Natural Health

vanity ^ | March 19 2019 | little jeremiah

[little jeremiah]

Many FReepers have knowledge to share about improving and maintaining health and would like to share it and learn from others; and others may not know much yet but want to learn. Some of us don't have much money for good insurance or doctors, some want to try other methods besides prescription meds, and some have experience in treating and solving health problems.

More and more "regular" doctors have accepted treatment methods such as the benefits of acupuncture, massage for many conditions, better diet, use of herbs and so on. There are limits, and often side effects, to some standard medical efforts.

My field is Ayurvedic herbalism and related measures, and have a lot of information I can post when I have time. I have seen herbs and sometimes dietary changes help people (including myself) with issues such as rheumatoid arthritis, high BP, gallstones, kidneystones, repeated boils, UTIs, prostate problems, insomnia, allergies, urinary incontinence, and many more. I hope to learn a lot from others with their knowledge and experience.

There are many "old fashioned" home care methods that were in common use a few generations ago that actually work and are cheap, such as castor oil packs, fomentations using alternating hot and cold water, and the like, which are easy to do. I am sure there is a lot of knowledge here on Free Republic that can be shared.

I would like this thread to stay civil without distruption, so my request is that people who think natural health methods are bunkum, make your own thread.

[John4.11]

PS: Forgot to mention my hands. They are very itchy and swollen. Had to remove my rings with the aid of cold water and my fingers hurt to bend them.

[little jeremiah]

Let me know if the hives are just as bad or worse. If worse, maybe medical attention might be a good idea. One can develop sensitivies to foods, drugs and chemicals at some point even if previously no reactions. I developed a sensitivty to penicillin family of drugs after not having it, fortunately I was already in the hospital when I went into anaphylactic shock.

More and more foods, cleaning products and personal care products are formulated with all kinds of really noxious ingredients and some of them are just part of the industrial process and not even on the labels. For instance, many or most products with fragrance added - from shampoo, to cleaners, detergents, fabric softeners, nasty hand sanitizers - use all artificial fragrances, which are produced from petrochemicals and some coal tar derivatives. But they often add formaldehyde during the manufacturing to get the smell to stick.

Many people have reactions to these and other chemicals but do not know the cause of their skin problems, headaches, respiratory conditions, etc. Once removing these things from their homes, many people experience reflief of symptoms that they had no idea were caused by these products.

The problem is one can become sensitized over time and not realize the things that used to be fine are fine no longer.

In your case this is a sudden reaction so it has to be from something you recently came in contact with (skin, eating, etc) or you have developed a sensitivity to something that up until now you have not had a reaction to. The fact you have had hives before to some meds indicates to me that clearing out your environment from items that are toxic and more likely to cause some kind of reaction may be a good project.

The more processed foods are the more the body has to separate the actual food from the “non-food items” which places a burden on the entire physical system, and some get stored inside the body and build up. I would advise everyone to avoid foods with any preservatives other than potassium benzoate (the least harmful other than say citric acid), artificial colors or flavors, including the so-called “natural flavor/s” which is really a variety of MSG, hydrogentated or partially hydrogenated oil, and a bunch of other things. The more just plain “food” the better.

It may be that one or other of the ingredients of the popcorn caused these.

A few things I can think of off hand:

1. Drink lots of water (warm would be best) to help flush the body from whatever it was, this also can help reduce inflammation.

2. Eat as much fresh fruit as you have available and can comfortably ingest. (btw I only eat organic oranges and apples because I know what they put on them.)

3. Eat very simple easy to digest food and avoid hot spices especially cayenne or hot peppers, try to minimize garlic or onions (raw is hotter so try to avoid), as these heat up the body.

4. Avoid going in the sun.

5. Take a lot of turmeric - best is just the turmeric powder or even fresh root which can be grated and eaten in sandwhiches. I take about 1 t. a day in my herbs, and when dealing with cancer I tried to take 2 t. a day. One cannot overdose on turmeric. It is a medicine cabinet in a jar. One of the strongest anti-inflammatories there is. Add to everything you can, or make golden milk. It is more readily absorbed with a bit of black pepper added.

6. Avoid any soaps, shampoos etc as much as possible to avoid further aggravation of the skin. I know I’m ultra wierd but I use only baking soda to wash my hair, and occasionally Kirks castile soap. I can’t handle any shampoos as they make my skin red and itchy. Just for a while try to avoid anything that might be aggravating the hives.

7. If you can get food grade rosewater it is an excellent tonic for inflamed, reddened, itchy or sunburned skin, also great for eye drops. I buy at Indian or Middle eastern groceries, it’s usually about $3 for a 12 oz. bottle. You can put in a spray bottle and spray the areas. If you can possibly find it that would be great, I usually buy a dozen bottles at a time as I don’t live near any such stores. I use it daily as eye drops - rosewater (only food grade) is anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and freshens the eyes and skin.

8. If you don’t mind being yellow, you could experiment by taking a t. of turmeric and pouring boiling water on it, steeping until room temperature, strain it out and apply to one area of hives. I think that could very likely help. It will turn your skin a nice yellow, depending on your natural skin color, and won’t last too long. Turmeric paste also is excellent for applying to pimples or other small infections, and sprinkling the powder on cuts and then putting a bandage is what I always do, they heal up very fast.

[John4.11]

Thanks, lj. Lots of info there to digest. I am just about certain the reaction was to something in the microwave popcorn. Currently, the crazy itching has stopped. Still have some minor itching. Looks like the angriest of the little buggers have gone. (fingers crossed) I’ll let you know how things progress.

[little jeremiah]

Oh good!!!

[little jeremiah]

I have a notebook I write down every herb formula I make, and essential oil blends (and other things like cough syrup, skin balms etc) and I found the anti-viral I used for shingles; I have another for respiratory conditions like flu. I can’t type up on the thread tomorrow because I’ll be busy all day, but will get to them soon. Most or many of the herbs I use are traditional Ayurvedic herbs but they can easily be found now as they are become more popular, and I do use familiar herbs too.

[norsky]

This is some preventative maintenance you can do for covid etc. It is from a Physician Assistant who was also alternative med. minded.

Synergistic Therapy for COVID-19

https://tinyurl.com/y4qghxoh

First on the list will always be vitamin D3. When I had a clinic in central Washington state, I would routinely check my patients Hydroxy vitamin D level once a year. I can only recall two patients who didn't require supplementation. (As compared to about 50% in Northern California– secondary to latitude). The only way to really determine how much you need, is to have the blood test. Most labs have the minimal level around 30 ng. You actually want it in the 50 – 60 ng level if you want to prevent a visit to the ICU, without getting paid. People with a cancer concern, should have their levels around 100 ng. There has never been complications with people with levels up to 140 ng.. Prescription vitamin D3 comes in only the 50,000 unit dose, (375 units – 10,000 units over-the-counter) and typically given once a week. Most of my patients did well on one dose at 50,000 units a week, with a few requiring a biweekly dosage. I did have one patient on 50,000 units a day who had transferred to my clinic and had been under the care of an endocrinologist. I refilled her prescriptions with caution and with frequent labs. Fortunately her blood levels remained around 50 ng.

I usually take about 10,000 units a day for well over 15 years. My blood levels are usually just above 50 ng. I have always sunburnt very easily and therefore avoid sun exposure. Depending on your sun exposure, I would recommend 5000 – 10,000 units a day, depending on your sun exposure (time of year) if you are unable to have the blood tests.

Anyone on calcium or vitamin D supplementation should take daily vitamin K 2. This vitamin prevents the calcium from collecting in your arteries and soft tissues, and moves it into the bones.

The next important supplement would be zinc. Most people are deficient, therefore considering a higher dose for a few weeks to elevate your levels, then dropping the dosage to a lower daily supplementation. (Consider elevating the dosage again if you are approaching an increased risk of viral/bacterial exposure situation). Zinc works intercellular, and slows down the replication of viruses, bacteria and parasites. Whenever you take zinc, make sure your supplement also contains a small amount of copper, to prevent a copper deficiency, from the zinc. I believe zinc comes in dosages from about 15 – 50 mg.. I assume that the zinc lozenges would give you quicker blood levels.

Now you'll need a "Zinc ionnofor" which transports the zinc into the cell. The video recommends quercetin 600 mg b.i.d.. I just happen to take quercetin in another supplement. But other zinc transporters would be green tea extract, hydroxychloroquine or quinine. For the past year I have been enjoying my "nightly cocktail," of organic Concorde grape juice mixed with "Fever Tree" brand quinine water. (I like their water that comes with "cucumber." If that's not available, I get it with lemon juice.).

Vitamin C 1000 mg QD/b.i.d. is also recommended for prevention. Higher doses are recommended at first sign of inflammation. You take vitamin C according to "bowel tolerance." (Until you get diarrhea.) The kidneys can only handle about 2400 mg of vitamin C at a time, before it starts to back up in the intestine. Bowel tolerance can be put off by taking one or 2 g of vitamin C every one – two hours. A better method would be to take liposomal vitamin C, though more expensive. This is metabolized through the liver, which avoids the problem. I have taken 3 g of liposomal vitamin C, every 30 minutes, for a total of 30 g, without any problems. (note: I only have one kidney secondary to a stage III carcinoma.). They are giving over 100 g of IV vitamin C without problems. And surprisingly, some studies have shown that about 60 – 80 g of liposomal vitamin C, is as good/or better than 100 g of IV vitamin C.. Start taking the vitamin C, as soon as you develop any type of inflammation.

N- acetylcholine (NAC) daily has always been important for strengthening your immune system. I have been taking 600 mg a day for about two decades. The short video above recommends 600 mg NAC b.i.d.

I also have a portable near infrared sauna which works great for both prevention and treatment of many diseases. For every 1°F you raise your core body temperature, you'll increase your white cell production fourfold. (this includes exercise). Saunas and sweat lodges have been successfully used for centuries. Many studies at the Mayo Clinic showed that the infrared saunas reduce hypertension, heart disease, a-fib and tacky arrhythmias.

I'm sure I'm missing many other things. But these are definitely the first things to consider.

[little jeremiah]

Thank you! Can you also add your info about the source?

[17strings]

I’ve finally checked out this thread, and have been going through it slowly from the beginning. (I’m about halfway through!) What a lot of great information! Thanks to your posts, little jeremiah, I’ve ordered some Pippali powder. Allergy season is not fun. Hope I find it a helpful addition to my holistic arsenal - it certainly can’t hurt.

I appreciate the valuable info source!

[little jeremiah]

I have a lot more I want to add. I’ve just been OverWhelmed.

Soon...Also sometimes I can’t remember what I already posted!

AZLiberty made an awesome graph that has all kinds of topics from this thread, just click to get to them, it’s on my profile page, scroll down.

[AZLiberty]

Interesting article about boron supplementation: https://lyranara.wordpress.com/2014/02/22/take-borax-to-supplement-boron-the-real-cure-of-arthritis-osteoporosis-and-many-other-chronic-diseases/

A small dose of borax can help arthritis, osteoporosis, candida infection, estrogen deficiency, and low testosterone. It will also leach fluoride from the body, perhaps even from the pineal gland.

[AZLiberty]

For allergies also consider a mixture of essential oils: lavender, lemon, and peppermint. Two drops each in a diffuser, or on the back of the neck. I recommend only Young Living oils. They are pure and carefully curated from “Seed to Seal” as they say. They own most of their own farms and grow only on soil that has been pesticide free for many years. They say their lavender fields are hand-weeded, so that they don’t need to apply any chemicals.

[little jeremiah]

Thank you - I have heard about using borax internally and I will read this. I need to post some info on this thread, the news is too horrible to read.

[17strings]

I don’t have any experience with essential oils, or diffusers, but may look into it. I did notice the graph of topics on lj’s profile, and didn’t know you had made it, AZL! Very helpful!

I got the pippali powder late yesterday (good ol’ Amazon Prime, love ‘em or hate ‘em) and put some into my evening herb tea. And I had a pretty good night, considering everything. I like the rather exotic flavor it adds, and will try adding it also when I make fresh vegetable juice later today.

My main, and most annoying, allergy symptom is post-nasal drip, which maddeningly usually begins in the late night when I want to go to sleep, and is mostly absent, for whatever reason, during the daytime. The nasal portion of my sinuses remains clear, too, for the most part, until I get up in the morning and usually sneeze more than a few times. The absolute worst is when the phlegm thickens during the night, feeling like rubberbands at the back of my throat, impossible to either hack up or swallow (ick), and making breathing shallow, tight and difficult. Normally I take a Yogi Breathe Deep teabag before bed, and add honey as well as drops of various herbal extracts (licorice, ginger, cayenne) for extra measure. Hopefully adding the pippali powder will help even more.

I have a neti pot, but haven’t used it in quite a long while, because I don’t know it would even be of help in this situation (not to mention that I nearly drowned myself once, trying to use it over the sink - too high up! yikes!)

[M Kehoe]

Hi.

Okay, here goes...

If you have a hangover, take two extra strength Exedrins, and drink a 16 oz Mountain Dew. Gone in thirty minutes.

5.56mm

[17strings]

I will repost some information here that I put on another thread:

Moles are viruses, too. And moles can morph into cancers. C-herb (a black walnut based paste) kills moles beautifully dead. Not like what dermatologists do to (try to) remove them, where they keep coming back. Presumably removes cancers. too (that’s why they call it “C-herb”).

I have no experience with dermatologists and cancers, but some (stubborn) friends of mine do. All I can say is that I removed all the moles from my body and face 25 years ago using C-herb, and it took just one application on each one. Zap, dead and gone. (Meanwhile, said friends continue to traipse back and forth to their Drs, over and over). It cost me about $60, IIRC. I have some of it left over in the jar, and recently found out that all these years later, it STILL works! When using it, you just have to remember to scratch or otherwise abrade the surface of the mole first, so that the herbs penetrate.

Here’s a a link. Or you can search and find others. (NFI):

https://store.nutritionalresources.com/collections/c-herb-products

You’ve gotta know it works, when Quackwatch.com has reports that the FDA sent sternly worded letters to companies that sell C-herb! LOL

[little jeremiah]

Reminds me of the old saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!” :-D

[A virtuous woman]

mark

[A virtuous woman]

so glad to read that your last test was cancer free.
I use flax seed meal in muffins.
Have you heard of using flax see to remove a foreign object from your eye? This is an old treatment, taught to me by a neighbor decades ago. You pull down the lower skin of the eye and drop one seed into the red part. Close your eye and blink a couple of times (with eye closed), then very gently put your finger on the skin that covers your eyeball. You’ll feel where the seed is. Gently and slowly move the seed around. Then just keep the eye closed. The seed will move to the corner of your eye and whatever is bothering you will be attached to it. Sounds crazy, but I’ve done it many, many times to myself and others.
Old Timey Remedies Are the Best!

[A virtuous woman]

fascinating article about boron and borax. Thanks for posting. Do you use it?

[A virtuous woman]

have to add some info on allergies/asthma in the hopes it will help someone. I’m sure I’ve posted this on Natural Healing before:
hubby has asthma and COPD. Was using Simbacort and rescue inhalers several times a day, too. Daughter introduced us to doTerra’s Breathe (an essential oil blend). He was able to get off the drug and the inhalers completely. Only needs it when there’s a fire in the area - or if he has to wear a mask. It’s truly a miracle.

I think you said you use Young Living. They are two of the best: doTerra AND YL. we use products from both companies.

For allergies he uses doTerra’s Tri-Ease. If working in the garden, he takes one capsule before he leaves the house. Works great for him. He used to suffer terribly, especially in allergy season.