• Bee stings
• Acne
• Skin wounds
• rashes
• To draw out toxins and foreign substances (such as splinters, dirt & city grime)
• To heal first degree burns and repair damaged tissue

Clay comes in different colors, each appropriate for a different types of skin.

• Delicate, dry skin: use white or light blue clay
• Medium or mixed skin types: use yellow, green and lavender
• Oily skin: reds and black clay

How to make a clay poultice:

4-16 oz clay (depending on size of area to be treated)

Distilled water (or herbal liquid)

Mix clay with enough water (or herbal liquid) to make a thick paste.  Spread with a spoon or clean paint brush onto skin, pressing it into the flesh so that it adheres. Leave on until clay dries and pulls away.  This clay mixture can be used as a facial mask.

Clay Facial Mask: made with clay and liquid mixture (either water or herbal teas – such as green tea)

• Okay to mix colors to treat specific conditions on different parts of face
• The thicker that it is applied, the longer it takes to dry (increasing the detoxifying and drying effect)

Internal Use:

The internal use of clay is best done under the guidance of an herbal practitioner, as it is important to make sure that your body’s constitution matches the therapeutic effect of the clay.  Clay is not used internally when one has a common cold, flu, symptoms of damp-heat, or during pregnancy.

Internal use of clay can be used for:

• Diarrhea (due to deficiency)
• Bleeding
• Increasing immunity
• detoxification

Common types of medicinal clay: Bentonite Clay, Montmorillonite Clay

Other names: Halloysite, kaolin, Hydrous aluminum silicate

©2012 In Good Health Blog. All Rights Reserved.

As Steam Soak:

Place herb pack in 4 cups water & bring to a boil.  Lower heat & simmer for 25 mins.  Immediately place herb pack in appropriate basin & hold affected limb over the steaming liquid, drape towel over the limb to keep in steam.  When the decoction cools, bathe limb in the liquid, immersing the traumatized area if possible.  Do this 2 times per day.  To enhance the effects of the soak, add 2 tablespoons of rice wine to the water at the beginning of the steam.  Liquid can be re-used and re-heated for up to 3-4 days.

As a Compress:

When it is not possible to soak a traumatized area such as the shoulder, you will need to use a compress.  Cook the pouch in 2 cups of water, bring to a boil & simmer for 25 minutes.  Remove the bag and as soon as it has cooled enough to place on the skin, place it over the traumatized area, covering with a hot pack or hot water bottle to keep in heat.  Leave on for about 25 minutes. You can also add 2 TBS of rice wine to the hot water before taking out the pouch to enhance the effects.

·  Soaks and compresses penetrate the skin and underlying tissues and leave them open for awhile after treatment.  It is therefore important to keep the area covered for up to an hour after application to avoid invasion of wind and cold.

·  It can be useful to follow up a steam soak or compress treatment with other herbal products that reduce pain.

©2012 In Good Health Blog. All Rights Reserved.

The design of this Eye Chart was created by Tibetan Monks to exercise the eye muscles. The Tibetans have used natural eyesight improvement for centuries. If used for a few minutes, twice per day, your eyes should improve greatly over a few months. Normal eyes shift rapidly and continuously. Eyes with defective vision are fixed and staring. When staring eyes learn to shift, vision is improved. The eyeball is like a camera, and changes in focal length. To focus the camera you must adjust the distance from the negative to the front of the camera lens. Increase this distance to focus for close vision and decrease it for distant viewing.

THE IMPORTANCE OF RELAXATION:

Vision can be improved by natural methods. Tension causes eyestrain and impairs vision. Relaxation relieves tension. Relaxed eyes are normal. Whenever the eyes lose their relaxation and become tense, they strain and vision becomes poor. Vision can be improved only by education in proper seeing. Proper seeing is relaxed seeing.

Six muscles on the outside of the eyeball control its shape: four reach from front to back that flatten the eye, the other two belt it around the middle and squeeze it lengthwise from front to back. When the eyes are relaxed, these six muscles are flexible and cooperate automatically, adjusting the focal length as described above so that your eyes may see both near and far.

Just as dependence on crutches weakens leg muscles, so does dependence on glasses weaken your eye muscles by relieving them of responsibility. But muscles can be reeducated to do their duty. Relaxation of the eye and mind bring relaxation of the entire body. This general relaxation increases circulation and brings improved visual, physical and mental health. Relaxation is therefore essential to optimum visual performance.

PALMING TO RELAX THE EYES:

The best way to give eyes a rest is darkness through palming. Eyes need rest periodically. Three to five minutes of palming is good, ten to twenty minutes is better. Put the left palm over the left eye on the angle with your nose and try to achieve a perfect fit. Then do the same with the right eye. The four fingers of one hand should be held gently across the four fingers of the other hand, the angle where they meet fitting over the bridge of the nose, so that the hollow of the hand makes a slight vacuum pressure on the eyeball. Keep the hands loose and soft. Try to rest the elbows on your lap or a tabletop.

HOW TO USE THE CHART:

Attach the chart to a convenient wall with the white center spot in line with the nose. Stand erect with the tip of your nose as close to the white spot as possible. Then move the eyes slowly clockwise following the outer edge of each arm of the figures including the black spot, until the beginning point is reached. Then repeat the same action in a counter clockwise direction.

After each cycle blink and relax the eyes and then do three to five minutes of Palming. (See “Palming” above). Repeat, being careful to avoid eyestrain.

Remember to breath deeply and rhythmically. Breathing is essential to vision, as it oxygenizes the blood. Try to do your exercises using real sunlight, not artificial light. Natural sunlight is good for the eyes.

©2012 In Good Health Blog. All Rights Reserved.

DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING AN HERBAL EYE COMPRESS

Add boiled water to herbs and let steep for 5 minutes with a saucer over the top of the mug.  Lift out bag with a wooden spoon and allow it to cool slightly.  Cover remaining liquid with a saucer in order to keep it warm.  When the temperature is comfortable to the touch, lie back and place the compress over one or both eyes.  If it is more comfortable, you can apply the compress cold.

Save the remaining tea liquid to use as a wash.  To help clean the eye lashes and clear away gummy discharge, dip a cotton ball or pad into the liquid and wipe the eyes gently.  After wiping, use a new piece of cotton to re-wipe the area.  To avoid reinfection, do not reuse cotton balls. If you use a muslin bag for the compress, it can be reused once washed.

©2012 In Good Health Blog. All Rights Reserved.

To obtain the gel:

1. Cut off one whole leaf from the plant
2. Slice off the thorny edges
3. Fillet the aloe leaf by cutting off the flat edge of green skin with one long stroke.
4. Score the exposed gel, so that it begins to release its inner moisture (keep one edge of the green skin intact)

The dried yellow latex from the inner lining of the leaf has a different function and is used in Asian medicine as a laxative due to its ability to moisten the large intestine.  The yellow latex contains anthroquinone glycosides.

©2012 In Good Health Blog. All Rights Reserved.

1)  Soak herbs in 3 cups of water for 10 – 20 minutes in a large stainless or non-metal pot.  I usually break the herbs up into smaller pieces as I am adding them to the water that they will soak in, as helps to release their properties.  Soaking the herbs in water is important because it will allow the plant substances to begin to soften and break down so that when boiled they are ready to release their medicine.

2) Bring herbs to a boil and reduce to a high simmer for 15-20 minutes with lid on.  Remove pan from heat, and place pan onto a heatproof surface on a table (cutting board).

3) Test the heat of the steam carefully with your hand before exposing the face, in order to avoid steam burn.  Breathe in the vapor while covering head with a towel to trap the steam.  As the steam cools, lower head downward.

4) It is possible to save the water and herbs in the refrigerator and to boil them again within a 24-36 hour period.  When re-heating the herbs, bring them to a boil and then remove from heat after 20-30 seconds.  The effectiveness of these herbs will reduce greatly after 36 hours.

©2012 In Good Health Blog. All Rights Reserved.

Sometimes a sting needs to be tended to several times a day for even up to two days. This means the herbal remedy may need to be removed after several hours and applied fresh again.  A large bandaid or gauze pad can be secured over the poultice so that the remedies stay in place when moving about.

External Natural Remedies

• Herbal clays – mix with a little water to make a paste.  (See related blog on ‘Remedies Made with Clay’)
• Tobacco – remove tobacco from a cigarette , crumble & mix with water or honey to make an external poultice
• Baking soda – mix with a little water to make a paste
• Plantain poultice – crush & mix this herb with water or honey to make an external poultice
• Honey – honey is antiseptic & can be used directly on the sting

©2012 In Good Health Blog. All Rights Reserved.

The hair needs moisture and oil in order to stay soft, healthy and prevent falling.  Men, women and children can all benefit from smoothing a little oil through their hair occasionally or on a regular basis.  Adding natural oils for the hair will bring hydration and reduce breakage and loss.  It’s really wonderful for dry hair that is prone to be frizzy and have split ends. Oils contain nutrients that can rapidly be absorbed by the hair to aid repair.  In order to prevent the hair from looking greasy, you just need a touch.

My favorite is coconut oil.  It’s fine to simply buy a jar of cooking-grade coconut oil from the grocery store (tends to be sold in 12-16oz jars).  I recommend spooning out an ounce or two into a small jar with a tight lid.  That way you can dip your fingers in as needed and not spoil the entire jar, and the rest of the coconut oil can be used for cooking which is lovely too.  Coconut oil is left out at room temperature.  When the room is colder, the oil solidifies in the jar.  When the room is hot, the oil becomes liquid (that’s when you’ll be glad that the jar has a tight fitting lid!)  Even still, I put my jar of coconut oil in a ziplock bag if I’m taking it with me to the park or wherever I might think I’ll be in the hot and drying sun.  I enjoy rubbing a little of the oil at the ends of the hair and onto my feet, hands and nails.

My second favorite oil for the hair is almond oil, which I buy at a local health food store once I have checked its scent to make sure that it has not gone rancid.  It’s a little thinner in consistency than coconut oil and can be nice to use during the day when the hair feel too light or frizzy.

Deep oil conditioning

For a deep conditioning, comb through plenty of hair oil with your hands before bed.  Long hair can then be braided to keep the oils in place so they can soak deeper into the hair and not your pillow case.  Shampoo out two times in the morning and voilà.

Adding fragrant essential oils

You can add several drops of essential oil to your jar or pot of oil.  Lavender oil, basil oil, rosemary oil are all great choices and can be mixed together.  Or, add some drops of any other essential oil that suits you.  Lately I’ve been using a coconut hair oil that already has various ayurvedic herbs added, such as the famous amalaki berries.

©2012 In Good Health Blog. All Rights Reserved.

Tea Tree Oil is an extremely effective and natural antiseptic, fungicide and germicide, and a non-toxic solvent.  Most users adapt different methods of utilizing the oil to suit their own particular areas of concern.  Here are some possible household uses of Tea Tree Oil.

Household and General Cleaning

• Add 1 ml. of pure oil to 5 liters of water when washing windows, floors, toilets, bathrooms, and kitchen surfaces.
• Pure oil will remove the sticky residue left after removing cellophane tape or other sticky adhesives.
• Freshen sponges and cloths by soaking them in a Tree Tea Oil and water solution.
• Remove scuff marks from a vinyl or linoleum floor by rubbing with a damp cloth dabbed with tea tree oil.
• Add 3 ml. of pure oil to washing machines for a fragrant, fresh wash.  This is particularly helpful when washing woolens, as it deters moths.

Insects

• Household ants and other pests hate Tea Tree Oil, so a few drops put at the ants’ point of entry will deter them.
• When you wipe cupboards out with an oil and water solution, you will find that cockroaches and the like will move out.
• Put a tissue with pure oil drops on it into your vacuum cleaner and you will freshen your rooms and kill dust mites as you vacuum.

Prevent Fungus and Molds

• Being a fungicide, Tea Tree Oil is very effective against mildew and mold.  Shower curtains stay milde w-free if soaked in a solution of Tea Tree Oil and water.  It also helps to prevent soap scum buildup.
• Add a few drops of pure oil to furniture polish to prevent blue mold growing on wooden surfaces.  (You can mix up required amount in a saucer.)
• After washi ng down walls and removing grime and mildew, wipe over again with a solution of Tea Tree Oil and water to prevent mildew regrowth.

©2012 In Good Health Blog. All Rights Reserved.

An eye wash cup can be considered to be part of a first-aid kit.  The cup helps to rinse the eye and remove dirt, loose eyelashes or other small particles from the eye.  Eye wash cups dilute and flush out contaminating or irritating substances from the eye.  When done correctly with approved eyewash solutions, this method can soothe irritated eyes.

1. Fill eye wash cup with appropriate eyewash solution.
2. Lean over eye cup.
3. Place the cup firmly against the area surrounding the eye, leaving both eyes open.
4. Tilt head up and slightly backward to allow solution to wash over the eye.  Allow several seconds for cleansing action.
5. Bend forward to remove eye wash cup.
6. Repeat with clean and fresh solution as needed.
7. To clean cup, run through the dishwasher or wash with hot soapy water, followed by several clear rinses of water.

©2012 In Good Health Blog. All Rights Reserved.