Published 27/02/2015
The holidays are over and we are back into routine here in my Naturopath clinic at Mermaid Beach. It seems to go so quickly. We all have a complaint or two about our life styles, but you just have to listen to a news segment to start to appreciate how lucky we are to have the freedom that we have. We should give daily thanks in whatever way we believe.
Being aware of our neighbours and friends, and their needs. Doing small tasks to make life easier for somebody else is a wonderful feel- good recipe. New Year resolution: try to do one good deed a day to bring happiness however small, to another person – friend or foe. The rewards will ricochet back to you in a boost of self confidence. That you are in a position to help another tells you your life is not too bad, and helps you appreciate what you have and not despair on what you do not.
There appears to be a trend towards eating and appreciating our natural foods. More and more are growing tomatoes and herbs in small pots even on balconies and in courtyards. I believe that we are cooking a greater percentage of our meals where a few years ago it was mostly take-away for a large number of families. This is so good as so many of our herbs are both food and medicine. We should listen to the old people and learn how these foods were used to assist with good health. Not scientifically proven but learned at Grandparents knees with antidotes that have like the Dreamtime stories being carried down through the generations. Make a small journey into your pantry and see what you can find.
DID YOU KNOW:
That the soldiers in world war one and two cut up onions and put them into their shoes to stop infections when there were no medicines. Their breath may have smelt and their feet turn yellow, but its healing powers worked.
Fresh mint leaves chewed daily is a great antiseptic. The Chlorophyll combined with other antiseptic chemicals in the mint strengthens gums and helps prevent tooth decay. Gargling fresh mint with salt cures hoarseness. It is great for singers and speakers.
The common lettuce is rich in cellulose; it increases the bulk of the intestinal contents and encourages peristalsis thereby helping chronic constipation.
The Mango is a favourite fruit in Queensland and has been widely used by the ancestors to assist with heat exhaustion. Prepare a drink by cooking unripe mango in hot ashes and mixing the pith with sugar and water it is an old remedy used for heat stroke. Eating raw mango with salt quenches thirst and prevents an excessive loss of minerals due to excessive sweating.
Lime is valuable in relieving swollen gums, a glass of diluted fresh lime juice mixed with a pinch of rock salt is valuable for this condition You can rub the squeezed lime rind over the gums.
Realise that people have been sick and then healed over the centuries, long before laboratories even came into existence. It is a boon to our health and our pockets to learn the lessons of the past.
Health is your wealth – treasure it
Barbara
Image courtesy of foto76 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net