БРОНХИАЛЬНАЯ АСТМА – BRONCHIAL ASTHMA

It is interesting to note that nature is always ready to make amends for our mistakes; so if we are conscious of them and willing to learn from them we will avoid making the same ones again. How strange, therefore, that we can be so thoughtless and, for instance, fail to draw the right conclusion when an analgesic no longer gives the relief that it used to. Instead of admitting to ourselves that the analgesic effect did not mean that the cause of the pain had been cured and that we were acting contrary to nature, we foolishly take ever stronger drugs in order to suppress the pain at all costs.

The conscientious doctor will most certainly do his best to find out the cause of the pain. For example, if the patient complains about pain in the region of the liver, the doctor will not simply prescribe a painkiller, but will check for symptoms of a liver disorder. He will ask whether fats disagree with the patient, what is the colour of the stool, in short, he will do all that is necessary to get to the root of the trouble. Having diagnosed the cause, he can then prescribe the appropriate remedy. At the same time, he will indicate the right kind of diet, including a course of carrot juice. Radishes will be permitted only in very small quantities as a remedy, since large amounts can do considerable harm to the liver. This is how the doctor will inform his patient about the best way he can help himself to improve his health.

If your children have ever had the frightening experience of convulsions – and the problem is not uncommon – you will know that there is very little that can be done to help. Yet there is a herbal remedy that is hardly known, chickweed, its botanical name being Stellaria media. This simple weed can be found in the fields almost the whole year round, giving you ample opportunity to gather it. It is the best possible remedy for children’s convulsions. An infusion of chickweed has to be taken only a few times, whether made from fresh or dried weeds, and the unpleasant symptoms of these convulsions will disappear, often never to return. At the same time, chickweed strengthens the heart and it is this that makes it especially important when treating children. Chickweed is seldom mentioned in books on herbalism because its medicinal uses are very limited. Nevertheless, it deserves full recognition since its effect in curing convulsions is absolutely astounding. What a blessing it will be if the distressed parents can find it in the garden in their hour of need!

When treating eczema and other skin eruptions, it is essential to make sure that the kidneys, liver and intestines are working properly. Bathing the affected area in warm whey, preferably sour whey (Molkosan), is excellent. If you can spend your holidays in the country near a dairy where you can obtain whey, you may be able to do this regularly during your stay. Using bran to bathe the eruptions is also effective. Since eczema is sometimes difficult to cure and may require a great deal of time, you should not forget that the cause may not be internal but external. Some people are allergic to certain substances and plants, for example arnica. Your skin may be allergic to terpenes, in which case you would have to keep away from plants that contain them, such as conifers, and of course floor polishes and other products made with turpentine. Even camomile can provoke eczema, and so can Rhus toxicodendron (poison ivy), and the primula has been known to cause urticaria. So your eczema may well have one of these external causes. As soon as the right one is identified and the necessary measures taken, the eczema will disappear.

Children may break out in a rash when they overindulge in fruit. Strawberries can cause urticaria. In every case it is good to treat and stimulate the kidneys.

Skin rashes can also have their origin in poisoning or in a vitrmin deficiency. It is therefore good to avoid eating, for example, sulphurised dried fruit, and fresh fruit or vegetables that have been sprayed with chemicals. Organically grown spinach and young stinging nettles, preferably prepared as salad and dressed with lemon juice or Molkosan, will eradicate the deficiency and cure the rash in no time at all. Drinking tea made from wild pansy (heartsease) will reinforce the healing process.

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Should you be troubled with tired feet and legs, finding them even slightly swollen at the end of the day, bathe them in potato or vegetable water. Then wrap them immediately in a cloth that has been covered with hot salt. Do this every evening for a few days and the tiredness in your feet will disappear. If you have some hay flowers or other herbs handy, prepare an infusion and add salt, preferably sea salt, which is more effective than common salt. This salty herbal foot bath will also help you get rid of the tiredness, as well as relieving hot, burning feet. Swollen feet, especially ankles, can be sight of heart trouble.

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