Post by Rik Wallin on Apr 6, 2007 12:16:22 GMT -6
Recipies for assisting one in martial arts.
Disinfectant/Antibiotic
Hydrogen peroxide, iodine and rubbing alcohol all make good, inexpensive disinfectants for minor wounds.
Pain resistance
Try eating plenty of hot peppers! Yes, it may sound strange, but hot peppers cause the body to release natural painkillers (endorphins) that not only take away the pepper's sting, but any soreness at all...including arthritis. Unfortunately, the results only last a few hours.
Anti-Inflamatory
Vitamin E oil is great, for external skin use. It helps itches and chafings heal quickly.
Anti-Bruising
Calendula tincture is probably the best one I can think of. Fill a large, clean jar with fresh calendula blossoms, pour rubbing alcohol over them, and let them soak for at least a week or two. When the yellow/orange color has drained out of the flowers and into the liquid, it is ready. Strain the liquid into clean bottles. Use it externally to help existing bruises heal quickly.
Clotting (in case of skin tear)
In the olden days, people used to use spiderwebs for this (fresh, relatively clean ones, that is!) The protein in the silk would help platelets get a toehold to form a clot over the open wound.
Relaxing (in case of muscle cramps and the like)
My mom used to get muscle cramps at night in her legs when she was pregnant; her doctor told her it was the sign of a calcium/magnesium deficiency (makes sense, since any minerals she took in were liable to go to the baby first, and then herself.) He told her to take a supplement--dolomite tablets, available wherever you buy vitamins. They also worked for me when I was 18--not pregnant, just prone to muscle cramps in the dead of night! I attribute them to growing pains; your skeleton doesn't finish growing until you're in your mid-20s.
Repelling (insect based)
Citronella oil is supposed to be good. Some people don't mind the smell, others do. Or pennyroyal tincture, made in much the same way the calendula tincture is.
Speeding Healing
Use vitamin E oil or zinc oxide cream (like the kind your mother may have used for diaper rash.)
---------------------------------
Iris Aphrodite.
---------------------------------
First of all, let me say that anytime you decide to use herbs you should look each herb up in a couple of good herb books and read carefully. Some herbs should not be used by some people or at certain times. Never forget that herbs are powerful drugs. Just because it's natural doesn't mean it's harmless!
Disinfectant/Antibiotic
I often use either goldenseal or garlic for disinfectant/antiobiotic uses.
Anti-Inflamatory
You could use white willow bark, which contains the same basic ingredient as aspirin.
Anti-Bruising
Arnica...which should only be used externally. Prepared as a salve or oil, or even better, a fresh-leaf poultice, this is extremely helpful. Arnica shouldn't be applied to broken skin.
Clotting (in case of skin tear)
Yarrow and/or shepherd's purse (the two seem to like to work together), both taken internally and poulticed onto the wound. Again, fresh is better, but dried will do. If making a poultice of dried herbs, I usually let them soak in boiling water for 10-20 minutes, then remove the herbs from the liquid, soak a clean cloth in the resulting tea, wring it out and wrap the herbs in the cloth and place it on the wound. Then you can drink the tea for extra benefits.
Relaxing (in case of muscle cramps and the like)
Valerian, lavender, skullcap, and catnip are my favorite relaxing herbs. You can experiment with different preparations of these, from teas to tinctures to massage oils to essential oils.
Repelling (insect based)
Pennyroyal, citronella, bay leaf, and eucalyptus have insect repelling properties.
Speeding Healing
I highly recommend comfrey for this. I have seen it help knit broken bones together, I give it to my son to swish in his mouth when he busts his lip open or bites his tongue and for canker sores, and I use it for bruised or torn bottoms on ladies who've just given birth. There is some controversy over the safety of comfrey. As I've said, I give it to my son. Rest assured I wouldn't do so if I weren't sure of its safety. I believe much more strongly in the empirical evidence of the ages than in scientific testing! If you are concerned about taking comfrey internally then use it in salves, oils, poultices, etc.
Janie Young
---------------------------------
Disinfectant/Antibiotic
Try garlic powder. A really good disinfectant. If we're talking about open wounds here then try sugar under a clean bandage. Really helps cells regenerate.
Pain resistance
Try white Willow Bark tea. A cup of that after exercising really does help to relax overstrained muscles.
Anti-Inflamatory Anti-Bruising
Try witch hazel. It's cool enough to keep inflamed muscles from swelling, and I've known it to prevent bruising.
Clotting (in case of skin tear)
Try arrow root powder. It was used during the last war on the lines to clot wounds till the wounded could be evacuated out. It clots fast, and is non-infectuous. Alum can be used first if the bleeding is rather severe. It acts as an astringent.
Repelling (insect based)
Try citronella oil. Really works well in keeping mosquitos away. Or Skin So Soft bath oil from Avon. (Grin.) Pennyroyal oil works well too. I've even used Basil oil.
Kat
Disinfectant/Antibiotic
Hydrogen peroxide, iodine and rubbing alcohol all make good, inexpensive disinfectants for minor wounds.
Pain resistance
Try eating plenty of hot peppers! Yes, it may sound strange, but hot peppers cause the body to release natural painkillers (endorphins) that not only take away the pepper's sting, but any soreness at all...including arthritis. Unfortunately, the results only last a few hours.
Anti-Inflamatory
Vitamin E oil is great, for external skin use. It helps itches and chafings heal quickly.
Anti-Bruising
Calendula tincture is probably the best one I can think of. Fill a large, clean jar with fresh calendula blossoms, pour rubbing alcohol over them, and let them soak for at least a week or two. When the yellow/orange color has drained out of the flowers and into the liquid, it is ready. Strain the liquid into clean bottles. Use it externally to help existing bruises heal quickly.
Clotting (in case of skin tear)
In the olden days, people used to use spiderwebs for this (fresh, relatively clean ones, that is!) The protein in the silk would help platelets get a toehold to form a clot over the open wound.
Relaxing (in case of muscle cramps and the like)
My mom used to get muscle cramps at night in her legs when she was pregnant; her doctor told her it was the sign of a calcium/magnesium deficiency (makes sense, since any minerals she took in were liable to go to the baby first, and then herself.) He told her to take a supplement--dolomite tablets, available wherever you buy vitamins. They also worked for me when I was 18--not pregnant, just prone to muscle cramps in the dead of night! I attribute them to growing pains; your skeleton doesn't finish growing until you're in your mid-20s.
Repelling (insect based)
Citronella oil is supposed to be good. Some people don't mind the smell, others do. Or pennyroyal tincture, made in much the same way the calendula tincture is.
Speeding Healing
Use vitamin E oil or zinc oxide cream (like the kind your mother may have used for diaper rash.)
---------------------------------
Iris Aphrodite.
---------------------------------
First of all, let me say that anytime you decide to use herbs you should look each herb up in a couple of good herb books and read carefully. Some herbs should not be used by some people or at certain times. Never forget that herbs are powerful drugs. Just because it's natural doesn't mean it's harmless!
Disinfectant/Antibiotic
I often use either goldenseal or garlic for disinfectant/antiobiotic uses.
Anti-Inflamatory
You could use white willow bark, which contains the same basic ingredient as aspirin.
Anti-Bruising
Arnica...which should only be used externally. Prepared as a salve or oil, or even better, a fresh-leaf poultice, this is extremely helpful. Arnica shouldn't be applied to broken skin.
Clotting (in case of skin tear)
Yarrow and/or shepherd's purse (the two seem to like to work together), both taken internally and poulticed onto the wound. Again, fresh is better, but dried will do. If making a poultice of dried herbs, I usually let them soak in boiling water for 10-20 minutes, then remove the herbs from the liquid, soak a clean cloth in the resulting tea, wring it out and wrap the herbs in the cloth and place it on the wound. Then you can drink the tea for extra benefits.
Relaxing (in case of muscle cramps and the like)
Valerian, lavender, skullcap, and catnip are my favorite relaxing herbs. You can experiment with different preparations of these, from teas to tinctures to massage oils to essential oils.
Repelling (insect based)
Pennyroyal, citronella, bay leaf, and eucalyptus have insect repelling properties.
Speeding Healing
I highly recommend comfrey for this. I have seen it help knit broken bones together, I give it to my son to swish in his mouth when he busts his lip open or bites his tongue and for canker sores, and I use it for bruised or torn bottoms on ladies who've just given birth. There is some controversy over the safety of comfrey. As I've said, I give it to my son. Rest assured I wouldn't do so if I weren't sure of its safety. I believe much more strongly in the empirical evidence of the ages than in scientific testing! If you are concerned about taking comfrey internally then use it in salves, oils, poultices, etc.
Janie Young
---------------------------------
Disinfectant/Antibiotic
Try garlic powder. A really good disinfectant. If we're talking about open wounds here then try sugar under a clean bandage. Really helps cells regenerate.
Pain resistance
Try white Willow Bark tea. A cup of that after exercising really does help to relax overstrained muscles.
Anti-Inflamatory Anti-Bruising
Try witch hazel. It's cool enough to keep inflamed muscles from swelling, and I've known it to prevent bruising.
Clotting (in case of skin tear)
Try arrow root powder. It was used during the last war on the lines to clot wounds till the wounded could be evacuated out. It clots fast, and is non-infectuous. Alum can be used first if the bleeding is rather severe. It acts as an astringent.
Repelling (insect based)
Try citronella oil. Really works well in keeping mosquitos away. Or Skin So Soft bath oil from Avon. (Grin.) Pennyroyal oil works well too. I've even used Basil oil.
Kat