Health conditions starting with B and herbal remedies used to treat them

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Babies/Children Bleeding Body Odor Bronchitis

Birth Control Blisters Boils/Carbuncles Bruises

Bitters Blood Pressure Bones Burns

Bladder Infection Blood Sugar Breast Bursitis/Tendonitis

DISCLAIMER: These pages are presented solely as a source of INFORMATION and ENTERTAINMENT and to provide stern warnings against use where appropriate. No claims are made for the efficacy of any herb nor for any historical herbal treatment. In no way can the information provided here take the place of the standard, legal, medical practice of any country. Additionally, some of these plants are extremely toxic and should be used only by licensed professionals who have the means to process them properly into appropriate pharmaceuticals. One final note: many plants were used for a wide range of illnesses in the past, but be aware that many of the historical uses have proven to be ineffective for the problems to which they were applied.

BABIES and CHILDREN
BABY SALVE/LOTION
Used for diaper rash and dry skin

½ tbsp chickweed
½ tbsp crushed calendula flowers
½ tbsp powdered comfrey root
½ tbsp chamomile powdered
2 c. distilled water
1 c. olive oil

(Refer to Basics page for salve making instructions.)
COLIC in INFANTS
It seems as though a majority of babies tend to be colicky up until the age of 3 months and it happens whether one breast feeds or not. It has more to do with baby's ability to digest than it does anything else, although sucking in air contributes. "Colic water" administered by my grandmother may very well have been the catalyst which propelled me into the world of herbalism. To break up the "wind" make an infusion from one of the following seeds or combine any of them: dill, fennel, caraway, anise. Use 1 tbsp of bruised seed to 8 oz of water just off the boil. Cover and steep for 10 minutes. Use ¼ to ½ tsp every half hour if colicky or use 15 minutes before feeding.

CRADLE CAP

½ oz red clover
½ oz blue violet leaves
¼ oz burdock

Combine herbs. Use 1 tbsp per cup of boiling water and steep for 10 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool to tepid, then rinse scalp. Use several times a week and leave on scalp (do not wash off).

FAILURE to THRIVE in CHILDREN
Sometimes there's no answer to the why of this, but old timers had faith in this recipe. 1 tsp betony (Stachys officinalis) per cup of boiling water. Allow to steep 10 min. ½ to 1 cup of the infusion is taken daily. Can be sipped throughout the day.

BIRTH CONTROL
If taking birth control pills do NOT use the herb Vitex agnus-castus a.k.a Chasteberry.

BITTERS
Long used by herbalists to stimulate appetite and aid digestion. Swedish Bitters and Angostura bitters are commercial preparations still much in use today. Although it is possible to make Swedish Bitters at home, at most they would be so coarse as to be suitable for external use only.

SWEDISH BITTERS

17.5 grams manna
10 grams aloe
10 grams rhubarb root
10 grams senna leaves
10 grams theriac venezian
10 grams zedoary root
5 grams angelica root
5 grams carline thistle root
5 grams myrrh
2.5 grams camphor
0.2 grams saffron
.

Place herbs in clean glass bottle and pour 50 fl oz of 80 proof spirits over the herbs. You can use brandy, vodka, or any good quality fruit spirits. Let stand for 14 days, shaking daily. Filter through muslin or coffee filter and store in a dark-tinted glass bottle. Suitable for external use.

BLADDER INFECTION
Things known to help this problem are: drinking cranberry juice (preferably unsweetened), the herb Uva-ursi a.k.a Bearberry, and Vitamin C.

BLEEDING
Apply direct pressure on the wound and use herbs as styptics. One common styptic herb is yarrow. For heavy bleeding the bioflavonoids found in the pulp of citrus fruits is helpful. These are also found in buckwheat, apricots, blackberries, and cherries. For severe bleeding and certainly for arterial bleeding, you will need emergency help. Take a Red Cross First Aid course when it is offered in your community and you will be prepared for any emergency your family may encounter.

BLISTERS
To prevent or cure infection in blisters that have popped, the following tincture can be made and kept in the medicine cabinet.

1 tbsp thyme
1 tbsp rosemary
1 tbsp mint
1 tbsp wintergreen

Powder herbs in coffee mill and place in wide mouthed jar and cap. Cover with 1 cup of 100 proof vodka and allow to steep for 1 week, shaking daily. Strain and bottle in amber tincture bottle.

COMPRESS for BLISTERS

1 tbsp elder flowers
1 tsp each of calendula, raspberry and plantain

Combine herbs. Infuse in 2 cups of boiling water for 10 minutes. Allow to cool and apply with a cottonball soaked in the solution.

BLOOD PRESSURE Get your blood pressure checked regularly. Not enough emphasis can be put on the dangers of high blood pressure. Herbs and diet are useful if medication is not yet required. If you are already on medication, then the use of herbs requires the participation of your doctor to monitor changing levels and possible changes in levels of medication as a result. Some reasons for HBP include chronic anxiety where the sympathetic nervous system forgets to relax, and nicotine which restricts arteries thus raising BP. Another big culprit is salt. Watch your sodium intake. Avoid baked goods which contain baking powder.
Although the jury seems to waver on this issue, eating garlic is still believed to be helpful in lowering blood pressure. Garlic is also available as dietary supplements. Other things which are helpful are eating foods high in potassium (dandelion contains a good amount), calcium and magnesium; Coenzyme Q-10, and Germanium. Five servings of CARROTS a week has been proven to prevent strokes in women. Grated raw carrots added to salads, or eaten plain, or cooked. Anyway you can serve them up. Another vegetable which has shown the ability to lower blood pressure is CELERY. If your body weight is 120 then eating 1 stalk a day for 5 days a week. Use that as a guide. If you weigh 170 then you'd want 1-1/2 stalks. Or 200 and 2 stalks. Chop the celery fine in a food processer or blender and add to the grated carrots, then add to salad. Again, IF YOU ARE ON BP MEDS, monitor your blood pressure and watch for side effects from your medication that would indicate you need less.

Herbs and foods useful in regulating bloodpressure are:

Barberry
Bear's garlic
Black cohosh
Blue cohosh
Blue vervain
Blue violet Buckwheat
Celery
Chamomile
Cleavers
Cramp bark
Eggplant Hawthorn berries
Hyssop
Linden blossoms
Mistletoe
Onion
Passion flower Skullcap
Storksbill
Watermelon seed
Wild black cherry
Yarrow
.

AVOID OIL of ROSEMARY

EGGPLANT WATER
This remedy was passed along to me by someone who tried it and said it worked, so I include it. Take 1 medium sized eggplant (do not peel) and cut it into ¼-inch cubes. Place in a 1 gallon jug filled with spring water. Place in fridge for 4 days. Strain out the eggplant. Take 1 oz of the water per day starting on the 5th day. Monitor BP daily as it may drop sharply after 2 weeks.

TINCTURE #1 Combine 2 Tbsp hawthorn, 1 tbsp linden blossoms, 1 tbsp Siberian ginseng, 1 tbsp motherwort, 1 tbsp vervain. Place in wide-mouthed jar and cover with 1¼ cups 100 proof vodka, then cap. Allow to steep for 2 weeks, then strain and bottle in amber tincture bottle. Dose is 1 tsp taken 3 times daily. When HBP is associated with nervousness and/or palpitations, add 1 tbsp motherwort and 1 tbsp valerian (or skullcap).

TINCTURE #2

¼ oz caraway
¼ oz fennel
¼ oz anise
¼ oz yarrow
½ oz chamomile
½ oz peppermint

Combine and place in wide-mouthed jar. Cover with 12 oz of 100 proof vodka, then cap securely. Allow to steep for 2 weeks. Strain and bottle in amber tincture bottle. Dose is ½ tsp 2 times a day.

LOW BLOOD PRESSURE

1 tbsp broom
1 tbsp hawthorn berries
1 tbsp kola

Combine herbs. Make an infusion using 1½ tsp steeped in 1 cup of boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes. Take 3 times daily.

BLOOD SUGAR Whether the problem is high blood sugar (as in diabetes) or low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), the answer is control through diet (and possibly insulin in the case of diabetes). For diabetes your doctor and nutritionist will provide you with the guidelines. Hypoglycemia is a bit more difficult to get help with from the usual medical professional sources. There is still a great deal of resistance in recognizing this as a valid medical condition. There are several good books on the market which give solid guidelines for controlling hypoglycemia, or "low blood sugar". The key to managing it is more protein in the diet and the same abstaining from sweets, sugars, etc. that is required by diabetics. How much abstinence will be required by an individual depends on how well the rest of the diet manages to control the sugar levels. Protein takes time to digest and keeps the sugar levels steady. Quercetin is one supplement which can help in controlling blood sugar. Oddly enough, onion skins contain good amounts of quercetin. The next time you're making soup, tie the onion skins up in a muslin bag and let them simmer along with the rest of the ingredients. Then remove the bag and serve.

BODY ODOR
Zinc supplements may help if the odor is coming from offensive smelling perspiration.

BOILS/CARBUNCLES
INTERNALLY

As with abscesses, boils and carbuncles can signal something far more serious going on inside the body. Frequent boils can indicate possible diabetes or infection for example. If you seem to be having these appear frequently (not just an isolated event), then you should seek professional medical evaluation.

Combine ½ oz each of: cleavers, calendula flowers, red clover blossoms, licorice and nettles.
Use 1 tsp per cup of boiling water and steep 10 minutes. Drink 2 to 3 times daily.

EXTERNALLY

Combine 1 tbsp flax seed powder, ½ tbsp althea root powder, ½ tbsp oat powder, 1 tsp echinacea powder. Use the mixture to make a poultice and apply to affected area.
Make a poultice of peach leaves and leave on overnight.
Break open a capsule of vitamin E and apply.
Use ointment containing vitamins A, D, and E.
Make a compress of clary sage and apply.

BONES In general it's a good idea to make sure your calcium requirements are being met through diet or supplementation. If you have trouble with dairy products (as I do) you may find yogurt can be eaten with no problem (my personal choice is Stoneybrook Farm No-Fat Plain). Glucosamine is a fairly new supplement that's been used in veterinary medicine for many years, but has now found a place in human supplementation for arthritis and other degenerative bone problems. Externally, salves containing such herbs as sage, rosemary, camphor, eucalyptus, wintergreen and mint can offer some temporary relief (also Tiger Balm and Vick's Vapo Rub).
Some herbs in tincture form for osteoporosis can also be beneficial. Combine ½ oz Chasteberry, ¼ oz horsetail, ¼ oz celery seed, ¼ oz. oats. Powder in a coffee mill and place in wide-mouthed jar. Cover with 8 oz of 100 proof vodka, cap securely and allow to sit out of direct light for 2 weeks. Strain and bottle in an amber tincture bottle. Dose is 1 tsp 3 times daily.
To help prevent osteoporosis, get in the habit of making your own soup broths to use as a base for soups or to add to other recipes where liquid is called for. All broths can be done easily in a crockpot. When making a fish broth tie the bones up in a muslin bag. This makes it easy to remove them.

BOWELS Part of the digestive system, the term includes both small and large intestines which run from the exit of the stomach to the rectum. Any number of things can go wrong with this part of the body. The following is a list of natural agents used historically for these problems which you can consult for more information.

Abscess Root
Acacia
Adder's tongue (ulcers)

BREAST
Women in particular must examine their breasts on a regular basis and report any unusual findings to their doctors. Men need to do it less often, but should not neglect it altogether. With the amount of estrogen in meats and other foods today we don't know what the future holds in this regard. For general pain and lumpiness that is common to many women, avoiding coffee (a big offender in this regard), tea, cola, chocolate will often clear the situation. Taking something in order to clear the situation is useless unless elimination of the above is tried first.

BRONCHITIS
Next to aches and pains and digestive problems, respiratory problems make up the largest area of remedies in herbal medicine. Bronchitis can be temporary as the result of exposure to an offending substance or virus. Or it can be chronic.
The following recipes can also be taken as tea rather than making into a tincture. 1 tsp of herb per cup of boiling water, steeped 10 minutes, is used. If taking as a tea, you may wish to sweeten with honey. If infection is involved, then add an equal amount of echinacea (use caution if allergic to ragweed as you may also be allergic to echinacea).
(NOTE on the following paragraph as of this date 2/3/2006: The herb Ephedra may no longer be present in this product as Ephedra is no longer for sale in the United States.)
One commercial product which is excellent for this condition is Traditional Medicinals® brand of "Breathe Easy" herbal decongestant. It's also useful in cases of hay fever, colds and allergies. It does however, contain the herb Ephedra, so caution is advised. If drinking tea doesn't appeal to you, then this same product can be made into a tincture. Open up a few tea bags until you've measured out ¼ oz (you'll need a good kitchen scale for this). Place the herbs in a wide-mouthed jar and add 2 oz of 100 proof vodka. Cap securely and allow to sit out of direct light for 2 weeks. Strain through a coffee filter to remove the herbs and bottle in an amber tincture bottle. Use 5 to 10 drops in your morning coffee and use up to 3 times daily, but generally one dose in the morning is sufficient.

TINCTURE #1

¼ oz of elecampane
¼ oz horehound
¼ oz mullein
¼ oz plantain

Combine herbs, then powder them and place in a wide-mouthed jar. Add 8 oz. of 100 proof vodka, cap securely and allow to sit out of direct light for 2 weeks. Strain and bottle. Take 1 tsp 3 times daily.

TINCTURE #2

1/3 oz elecampane
1/3 oz thyme
1/3 oz plantain

Make a tincture as in Tincture #1. Dose is 1 tsp 3 times daily.
TINCTURE #3

¼ oz coltsfoot leaves
¼ oz. plantain
¼ oz. licorice
¼ oz thyme
Make a tincture as in Tincture #1. Dose is 1 tsp 3 times daily.
TINCTURE #4
If accompanied by a dry cough, combine ¼ oz licorice root, ¼ oz marshmallow root, ¼ oz anise seed and ¼ oz cinnamon bark. Proceed as above. Dose is 1 tsp 3 times daily.

TINCTURE #5
If accompanied by a wet congestive cough, combine ¼ oz mullein, ¼ oz thyme, ¼ oz aniseed, and ¼ oz plantain leaves. Proceed as above. Dose is 1 tsp 3 times daily.

GARLIC-HONEY-LEMON SYRUP
Good for all sorts of coughs and respiratory complaints. Blend a few cloves of fresh, minced garlic into honey and add freshly squeezed juice of 1 or 2 lemons. Store in refrigerator.

OLD INDIAN REMEDY

½ lb dried crushed elecampane root
½ lb spikenard
½ lb comfrey root
( comfrey not currently recommended for internal use)

Combine herbs with 1 gallon of water and simmer down to 1 quart; add 8 oz of alcohol and 1½ pints honey; take 1 tsp every 2 hours.
INHALER
Placing a handful of herbs into the bathroom basin (or a few drops of essential oil) and covering with boiling water, then covering your head with a towel to make a tent and then inhaling the steam can help to relieve congestion. (Please use caution!) Herbs such as thyme and eucalyptus are helpful.

ANISE TEA
Anise tea can be helpful for bronchitis and upper respiratory problems.
ANISETTE LIQUEUR
Anisette liqueur added to water is said to be helpful for bronchitis and asthma. It was a tradition in certain ethnic homes in my neighborhood when I was growing up for older members of the family to begin the morning with a bit of anisette liqueur added to the morning coffee.
GINSENG

1/8 tsp is often added to herbal teas or alone in hot water for respiratory problems, although it is generally more of a general body toner than a specific remedy for the respiratory system.

BRUISES An herbalist's first choice in treating a trauma which is going to cause a serious bruise is to apply Arnica salve (ointment or oil) to the area. Whenever Arnica is used it MUST NOT be applied to broken skin...use on UNbroken skin only. Another good choice is St. Johnswort linament or oil. If you bruise too easily, you might wish to consider adding vitamin C supplements and biflavonoids to your diet. Consult your doctor and nutritionist.
Another rub for bruises is: ½ oz witch hazel tincture, ¼ oz lobelia tincture, ¼ oz. wormwood tincture, 1 oz water. Combine in a 2 oz bottle and apply with a cotton ball 3 times a day.
Other herbal helps are:

Crushed leaves of comfrey and hyssop
Mix comfrey root powder with water till a wet, gummy mash and place in a clean cloth and apply

Other herbs used throughout the centuries for bruises are:

Aloe
American elder
Balm of Gilead
Calendula
Birch
Black elder
Buckthorn brake Burnet saxifrage
Celery
Cinnamon Fern
Corkwood
Dwarf nettle
English oak
European sanicle Fenugreek
Figwort
Flax
Garden Thyme
Garden violet
Hemp agrimony
Herb robert Hound's tongue
Hyssop
Laurel
Life everlasting
Lobelia
Low cudweed
Mother-of-thyme Mugwort
Nettle
Okra
Olive
Pearly everlasting
Pennyroyal, Eur.
Pennyroyal, Amer. Primrose
Quaking aspen
Rattlesnake plantain
Tansy
Shinleaf
Solomon's seal
Stone root Tacamahac
White pond lily
Willow (all types)
Wintergreen
Witch hazel
Wormwood
Yerba santa

For a more detailed discussion on each of these herbs consult the online Herb Database

BURNS
IF A BURN LOOKS SERIOUS SEEK MEDICAL HELP!!
For household first aid in case of mild burns there are two things which can be done immediately: cold water and/or honey. For immediate first aid always keep a jar of honey (preferably unprocessed) in the kitchen. Other first aid choices are a raw potato (scraped), egg white, yogurt, and aloe. Apply immediately. A vitamin C solution of 10,000 mg in 1 quart of water spritzed on is another good burn remedy which aids in healing.
Plants high in tannin will form a temporary scar of leathery flesh which is formed of the protein of the exposed flesh and are useful for severe burns.

COMFREY PASTE

3 parts comfrey leaves or root
1 part lobelia
½ part wheat germ oil
½ part honey
Combine and powder the herbs, then combine with oil and honey and store in a wide-mouthed jar. For 3rd degree burns wash the affected area thoroughly and apply the paste with a bandage. Leave in place for 3 days to allow the formation of new skin tissue. Honey keeps the burn from getting infected.

RADIATION BURNS
The gel from a fresh aloe leaf, squeezed out and applied has been extremely useful to folks undergoing radiation treatment.

BURSITIS/TENDONITIS

½ oz willow bark
½ oz cramp bark
½ oz celery seed
¼ oz prickly ash

Combine with 12 oz of 100 proof vodka to make a tincture. Allow to steep out of direct light for 2 weeks, then strain and bottle. Dose is 1 tsp 3 times daily. Or, herbs can be combined and 1½ tsp per cup of boiling water, steeped 10 minutes and taken as a tea 3 times daily.

TINCTURE A quick tincture can be made by purchasing tinctures of lobelia and cramp bark. Combine equal amounts of each and rub into painful areas as needed.

HEAT LOTION
See ACHES and PAINS - External Remedies

©1998 by Ernestina Parziale, CH

Babies/Children	Bleeding	Body Odor	Bronchitis
Birth Control	Blisters	Boils/Carbuncles	Bruises
Bitters	Blood Pressure	Bones	Burns
Bladder Infection	Blood Sugar	Breast	Bursitis/Tendonitis