New Years Challenge

Start the new year by doing a 3 day cleanse to help you reboot your system for a new decade.

Dr. Christopher's famous 3 day cleanse is a great way to help get rid of cravings, cleanse the colon, feel like a new person, and reboot your system. 

Some benefits of the 3 day cleanse are to 

1. Help with brain fog 
2. Help with digestive disturbances 
3. Help improve energy levels 
4. Improve emotional well being
5. Feel fantastic
6. Eliminate cravings for improper foods

If you have made it through the holidays and have been eating a perfect diet then you may disregard this post. If not then keep reading. 

Let's start the challenge by doing a 3 day cleanse. What it is is a 3 day juice fast.

First: pick a juice that you will be consuming for the 3 days. This can be apple, grape, carrot, or citrus.

Second: Choose 3 consecutive days to consume up to a gallon of juice each day.

Third: Follow the guidelines for the 3 days.

Fourth: Make sure you are close to bathroom facilities for the 3 days. 

This is a serious commitment and is an intense cleanse for your body. It's like changing the oil in your car or spring cleaning your house. You are cleaning out the debris in you colon to allow the rest of your body to cleanse. 

The 3 day cleanse:

• First thing in the morning you will consume 16 ounces of prune juice. This is only consumed in the morning once each morning for the 3 days.
• 1/2 hour later you will drink 8 ounces of your chosen juice.
• The next 1/2 hour you will drink 8 ounces of distilled water.
• 3 times throughout the day you will need to take 1 tablespoon of olive oil. This helps lubricate the bile ducts so the bile can flow freely.
• Continue alternating your juice of choice and water each 1/2 hour.
• Swish each mouthful of juice as if you are chewing it to mix with saliva for better digestion and prevent a blood sugar crash.
• Finish your juice and water consumption at 8:00 PM

You will follow this plan for the next 2 days.

The 4th and 5th day is optional to drink only water if desired. 

After the cleanse you will want to transition into the Mucusless diet which I also call the Mild Food diet. 

An explanation of the diet will be given in the next post.

Any questions are welcome.

Mistletoe

Mistletoe Viscum album

Jo Francks MH

Mistletoe is a plant which grows out of the branches of trees making it a parasitic plant relying on the host tree for its nutrition. In the winter when the tree itself is dormant the mistletoe is a flourishing green. Because it was able to blossom in the frigid winter it became a symbol of fertility in the early centuries.

Mistletoe grows on many trees, especially apple trees, but rarely on oak trees. So the legend goes that the druids revered the oak trees that mistletoe was growing on and considered it a gift from the Divine.

In the Scandinavian legend, Balder, the god of Peace, was slain with an arrow made of Mistletoe. He was restored to life at the request of the other gods and goddesses, and Mistletoe was afterwards given into the keeping of the goddess of Love, and it was ordained that everyone who passed under it should receive a kiss, to show that the branch had become an emblem of love and not of hate.

We keep the tradition going this time of year by using Mistletoe in Christmas decorations. Anyone standing under the Mistletoe receives a kiss. 

Medicinally Mistletoe has been called a cure all by some herbalists. It is currently revered as a powerful nervine and antispasmodic being used for epilepsy and convulsive disorders.

Dr. Christopher taught that Mistletoe is highly valued for its nervine and antispasmodic properties, used anytime there is weakness or disorders of the nervous system. It will quiet, soothe and tone the nerves. It is also useful in female weakness and will incite uterine contractions. It tones the heart and is preferable to the powerful whipping action of digitalis or bromides in cardiac affection. 

The leaves are the best part of the plant to use. There is some indication that the berries are poisonous but so far this is inconclusive. Also it may be advised to not use Mistletoe if there is a condition of hypertension or high blood pressure. Since it is known to contract the uterus it is not advised to be used during pregnancy.

Viscum album is the European Mistletoe. The American variety is Phoradendron flavescens and has similar properties. Most information is for the European variety.

Mistletoe combines well with other nervine herbs and is one of the herbs in Dr. Christopher’s Relax-Eze combination. It’s a nice herb to use this time of year when there seems to be a lot of stress during the holidays.  

Castor Oil Fomentations

Castor Oil Fomentations

Jo Francks MH

Castor oil has been used for centuries as an aid for healing. The most widely used application of castor oil is to use it as a fomentation. Dr. Christopher taught that a castor oil fomentation is used to get rid of hardened mucus in the body, which may appear as cysts, tumors or polyps. He said that a castor oil fomentation over the liver area will open the constipated capillaries within the liver. The fomentation will draw out poisons and flush them out of the liver. A castor oil fomentation can also be used over any part of the body experiencing congestion, pain or stagnation. It can be used over the abdomen for constipation or menstrual cramps, uterine and ovarian cysts and endometriosis. It can be applied to sore or arthritic joints and sore muscles.

Please note that Dr. Christopher never recommended that castor oil be taken internally.

Before doing a castor oil fomentation prepare the area you will be laying on by placing some plastic sheeting or some towels to catch any oil that might drip. Castor oil cannot be washed out of any clothing or bedding. A castor oil fomentation is done by placing a natural wool or cotton flannel cloth folded into 3 layers saturated with castor oil but not dripping over the liver and/or abdominal areas. Cover the cloth with a piece of plastic, then a source of heat which can be a heating pad turned to a comfortably warm temperature or a hot water bottle filled with very warm water. Cover with a towel and secure all this if needed with a towel wrapped around the torso and secured with safety pins. This will be left on for at least an hour and can be left for up to 8 hours but usually an hour or two is the proper length of time. If a water bottle is your source of heat it will need to be refilled with very warm water several times to maintain the warm temperature. Another option is to alternate hot and cold while the fomentation is in place. The point is for the skin to absorb the castor oil. Dr. Christopher recommends in The School of Natural Healing book to do the fomentation for 3 days and the following 3 days massage the same area with olive oil in a circular motion towards the heart and rest on the seventh day. The program can be repeated each week for al long as necessary. If the skin becomes sensitive to the oil cut back on days and time to what your body can handle. The castor oil goes through the skin into the liver area and lymph glands and starts drawing out the poisons and flushing them out, while the olive oil goes in and helps heal and rebuild new tissue. The saturated oil cloth can be reused many times. When not in use, store it in a heavy duty resealable plastic bag or a glass jar.

Castor oil has many other benefits and is something worth having on hand when needed. 

Vitamin D

Vitamin D The Sunshine Vitamin

Jo Francks MH

An important part of Dr. Christopher’s Incurables Program is the sunbath.  He recommended that you “take a sunbath each day in the nude and not through glass but in the direct sun.”  There are two types of ultraviolet light from the sun, UVA and UVB rays.  UVA rays are longer and penetrate deep into the skin to produce a dark tan. When in the sun too long they cause wrinkles and sun spots.  UVB rays are shorter and cause the skin to burn. They are also the only rays that make vitamin D. Vitamin D is actually a steroid and is a powerful antioxidant.  It is an important nutrient in preventing cancer including skin cancers. It is important for proper immune function and to prevent autoimmune diseases.  It helps with proper brain function, diabetes prevention and is needed for absorption of calcium and phosphorus.

“Only allow two minutes on the front and two minutes on the back the first day. Then add two minutes front and back each day, but no more.”  You should never stay in the sun long enough to get burned.  The body stops making vitamin D once the skin starts to turn pink. When SPF sunscreen is applied it stops vitamin D production and may make you more susceptible to some skin cancers.

“The sun is the world’s greatest doctor but must be used by building up the exposed time in the sun gradually so as to not burn.”  The best time for vitamin D production from the sun is 11:00 am until 1:00 pm or when the sun is the brightest.  That is when the UVBs are most direct.  They are not as effective when they come in at an angle and they are easily filtered out by smog, pollution, fog, clouds and windows.    

“If it is a cloudy or cold day, use a sunlamp, but do not allow a burn.” The best source for vitamin D is from natural sunlight, but in the winter, it is not possible to get adequate amounts of vitamin D from the sun.  Sunlamps or tanning beds are another option and some provide both UVA and UVB rays for vitamin D production. Most salon tanning beds are calibrated to produce about 95% UVA light, but there are some that will produce both UVA and UVB rays.  The same caution should be used with a tanning bed as with sun exposure and they can safely produce vitamin D in the winter months. Dr. Michael Holick of Boston University has shown that vitamin D produced by UVB radiation from a tanning bed maintains longer lasting and more consistent levels of vitamin D than taking vitamin D supplements.  Dermatologists have found that tanning makes the skin give off endorphins which improve feelings of well-being and make you feel happier.

Sources: Herbal Home Health Care by Dr. John R. Christopher

Primal Body, Primal Mind by Nora T. Gedgaudas, CNS, CNT

Baby Boomer Diet by Donna Gates

Mercola.com/Tanning-Bed

Peach

Peach (Prunus Persica)  Jo Francks, M.H.

I always look forward to this time of year. Fresh locally grown produce is abundant and I think my favorite just might be fresh peaches. The season seems to go by too quickly and before you know it there are no more peaches to be found. Peaches are rich in antioxidants and other compounds that help prevent and fight various kinds of cancer, lower cholesterol, improve eyesight, reduce inflammation, improve skin health and strengthen the immune system.
The peach fruit is delicious to eat but there are many parts of the tree that can be used medicinally including the bark, leaf, and flower.

Peach bark is used as a nervine and a blood purifier. An infusion or a few capsules are said to stop cases of difficult diarrhea almost immediately. It is also used to relieve morning sickness in pregnancy. It can be made into a tea or a tincture made from the fresh bark in alcohol. The bark is also an agent used for the urinary tract in cases of burning urine and inflammation.
Folk legends say that if you have an upset stomach you should scrape the bark downward from a peach tree, boil it and drink it. If that upset turns to diarrhea you should scrape the bark upward and repeat the process!

Peach leaves are used as an excellent gentle laxative in cases of constipation. They have been used to expel worms. A tea of the leaves can be used to calm the nerves and to relieve coughing spasms. The bark and leaves have many of the same properties. They are used as a sedative and expectorant. All coughs can benefit from using peach bark or leaf. Gather peach leaves in the late summer when still green, dry them and store them to use as a tea through the winter. 

Peach flowers are good for the skin and have been used for skin cancer. The flowers can be made into a tea and taken internally or used topically as a fomentation. The fruit can be blended and used as a mask on the skin and has been beneficial in removing dark circles.
Enjoy eating peaches while they are ripe. A great way to preserve them is to dry them or freeze them. I have made canned peaches for many years using concentrated frozen apple juice as a sweetener instead of sugar. We enjoy making peach cobbler, peach ice cream (dairy free), smoothies and many other recipes using peaches.

The Urinary Tract

The Urinary Tract

Jo Francks MH

The urinary tract consists of the kidneys, bladder, ureters and the urethra.  The kidney function is to remove waste from the blood and regulate fluid levels.  The kidneys process about 200 quarts of water per day and excrete about 2 quarts of waste products and extra water through the bladder per day in the form of urine.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the second most common type of infections in the body and account for over 8 million doctor visits per year.  UTIs can happen anywhere in the urinary tract but most common is the bladder.  Women are more likely to develop a UTI than men.  One in five women will suffer from a UTI and about 20% of those will likely have another bladder infection.

Symptoms of a urinary tract infection may include cloudy urine, foul smelling urine, a reddish color if blood is present, painful or burning sensation during urination, frequent urge to urinate, and a low grade fever.  If the infection reaches the kidneys, other symptoms may appear such as pain in the lower back or side, nausea and vomiting, chills or fever, tired or general ill feeling.

Herbal treatment for UTIs:  In her book Dr. Mom’s Healthy Living, Sandra Ellis claims she has never seen the following treatment fail.  Take 2 capsules of Dr. Christopher’s Kidney Formula with 1 capsule Solaray Cranactin 3 times a day, and drink a gallon of distilled water per day.  Sandra says “There is an ingredient in cranberries that keeps the bacteria from adhering to the bladder wall, the kidney formula kills the infection, and the gallon of distilled water flushes it out.”  Dr. Christopher’s Infection formula can be added to the above treatment if necessary.  Take 4 capsules 3 times a day.  Other herbs that could help with a bladder infection include dandelion which acts as a diuretic and blood purifier, buchu which helps relieve the burning sensation, uva ursi is a strong diuretic and helps to dissolve stones, marshmallow root to help soothe the irritation, astragalus to boost the immune system, garlic to fight infection and boost immune function, cranberry juice, rose hips, yarrow, couch grass,  juniper berries, corn silk, and hydrangea root to dissolve stones.

Prevention is the key, especially if a person has experienced a bladder infection in the past.   Don’t  resist the urge to urinate, and make sure the bladder is completely empty each time.  Wipe from front to back to prevent bacteria around the anus from entering  the vagina or urethra. Take showers instead of baths.  Drink a gallon of distilled water every day.  Eliminate alcohol, caffeine, sodas, and sugary drinks, and processed foods.  Eat more green foods (try a green smoothie) and fresh fruits and vegetables.  Carrot juice, lemon juice and apple cider vinegar are all good to help change the Ph of the body to  more alkaline.  Disease can’t grow in an alkaline environment.

GREEN SMOOTHIE RECIPE

In a blender add a ripe banana and a pear or any other fruit you would like such as grapes, apple, berries etc.  Now add leafy greens of your choice to fill the blender to the top.  I like kale and spinach mixed.  Try fresh dandelion, plantain, alfalfa, comfrey, amaranth, lambs quarter, collard etc.  Add water halfway to the top and about a tablespoon of agave, maple syrup or honey (optional).  Cover with lid and blend for a minute or two until it is smooth.

Anise Hyssop

Herb of the Year 2019

Jo Francks MH

This year’s international herb of the year is Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
Anise Hyssop is a native plant of North America in the mint family and has a flavor and scent of licorice and mint. It is a very attractive plant to grow in any herb garden and will act as most mints and spread itself out and take over if left to its own devices. This plant has attractive purple spike flowers which bloom from June to September and will attract visitors such as bees, butterflies and hummingbird and the scent of the leaves will deter unwanted munchers like deer and squirrels.
Native American tribes had many uses for this plant. It was used as medicine for diarrhea, coughs and fevers and also as a flavoring for food.
It can be used externally as a tea or poultice on wounds or burns, rashes, insect bites and itching. A salve can be made from the leaves and used for the same purpose. There have been cases where it has been helpful for poison ivy exposure. Anise Hyssop is a wonderful cardiac tonic and mood enhancer.

I’m excited to add this plant to my herb garden this year. I plan to harvest and dry the flowers to make sleep pillows or potpourri. I’ll harvest the leaves for tea to use as a cough medicine and a diaphoretic tea. I’ll also use the leaves to make an ointment for the skin. Anise Hyssop has many uses and seems to be a great option for use in a medicinal herb garden.

Grow an Immunity Garden

Grow an Immunity Garden

Jo Francks MH

When you are prepared you need not fear is a quote I have heard many times in my life. After learning about herbs and their healing qualities my family never went to a doctor for an illness. I learned about the herbs that would keep us well and help us heal and have been using them regularly for years. It may surprise you that when I learned a few herbs very well and got to know how they worked I found I didn’t need a large selection. I use what is nearby and what I grow without too much trouble.

Here are a few herbs I have come to rely on for immunity. I grow and harvest these herbs through the summer to be used in the winter during the cold and flu season.

Calendula officinalis: This is sometimes called marigold or pot marigold but should not be confused with the marigold in the Tagetes family. They don’t have the same principles. Calendula flowers are well known for their use externally to heal wounds, prevent infection, reduce inflammation, and ease pain. Internally it is great as a diaphoretic, immune stimulant and expectorant for coughs. The tea of the flowers is used as a mouth wash for tooth and gum complaints or as a gargle for sore throats. We also use the tea to ease a cough and at the first sign of a cold. This herb is a must in any herb garden for me. It can be made into a tincture, ointment, or glycerin extract.

Echinacea purpurea or Echinacea angustifolia:  There are a few varieties of Echinacea. I have found that the easiest to grow is Echinacea purpurea or purple coneflower but would prefer to use Echinacea angustifolia because it has a long taproot that is easy to harvest. The flowers area beautiful purple color and last a few weeks in the garden. The root is the most medicinal but the leaves and flowers can be used throughout the growing season. They can be dried for teas or used as a poultice for bug bites or wounds. I also put the leaves in smoothies for added immune function. This is one of the first plants I learned about as being a natural anti-biotic. I harvest the root of the plants that are at least 3 years old, wash them tediously and use the fresh root in a tincture or dry them and make other extracts. When used at the first sign of a cold it works very well to prevent an illness. I love having Echinacea on hand to use when needed.

Garlic Allium sativum: Nature’s anti-biotic. Books have been written on the virtues of garlic. Eat it and the smell alone will keep the illnesses away and your friends and your familyJ. I had a child that would make the garlic and honey remedy for sore throats and eat it as a snack. It kills infection, gets rid of parasites, prevents some cancers from forming, removes warts, helps to lower cholesterol and high blood pressure and protects the liver. Once garlic gets established in the garden you will never be without it.

Red Raspberry Leaves Rubus idaeus: This herb has been called the woman’s herb, the children’s herb, the pregnancy herb etc. Harvest the leaves all summer and dry them. Most likely there will be someone you will want to share them with so gather extra. This tea is mild and useful for colds. It cleanses the mucus membranes, increases immune function and is very nutritive. We use it in sweat baths as a diaphoretic tea when we are dealing with a fever because it tastes better than Yarrow tea and the kids will drink it without complaining.

There are many other herbs that are worth growing in an immunity herb garden like cayenne, thyme, lemon balm, red clover, plantain, rose hips just to name a few. They are easy to grow and it is very therapeutic so save money, grow herbs, make medicine, love life, and live long and healthy.

Strawberry

Strawberry (Fragaria vesca)

Jo Francks MH

There are many species of strawberries, over 600 varieties in fact, and this time of year they are showing up in stores and markets. After a long winter it is very refreshing to eat fresh strawberries; and wait till you read about all the health benefits packed into them. Not only are the berries a wonderful and nutritious treat, but the leaves make a wonderful nutritional herbal infusion.

The first thing you’ll want to know about strawberries is that they contain anthocyanins which is a flavonoid known to reduce the risk of heart attack. This is also what gives the berries its red color so guess what? You should make sure the strawberries are ripe and red when you eat them in order to get the full benefit of the anthocyanins.

Strawberries also contain quercetin which is anti-inflammatory and helps lower the risk of atherosclerosis. I can’t list all the wonderful properties of the berries in this short article but be aware that strawberries are packed full of Vitamin C.  In a cup of berries you get almost 100 milligrams which is more that the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of 75-95 mg. for an average adult.

Strawberries are low on the glycemic index (40) making them a good food choice for diabetics. They also may be helpful for lowering blood pressure due to their polyphenols. They contain folic acid, anti-oxidants, and ellagic acid and kempferol which have been shown to be cancer protectants. From the research I’ve done there aren’t any reasons I can see to not eat a lot of strawberries. But let’s not stop there.

The leaves of the strawberry plant pack a big punch in the medicinal realm. They are astringent, tonic and diuretic. They contain caffeic acid (not caffeine) shown to reduce arthritis symptoms and inflammation of the joints. The leaves also provide trace minerals such as iron, calcium and vitamin C. They are also good for digestion. To make an infusion of strawberry leaves use freshly picked or dried leaves. Add a heaping teaspoon of dried leaves to a cup of hot water or 4 or 5 fresh leaves, let steep for 10-15 minutes, strain and enjoy. Jethro Kloss recommends using it in place of coffee or tea and says it is good for eczema if taken internally and used as a wash. He also claims it will prevent night sweats.

It’s a good time this spring to think about adding strawberry plants to your garden. They like all soil conditions and will grow in poor soil quite well. If you’re out hiking you may come across wild strawberries. The best strawberries to eat are definitely the ones you have grown yourself to ensure there are no pesticide residues on them and they just taste better. Look for organic strawberries in the store or at farmers markets if possible. Otherwise make sure to wash them well.

Hops

Hops

Humulus lupulus

Jo Francks MH

The International Herb Association has chosen Hops as the herb of the year for 2018. Hops is on The School of Natural Healing’s 100 herb list as a nervine. Dr. Christopher considered hops both a stimulating and a relaxing nerve tonic, in that it increases heart action and capillary circulation, yet will produce soothing slumber in nervous and excited mental conditions. Hops is relaxing to the liver and gall ducts and reduces inflammation and relieves accompanying pain.

Before Dr. Christopher knew about nervine herbs he knew about hops. He had a patient in Olympia, Washington, USA, who had the worst case of insomnia he had ever seen. She walked the floor at night and could not relax in the daytime, either. Dr. Christopher made up an old English formula: he filled a pillow with hop flowers and told her to sleep on it. She tried it and slept like a baby! In England in 1787, when King George III was suffering from what his physicians thought to be lunacy, he slept on a Hops pillow instead of taking opiate drugs. Hops was considered official in the 17th U.S. Dispensatory to be used in a pillow for insomnia. Hops can also be used as a tea for insomnia. It is very bitter and may be easier taken as a capsule or extract.

Hops pillows can be made very easily by putting hops flowers into a drawstring muslin bag used for making herbal tea. Lavender and chamomile flowers can be added as well. This can be put near your pillow or under your pillow when you go to bed.

Cooking with Low Heat

We Recommend Low Heat:

Jo Francks MH

We often get asked what someone can use to low heat food when they are transitioning to Dr. Christopher’s Mucusless Diet. I have experimented with many gadgets and appliances. There is one I have found that is not too costly and can be used for multiple purposes including low heating food.

An electric skillet with a dial controller allows you to adjust the temperature to below the warm setting. The one I use is a Rival and is common in many department stores. There are other brands also available.

To get the temperature to below 130 degrees you first add water to about a half inch from the top. Turn the dial until the light comes on and put the lid on. Leave this for 6 hours or overnight and check the temperature with a thermometer. Adjust the knob higher until you reach the temperature desired (130 degrees) and use a permanent marker to mark the spot on the dial.

I use this to low heat grains and vegetables and to extract herbal oils or make decoctions. The skillet I have has a nonstick coating so I put a pyrex glass pan in the skillet and that’s what I put the food in. This opens up a wider range of warmed food to eat on the Mucusless Diet and is especially nice in the winter.

Recipe

Low Heated Stir Fry Vegetables

1//2 Chopped onion

1 bunch asparagus (cut off the tough ends)

1 cup diced zucchini

½ cup sliced mushrooms

½ red pepper

Braggs Aminos

Black pepper grinder

Place the veggies in the glass pan in the electric skillet. Sprinkle with Braggs and grind some pepper over the veggies to desired amount. Low heat 3 to 4 hours to desired consistency.

Serve over zucchini noodles or low heated grains.

Recipe by Jo Francks MH

Eyebright

Eyebright

Jo Francks MH

Many times I have been asked by callers about cataracts, glaucoma, eye floaters or poor vision. I always tell them about Dr. Christopher’s Herbal Eye Formula. Sometimes they demand to know if this will remove their cataracts and if I know of anyone who has removed cataracts with the formula. Aside from the many stories and testimonials given by Dr. Christopher himself, I have recently talked with one of our students who has had great improvements with cataracts and glaucoma.

This student (I will call her Jill) had pressure of 20 and 21 in the eyes. She washed her eyes out with a solution of the herbal eye wash 5 or 6 times a day for a month. When she went back to the doctor the pressure had gone down to 15 in both eyes and she could see much better. She also had cataracts and had a lens put in one of her eyes because she was losing eyesight all together. In the eye without the lens she said everything looked like a black blob. Now she can see and even read through that eye.

This is what Jill told me she did. She would boil a half cup of water and add 25 drops of the Herbal Eye Tincture and let it cool off. She used this formula in an eye cup to wash her eyes 5 or 6 times a day. The Doctor told her she would destroy her eye by washing her eye with this formula. She did it anyway. She also took 2 capsules a day of the same formula.  After a month she saw dramatic results and is continuing to use the formula.

Another man had called in and wanted to tell us that his cataracts were going away. He had been taking 2 capsules of the Herbal Eye formula twice a day for several months. He didn’t know about the eyewash and was going to start using that too.

We also have a testimonial of eye floaters going away by using the Bilberry Eye formula. This person did not like taking capsules so they were opened and the formula was eaten.

If you’re wondering if Dr. Christopher’s Herbal Eye formulas can help you with any vision or eye problems, I encourage you to give it a try. Many people have used these herbal formulas with positive results. As with any herbal therapy; it won’t work if you don’t use it.

We Recommend Hot and Cold Therapy

We Recommend Hot and Cold Therapy

Jo Francks MH

When my children were younger we were having dinner with some friends who had children the same age and they had an outside hot tub. The kids were soaking in the hot tub and then suddenly they weren’t. When we looked for them, we found them rolling around in the snow and laughing.  The other mom was a little worried thinking they would catch pneumonia or something. I assured her that this was good therapy and was so good for their circulation.

Through history alternating heat and cold on areas of inflammation or pain has been used extensively. The heat brings the blood and nutrients to the area and helps muscles relax.  The cold drives the blood and toxins away and in some cases will reduce inflammation and swelling.

For a sports injury such as a sprained ankle cold treatment is recommended for the first 48 hours. After that alternating heat and cold is recommended. The cold treatment shouldn’t be used before a workout and ice shouldn’t be applied directly to the skin for very long. Ice can be used as a massage and can be added to water to soak in. A bag of crushed ice or frozen vegetables works well.

Heat therapy is used to relax muscles and increase circulation. It can be applied as a hot water bottle or in a bucket of warm water. A rice bag heated in a microwave has worked very nicely.

Guidelines are to alternate hot and cold up to 10 minutes each for 30 to 40 minutes three times a day ending on cold. This alternating therapy can also be applied while in the shower. Use alternating warm and cold for up to a minute each before changing the heat. Common sense should be used to determine how hot or cold the temperature should be.

Use caution with this therapy for people with high blood pressure or heart disease. Pregnant women shouldn’t use prolonged hot and cold therapy. Also this shouldn’t be applied to open wounds.

Of course we always recommend using other natural treatments as well. For injuries the Complete Tissue and Bone formula can be used internally and as an ointment or fomentation. Some other herbs that can be used for inflammation are turmeric, ginger, cayenne, and marshmallow.

We Recommend Skin Brushing

We Recommend Skin Brushing

Jo Francks MH

In Iridology the edge of the iris of the eye represents the outside skin of the body. Ideally the iris color should extend all the way to the edge of the iris. If there is a dark edge to the iris it may be suggesting that the skin is under active and needs some attention and nurturing.

The skin is our largest channel of elimination and could also be a communicator that our other channels of elimination and detoxification are being sluggish by showing signs of acne, eczema, psoriasis, etc. Skin brushing helps the skin by brushing away dead skin cells and opening up the pours. It helps increase circulation to the skin and throughout the body. It is also an excellent way to move lymph through the body. This is important because the lymph doesn’t move on its own like the blood does. Lymph needs our help to get through the lymphatic system. It carries immune cells and cleans up the blood as it moves. Our own body movements, exercise, skin brushing and massage are some of the ways to pump the lymph.

To do skin brushing, use a dry skin brush with natural bristles on dry skin. Start by brushing the bottom of the left foot then the top and use upward brushing motions and work your way to the top of the leg and hip. Make sure to brush front back and sides so you don’t miss any spots. Do the same on the right leg starting at the bottom of the foot and work up to the hip always brushing towards the heart. After you have brushed the legs go to the left hand. Start at the palm then the back of the hand and brush up to the shoulder then do the right hand and arm. On the back start at the waist and brush all the way up the back to the shoulders the brushing strokes going upward. On the abdomen brush in a clockwise motion in the direction the bowels flow. Brush from the jaw down the neck to the chest. From the top of the shoulders, brush down the chest toward the heart. When doing dry skin brushing it is important to go with the flow meaning brush in the direction the lymph moves. The lymph nodes are one way valves and always open towards the heart.

The best time to do dry skin brushing is in the morning just before showering. Some reports say that it has helped with crepe skin, cellulite and improved energy levels. I suggest you try it out for 30 days and see what kind of results you get.

Help for Migraines

Help for Migraines

Jo Francks MH

It is estimated that 25 million Americans suffer from migraines on a regular basis or as much as 12 percent of the population. A classic migraine is a severe and throbbing headache, usually on one side of the head and often preceded by visual disturbances. Nausea and vomiting often accompany a migraine.

Women suffer this condition nearly 3 times more than men. Approximately one third of women who get migraines have them just prior to or during menstruation. Hormonal fluctuations of estrogen and progestin are thought to trigger these migraines.

In Dr. Christopher’s School of Natural Healing book, the cause of headaches is stated as the result of a disturbance in some other part of the body, such as digestive disorders in the stomach, liver or bowel; problems in the abdominal area; menstrual irregularities, impingements in the cervical; concussion, eye strain, nervous excitement, fatigue, etc. The headache is a mechanism which signals some serious problem elsewhere. The common headache is due to faulty elimination, and the waste matter causes problems until the toxic wastes reach the stomach nerves and affects them. Sometimes headaches are caused from panic, fear, or worrying about the unknown.

Herbal treatments for Migraines

Feverfew (Tenacetum parthenium) is a well-studied herb for the treatment of migraines and has been used successfully. 1 to 4 fresh leaves can be eaten daily for prevention. Some people have noticed the fresh leaves to cause mouth sores. A tea can be made of the fresh leaves to avoid getting mouth sores and capsules can also be used. Feverfew seems to work best when taken consistently over time.

Cayenne: This increases circulation to all parts of the body. Capsaicin in the juice of fresh peppers was applied to the nose of a group suffering from cluster headaches. This treatment significantly reduced the number of headaches and some were completely cured. Taking cayenne internally has also proven helpful for migraines which would be more preferable than using the fresh juice in the nostril.

Ginger: one study compared the efficacy of ginger for the treatment of migraine headaches to Imitrex a top selling drug. It turned out that only one-eighth of a teaspoon of powdered ginger worked just as well and just as fast as the drug when given at the onset of the migraine. Using ginger daily also helped prevent migraines or decrease their frequency and intensity.

Nervine herbs: Stress is one of the triggers of a migraine. Dr. Christopher suggested using a strong nervine tea such as valerian or skullcap with lobelia tincture added. His Relax-Eze formula is also helpful to relieve stress and help with headaches.

Dr. Christopher’s MindTrac: Science is claiming that some migraines could be due to low serotonin levels. Using the MindTrac is helpful as well as exercise, fresh air and sunshine to naturally increase serotonin levels.

As a sufferer of migraines myself I was able to get relief through chiropractic care from a NUCCA chiropractor. It took several treatments to get my head on straight and from there I had no more recurrence.

Not all people who suffer from migraines will respond to one treatment because the cause can be from many sources as explained above. The important thing is to find out what triggers a migraine and work to prevent them and to help relieve the symptoms. They can be very debilitating.

References:

School of Natural Healing: John Christopher

Women’s Herbs Women’s Health: Christopher Hobbs, Kathy Keville

How Not To Die: Michael Greger

The Green Pharmacy: James Duke

Body into Balance: Maria Noel Groves