194 The Complete Home Guide to Herbs, Natural Healing, and Nutrition
f To aid sleep, consider the short-term use of valerian root, and drink
chamomile fl ower tea.
~ Take essential fatty acids in the form of GLA capsules, as they will
help any infl ammation.
~ Perform liver, kidney, and colon cleanses.
~ If overweight, start a serious weight-loss program, as this will relieve
joint strain.
~ If there is a lot of confl ict and disharmony or emotional friction and
pain in your day-to-day life, try to ease the strain by taking time away
from the confl ict.
~ Exercise is vitally important, but build up slowly; do not overdo it.
~ Take hot and cold showers to relieve stiffness and promote healing.
Saunas will give similar relief; always fi nish with cold water.
~ Massage St. John’s wort fl ower oil into the affl icted area, and then
apply a bag of frozen peas.
~ Use a warming oil of ginger, chile, lavender, and rosemary if circula-
tion is poor and you feel cold, stiff, and achy. Dr. Richard Schulze’s
deep tissue repair oil is supreme — see chapter 11. Avoid if the area is
highly infl amed.
~ Add to your bath a cup of Epsom salts, two cups of apple cider vine-
gar, and St. John’s wort and lavender fl owers tied in a muslin bag.
~ Use lukewarm castor-oil packs on infl amed areas overnight.
asthma
Asthma is a lung condition. During an attack, spasms cause the lung
muscles to constrict, and the resulting lack of air fl ow causes coughing,
wheezing, and gasping. It can develop because of irritants such as
pollution, fur, or house dust and mites. Strong emotions, lifestyle, and diet
can produce tension, congestion, and immune breakdown. Research
suggests, however, that 80 percent of asthmatic children have insuffi cient
hydrochloric acid levels, indicating that poor digestion and assimilation
may lie at the bottom of this allergy. Low hydrochloric acid levels leave
the person open to fungal and other infections, with other allergies also
being a possible outcome.
- Follow a mucus-free diet (see chapter 4).
- Look at digestion, absorption, and gut fl ora levels.
- Include one to three cloves of garlic in your diet daily.
f If in spasm, use a few drops of lobelia leaf tincture. It breaks the spasm,
reduces shock, and feeds the nerves while gently and safely opening
diseases 194