----- Original Message ----- From: "Spring" <[email protected] ~*~ ACNE, BLACKHEADS, AND PIMPLES: Application of fresh mint juice over face every night cures pimples and prevents dryness of the skin. Mix equal amounts of lemon juice and rose water. Apply on face and keep for ½ hour. 15-20 days of this application helps cure pimples and also removes blemishes and scars. A couple of garlic cloves, crushed and rubbed on the face 1-2 times a day. Apply fresh lemon juice on the affected area overnight. Wash off with warm water next morning. For acne that hasn't seemed to respond to anything: Use 2-3 teaspoons dried basil leaves to 1 cup boiling water. Steep 10-20 minutes. Cool, and apply with cotton ball. ~*~ ANEMIA: Avoid drinking tea and coffee immediately after meals as the tannin present in these interferes in the absorption of iron from the food. Take freshly prepared apple juice an hour before meals or just before retiring for the night. For proper absorption of the juice, remember the stomach should be relatively empty when you have the juice and also do not take anything for about half an hour after the juice. Have a ripe banana with 1 tablespoon honey, 1-2 times a day. Foods rich in iron are - honey, almonds, bananas, apricots, raisins, lettuce or salad leaves, onion, spinach, grapes, tomatoes, carrots, gooseberry, beet roots, apples, pomegranate. Have plenty of them if you are anemic. ~*~ ANIMAL BITES: Mix equal quantities of castor oil and lime juice. Massage the affected area with this mixture. Also drink 1 cup warm water mixed with lime juice and honey. ~*~ ARTHRITIS: A daily serving of fresh fish or fish oil capsules helps to give relief of arthritis and other aches and pains. ~*~ ASTHMA: Mix 1 teaspoon honey with ½ teaspoon cinnamon and take it at night before going to bed. ~*~ BAD BREATH: Boil some cinnamon in a cup of water. Store it in a clean bottle in your bathroom. Use it as a mouthwash frequently. Parsley leaves are rich in chlorophyll, nature's own deodorizer. Chew some leaves regularly and your breath will remain fresh. Alternatively, you can chew some cardamom seeds to sweeten your breath. ~*~ BLADDER INFECTION: Take a bag of fresh or frozen cranberries and boil them in water (they will fall apart). Cool and drink. Don't add sugar! This remedy is also useful for people with kidney problems. ~*~ BLADDER STONES: Boil 2 figs in 1 cup of water. Drink daily for a month. ~*~ BRUISES: Slice a raw onion and place over the bruise. Do not apply this to broken skin. ~*~ COLD AND FLU: A delicious recipe for a cold or flu! Cut up 6 cloves of garlic and saute in oil, being careful not to let them burn. Add a quart of stock (such as beef), and let it come to a boil for just a few moments. Then lower the heat. Separate two eggs and add the whites to the hot liquid, stirring rapidly. Mix the yolks with two Tablespoons of vinegar and then pour them in. Add salt and pepper if you want and some croutons, if handy. ~*~ CONSTIPATION (IN ADULTS): Take a hot glass of water with 1 teaspoon honey and juice of ½ a lemon first thing in the morning. Drink one litre of water first thing in the morning. Consume approximately 250-300 grams of fresh grapes every day. Simply eat a few liquorice sticks. One of its many properties is that it is a natural laxative. ~*~ CONSTIPATION (IN SMALL CHILDREN): Soak 6-8 raisins in hot water (depending on the age). When cool, crush well and strain. When given routinely even to little infants, it helps to regulate bowel movement (however care should be taken - so as not to give too much otherwise the child will get loose motions. Bulk forming vegetables like carrots, radish, spinach, or cabbage should be consumed. Instead of juice always opt for eating the fruit. ~*~ COUGHS AND ASTHMA: Make a garlic tincture by placing three to four peeled buds in brandy. Steep this in a dark closet for 14 days. Use several drops at a time, several times a day for coughs or asthma. Garlic is an exceptional cleanser for the body and has antimicrobial action similar to other antibiotics. ~*~ DAMAGED, DRY HAIR: A nourishing conditioner for dry or damaged hair which can be used for all hair types: Separate the white of an egg from the yolk, whip it to a peak. Add 1 Tablespoon of water to the yolk and blend until the mixture is creamy. Then mix the white and yolk together. Wet your hair with warm water, remove the excess moisture, and apply the mixture to your scalp with your fingertips. Massage gently until the froth is worked into your scalp, then rinse the hair with cool water. Keep applying the mixture until it is used up and then rinsed until all of the egg is washed away. ~*~ DANDRUFF: The vinegar is poured into the hair, massaged into the scalp, and left to dry for a few minutes. Then the hair is washed. The process is repeated daily until the dandruff disappears, usually within a few days. ~*~ DARK CIRCLES AROUND EYES: Take one teaspoon tomato juice, ½ teaspoon lemon juice, a pinch of turmeric powder and a teaspoon of flour. Make a paste and apply. Leave for 10 minutes and wash off. ~*~ DEPRESSION: 3/4 cup of cooked spinach a day is enough to give dramatic relief from depression if you are deficient in B vitamins. ~*~ DIARRHEA: Eat boiled sweet potatoes seasoned with salt and pepper before bedtime to cure chronic diarrhea. ~*~ DRY SKIN: Combine 1 cup oatmeal, 1 cup warm water, 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract, and 1/2 cup baking soda in a blender or food processor until you have a smooth paste. Pour this paste under the running water while drawing the bath. Very soothing to dry, itchy skin. ~*~ EARACHE: Steep 1-2 teaspoons chamomile flowers in boiling water for 10-15 minutes. Strain out the water, and apply the hot flowers in a cloth for alleviation of the earache. ~*~ ECZEMA: Rub a nutmeg against a smooth stone slab with a little water and make a paste. Apply on affected parts. (Note: It is believed by some rural, old fashioned practitioners that instead of water, one's own early morning saliva can be used for better results.) ~*~ ENERGIZER: Energizing Mead recipe: Simmer 1 cup honey and 3 cup water together slowly. Allow one cup of the water to evaporate. Strain off the top surface, and put the remaining liquid into a stoneware crock or dark bottle. Put a towel over it so it can breathe, yet be free of dirt. Place in a cool place. You can add cinnamon, clove, or the juice of 2 lemons, if you like. ~*~ EYE PROBLEMS: For Hydromel, an eye lotion, simmer a cup of water and a teaspoon of honey for 5 minutes. Dip a cloth in the liquid and apply to the closed eye. ~*~ FACIAL CLEANSER: Mix 2 Tablespoons cornstarch, 2 Tablespoons glycerin, and 1/2 cup water until smooth. Heat in a small pan placed in a water bath inside another pan. Heat until thick and clear; it will have the consistency of pudding. Do not boil. Cool completely, Use in place of soap to cleanse your skin. (If mixture is too thick, you may thin it by adding a little water, one Tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.) ~*~ FATIGUE: Take a glass of grapefruit and lemon juice in equal parts to dispel fatigue and general tiredness after a day's work. ~*~ HAIR LIGHTENER: To lighten hair, use 1/4 cup chopped fresh rhubarb to 2 cups boiling water. Cool, strain, and apply as a rinse. ~*~ HANG-OVER: Eat honey on crackers. The fructose in the honey will help to flush out the alcohol in your system. ~*~ HAY FEVER: Steep 1 teaspoon fenugreek seed in 1 cup water, covered, for 10 minutes. Drink 1 cup a day to help hay fever symptoms. ~*~ HEADACHE: Eat 10-12 almonds, the equivalent of two aspirins, for a migraine headache. Almonds are far less likely to upset the stomach. ~*~ HICCUPS: Drink ½ glass water, slowly. Keep a teaspoon of sugar in your month and suck slowly. Suck 2-3 small pieces of fresh ginger. This helps in hiccups which keep occurring again and again. ~*~ HICKEY: Coat area liberally with lotion. Rub with the back of a cold spoon vigorously for as long as you can stand to, changing out spoon for new cold one every 10 minutes. Recommended time for this treatment is 45-60 minutes. ~*~ INSECT BITES: Mix water with cornstarch into a paste and apply. This is effective in drawing out the poisons of most insect bites and is also an effective remedy for diaper rash. ~*~ MORNING SICKNESS: Mix 1 teaspoon each fresh juice of mint and lime, and 1 tablespoon honey. Take 3 times a day. ~*~ MOSQUITO BITES: Apply lime juice diluted with water on bites with cotton ball. ~*~ MUCUS IN COUGH: Pour 1 cup boiling water over ½ teaspoon each of ginger, ground cloves, and cinnamon. Filter. Sweeten with 1 teaspoon honey and drink. ~*~ MUSCLE CRAMPS: Apply clove oil on the affected body parts. ~*~ NAUSEA: Boil 1/2 cup of rice in 1 cup of water for about 10-20 minutes. After it is boiled, drain the water into a cup and sip at the rice water until symptoms are gone. OBESITY: Mix lime juice with honey and water. Drink a glass of this every morning. Mix 3 teaspoon lime juice, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon honey, and 1 cup water and drink for 3 months. Take 1 teaspoon lime juice with 1 cup water in the morning. Eat a tomato before breakfast. OILY SKIN: For oily skin, mix 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal, 1 egg white, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, and 1/2 cup mashed apple into a smooth paste. Apply to face and leave on 15 minutes. Rinse. OVERWEIGHT: Effective at getting rid of fat, drink up to 3 cups of green tea daily. Regular tea can also be used with a lesser effect. PAIN RELIEVER: Mix 3 large spoonfuls of honey in boiled water and drink. Honey has natural pain-relieving powers. SMELLY FEET: Soak feet in strong tea for 20 minutes every day until the smell disappears. To prepare your footbath, brew two tea bags in 2½ cups of water for 15 minutes and pour the tea into a basin containing two litres of cool water. SMOKING HABIT: Lick a little salt with the tip of your tongue whenever you feel the urge to smoke. This is said to break the habit within one month. SORE THROAT: Mix 1 teaspoon lime juice and 1 tablespoon honey. Swallow tiny amounts slowly 2-3 times a day. SPLINTERS: Lay scotch tape over the splinter and pull off. Or, soak the area in vegetable oil for a few minutes before removing with tweezers. STOMACH ACHE: A simple cure for a stomachache is to dissolve 4 grams of ground cinnamon in 1 cup of warm water, cover it for 15 minutes, and drink it like tea. This remedy can also ease diarrhea and flatulence. STOMACH ACIDITY: Drink coconut water 3-4 times a day. Have a plateful of watermelon and/or cucumber every hour. SUNBURN: Mix 2 teaspoon tomato juice and 4 tablespoon buttermilk. Apply. Wash after ½ hour. TOOTHACHE & MOUTH PAIN: To ease toothache or other mouth pain, make a tea by boiling 5 grams of fresh peppermint in 1 cup water and adding a little salt. Peppermint is an antiseptic and contains menthol, which relieves pain when applied to skin surfaces. VARICOSE VEINS: For varicose veins, take 2-3 teaspoons of black strap molasses daily. This also treats all kinds of circulatory ailments. VOMITING AND NAUSEA: Sucking a piece of ice controls vomiting. Eat ½ teaspoon ground cumin seeds. Cinnamon and sliced ginger work by interrupting nausea signals sent from the stomach to the brain. If you are a herbal tea drinker, simply sprinkle cinnamon on the tea and drink. To make ginger tea, simmer a few slices of ginger in hot tea water. WARTS: Try taping a slice of garlic to the wart. Be sure to first protect the surrounding skin with petroleum jelly. WEAK NAILS: To strengthen and shine nails, combine 2 tsp. salt, 2 tsp. castor oil, and 1 tsp. wheat germ oil and mix thoroughly. Pour into bottle. Shake before using. To use, rub a small amount into your nails. Leave on 3-5 minutes and tissue off. Follow up with more plain castor oil, if desired. WRINKLES & SKIN FRESHENER: Combine 2 Tablespoons vodka, 1 Tablespoon fennel seeds, and 1 1/2 teaspoons honey. Stir well and allow to sit for 3 days. Strain mixture. Use full strength or add 2 Tablespoons water to dilute. Use a cotton ball to apply to face as a toner. This was also a tried and true recipe for wrinkles. Also for wrinkles, apply coconut oil on the portions of skin and face where wrinkles set in and gently massage every night at bed time. YELLOW TEETH: Mix salt with finely powdered rind of lime. Use this as toothpowder frequently.