming and orcharding, as well as the use of Homeopathic remedies, Vitamin C therapy, Vitamin A therapy, and herbal medicine as alternatives to using vaccination antibiotics and other potentially harmful medicines.

Natural Remedies and Homeopathic Alternatives to Antibiotics:

Of course you need to consult your doctor if you or your child are suffering some infection.  Consult a registered homeopath for advice on what to use as an alternative to vaccination or immunization.  It is important to use just the right remedy for an illness, or for prevention.  So do consult an expert.

Here are some suggestions for you to discuss with your doctor or naturopath or homeopath.

Homeopathic Urtica Urens is a reputable medicine for kidney and bladder infections, especially if it is combined with the age-old remedy of drinking plenty of cooled, boiled water throughout the day.

Homeopathic Belladonna is used as a preventative for Scarlet Fever, or to treat it.

Homeopathic Ledum can be used as a preventative for Tetanus, or to use after an injury on farms or where horses have been kept.

Homeopathic Arsen Alb is excellent as a flu prevention, or to minimize the effects of flu if flu is already present.  There is no risk involved with using Arsen Alb for flu prevention, whereas the flu vaccination can be a risky thing.

Vitamin C in megadoses is a proven remedy to reverse illness. Swine flu, cancers of many kinds, and many other conditions of ill-health respond to Vitamin C therapy.  2000mg of non-acidic  vitamin c taken every hour or two will be quick to reduce flu symptoms in an adult.  Reduce the dose for a child.

Natural Remedies

Culpeper says of Sage that it ’causes the hair to become black’.

Garden sage has many therapeutic uses.

In the garden, its flowers provide medicine and nectar for the bees, as well as a herbal tonic to the neighbouring plants.

It is well-known as an aid to oral hygiene.  It has strong antiseptic qualities and is supposed to whiten tooth enamel.

Sage is still used today in some tooth-pastes.  It is reputedly one effective remedy for bleeding gums,  and improving gum health:  The crushed fresh leaves are massaged several times a day onto the gums and teeth.

The tea is gargled to relieve sore throats, colds and flu,  and ulcers in the mouth.

It can be effective to reduce fevers, and has been used in the past for thyphoid fever. (see ‘Herbal Remedies  and Homeopathy’ published by Geddes and Grosset.)

It is a valuable nerve medicine, and is a useful stomach remedy for improving a weak appetite.

Natural Herbal Hair Dye and Tonic:  Sage can help restore healthy hair and improve the colour.

Strong sage tea encourages hair growth and darkens the hair, if it is used on a regular basis. Many herbalists describe it in their writings:  see John Heinerman’s ‘Encyclopedia of Fruits Vegetables and Herbs’.

Rosemary is another wonderful herb which can help hair growth, but it does not have such a darkening effect on the hair, as sage does.

Recipe For Sage Hair Dye:  Here is a simple, natural hair dye and tonic which you can try.  It is perfectly safe to use, as it does not contain any harmful additives such as you might find in commercial dyes for darkening the hair.

Take two cups of fresh sage leaves and put into a stainless steel saucepan.

Add one cup of dry black tea leaves

Add half a cup of cider vinegar and eight cups of water.

Simmer very gently, with no lid, for one hour on a very low heat.  You should have around half the original quantity of liquid left at the end of an hour.  If you need to add a little more water, make sure you do so well before you finish simmering the brew.  If you add more water at the end of the simmering, then your mixture will not keep so well.

Take off the heat after an hour of simmering.  Set aside to cool.

Once your sage mixture has cooled properly, strain it off.

To the liquid remaining add the same amount of vodka.

Put into a bottle with a screw-top lid and store in a cool place.

Massage around a tablespoonful of the sage infusion into the hair each day.  Use more or less, depending on how much hair you need to cover.

Massage the sage tonic well into the roots of the hair as well, so that it feeds the scalp and hair follicles.  Massaging the scalp with the sage tonic will help the hair to grow again.

The oils in the sage leaves will put a natural shine to the hair.

Once the hair is sufficiently darkened, which may take several weeks, you can reduce the amount of applications each week.  Once or twice a week may be enough to maintain the darker colour.

Sage is really very good for the hair in so many ways.

Alternative Sage Tonic Without Alcohol:  You could make up your sage tea without the alcohol if you wish.  Only, remember that your mixture will not keep for longer than a week, and it must be kept in the fridge.  You could make up a lesser amount, enough to last a week, and then make up a fresh brew of tea for the following week.

My new book is available on Amazon:

 

 

 

 

 

Allergy To Printing Ink And Bleached Paper Causes Candida

Toxic Chemicals

I been aware of the toxic nature of printing inks and paper for many years.  The chemicals used in the paper and printing industries, such as chlorine bleach, formaldehyde, and goodness knows what else, can upset the intestinal flora, which can result in candida outbreaks.

Migraine headaches, poor memory, high or low blood pressure, nausea, nervous twitches and other allergic symptoms can result in sensitive people who become over-exposed to these chemicals.  In time, if exposure to these chemicals continues, then I believe that serious diseases such as multiple sclerosis, parkinson’s. cancer, and arthritis could arise, especially with the synergistic effect of RoundUp weedkiller or other toxic pesticides which people commonly use.

Interesting to note that just last Saturday, I heard the news on radio which told us of the discovery that some antibiotics are made redundant by weedkillers such as RoundUp.

Well, this is no surprise:  I do not talk about using antibiotics much, as I am a proponent of the homeopathic/holistic approach.  But I have found weedkillers and pesticides such as snail bait to cause severe candidiasis when my neighbours have used these chemicals.  If they so readily kill bacteria in the bowel, then they will also be capable of destroying antibiotic medicines.

Studying at university was made especially difficult for me, because of my sensitivity to photocopied material.  Handling photocopies, or handling newsprint on a daily basis caused me migraine headaches, nausea, made my nerves shake, and affected my memory.

Handling cardboard boxes also causes these problems: on the occasions I have been moving house, which has required the handling of a good many boxes over a good many days, I have become sick with the same old allergies.

The allergy to printing inks and bleached papers became even more acute during the time that New Zealand’s MAF was regularly aerially spraying toxic chemicals over much of Auckland, ostensibly to rid us of the ‘apple moth’, around 2003 to 2005.  This spraying of our environment made many people very ill.  Eventually, Victoria |University in Wellington proved that the apple moth poison was most definitely adversely affecting the health of Aucklanders, and so the programme was stopped.

I have found that printing inks and bleached paper if you are exposed to enough of them,  are about as damaging to the immune system as herbicides such as RoundUp, and many toxic pesticides.  They all have the effect of killing off the good bacteria in the digestive system, which causes inadequate digestion and allergies or sensitivities to various foods.

It is a fortunate thing, though, that one can avoid over-exposure to printing ink/paper toxins, and it surely is unfortunate that we often have no choice in the matter regarding our exposure to toxic herbicides and pesticides:  we have to suffer the latter because there is no law which prevents people from poisoning our environment.

But even without harmful chemicals such as ‘RoundUp’, or apple moth spray, printing ink chemicals, and bleached paper still make me sick if exposure to them goes on for long.

Very recently, I was offered a great deal to have the local newspaper delivered, and so |I decided to try it.  I thought that if I was very careful, and kept the newspapers out of the house, then I might be able to enjoy reading the paper each day.

After around two weeks, all the old allergic reactions appeared.  After three weeks or so of continuing to receive the papers, I felt I might have a stroke.  Now I have stopped handling and reading the papers until the alllergy symptoms subside.

Natural Remedies to Counteract Allergic Reaction:  Homeopathic Arnica/Symphytum is working well to reduce blood pressure and relieve the headache.  Thuja on occasion is also good.  Rhus Tox did not work so well, but instead, exacerbated the symptoms of poisoning. Arnica/Symphytum has a very cooling, calming effect, is great for shocks to the system, and so I am sticking to that for the next few days.

Note:  The Arnica was followed by Urtica Urens once it became apparent that I had developed a urinary infection.  Chlorine bleach and formaldehyde, found in printing inks and newspaper, alter  the pH level.  This results in an over-alkaline body which can breed urinary or bladder infections.  I remember this was a problem whilst studying at uni and handling so many photocopies. Photocopy toxins, plus MAF’s apple-moth killing toxic chemicals being sprayed every few weeks over Auckland , resulted in almost continual urinary tract infections.

Three consecutive doses of 2000mg of non-acidic Vitamin C in the one day, plus around 5 doses of Homeopathic Urtica Urens 30C, served to rapidly fix the kidney and bladder infection.

I wondered about my neighbour, who had a mild stroke only a week ago:  He h as a weak heart and is prone to strokes, but he also gets his paper delivered.

Blood pressure was affected, causing the body to overheat, with extreme migraine headache and bloodshot eyes.  The smell of the newsprint seems to have permeated the house, even though the discarded papers are kept outside the back door.

I have stopped the delivery for the weekdays, but have decided to try getting just the weekend papers.  My aim this time is to wear protective gloves so that I do not absorb any chemicals from the paper through the skin on the hands.

I figure if I want to avoid a stroke and memory loss, both of which are healthy concerns to keep with my advancing age, then I it will pay to be extra cautious about the handling of such things as newsprint or photocopied material of any kind:  This is one area of my environment which I do have some control over.

Temporary Allergy To Drying Sage Leaves

Sudden extreme sensitivity to newspaper print caused a sudden allergy to the sage leaves which I picked only yesterday.  They have had to go back out into the garden, along with the newspapers which are awaiting the paper collection on Friday.

Sage is usually OK for me to keep in the house in small quantities.  I had picked several cupsful this time, to dry before the winter.  The effect of having these leaves outside the door in the sun was simply intolerable today, after becoming sensitized to the newsprint.

This evening, I have discarded all the sage into the furthermost point of the garden.    Sage is obviously a borderline item for me, which I am probably best to leave alone, except for picking a leaf or two of fresh sage occasionally, straight from the garden.

Herbs like sage, in quantities far beyond that needed for flavouring one dish, can have a very disturbing effect on the nervous system.

I do not think that I will be dying my graying hair black with sage afterall.

Conclusion:  Herbs in concentration need to be avoided by sensitive people.

Natural Remedies

Culpeper says of Sage that it ’causes the hair to become black’.

Garden sage has many therapeutic uses.

In the garden, its flowers provide medicine and nectar for the bees, as well as a herbal tonic to the neighbouring plants.

It is well-known as an aid to oral hygiene.  It has strong antiseptic qualities and is supposed to whiten tooth enamel.

Sage is still used today in some tooth-pastes.  It is reputedly one effective remedy for bleeding gums,  and improving gum health:  The crushed fresh leaves are massaged several times a day onto the gums and teeth.

The tea is gargled to relieve sore throats, colds and flu,  and ulcers in the mouth.

It can be effective to reduce fevers, and has been used in the past for thyphoid fever. (see ‘Herbal Remedies  and Homeopathy’ published by Geddes and Grosset.)

It is a valuable nerve medicine, and is a useful stomach remedy for improving a weak appetite.

Natural Herbal Hair Dye and Tonic:  Sage can help restore healthy hair and improve the colour.

Strong sage tea encourages hair growth and darkens the hair, if it is used on a regular basis. Many herbalists describe it in their writings:  see John Heinerman’s ‘Encyclopedia of Fruits Vegetables and Herbs’.

Rosemary is another wonderful herb which can help hair growth, but it does not have such a darkening effect on the hair, as sage does.

Recipe For Sage Hair Dye:  Here is a simple, natural hair dye and tonic which you can try.  It is perfectly safe to use, as it does not contain any harmful additives such as you might find in commercial dyes for darkening the hair.

Take two cups of fresh sage leaves and put into a stainless steel saucepan.

Add one cup of dry black tea leaves

Add half a cup of cider vinegar and eight cups of water.

Simmer very gently, with no lid, for one hour on a very low heat.  You should have around half the original quantity of liquid left at the end of an hour.  If you need to add a little more water, make sure you do so well before you finish simmering the brew.  If you add more water at the end of the simmering, then your mixture will not keep so well.

Take off the heat after an hour of simmering.  Set aside to cool.

Once your sage mixture has cooled properly, strain it off.

To the liquid remaining add the same amount of vodka.

Put into a bottle with a screw-top lid and store in a cool place.

Massage around a tablespoonful of the sage infusion into the hair each day.  Use more or less, depending on how much hair you need to cover.

Massage the sage tonic well into the roots of the hair as well, so that it feeds the scalp and hair follicles.  Massaging the scalp with the sage tonic will help the hair to grow again.

The oils in the sage leaves will put a natural shine to the hair.

Once the hair is sufficiently darkened, which may take several weeks, you can reduce the amount of applications each week.  Once or twice a week may be enough to maintain the darker colour.

Sage is really very good for the hair in so many ways.

Alternative Sage Tonic Without Alcohol:  You could make up your sage tea without the alcohol if you wish.  Only, remember that your mixture will not keep for longer than a week, and it must be kept in the fridge.  You could make up a lesser amount, enough to last a week, and then make up a fresh brew of tea for the following week.

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