Abigails Herbs

Oregano is one of my favorite herbs. I love how it smells and the taste is pungent and strong; so it energizes me. When I was a kid, I loaded lots of oregano onto my pizza, after I found out how good it tasted. It enhances the flavor of pizza and other tomato-based dishes. Some people disagree with me, but whether or not you like the taste of it, this herb is one of the healthiest in the world. This herb, or spice (as some people call it), is one of the best anti-oxidants around. It is also an anti-inflammatory agent and it is used as a natural antibiotic.

Scientists now know that oregano oil reduces throat inflammation and pain within 48 hours. It also makes the cells lining the throat more resistant to viruses. It is easy to make your own Rx gargle solution: Mix two drops of oregano oil into 12 ounces of water and gargle two times per day. Not only does it stop sore throat pain and redness, but it saves me alot of cash that I would otherwise be spending on prescription medications.

You can use this herbal remedy along with eating good, old-fashioned chicken soup, sipping herbal tea (several times per day), drinking plenty of water and sucking on zinc throat logenzes. Zinc revs up your immune system too. Please, go see a doctor if you’re having difficulty breathing, can’t swallow, develop a rash or a fever over 101 degress Farenheit, or, if your symptoms become more severe, recur frquently or linger for more than seven days.

By the way, I don’t eat pizza as much as I used to when I was an overweight teen, however, I still pile on the oregano whenever my friends or family order it! Incidentally, it is great for sinus headaches too.

Remember that your brain enjoys spices just as much as your tastes buds do. So, spice it up in the kitchen and then bring it into the dining room. Yes, herbs and spices such as black pepper, cinnamon, oregano, basil, parsley, ginger, oregano, turmeric), and vanilla (and there are more) are all high in antioxidants, which may help build brainpower. Scientists are particularly intrigued by curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric. If you are fmailiar with Indian food, turmeric is used to make Indian curries. It is highly recommended to cook with curry as often as possible. If you haven’t developed a taste for curry, then try eating different kinds of dishes at Indian restaurants. At first I didn’t like curry, however, I developed a taste for it. Do you know that there are several different varieties of curries?

Anyway, scientists have discovered that “Indians have a lower incidence of Alzheimer’s disease.”  One theory lies in the curcumin itself. Keith Black, a scientist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, in California, emphasizes that “the curcumin (in turmeric) bonds to amyloid plaques that accumulate in the brains of people with the disease.”  Animal research shows that curcumin reduces amyloid plaques and lowers inflammation levels. A study in humans also found those who ate curried foods frequently had higher scores on standard cognition tests.

You can further reduce your risk of developing cognitive impairments, including memory loss and delayed thinking responses by exercising regularly, getting plenty of vitamin B12, eating right, keeping a close circle of friends (a great social life), and engaging in word/mind games. Learn the secrets of memory geniuses, and the truth about brain-training games at aarp.org/brain. This information was derived from the February-March issue of the AARP magazine. By the way, you don’t have to worry about the amounts and frequency of curry you consume. You can never get too much of it, so pile on the curry and see how your brain thrives!

Yes, it’s true; the chaste tree berry helps “to stimulate the production of progesterone, a hormone that can alleviate everything from bloating to cramping,” says Laurie Steelsmith, N.D. (Dr. Steelsmith.com). Naturopathic Dr. Steelsmith is the author of Natural Choices for Women’s Health. Now know that chasteberry has a very bitter taste, therefore, it is better to drink in combination with other herbs such as chamomile and ginger.

Another good tea that helps to alleviate stress is Hawthorne tea. This brew is so calming that it has earneed the nickname, “Nature’s Valium.”  Shane Ellison (ThePeoplesChemist.com), and the author of  Over the counter Natural Cures is a huge advocate of Hawthorne tea for stress relief.  Ellison remarks that “it relaxes your muscles and reduces irritability.” Yet there is one very important muscle it helps you flex; “Your heart; it strengthens contractions while controlling blood pressure.”

One more thing about the beautiful chasteberry. It’s seeds can be gound into a powder for horses as well as for human women. Just one to three teaspoonfuls per day, in a horses’ food bin, helps older horses to fight the signs of aging. It literally gives them a more healthy coat of fur and it revives tired, sore muscles so that the horses can move and travel freely, without the pain of arthritis and other symptoms of aging. It makes for  happier horses; let’s put it that way.

If you have high blood pressure and want to reduce it, try drinking hibiscus tea. This flower is full of flavonoids which help to dilate blood vessels. “Drinking three cups per day of this delicious brew for six weeks has been shown to lower blood pressure by more than seven points,” reports Tori Hudson (from A Woman’s Time .com); Tori Hudson is the author of the Women’s Encyclop0edia of Natural Medicine. Hibiscus is delicious herbal medicine that really works.  This herbal tea is not only healhty but it also has a really good tasting fruity flavor and it is naturally sweet. Hibiscus grows in the rich silt soil of the Nile River. It is loaded with vitamin C and plenty of other healthy phytonutrients. It also grows in Florida and in the tropical islands all over the world. The flower blossom of the hibiscus plant comes in many different colors; red, yellow and salmon-colored to name a few. It is a beautiful flower. I have a peach-colored plant in my sun room that I take out on the front porch every summer.

Nettle tea is another type which contains so many minerals and is so rich in beta-carotine and vitamin C that it actually improves the look of your skin, teeth and hair. Herbalist Brigitt Mars (Brigitt Mars.com), the author of Healing Herbal Teas and Beauty by Nature, states that nettle tea would be her first choice, if she had to decide among any tea in the world to drink, because of its beautifying properties.

Warning:  After drinking the hibiscus tea for six weeks, take a couple of weeks off before starting this routine of three cups per day. Botanical compounds can build up in your body and have dangerous side effects, just like Rx medications. Too much of a good thing can hurt if you take too much!

Green tea can do everything from whittling down your waistline to help prevent cancer, but there are other healthy teas that you should try. The health experts agree with me. Natural health expert and leader (from Prevention magazine), Andrew Weil, M.D., (Dr. Weil.com), syas that ginger root tea really relieves cold symptoms. Follow his recipe and see for yourself:

In a pot over high heat, combine two cups of cold water and a one inch piece of peeleld, grated fresh ginger; bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover; simmer for five minutes. Add one-half teaspoon of cayenne pepper; simmer for one minute. Then, remove from heat; add two tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, one clove of garlic (crushed) and honey to taste.

Dr. Weil goes on to say “the tea’s anti-inflammatory and immune=boosting qualities relieve congestion.”  Besides what Dr. Weil knows, there’s just something special about ginger that not only heals sore throats and relieves nausea; but the tea is so soothing, it’s like floating away on a cloud. It soothes the soul as well as the body.

In a variety of articles, I have emphasized the amazing health benefits of turmeric, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, coriander and black pepper and garlic. You can’t get much healthier with turmeric. We should all get in the habit of making more dishes that contain curry. It is wondrful to know that we can serve a plethora of healthy meals with these herbs for cooking. They are widely available to all of us. So, make your own customized curry powder blend with the  easy recipe featured below.

Prepare the following ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons ground coriander
• 2 tablespoons ground black peppercorns
• one teaspoon ground cloves
• 6 tablespoons ground turmeric
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• one teaspoon ground ginger
• one-half teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt to taste, post cooking

Combine all above ingredients in a cast-iron skillet. Cook over medium heat until powder is just fragrant and beginning to brown, about four minutes, stirring almost continuously. Remove from heat, allow to cool and store in an airtight jar. This recipe produces about 14 tablespoons of curry powder.

According to Indian-born chef Gautam Patel, a 30-year veteran of the London and New York Indian restaurant scenes – there are as many curry recipes as there are Indian chefs. Each of India’s 18 distinct regions has its favorite ingredients and spice ratios. The curry powder here is a mild mix that’s most popular in the West.

This healthy mixture will stay fresh in your pantry for up to three months. Use between one and two tablespoons for most dishes, and be sure to use a lot of fresh garlic when cooking with curry. Garlic is valued in Indian cuisine for its vibrant flavor and high content of allicin, a disease-fighting phytonutrient.

Yes, you can brighten your complexion with green tea face scrub. Make it yourself and save loads of money. Green tea has the power to greatly reduce the signs of aging. It can also decrease the amount of acne blemishes and can even fight ultra- violet sun damage. That’s because  ”it’s packed with compounds that protect the skin from free radicals and quickly repair any signs of aging,”  declares Dawn Gallagher, author of  Nature’s Beauty Secrets.

OK. This is what you will need to make your own organic face scrub:

• one green tea bag
• three-fourths cup boiling water
• two tablespoons sugar
• one teaspoon honey

Soften your skin with a peachy fresh face mask. Yes, we all desire soft, young-looking skin; especially in our face. The softer our skin, the younger our face will appear. The following recipe is a make it yourself one for peaches and cream soft skin. Peaches are packed with vitamins that boost skin’s strength, elasticity and softness; all the characteristics one needs to get and keep softer skin and a great complexion.

Follow the instructions below to make a peachy keen face mask:

You will need the following ingredients:

• one ripe peach
• one to two warm almond oil or warm olive oil

Whatever beauty cure you’re looking for; nature has a remedy for you! I make my own skin, hair and beauty products. It saves me alot of money, and, these home made creams, body lotions, hair rinses and body scrubs are all natural with absolutely no harsh or dangerous chemicals to worry about. You’ve heard of DIY?  Well, this is Abigail’s MIY – Make It Yourself .  The following recipe is one you can make to smooth cellulite.

Cellulite is certainly not attractive. I use this scrub on my thighs, as that is where my cellulite lies. Some women have cellulite on their arms. I am glad that I only have it on my legs. I do want to wear shorts this summer, so I use this ocean body scrub, along with shea butter to alleviate the ugly cottage cheese look.

So, for a quick way to tone your legs, arms and tummy, massage in this simple seaweed scrub. Seaweed and kelp contains essential minerals, like iron and zinc – that detoxify the skin, boost circulation and improve skin tone. That is why it’s a popular ingredient for tightening skin and ridding it of cellulite.

Here are the ingredients you will need to make your own ocean body scrub:

• one tablespoon powdered kelp
• two cups sea salt
• one-third cup apple juice
• two tablespoons honey