I *told* you guys--herbs have their uses

[snowgrouse]

Just wanted to point out that if you're scared of swine flu and such, make sure you've got some star anise handy (100% essential oils would be the best). I've been telling people for *years* about the fact that it works on flu and now I've discovered it actually is the thing Tamiflu is made of:P. So, yeah, don't knock 'em essential oils--some of

Comments

[snowgrouse]

Lavender's awesome. It's good for everything, really. I know someone who got a big cut on her face from an accident, something that required *five stitches*, but since she treated it several times each day with lavender, you can't see the scar anymore if you don't know it's there. It's really amazing how fast it can heal your skin--my skin starts peeling and flaking if I put it on a cut or a burn because it accelerates the healing so much. And I generally use it as an all-round antiseptic and insect repellent. But, yeah, anise is great, too. Just more difficult to find in Finland at least, so I may have to order it from abroad. And if you ever get muscle cramps (like that stabbing pain in your chest when you've coughed a lot, or crampy calves), rosemary is good for those. I always keep a bottle of it beside my bed and in my backpack in case I get a stitch or wake up with a bad back or as a first aid for menstrual cramps before the painkillers have had a chance to kick in. It's a pretty effective muscle relaxant.

Um, yes, now I'm rambling. But at least some of this hippie herbal crap really works better than over-the-counter drugs...:)

[vilakins]

Do you just rub the rosemary on the crampy bit? I get cramps in my legs and feet at night sometimes, but holding my hands on the muscle and the reciprocal part of the opposite arm helps a lot. :-P

[snowgrouse]

Yeah, rubbing is good. It's usually recommended to mix that stuff with a carrier oil, but I've usually been fine when rubbing it neat into my calves. If I get chest pains or stomach cramps, I just open the bottle and inhale it deep a few times.

[vilakins]

Thanks! That's also good to know. :-)