220 The Complete Home Guide to Herbs, Natural Healing, and Nutrition
- Include plenty of leeks, parsley, celery seeds and sticks, and cucumber.
For fruits, choose apples, pears, melons, peaches, pineapples, and
bilberries. - Eat plenty of dark green vegetables, chlorella, and other algae, which
are rich in B vitamins, particularly B 6. Drink superfood.
f Herbs that remove excess water are easy to fi nd, the safest being dan-
delion root. Use in teas or tinctures. In addition, when in season, the
leaf can go into fresh salads.
~ A colon cleanse will help balance the water level in the body and re-
lieve the edema.
~ A liver cleanse will be useful along with a kidney cleanse; this combi-
nation will make the kidneys work much more effi ciently.
~ Massage the affected areas with one teaspoon of juniper oil in one cup
of base oil, or add 4 drops of juniper oil to your bathwater.
emphysema, pleurisy, and pneumonia
Emphysema, pleurisy, and pneumonia are viral, bacterial lung infections
that can be exacerbated or caused by pollution and stress. They all need
professional attention, but the general directions in chapter 9 for home
care are strongly advised. Refer to the “The Respiratory System” in
chapter 9.
endometriosis
Endometrial cells line the wall of the uterus and build up each month
until being shed at the time of menstruation. Endometriosis is a condition
in which this lining produces small nests of stray cells that are transported
out of the womb and into the fallopian tubes, bladder, ovaries, and
elsewhere — sometimes even reaching as far as the lungs. The tissue still
behaves as if it were in the womb and continues to fl uctuate with the
cyclic hormonal changes. Wherever these stray cells settle, they will bleed
monthly, coinciding with the menstrual cycle. This blood collects and
stagnates, causing toxic buildups that eventually become infl amed and
develop into blood-fi lled cysts (chocolate cysts). There is, of course, a
great deal of pain associated with this condition.
The cause of endometriosis is unknown, but poor hygiene, the use of
manmade fi bers in underwear, repeated infections including pelvic
infl ammatory disease, dirty surgical implements, dirty hands and fi ngers,
tampons, retained placenta, and all manner of outside poisoning sources
create infections. Sluggish periods with inadequate emptying of the womb
each month could also be a possibility. Endometrial cells have been found
diseases 220