How to Brew a Laxative Tea

Laxative teas are a simple, natural way to aid your normal bowel function. Here are a few to try at home.

Instructions

Licorice Root Laxative Tea

1

Add 1 tbsp. broken licorice root (a good mild laxative) per each cup boiling water.

2

Boil uncovered for 1 hour and then remove from heat, cool and strain.

3

Add apple, grape or other fruit juice to dilute tea if it is too strong.

4

Drink 1 cup in the morning and 1 at night.

Barley Brew Laxative Tea

5

Combine 1/4 cup organic pearl barley, 1/4 cup organic figs, 2 tbsp. licorice root, 1/4 cup organic raisins and 10 cups water in a non-aluminum pot.

6

Cover and simmer until liquid is reduced by half (this takes about 8 hours).

7

Strain and drink 1/2 cup in the morning or at night.

Buckthorn Bark Laxative Tea

8

Add 2 tbsp. each of nettles, Oregon graperoot and plantain, followed by 1 tbsp. peppermint leaves to 6 cups of boiling water.

9

Remove from heat.

10

Cover and let stand for 30 minutes.

11

Add 2 tbsp. buckthorn bark, cover and let stand for an hour or 2.

12

Strain and drink in moderation. The tea may be reheated, but do not boil.

How to Do a Liver and Gallbladder Flush Fast

This particular fast is based on European folk medicine and is still used in health spas and hospitals to cleanse and revitalize two of your body's most essential cleansing tools--the liver and the gall bladder. We recommend that you read "How to Understand a Liver and Gall Bladder Flush" and consult your doctor before beginning this fast.

Instructions

1

Abstain from all solid foods for the first 2 days of the fast and drink organic apple juice, warmed with cinnamon sticks in it. Also drink dandelion root and dried dandelion leaf tea, made by simmering the 2 ingredients in water for 20 minutes.

2

Drink both drinks, 2 hours apart, for a total of 7 drinks each day.

3

Follow this general schedule with your drinks: 8 a.m.: 1/2 cup warm apple juice with 1/2 cup dandelion tea, together; 10 a.m.: 2 cup plain apple juice with 1/2 cup water; 12 noon: 1 cup tea and 1 cup apple juice, together; 2 p.m.: 2 cup juice, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup fresh pressed beet juice; 4 p.m.: 2 cup apple juice, 1/2 cup water; 6 p.m.: 1 cup apple juice, 1 cup tea, together; 8 p.m.: 2 cup apple juice. Continue this schedule for 2 to 4 days.

4

Take an internal bath on the last day of your fast before you begin the final step. This is optional, but recommended.

5

Begin to end your fast about 3 hours before you go to sleep by completing the following procedure.

6

Soak a 12-inch square of cloth, cotton or wool flannel fabric is best, with castor oil, and prepare either a heating pad or a hot water bottle.

7

Drink 1/4 tsp. Epsom salt dissolved in 1/3 cup warm water to dilate your gall bladder and liver ducts in preparation for the olive oil cocktail. You can chew orange or lemon rind if the Epsom salt bothers you.

8

Drink a blended combination of 1/3 cup cold pressed olive oil, 1/4 cup cream, 1/3 cup hot apple juice and 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice.

9

Get into bed lying on your right side. Place the castor oil cloth, with the heating pad over it (use old towels to avoid a mess), over your liver and gall bladder area (on your right side, just under your rib cage). Leave it there for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

10

Remove the hot pack and castor oil cloth and drink the same Epsom salt drink that you drank earlier.

11

Rest easy. Drink some fresh-squeezed orange or lemon juice. And by the next day you should notice various sized pebbles in your eliminations, ranging in color from bright green to dark brown--gall stones formed by rancid fats in your diet.

12

Break your fast by avoiding fried foods, oils, and fats. Eat oranges, pineapple, grapefruit and berries in the morning; a leafy green for lunch; fresh soup, salad and steamed vegetables for dinner. Continue this general type of diet for a few days after your fast.

How to Reduce Cold Sores Naturally

No cure exists for herpes simplex type I virus, which causes cold sores, but here are some natural ways to stimulate blisters to heal quickly.

Instructions

1

Take supplements that inhibit viral growth at the first sign of an outbreak. Try 500 to 1,000 mg daily of the amino acid L-lysine. Antioxidant vitamins and 50 to 100 mg of zinc per day may also help.

2

Boost your immune system. Take echinacea and goldenseal and make sure you get 5,000 mg vitamin C daily. Get plenty of rest and reduce stress.

3

Treat the cold sore topically. Dab tea tree oil, a natural antiseptic, at either full or half strength directly on blisters several times a day.

4

Promote healing by avoiding foods that contain arginine, another amino acid that suppresses lysine; nuts, dairy products, meat, seeds, oats, peanuts and corn all contain arginine. Limit citrus and other acidic fruits because they can irritate blisters.

How to Treat a Yeast Infection Naturally

Vaginal yeast infections are caused by an overgrowth of Candida albicans, a fungus that normally lives in your body. Certain conditions can create an environment for the fungus to proliferate, and some of the common symptoms are a cheesy white discharge, irritation, intense burning and itching, and redness in the area.

Instructions

1

Eat yogurt. It contains helpful bacteria (live cultures, including acidophilus and bifidus) that destroy yeast. It also works when applied topically. Insert some into the vagina using a finger or plastic tampon applicator. Use only plain yogurt with active cultures.

2

Take lactobacillus/acidophilus supplements. Use according to the directions on the bottle.

3

Douche with a solution of 1 to 3 tbsp. vinegar in a quart of water. Repeat once a day while having symptoms, but no longer than a week.

4

Decrease or eliminate sugar and sugary foods. Sugar promotes yeast growth.

5

Use a garlic clove as a suppository. Garlic contains a natural anti-fungal agent. Peel a fresh clove, wrap it in gauze and insert it into the vagina.

6

Try gentian violet. It's a traditional remedy for yeast and other infections, and can be found in pharmacies. Swab the area with it once or twice a day. Make sure to use a thick pad - it stains everything.

7

Use an herbal douche. Combine equal amounts of sage, raspberry and comfrey with 1/4 part goldenseal. This can be combined with cider vinegar.

8

Use an over-the-counter yeast infection remedy. Apply as directed.

How to Use St. John's Wort

St. John's wort has been used for centuries to treat a variety of illnesses, including respiratory problems, dysentery, worms, jaundice and gastrointestinal disorders. Its most popular use today is to treat mild to moderate depression, and in fact, it is the best-selling anti-depressant in Germany.

Instructions

1

Choose a St. John's wort product that says it has a standardized 0.3 percent hypericin content. The higher the hypericin content, the higher the potency will be per milligram.

2

Make sure you buy a brand that has a standardized concentration. Since herbs are unregulated, this is a way of ensuring you are getting a quality product.

3

Buy St. John's wort in capsules, as a tincture or as a tea. Use according to product directions.

4

Take at least 900mg a day. That is the amount usually needed to be effective. The usual dose is 300mg capsules, taken three times per day.

5

Use sunscreen when taking St. John's wort. It has the potential to increase photosensitivity, although studies have found side effects to be rare.

6

Don't expect an instant cure when taking St. John's wort. It works more slowly than prescription medication, so you may need to take it for several weeks before noticing the benefits.

How to Do Self-Hypnosis

You are getting very sleepy....

Instructions

1

Recognize that to be hypnotized is to enter a trance state. You will be very focused, but will also be aware of what is happening around you.

2

Sit in a comfortable chair or recline on a couch in a quiet place. Be sure that your clothes are loose and comfortable and the temperature is not too warm or cool.

3

Turn down the lights so that it's not too bright. It doesn't need to be dark.

4

Relax. You can have your eyes open or closed, whichever is most comfortable for you.

5

Let yourself go loose. Feel every muscle go limp. Feel your mind slow down. Good.

6

Breathe deeply and hold it. Feel all of your stress and worries sucked from your body and your head into your lungs. Blow them out slowly and watch them swirl away from you.

7

Notice the different colors of each concern. See them float away and dissolve in the air. You are feeling more and relaxed with every breath.

8

Feel your heart. It is strong and slow. You can feel it beating, slowly, slowly. Each time you exhale, your body relaxes more. You are calm and safe. You can feel your heart. It's beating so slowly.

9

Feel your toes. They feel empty and light. They want to float away. That lightness is spreading up your legs, through your hips and into your back. Your body is so empty. You can see through it.

10

Feel your arms. They feel empty. Your shoulders are empty. Your neck is empty. Your head is floating, weightless. You feel so calm.

11

Feel liquid begin to fill your body through your navel. It's deep blue. It feels cool and comfortable. Watch it fill up your body. Cool blue. When you are full, you will feel calm and completely at ease.

12

Now open your eyes and sit up. Your cool, blue feeling will stay with you.

How to Find Alternative and Holistic Practitioners

Government and medical research institutions have poured millions of dollars into studies on promising complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). You'll still need to check with your doctor, but here's how to find legitimate CAM professionals.

Instructions

1

Ask your doctor for a referral. You may face possibly well-warranted skepticism. Also ask friends, family, nutritionists or physical therapists for recommendations. Some alternative-medicine professional organizations have CAM referral services.

2

Find out what your health plan covers; many costly CAM treatments are not. While more insurers include chiropractic treatments in their plan, far fewer cover acupuncture, let alone Ayurvedic medicine or homeopathy.

3

Do some detective work at state and local departments of health and consumer affairs, which increasingly have licensing and accreditation requirements for alternative practitioners. Ask about practitioners' educational background and training, and if any formal complaints have ever been filed against them. Inquire if any scientific research supports specific treatments you may be considering. Search for existing study results at the National Institutes of Health Web site (clinicaltrials.gov).

4

Check qualifications if possible, despite the patchy regulations on CAM. For example, acupuncturists must be licensed in more than 35 states, but might also be called registered or certified, or doctors of acupuncture or Oriental medicine.

5

Consider applying to be part of a clinical trial or study if money is an issue. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is the federal government's lead agency devoted to supporting research; learn about trial participation at www.nccam.nih.gov/clinicaltrials.

How to Find Out Whether Your Insurance Covers Homeopathy

The cost of medical treatment is skyrocketing. It's no wonder, then, that many people are seeking less expensive options to traditional medicine. More and more people are turning to homeopathy to save money when treating allergies, depression and serious diseases. Homeopathy uses diluted natural products to trigger the body's immune response to disease. As the science behind this becomes more widely accepted, more insurance companies are beginning to offer individuals the option to choose a plan that covers homeopathy as well as traditional medical treatment.

Instructions

Find Out Whether Your Insurance Covers Homeopathy

1

Ask your insurance agent. Your agent is the best resource you have for questions regarding individual coverage. If you have employer-sponsored insurance, ask your company's HR Manager to give you the appropriate contact names and numbers.

2

Be persistent. It may take several attempts to find out whether your insurance covers homeopathy, especially if your agent is unfamiliar with alternative medicine. You might explain the cost-efficient nature of homeopathic treatments to an agent who is interested in learning more.

3

Speak with someone else. Insurance agents are human and do not have all the answers. If you don't like what you're hearing, ask to speak to a supervisor or manager.

4

Form an alternate plan. If your insurance doesn't cover homeopathy, consider switching to a plan or broker that does cover homeopathy. If you have employer-sponsored insurance, work with your Human Resources representative to find out how many company employees would be interested in homeopathy coverage. There is always room for negotiation in company-sponsored plans.

How to Use Neuro Linguistic Programming to Change Behaviors

With its roots in the human potential movement of the 1970s, the neuro linguistic programming self-help curriculum seeks to induce change in behaviors by altering mental "maps." It seeks to change how we view our experiences: past, present and future. Supposedly, a person reshapes his or her map through modeling, matching behavior and outlook to those of successful people. It is said that people can use NLP to change bad behavior like overeating, smoking, nail-biting or excessive drinking.

Instructions

Find Out if NLP is Right for You

1

Search the Internet for information on the history and practice of NLP. The NLP Basics Web site is a great place to start (see Resources below).

2

Think about the behaviors in your life that you would like to change. Add these to your search criteria to find out how NLP addresses these problems.

3

Try some of the exercises you find at the NLP Marin Web site (see Resources below). Focus especially on those exercises involving guided imagery.

4

Determine in your own mind how comfortable you feel with this experience. If you are "turned off" or "don't get it," NLP may not be the best choice for you.

Decide How to Use Neuro Linguistic Programming

5

Gather the facts you have learned about NLP in relation to your own needs. Test out those techniques that can safely be self-taught. For instance, you can learn a popular technique known as "the Swish" at the Speak Like a Pro Web site (see Resources below). You can practice basic eye accessing cues at the Smart Driving Web site (see Resources below).

6

Seek out a practitioner if your particular behaviors are best addressed by professional help rather than self-help.

Choose a Practitioner and Change Your Behaviors

7

Write down any questions you would like to ask a practitioner about NLP and your particular goals.

8

Use a directory (telephone or Internet) or ask a friend to help lead you to a practitioner. Contact one or more of the people listed, preferably by phone, and ask your questions.

9

Make an appointment with the person who seems most satisfactory.

10

Cooperate fully with your practitioner for best results.

11

Expect private sessions to range in price from moderate to expensive.

How to Treat Skin Problems With Folk Medicine

Use herbal remedies discovered through the development of folk medicine to treat skin problems like excema inexpensively. These herbs are available as tea or as topical applicants from many from different parts of the world. Follow these steps to find the best remedy for you.

Instructions

Educate Your Consumption

1

Learn that your diet can contribute to skin problems.

2

Lower the amount of preservatives you eat each day. Folk medicine experts believe that skin problems are a direct result of preservative-packed snack foods that are full of calories and high in sodium.

3

Trade carbonated, sugar-filled soft drinks for herbal teas. These days, they're available in bottles for those times when you're "on the go."

4

Use herbal teas to cleanse skin from the inside out, as they've done for hundreds of years in Asia and other parts of the world.

Apply These Topically

5

Try tea tree oil, honey, vinegar or a paste of salt and water to ease itchy skin.

6

Apply a mildly thick mixture of ground nutmeg and milk for an hour or two directly onto your acne. This may benefit your skin problems within 3 days.

7

Mix honey and cinnamon powder together into a light paste, then apply to face before bed. Don't remove until morning. Continue nightly for 2 weeks.

Treat With Produce

8

Apply and wear on the face or hands ripe tomato innards for an hour each day to relieve skin problems.

9

Position against the skin a section or the trimmings of a freshly-cut potato. It's said that it can extract pollutants from the skin.

10

Treat regular skin problems by mixing lime juice with boiling milk. Apply to blackheads or excessively dried skin.

11

Rub a freshly-cut clove of garlic around acne developments for a few days. You may see results soon.

How to Check If Your Insurance Covers Alternative Medicine

In recent years, the popularity of alternative medicine, which is defined as treatments not normally used in "conventional medicine," has skyrocketed. With this rise in demand for alternative therapies, many insurance companies have begun to cover certain treatments. One of the biggest determinants insurance companies use when deciding whether they'll cover an alternative medicine treatment is whether it's medically necessary. The most common treatments covered are those that require official licensing by the state or government. Certain therapies, like aromatherapy and herbal treatments, can also be covered. When insurance companies don't cover alternative therapies, you can always try to pick up a supplemental discount medical card. These cards provide discounted, negotiated rates on medical services. There are several companies that offer cards targeted at alternative medicine patients. Follow these steps to learn more.

Instructions

Check if Your Insurance Covers Alternative Medicine

1

Browse through your insurance plan booklet, if available. Alternative medicine, like chiropractic and massage services, may be listed inside.

2

Call your insurance representative to ask whether your specific plan covers alternative medicine. To speed the process along, it may be a good idea to have 1 or 2 specific procedures already in mind.

3

Read through any supplemental clauses concerning alternative medicine very carefully. You may find loopholes in your insurance policy as well as with specific prohibited specialties.

4

Ask your alternative medicine provider whether he or she accepts any type of insurance coverage. You can then consult with these companies to see if they offer supplemental plans for individuals.

5

See if your employer has a flexible spending account, also known as a "Section 125" plan. These plans, which are designed to cover excess medical and dependent care costs, will sometimes cover alternative medicine services.

6

Work with your alternative medicine doctor to pay the costs of treatments not covered by your insurance. Some doctors allow patients to make monthly payments to cover service costs.

7

Find out more about insurance coverage and alternative medicine by visiting the "National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine" Web site (see Resources below).

How to Research Folk Medicine Remedies

Use the limitless power of the Internet to research folk medicine remedies. The term "folk medicine" refers to traditional and/or natural remedies that have been handed down anecdotally. They may or may not have been scientifically tested. Visit your local library or bookstore for more in-depth knowledge of free, time-tested folk remedies. Follow these steps to prepare for your research.

Instructions

List Your Interests

1

Write out your search objectives before beginning an Internet search for folk medicine remedies.

2

Find information quickly by entering small, concise search parameters. Limit your descriptions to three words or less, like the following: "home bursitis remedies."

3

Know that when you commit to an Internet search, online companies will frequently target you for sales. They'll do this by offering a small amount of the information you want, then leading you to a product they want to sell you. Noncommercial sites like the UCLA Folk Medicine Archive (see Resources below) are more likely to give unbiased information.

Visit the Public Library

4

Find in-depth folk medicine history and suggestions in a library book. The public library is a free resource available in most towns. Many libraries will also let you use personal computers to do an Internet research for free.

5

Perform research by locating medical books. Search the library's computerized database for books on folk medicine. Research is easy in a library, especially with the help of the qualified librarian who's there to help the public.

6

Bring writing paper to take notes. While a public library may provide free computer usage, they will not typically provide free notebook paper. Arrive prepared to write down what you learn.

Interview Experts

7

Read through your local phone book to seek out holistic health practitioners. Research their techniques and discover that much of holistic health is based on folk medicine.

8

Locate health food specialists in your area that may provide less-popular ingredients for folk medicine treatments. Research your needs, then find treatment ingredients like raw potato juice and bulk ginger, grown organically for natural purity.

9

Speak with conscientious health food store employees to access free and frequently useful information with a smile.