Napiers - Herb and Plant Remidies

This month Medical Herbalist Dee Atkinson MCPP, MNIMH is sharing her thoughts on herbal first aid and coping with icy blasts of winter.

Herbal First Aid for Coping with Extreme Weather

Winter is most definitely upon us with a vengeance this year with temperatures almost on a par with the South Pole! But how can we keep ourselves well and fight the elements?

In extreme cold many people suffer from sinus headaches, nose bleeds, sore throats and dry irritated skin, and I would like to share with you a few really useful simple herbal hints and remedies to help you combat these problems.

Firstly, when you go out into the cold, make sure you wrap a warm scarf around your mouth and nostrils to heat the air up, as this aids normal breathing.  Put a few drops of Tea Tree Essential Oil or Chamomile Essential Oil on your scarf. These oils have broad spectrum antimicrobial and antibacterial actions and will act as a protective barrier to germs spread by droplets.

Catarrh and Sinus Problems are characterised by nasal congestion, excess mucus, headaches, runny nose, post-nasal drip, sore throats and ear problems. These problems are often associated with upper respiratory infections such as colds and flu. I usually recommend the traditional licensed medicine Sage and Garlic Catarrh Remedy which has been a firm favourite for decades. Garlic has good antibacterial actions and will help the body to fight infection. It combines well with Sage which has antimicrobial and antiseptic actions. Sage will also ease sore throats and reduce inflammation in the sinus area. One of the special features of the Sage and Garlic Catarrh Remedy is that is also contains Liquorice which is an adaptogen tonic, which supports the body’s energy store as well as having an immune support action. You can alternatively make your own herbal tea combining sage leaf, crushed garlic and liquorice root.

Echinacea is, of course, one of our key herbs for the immune system improving our resistance to bacteria and infection. Napiers Elixir of Echinacea is a highly concentrated, potent formulation, enhanced by the addition of Wild Indigo and Fumitory. It is also effective for catarrh and minor skin conditions.

Not surprisingly, there are many herbs traditionally used to support the body and aid recovery from sinus and chest problems. To ease sinus congestion, and to back up the actions of Sage and Garlic we recommend Napiers Sinus Rub. This traditional warming and decongesting cream, contains Myrrh, Lobelia, Myrica and Lavender Essential Oil.

Using a vapouriser with a blend of invigorating oils at home can help relieve symptoms and ease breathing. Vapour Ease Oil a blend of Eucalyptus, Lavender, Peppermint and Pine helps clear airways and has both antiseptic and antiviral properties. If you don’t have a vapouriser or humidifier, a saucer of water placed on a radiator will help to put moisture back in the air and relieve the drying effect that central heating can have on the airways and your skin.

Winter is also a time when we need to feed and nourish our skin. Extreme cold and the contrast between the cold outside and the central heating indoors can dry out your skin.  Drink plenty of water to help rehydrate and regularly moisturize your skin. The appearance of the skin can also change. It can become rough and easily flaky and sometimes itchy. To protect and nourish your body from the outside I regularly recommend Starflower Cream. This is a popular cream for dry and irritated skin and can be especially useful if you are an eczema sufferer. Starflower cream is made from Borage oil which has similar properties to Evening Primrose oil, and is combined with chamomile and chickweed oils. It is wonderfully moisturising and nourishing on the skin, helping the skin to retain moisture. If you have very  delicate or sensitive skin try using the milder Infant Starflower Cream.

One of my favourite winter oils is Frankincense Essential Oil. This oil has a long history of use in skin care. It has even been shown in a clinic trial done in Italy, (using women in their mid 40s), that a cream containing Frankincense was shown to significantly improve the skin’s texture and appearance of surface lines.  I have used this oil in our Herbal Skin Nutrition Nourish Night Cream – a deeply nourishing and restorative night cream. In addition, I have also recently created a range of lovely body balm and massage sticks rich in coconut oil and cocoa butter (that melts on contact with your skin), as well as antioxidant oils and therapeutic herbs.

Wrap up warm, wishing you the best of natural health       Dee

(posted Jan 2010)

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 20th, 2010 at 12:27 pm and is filed under Napiers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.