These remedies are not intended to take the place of regular medicine. If your complaint requires it VISIT A DOCTOR!
Remember that all essential oils, with the exception of Lavender, MUST be diluted before coming into contact with your skin. Some oils can cause irritation. Wash the affected area and discontinue use if affected. Check out the 'Important notes on oils' page before you begin.
Ailments A-E
Abrasions (see Cuts)
Acne
A facial sauna with Chickweed, Elderflower and Marigold will soothe and draw out infection. Echinacea drunk daily as a decoction will help to fight infection. Massage Comfrey ointment into old spots to reduce scarring.
Lavender and Bergamot essential oils are both anti-bacterial. Lavender is soothing and promotes growth of healthy cells. Bergamot is astringent. Rosemary and Geranium oils stimulate the lymphatic system and so help clear the body of toxins.
Increase intake of vitamin E and avoid processed foods.
Arthritis
Eat Nettles or drink Nettle tea or a mixture of vinegar and honey. Eat apples daily to reduce symptoms.
Apply a poultice of Slippery Elm and Cayenne to affected joints. Feverfew, Meadowsweet, Celery Seed and White Willow can be taken internally or applied externally as required. Combine Comfrey tincture and a few drops of Black Pepper essential oil and apply to joints to reduce aching.
Add Juniper essential oil to a bath. Petitgrain should be massaged into the joints to treat osteoarthritis. Massage the affected area with Chamomile, Lavender or Rosemary essential oils to relieve pain and inflammation.
Increase levels of vitamins A, C and E, and levels of selenium.
Asthma
Elecampine infusion should be drunk daily if you are prone to attacks. Sprinkle Tumeric into a glass of warm water and sip as Tumeric has a broncho-dilatory effect.
An inhilation of Chamomile, Eucalyptus or Lavender essential oils during and after an attack will help open airways and ease panic. Using Pine oil in a vaporiser will help lower the number of attacks. Antispasmodic, calming oils such as Bergamot, Clary Sage, Neroli and Chamomile are useful for attacks brought on by stress.
Vitamin B6 is said to reduce frequency of attacks.
Athlete's Foot
Dab antifungal herb tinctures such as Echinacea, Marigold and Myrrh onto the affected area.
Combine Tea Tree, Eucalyptus, Patchouli, Myyrh and/or Lavender essential oils with warm water for a foot bath. These can also be added to unscented skin lotion.
Apply live yoghurt daily. Increase Zinc and vitamin C levels.
Bites and Stings
Apply Daikon Radish juice to spider bites. Apply raw Garlic or Onion to ant bites. Make a compress of cotton wadding soaked in Lemon juice or Cider vinegar to treat wasp stings.
Apply Marigold petals to bee stings. Wormwood, Sage or Rue leave should be macerated and applied to spider, scorpion or jellyfish stings. Calendula cream reduces swelling of bites and stings.
Use neat Lavender essentail oil on stings to reduce pain and swelling. Use Cider Vinegar, or diluted Eucalyptus, Citronella or Lemongrass essential oils as insect repellents.
Black Eye
Infuse fresh lavender leaves. When cooled, place the leaves in a thin hankerchief and place over the bruised area.
A cooled Witch Hazel compress will encourage healing.
Place a few drops of Calendula, Lavender and Marjoram on a cloth dampened with cool water and apply to the bruised area. Avoid the eye itself, (eyelid, corner of the eye etc).
Blisters
Try not to let the blister burst.
Boiled mashed carrots placed onto the blister help to heal and reduce infection. Apply a poultice of roasted onions. Ice will reduce pain and itching, soak the blister in cold, salty water to guard against infection and aid the drying process.
Put Aloe Vera, Calendula or neat Witch Hazel onto the blister to promote healing and dryin and reduce pain and itching.
Apply neat Lavender essential oil. Add a few drops of Roman Chamomile essential oil to 1/2 mug of water to cleanse blisters and the surrounding area.
Boils
Drink Thyme or Red Clover infusions 3 times daily when affected. Echinacea drunk 2 or 3 times daily improves the immune system and purifies the blood.
Chamomile, Lemon, Lavender or Thyme essential oils in a warm compress will help bring the boil out.
Bad Breath
Combine Carrot, Celery, Watercress and Cucumber juice with Paprika and drink.
Steep Rosemary leaves with a pinch of Cloves, Cinnamon, Aniseed, in a cup of sherry for a week. Strain and use daily. Chew fresh Rosemary or Watercress leaves, fresh parsley, Tarragon, Thyme or Mint.
Add a drop of Myrrh, Thyme or Fennel essential oil to a cup of cool, boiled water and rinse the mouth daily.
Store your toothbrush in Grapefruit Seed extract to destroy bacteria.
Bronchitis
As with coughs honey and lemon are helpful in reducing the symptoms of bronchitis.
Add Wild Cherry bark extract to any herbal drink to relieve coughing. Also Coltsfoot added to Licorice and honey, Ginseng in hot water and Peppermint tea will all help to reduce coughing. Rub Garlic oil into the chest and back to fight infection.
Inhalations of Eucalyptus or Thyme essential oils can reduce congestion. Diluted Ginger oil rubbed into the chest dispels mucus.
Increase levels of zinc and vitamins B, C and A.
Bruises
Apply compresses of Comfrey or Witch Hazel. Rub Arnica ointment into the affected area.
Apply Fennel, Hyssop or Lavender essential oils as soon as possible in an ice cold compress. When the bruise has developed, massage the area with Rosemary essential oil to increase local circulation. For severe bruising use black Pepper, Chamomile or Lavender essential oils to stimulate the spleen.
Burns and Scalds
Refrigerate or freeze the juice of crushed blueberries which can then be applied to burns and scalds. Apply honey directly to the burn. If skin is broken, soak a clean cloth in Red Raspberry or Slippery Elm tea and apply to the burn.
Aloe Vera applied directly to the burn will soothe, promote healing and prevent infection. Add a little Marigold tincture to a dressing. Treat the burn with vitamin E, Cod Liver Oil, Honey, Plain Yogurt, or a strong, cold herbal tea of Plantain, Comfrey, Burdock, or Pennyroyal.
Apply neat Lavender essential oil or diluted Garlic oil directly to the burn...use sparingly.
Cirrhosis of the Liver
Drink an infusion of 1 or more of the following herbs 2-3 times a day: Barberry, Dandelion Root, golden Seal, Vervain, Wild Yam, Yellow Dock.
Massage the abdomen with one or a combination of these essential oils: Chamomile, Cypress, Grapefruit, Juniper, Lemon, Orange.
Cold Sores
Apply a tincture of St. John's Wort immediately to prevent development of sores.
Apply Bergamot, Eucalyptus or Tea Tree essential oils immediately to treat blisters.
A good diet is important including wholegrain cereals, fruit, and pulses. Vitamin C aids the immune system and is anti fungal. Zinc also aids the immune system as well as being anti fungal and antiviral.
Conjunctivitis
Cold bread applied to closed eyes will reduce inflammation and itching. Boil Fennel seeds and use the liquid as an eyewash for conjuntivitis and sore eyes.
The following herbs can be taken orally as an infusion, Echinacea, Eyebright, Golden Seal and Sage.
Constipation
Eating fresh Prunes helps.
Infuse Licorice, Rhubarb root or senna leaves and drink as tea up to three times a day.
Dilute a few drops of Marjoram, Fennel or Rosemary essential oil in grapeseed oil and massage into the abdomen.
Increase dietry fibre
Coughs
Hot Ginseng tea reduces symptoms. Drink hot Lemon and Honey to soothe and encourage healing. Mix Mustard powder with water to make a poultice for the chest.
Peppermint tea soothes the cough. Mix Lobelia, Comfrey and Eucalyptus to make an infusion for inhalation to loosen congestion and reduce coughing. Cayenne and Garlic oil rubbed on the chest and throat will soothe and reduce coughing.
A vaporiser using Pine essential oil will help to reduce coughing and aid the healing of the lungs. Massage Frankincense into the chest and back. Myrrh essentail oil reduces mucus.
Cramp
Apply an Apple Cider Vinegar compress to the affected area. Add 3 cups of Vinegar to your bath, Drink a sip of lemon juice with a pinch of salt before bed to reduce night cramps.
Take a decoction of Cramp Bark 5 times daily. Massage Cramp Bark ointment into the affected area. Apply a fresh Peppermint poultice.
Massage Lavender or Geranium essential oil into the affected area. Use Melissa or Chamomile essential oils in massage for abdominal cramps.
Increase levels of Calcium if affected regularly. Vitamin D aids Calcium absorption. Vitamin E reduces night cramps.
Cuts and Abrasions
Apply diluted lemon juice or a small amount of Cayenne Pepper to a clean wound.
Use warm, diluted Marigold tincture to clean a wound to prevent infection and encourage healing. Apply Comfrey ointment to inflamed wounds.
A few drops of Tea Tree essential oil diluted in warm water will act as an antiseptic. Add a small amount of Geranium oil to the dressing to encourage healing.
Cystitis
Live yoghurt helps to clear infection. Eat daily and use as a douche. Drinking Cranberry juice or Barley water and Lemon will help to reduce attacks.
Drink infusions of Cough Grass or Yarrow to reduce infection.
Combine Bergamot, Lavender and Sandalwood essential oils and add to baths.
Drink plenty of water and take 1g of vitamin C daily.
Apply a strong tea of Yarrow and Chaparral to the scalp, and also drink the tea.
Apply a tea of warm water, Sage and Rosemary to the scalp.
Depression
St John's Wort is now well known as a herbal remedy for depression. Be careful with this though as it can make your skin photosensitive (over sensitive to sunlight). Don't stay out in the sun for too long if using this herb. Other herbs used in the treatment of depression are: Balm, Borage, Limeflower, Oats, Rosemary, Vervain. All of these can be taken as teas, baths, tinctures or tablets.
When lethargy is a problem the herbs Licorice and Cayenne in capsules act as a mild stimulant.
Neroli, Jasmine, Geranium,and Rose essential oils are non sedative anti depressants. Ylang Ylang, Clary Sage, Lavender and Chamomile are sedative anti depressants. all of these can be used in baths, massage, burners and vaporisers.
Ignatia is helpful when depression is reactive (due to an external stimulus such as a bereavement).
Gorse flower essence can help with feelings of hopelessness.
Mustard is useful when the depression is black and has no obvious cause.
Dermatitis
To soothe and cool the area apply a compress of Verbena or Thyme tea.
To ease itching dilute a few drops of Aspic, Cedarwood or chamomile essential oil and massage into the affected area. Use Calendula or Chamomile oil for contact deramtitis.
Crab Apple flower essence is cleansing and, diluted, can be used for washing or in baths.
Diabetes
Onions and Garlic lower blood sugar levels. Drink an infusion of Fennugreek daily to balance blood sugar levels.
Take Alfalfa iternally daily.
Take 2-3 tablespoons of brewers yeast to help normalize blood sugar levels and metabloism.
Eczema
An oatmeal bath can reduce itching and irritation.. Bathe sore areas in an infusion of Witch Hazel.
Burdock, Chamomile, Heartsease, Marigold and Red Clover are all anti inflammatory and can be infused as teas for relief of eczema. Apply Chickweed ointment to the affected area. Gel from the leaves of Aloe Vera will encourage healing. Apply Cod Liver Oil, or Strawberry leaf tea to the irritated areas.
Evening Primrose oil reduces itching and encourages healing.
To help combat eczema, take more vitamin A which can be found in liver, egg, milk and red and orange vegetables.
Eyestrain
Place slices of fresh cucumber over closed eyes to relieve tired, strained eyes.
Chickweed, Marigold or Eyebright should be applied as cool compresses for 10-15 minutes.
For repeated attacks of eyestrain vitamin A and vitamin B12 can be useful.
Information sources:
'The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Healing Remedies' C. Norman Shealy
'Aromatherapy an A-Z' Patricia Davis
My own Book of Shadows