Licorice has been brought up to me so many times in the last couple of weeks that it’s only natural that I would open the herb book and low and behold, there it is on the page. 

Licorice

Licorice has been used as a remedy since Roman times. It is native to Southeast Europe and Southwest Asia. Eventually it was cultivated in the British Isles. Today, it is still a popular remedy in China and other parts of Asia. Most candy here in the states is actually not made with real licorice but is flavored with Anise.

Read More

Cilantro

At first, I was stunned that I couldn’t find cilantro in any of my texts. I then opened to a text that reminded me that cilantro is also called coriander. I’ll use both nouns interchangeably.

This herb grows as an annual. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the term annual, it means that the plant in question will complete its life cycle in one year. It will go from seed to spent in the course of the natural seasons. 

The plant can grow to around three feet tall.

Most of us know the cooking properties of cilantro. It is a great addition to salsa, guacamole, anything with peppers, and, if you’re me, it goes on everything. It adds a fresh spice to whatever food its added to

Medicinal- 

Coriander is a wonderful appetite enhancer. Anyone on chemotherapy that can’t get their hands on marijuana due to legality can use this as a relative substitute. Obviously the effects of coriander will not be as intense but it is still nothing to scoff at.

If flatulence is something you (or really those around you) suffer from, cilantro is a great addition to throw in to keep the stomach calmer. Any gastral complaints at all can be ebbed by this herb. 

It can be a good aid in arthritis ailments though I have not been able to test this one out. 

Any type of worm ailment can be aided by Coriander. This is text and hearsay but I would presume if you are afflicted with any sort of stomach or bowel worm, you would need a heavily concentrated amount to do anything.

There are some chemicals (though I wasn’t made privi as to what they are) in coriander that can help ward of bacteria and fungi.

Potential side effects - 

It is probably a good idea to stray from Coriander if you are pregnant or breast feeding. I wish I could give an explanation as to why but this is a parroted warning.

*It is probably worth noting that coriander, like most herbs, is not recognized by the FDA as a plant with any medicinal properties. Personally I don’t give a damn what the FDA says but some people subscribe to their beliefs. 

Medical

Capsaicin is currently used in topical ointments, as well as a high-dose dermal patch (trade name Qutenza), to relieve the pain of peripheral neuropathy such as post-herpetic neuralgia caused by shingles.^[31] It may be used in concentrations of between 0.025% and 0.075%. It may be used as a cream for the temporary relief of minor aches and pains of muscles and joints associated with arthritis, simple backache, strains and sprains, often in compounds with other rubefacients.^[32] The treatment typically involves the application of a topical anesthetic until the area is numb. Then the capsaicin is applied by a therapistwearing rubber gloves and a face mask. The capsaicin remains on the skin until the patient starts to feel the “heat”, at which point it is promptly removed. Capsaicin is also available in large bandages that can be applied to the back.

Capsaicin creams are used to treat psoriasis as an effective way to reduce itching and inflammation.^[33][34]

According to animal and human studies, the oral intake of capsaicin may increase the production of heat by the body for a short time. Due to the effect on the carbohydrates breakdown after a meal, cayenne may also be used to regulate blood sugar levels.^[35] Further research is required to see if capsaicin would be useful to treat obesity.

In 1997, a research team led by David Julius of UCSF showed that capsaicin selectively binds to a protein known as TRPV1 that resides on the membranes of pain and heat sensing neurons.^[36][37] TRPV1 is a heat activated calcium channel, which opens between 37 and 45 °C (98.6 and 113 °F, respectively). When capsaicin binds to TRPV1, it causes the channel to open below 37 °C (normal human body temperature), which is why capsaicin is linked to the sensation of heat. Prolonged activation of these neurons by capsaicin depletes presynaptic substance P, one of the body’s neurotransmitters for pain and heat. Neurons that do not contain TRPV1 are unaffected.

The result appears to be that the chemical mimics a burning sensation, the nerves are overwhelmed by the influx, and are unable to report pain for an extended period of time. With chronic exposure to capsaicin, neurons are depleted of neurotransmitters, leading to reduction in sensation of pain and blockade of neurogenic inflammation. If capsaicin is removed, the neurons recover.^{[38][39][citation needed]}

The American Association for Cancer Research reports studies suggesting capsaicin is able to kill prostate cancer cells by causing them to undergo apoptosis.^[40][41] The studies were performed on tumors formed by human prostate cancer cell cultures grown in mouse models, and showed tumors treated with capsaicin were about one-fifth the size of the untreated tumors. There have been several clinical studies conducted in Japan and China that showed natural capsaicin directly inhibits the growth of leukemic cells.^[42]

Another study carried out at the University of Nottingham suggests capsaicin is able to trigger apoptosis in human lung cancer cells as well.^[43]

Capsaicin is also the key ingredient in the experimental drug Adlea, which is in Phase 2 trials as a long-acting analgesic to treat post-surgical and osteoarthritis pain for weeks to months after a single injection to the site of pain.^[44] More over, it reduces pain resulted rheumatoid arthritis^[45] as well as joint or muscle pain from fibromyalgia or other causes.

I’ll spare you the photos but the herbal tea and the topical tea bag have almost rid me of the outbreak with less than 24 hours of treatment. It’s remarkable. I added Slippery Elm bark to the internal tea mix. My current treatment is:

A wet tea bag (simple lipton black tea) press for 20-30 minutes 3 times a day (though this is only my second since I got back from New Orleans.

Internal- Lemon Balm, Black Tea (from the tea bag), Licorice, and now Slippery Elm. 

So far so good! Maybe I’ll kick this stuff yet!

Seeing as I live in North America, I figure learning about the Native American herbs available for easing herpes symptoms is a good idea. All of the information comes from a book called “A Handbook of Native American Herbs” by Alma R. Hutchens. I highly suggest  to anyone who studies herbs…get this book. It has been indispensable. All of the following is information I am parroting. I have not tested any of these herbs (unless otherwise stated)

Barberry:  

Medicinal part - Root Bark

The root tea aids as a blood tonic and the chewed root will help the healing process.

Black Walnut:

Medicinal Part - Bark, leaves, rind, green nut

Black walnuts are soluble in water and alcohol. I am interested to test this one because of the many parts in which can be aids medicinally. The leaves seem to be the best for herpes while the other pieces have other uses but I’ll have to study this one much more.

Sarsaparilla:

Medicinal Part - Root

American sarsaparilla (Aralia racemosa) is a member of the ginseng family. It might be important to note that drinking root beer is probably not going to help anything other than your taste buds. Almost all root beer isn’t made with sarsaparilla anymore. It would be wise to just get the root or a pre made tincture. Making a very strong tea out of the root then applying it to the affected area seems to be the best route.

Slippery Elm:

Medicinal Part - Inner bark

I feel almost stupid for letting this one slip by me until now. I always have slippery elm bark. I normally use it to ease swelling in the mucus membranes when treating bronchitis or sinus infections. It helps both internally and externally. This one will promptly be added to my personal experience.

Fighting Herpes II:

So my New Orleans party weekend brought back the ol’ bastard again. Great chance to try and rid myself of the breakout faster. Last time, the tea back did the trick wonderfully. One of my followers J-nail suggested Lemon Balm as an aid. A few books of mine also say Lemon Balm is a great help. Some great herbs for herpes are:

Lemon Balm

Licorice (Remember that prolonged use of Licorice can start to mess your stomach up so whenever using licorice to treat symptoms, try to use it no more than 5 days in a row)

          *Obviously some people can take licorice for extended periods and be fine but it is       warned against in many of my texts and I wouldn’t recommend it.

St. John’s Wort

Echinacea 

I just ran out of Echinacea and I still need to go get St. John’s Wort. Right now I’m working with Lemon Balm, Licorice, and the tea bag. Let’s see how I fare.

Now I’ll start this by saying that eczema is what we believe was afflicting my friend. All of the signs lined up but I must leave room to the option that the outbreak was something else.

Fixing the issue:

Before I got to her, she was already doing a vinegar soak. This had remarkable results and the entire healing process could be attributed to the vinegar alone.

I made her a tea and a topical.

The Tea:

Echinacea, Goldenseal, Alfalfa

The purpose of the tea was to clear out the blood and help any vein issue. I had not yet seen the outbreak and was going off of an earlier outbreak she had. 

The Topical:

Vitamin E Oil

Aloe Vera

Coconut Oil

Licorice

White Oak Bark

Chamomile

Lavender

The purpose of the topical was to ease the itching and any pain and help get the skin able to recover. If I had any I would have added Jojoba oil. Jojoba is indispensable in skin situations like Eczema.  

I cannot really say for certain what fixed the issue. It could have been any of the aids. It could have been her own immune system but many of these herbs are proven fixes to eczema. If any of you end up using a similar recipe or have any suggestions for future outbreaks, hit me up!

The topical - Left

The Tea - Right

The idea is to hit whatever is assaulting my friend from the inside and the out. Because it is a skin or vein condition, great caution has been taken to ensure that none of the herbs conflict with medications and that they won’t worsen the problem. Time will tell if the remedy is the right one.

Working on a topical salve for a friend who is having some crazy skin issue. I am not entirely sure what is going on so I won’t post the details of the affliction or my intended recipe until I have some more answers. I’ll definitely post the results though once I know what all is going on.

Hey there friends! If you would like to start adding to the blog, hit me up and I will give you administration privileges. If you are learning about or are a master of foraging or holistic healing, please add to the knowledge on this blog. I am only one person and we can all benefit from each other’s knowledge.