Herbs:  Chamomile, Boneset, Dandelion, Ginger, Marigold, Milk Thistle, Oats.

Hints:  For detoxing from any chemical substance (including nicotine) make a tea combining the liver and kidney cleansing properties of Dandelion with the warming quality of Ginger. Chamomile should be added as a relaxant and Boneset can be included if there are feverish symptoms (opiates or alcohol). Milk Thistle helps to repair damaged liver tissue, once the detoxing is complete and Oats can then build up stamina. For the cleansing tea, the herbs are in equal parts, by weight.

Herbs:  St John’s Wort, Wormwood,

Hints:  St John’s Wort can help with the depressant aspect of anorexia. Wormwood stimulates the appetite when taken 20 minutes before a meal. Anorexia can be a very serious condition, so consider seeking professional help.

Herbs:  Chamomile, Cramp Bark, St.John’s Wort, Valerian.

Hints:  Chamomile is gentle, Valerian more powerful and sedative. Cramp Bark can be included where there is associated excess muscle tension. St.John’s Wort is for anxiety linked with depression. Consider counselling to address underlying causes.

Herbs:  Cleavers, Dandelion, Ginger, Marigold, Blue Cohosh.

Hints:  Ginger can be applied externally over joints to improve circulation, provided they are not inflamed. Blue Cohosh can help reduce inflammation. The other herbs are cleansing and may find use with most types of arthritis. Professional herbalists often use stronger cleansing herbs such as Devil’s Claw and Burdock.

Herbs:  Lobelia, Jimson Weed, Ephedra

Hints:  The above herbs are not detailed in this book, as legally they can be bought only by qualified herbalists. I have listed them so that you are aware of the herbs which may be used, if you visit a herbalist, presenting with asthma. These remedies are often very successful, so herbal treatment of asthma is well worth considering. Various forms of specialist breathing techniques (reducing over-breathing) have also proved highly effective. There are long term side-effects associated with some orthodox inhalers, so research these carefully or ask your doctor about side-effects if you go down the orthodox route.

Herbs:  Echinacea, Garlic, Marigold.

Hints:  All of the above herbs can be used either internally or externally and may be combined together. Garlic is particularly good for respiratory infections, Marigold for the genito-urinary system and Echinacea as a systemic antibacterial.

Herbs:  Garlic, Ribwort.

Hints:  Ribwort works well when made into a simple teaspoon-per-cup tea, from the dried leaves. Garlic is best taken raw. Also consider a cleansing diet of fresh fruit and vegetables (and no dairy products) and steam inhalations with essential oils.

Herbs:  Blue Cohosh, Siberian ginseng.

Hints:  Raspberry leaf tea can be taken for the last three months of pregnancy, but once labour has begun, consider Siberian Ginseng tea for stamina and Blue Cohosh tincture to ease and quicken labour. Water baths are an excellent form of natural pain relief and can now be hired quite easily, in most areas, and have been fitted in some hospitals.

Herbs:  Boneset, Echinacea, Ginger, Sage.

Hints:  Sage tea can help relieve symptoms. It stops perspiration, which may help sleep if you are getting severe sweating at night, but sweating is usually seen as a healthy naturopathic reaction. Boneset (a hidden treasure) is not used very commonly, but is fantastic for relieving the aches and pains of flu. Ginger and Echinacea are both warming.

Herbs:  Slippery Elm

Hints:  Slippery Elm, Psyllium husks and oat bran all work as bulk laxatives. Stimulating laxatives, such as Senna pods are likely to cause griping pains. Remember to have plenty of water and fruit and veg’.

Herbs:  Garlic, Wild Cherry.

Hints:  Garlic deals well with chest infections (consider Echinacea too). Wild Cherry is only for unproductive, irritating coughs. Herbalists traditionally use syrup of Coltsfoot to relieve symptoms.

Herbs:  Arnica (not for open cuts), Witch Hazel.

Hints:  If you use Arnica for any bruising and raw tincture of Witch Hazel for cuts, you won’t go far wrong. Both of these herbs are a must for your home herbal medicine chest.

Herbs:  Horsetail, Slippery Elm.

Hints:  Always treat cystitis with herb teas rather than with herbal pills or tinctures. Celery seed and Buchu also work well, but Horsetail is a bit of a star in dealing with damage to the urinary tract.

Herbs:  St.John’s Wort, Oats, Damiana, Sage, Siberian Ginseng.

Hints:  Severe depression needs professional treatment. Oats build up stamina and energy levels as does Siberian Ginseng. St.John’s Wort is more directly and immediately antidepressant. Damiana is a good tonic and Sage tea is fortifying. Remedies can be combined e.g. porridge and Sage tea in the morning, St.John’s Wort tincture twice per day and a short course of Siberian Ginseng to boost energy.

Herbs:  Chickweed

Hints:  Chickweed cream sometimes works very well and can often replace steroid creams, which have side-effects. Prolonged breastfeeding is thought to reduce the occurrence and severity of Childhood eczema. Stress (particularly occupational) is frequently a key factor in adults and should be considered seriously.

Herbs:  Wormwood, Marigold.

Hints:  Bitter digestive tonics and astringents may help reduce absorption of allergens through damaged intestinal mucosa. It is worth using an elimination diet followed by gradual re-introduction of suspected allergens to test for sensitivity. People often seem to crave the foods which they are allergic to. Avoid these foods, at least temporarily, to see if it produces a positive change.

Herbs:  Chamomile, Cramp Bark, Valerian.

Hints:  Headaches have a great variety of causes. The herbs mentioned above are for ‘tension’ headaches, which also respond well to massage.

Herbs:  Dandelion, Garlic, Hawthorn, Valerian.

Hints:  Seek professional advice first. One strategy for reducing blood pressure is to increase urine output, with diuretics. This lowers the blood volume and hence the blood pressure. Dandelion is a mild diuretic but not strong enough to directly replace prescription drugs. Garlic has a beneficial effect on the whole circulatory system, but Hawthorn is the key heart herb, slowing and strengthening the heart contractions and dilating cardiac arteries. Valerian can help in the short term to reduce stress and blood pressure. Stimulating the healing chakras in the palms, (which are linked to the heart) by, for example, stroking a dog or cat, is very beneficial.

Herbs:  Blue Cohosh, Damiana, Vitex.

Hints:  Orthodox medicine is useful in the diagnosis of what can be a complex or obscure problem. I particularly recommend testing both partners for non-symptomatic genito-urinary infections, as this is often a hidden factor, which is not automatically investigated.

Herbs:  Chamomile, Oats, Valerian.

Hints:  Drink Chamomile tea last thing at night, involving all of your senses. Feel the warmth of the cup, see the water vapour gently rising. Savour the taste and inhale the aroma of the tea and be aware of the warmth of each sip passing down your throat. I feel sleepy just writing it!

Herbs:  Slippery Elm, Valerian.

Hints:  It is worth exploring different diets, particularly one excluding all irritants. This eliminates all nuts and seeds, which can be physically irritant, hot spices and rough fibre. Emotional pressures also need to be investigated. What is irritating you?

Herbs:  Dandelion, Milk Thistle, Wormwood.

Hints:  Alcohol and fatty food place additional strain on the liver and should be avoided during treatment. Milk Thistle is unique in its ability to repair damaged (but not cirrhosed) liver tissue.

Herbs:  Damiana, Oats, Siberian Ginseng, St.John's Wort.

Hints:  As well as herbs one needs to consider regular exercise, relaxation periods during the day and adequate sleep. Avoid too much caffeine and sugar. Stretching exercises, such as those of Hatha Yoga, are particularly good at releasing trapped energy.

Herbs:  Ginkgo.

Hints:  Make sure that you are getting enough B vitamins in your diet (particularly vegans) and keep your mind stimulated with new learning. Rosemary tea can also help.

Herbs:  Cramp bark, Valerian

Hints:  Massaging spasmed muscle can help to ease it and restore proper blood flow. Stretching the muscle can also release it, but you need to find the right stretch for the particular area. Slow breathing and visualisation of a melting warmth in your body are also useful.

Herbs:  Cramp Bark, Vitex.

Hints:  Vitex is for prevention, Cramp Bark for cure. Hot baths, avoiding chocolate, and aspirin can all ease the problem. Period pain often disappears or greatly diminishes after having a baby.

Herbs:  Ginger

Hints:  Organ specific remedies e.g. Hawthorn for the heart and Ginkgo for the brain will increase circulation in those organs, but Ginger is a general circulatory stimulant, with an accent on moving the blood to the extremities. For cold hands and feet, you can add ginger to the diet in the winter, as well as taking it as a tea.

Herbs:  Oats, Siberian Ginseng, Valerian.

Hints:  Oats to fortify, Siberian Ginseng for resistance and stamina, Valerian to relax. Sleep, diet and exercise have to be addressed, as well as the cause of the stress. Autogenic training and regular sex may help (not necessarily at the same time).

Herbs:  Aloe, Lavender oil

Hints:  Aloe juice is very soothing and healing. Lavender oil can be added to a warm bath or applied directly to the skin. Remember that prevention is much better than cure, particularly as sunburn can do long-term damage to the skin.

Herbs:  Echinacea, St.John’s Wort.

Hints:  Systemic viral infections (such as colds and ‘flu) need rest, high fluid intake and reduced food. It is a good idea to eat plenty of fruit and to avoid rich and fatty foods.

Herbs:  Wormwood

Hints:  Take 20 minutes before a meal to increase appetite and directly