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Robert McDowell's Herbal Treatments 01 April 2005 Herbal Help for Humans and their CompanionsDaily BreadSome people argue that the white bread available now has no nutrutional value at all- I can't help but agree. Bread was once nutritious , flavoursome and great food just as it is. Grains used to be larger and have more protein and fibre, now they are bleached and devoid of any nutrients but have a multitude of chemicals making it something that our body no longer recognises as good food. Bleaching is use to soften grain and repel insects. As a human race we are even forgetting how to use our teeth and chew our food.! So many people suffer now from bloating, indigestion, constipation, reflux and fatigue often leading to gluten intolerance. Also be aware that wholemeal bread may be purely coloured bread. Countries in Europe do not permit flour to be adulterated, in England it is mandatory to artificially replace lost nutrients , but why would you remove them in the first place ? Australia has no such laws . You can still in some places seek out a beautiful sour dough ( no bakers yeast used) loaf of bread - it is worth the extra to taste real bread. Make your own - be careful about checking out what is exactly in the prepackaged mixes. This week we feature:-
Canine - Mange There are 2 types of mange found in dogs;MangeMange 1.Sarcoptic mange or Scabies. Symptoms being lesions particularly on the ear flaps & elbows, intense scratching leading to your dog biting & damaging its own skin,causing sores. This is highly contagious to other dogs, cats & humans & if your dog has this you will need to treat the family & the environment around as the mite can live off the host for 2-3 days. 2.Demodetic mange. Not contagious to humans or other dogs. Symptoms include hair loss scaling & reddening of the skin but sores are not common. The mange can be localised affecting only a few areas or generalised involving large surface areas. My first step in treating all canine skin conditions is to provide a full course of blood cleansers. What is really going on with Demodectic Mange is that the skin's own resistance to parasitic attack has been weakened through the build-up of toxins under the skin. The blood cleansing tonic I have in mind can be found by clicking on; http://www.herbal-dogkeeping.com/dog_skin_blood_cleanser.html These toxins can be simply the normal by- products of metabolism or derived from to many chemicals in feed or from worming over a long period and the body stores them under the skin if other means of elimination are overloaded. When a course of blood cleansers is given over a complete blood cycle (around 12 weeks) the skin is able to recover its normal resistance and can often repel the mites and other parasitic attack on its own. If the skin damage has been extensive and long term I provide specific antifungal/ anti parasitic herbal applications which are mixed 40 drops into 20ml of Colloidal Silver and sprayed onto the dogs coat after rinsing in warm water once per day. The Antiparasitic/ Antifungal Concentrate costs found at:http://www.herbal-horsekeeping.com/horse_anti_parasite.html Colloidal Silver; http://www.herbal-dogkeeping.com/dog_colloidal_silver_antibiotic.html This program can completely and permanently clear up the mange particularly if it is instituted with a natural raw meat and bones diet and you can eliminate commercial dog feed entirely. In my experience mange found in well cared for dogs is more likely to be due to their reactions to the chemicals in commercial dog feed than anything else. Equine - Seedy Toe, Thinning and Brittle Mane and Tail Often a thinning tail & mane can be caused by over brushing the tail & mane so over a period of time hair loss is the result. I do have a mane & tail mix that is not on the Web yet you can order in the individual prescriptions box stating Mane & Tail mix equine extract. Also add Dried Chamomile, & Nettle if you can source them locally, to the diet, steep 2 dessertspoons of each in 1 litre of boiling water-cool & feed 500ml am & pm by wetting down their dry feed. Buy a good quality natural, Ph neutral conditioner & condition their tail & mane 1 x a week cut the brushing to the absolute minimum. I would only brush in preparation for showing the horses. If you are showing weekly, minimal brushing please. Place the tails in tail bags. Remember it will take 6-12 months for the tails to thicken. Remember they won't thicken if you overbrush. Seaweed is good. I also recommend my Hoof oil to improve healing and circulation within your horses feet. See: http://www.herbal-horsekeeping.com/horse_hoof_oil.html In the diet you may care to add a half cup each of ground millet and ground linseed daily. This should help with the mane and tail. Human - Spinal Injury For my spinal injury patients here I prepare a program consisting of three parts. 1. A powerful bone healing internal treatment to encourage normalisation of any scar tissue within the bones or the spine or their supporting connective tissue and ligaments. http://www.herbal-treatment.net/herbs_bone_healing.html 2. A strong physical nerve restoration mixture, also internal which protects and nourishes the nerves emerging from the spinal cord through the individual vertebra to minimise any progressive damage done my inflammation . http://www.herbal-treatment.net/herbs_spinal_injury.html 3. An oil which is massaged daily into the particular area to facilitate circulation within the bones themselves and surrounding tissue and which also contains healing herbs to focus the healing on the particular area. http://www.herbal-treatment.net/herbs_yoga_oil.html By the end of the first six weeks you should be noticing improvements especially if you work on stretching and flexibility exercises (Yoga type ones) during the same period. Home Remedies - Herbal Baths to Assist Sleep Herbal baths are a pleasant way to use herbs for the alleviation of sleeping difficulties. The relaxing and warming effect of the hot water enhances the sedative properties of the herbs. Herbal baths can be used with herbal infusions. Add a litre of strained herbal infusion or decoction (left to brew for 30 minutes) to your bath water or tie a handful of herbs in a muslin bag and hang it from the hot-water tap so that the water runs through it. The heat of the water releases the fragrance and activates the properties of the herbs, while opening the pores of your skin. The inhaled scent passes through the nervous system to the brain, while the properties absorbed through the skin pass into the bloodstream. The result benefits for both mind and body. Fill a muslin bag with Chamomile, Linden flowers, Valerain, Yarrow or Lavender, and hang it from the tap so that the hot water runs through. Massage with St. John's Wort oil before retiring to calm and relax the body. Pour one litre (two pints) of boiling water over two handfuls of the dried root of Valerian and leave it for twenty-five minutes. Strain liquid and add to bath. Take bath before going to bed. Reader Feed Back Growing Herbs and Horses Hello Robert, I have planted a strip of herbs for one of my horses. I let him smell each herb before I planted it and planted those that he was very interested in. I am not sure if they are all safe. He does not eat every herb every day, and some he just sniffs at....still....would you be able to advise which I should remove? I appreciate immensely your effort and time and have found your articles very valuable....so much so that I started this herb garden for this recently very ill 6 month old colt....who is now much improved. I'll just give you the list. I should say that first thing in the morning when he goes out to pasture, he always stops to eat Lemon Balm...a few sprigs of fresh leaves and then some woody stems. Exact same thing when I call him in at night...it's like the daily ritual. The other herbs he is really into are English and Munstead Lavenders. I can't tell if he is eating much, but everyday he rips every plant out of the ground, and smells and chews on the wood and generally gives a lot of attention to these plants. I have to make sure he is not around when I stomp them back in or he follows behind and yanks each one right back out, chews it, tosses it around and then paws at it and buries his nose in it....then the next one. I figure he really likes it. Is this a safe herb for him to eat? Okay so here is the list of plants in the pasture, all are easily accessible. Again, many thanks for your time and kindness in assisting me. Comfrey, Echinacea, Yarrow, Catnip, assorted Mints, Oregono, Valerian, Fennel, Thyme (one plant), Feverfew (few plants behind others), Chamomile, Lavender, Garlic Chives, Plantain, Lemon Balm, Sage, Mullein, Hawthorne Bush, Horehound, Vervain, Burdock, Hyssop , Milk Thistle, Fenugreek, Celery plant, Alfalafa. Robert replied, The list of herbs you planted is very complete and Borage, Nettle and Dandelion are the only ones which would be needed to complete the list. Deciding why an individual horse repeatedly pulls something out is quite impossible really. Just accept that he seems to want to release the oil and to smell it. Lavender is a central nervous system calming agent and sends both children and blowflies to sleep. In nature, the individual herbs are protected under prickly bushes often and this discouraged an animal from wilfully destroying it but often will tolerate the discomfort if it really needs the herb. You might like to grow the lavender under the Hawthorne. Alternatively grow some in the garden and offer him a few sprigs now and again and see if he still wants to stomp them and smell them. We value your feedback so much that we are making it easier for you to send us a sentence or two. Please fill in the form below and click 'Submit' Wishing you and your companions the best of health and happiness. Yours Truly, Judith Burton for Robert McDowell |
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