Chamomile

Chamomile is a wonderful relaxant for the nervous system and digestion, and a perfect remedy for babies and children. Chamomile relaxes smooth muscle throughout the body. In the digestive tract chamomile relieves tension and spasm, colic, abdominal pain, wind and distension. By regulating peristalsis, chamomile can treat both diarrhea and constipation. Chamomile is famous for soothing all kinds of digestive upsets, particularly when related to stress and tension. The bitters stimulate the flow of bile and the secretion of digestive juices, enhancing the appetite and improving a sluggish digestion. The volatile oil has been shown to prevent and speed up the healing of ulcers when used internally and externally, making chamomile an excellent remedy for gastritis, peptic ulcers and varicose ulcers on the legs. Chamomile is highly antiseptic, active against bacteria, including thrush (Candida albicans). Chamomile tea helps to bring down a fever and can be given for colds, flu, sore throats, coughs, and digestive infections such as gastroenteritis. Its antiseptic oils soothe an inflamed bladder and cystitis. Chamomile helps relieve nausea and sickness in pregnancy,  relax uterine spasm and relieve painful periods, reduce menopausal symptoms, relieve mastitis, premenstrual headaches and migraines, and treat absence of periods due to stress. Chamomile can be drunk throughout childbirth to relax tension and lessen the pain of contractions. As a general pain reliever, chamomile can be taken for headaches, migraines, neuralgia, toothache, earache, achiness during flu, cramps, rheumatic and gouty pains. Chamomile also helps resolve inflammation in arthritic joints. Recent research suggests that chamomile acts as a natural antihistamine. Chamomile can be used for asthma and hay fever and externally for eczema. Externally chamomile is an excellent antiseptic healer for wounds, ulcers, sores, burns and scalds. Steam inhalations help relieve asthma, hay fever, catarrh and sinusitis. Chamomile can also be used as a cream for sore nipples and a douche for vaginal infections. Sitting in a bowl of chamomile tea is wonderfully soothing for cystitis and hemorrhoids. Chamomile also makes a good antiseptic eyewash for sore inflamed eyes and a lotion  for inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema and ringworm.

If you've ever suffered from an occasional migraine headache or have hyperactive children, or grandkids, then you should consider the success that the famous French herbalist, Maurice Messegue, had with chamomile. After just 14 days of intensive treatment with chamomile, a man who had debilitating migraines was cured. To make a relaxing tea, simply steep 2 tbsps. of fresh or dried flowers in 1 pint of boiling water for 40 minutes. Strain, sweeten with pure maple syrup and drink 1-2 cups at a time.

European herbalists rave about the great cosmetic benefits to be derived from the use of chamomile. When the face is washed with the tea of the herb several times a week, it will show a healthier and softer glow. The same tea also makes a wonderful hair conditioner, especially for blond hair, making it more manageable and shinier. To make a tea, simply bring 1 pint of water to a boil, then remove from heat and add 2 tsp. of dried flowers. Cover and let steep for 45 minutes. Strain and use when lukewarm to cool.

Chamomile may be used as a compress and wash for all external conditions of inflammation and as an oil rub for muscular stiffness and temporary limb paralysis. To make an effective tea to be drunk and also as a wash, just bring 1-2 pints of water to a boil, adding 2 heaping tsp. of dried or fresh flowers. Immediately remove from heat and steep for 20 minutes or so. Drink a cup at a time 2-3 times daily and wash inflamed areas of skin with the same several times each day as well. To make a good massage oil for limb stiffness and paralysis, including lower backaches, simply fill a small bottle loosely with some fresh chamomile and then add some olive oil until it covers the flowers. Put a tight lid on the bottle and keep it in the sun for two weeks, thereafter storing in the refrigerator and using as needed. Warm whatever oil is going to be used before massaging well into the skin. And to help soothe tired, irritated eyes, just soak some chamomile tea bags in a little ice water and then apply to the eyelids for incredible relief. This is especially good to do during allergy season.

One of the chief components in both chamomiles (German and Roman), especially in the German variety, is azulene. This compound has helped in the prevention of allergic seizures, even in guinea pigs, for up to an hour after administration. Azulene might also possibly cure hay fever. Chamomile is good for relieving asthmatic attacks in kids and adults. An effective chamomile throat spray is marketed to most health food stores under the CamoCare label, and has been used for this purpose. An asthmatic can spray some of this chamomile concentrate in the mouth toward the back of the throat to relieve choking sensations and to better facilitate breathing. Besides drinking 3-4 cups of warm chamomile tea on a daily basis during allergy season for adults, and 1-2 cups per day for young children, it's also advisable to inhale the warm vapors by covering the head with a heavy bath towel and holding the face about 8-10 inches above a pan containing freshly-made tea for about 12-15 minutes at a time.

Only a few herbs in the plant kingdom are capable of regeneration or producing brand-new liver tissue. Tomato juice is one of these and German chamomile tea is another. Two compounds, azulene and guaiazulene, initiated new growth of tissue in rats which had had a portion of their livers surgically removed, according to Vol. 15 of Food & Cosmetics Toxicology for 1977. For encouraging the formation of new liver tissue, it's recommended that up to 6 cups of chamomile tea be consumed every other day or an average of 3-4 cups per day. In this particular instance, the tea seems to work much better than powdered capsules would. This treatment would probably be especially good for those suffering from degenerative liver diseases such as infectious hepatitis or the more deadly AIDS virus.

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