Sinus Problems

When your sinuses feel clogged and uncomfortable, this bracing drink can help. Combine 1 cup tomato juice, 1 teaspoon freshly chopped garlic, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (according to your spice tolerance) and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Heat the mixture until warm. Drink it slowly, and it should help clear sinuses quickly.


Source: The Herb Companion March 2011

Headache

Fatigue, anxiety and stress can trigger headaches. For fast relief, brew a cup of green tea and add sprigs of fresh spearmint or peppermint. If you don't have fresh mint available, use a peppermint or spearmint trea bag. Combine a bag each of green tea and mint tea to make a powerful brew that will diminish your headache in about 15 minutes.

Source: The Herb Companion March 2011

Bad Breath, Gum Disease & Toothache

Coconut oil can ease ailments of the mouth, such as bad breath, gum disease and toothache. For help with any of these conditions, brush your teeth with a mixture of 1/8 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon organic extra-virgin coconut oil (which you can find at a health-food store). You also can rub coconut oil on sore gums for relief.

Herbal Teas to ease Sore Throats

When a member of your family suffers with a sore throat, its great to have a good tasting herbal remedy on hand. These can be either sipped during the day or used as a gargle.

For example: Slippery elm (1 tablespoon of bark to 1 cup of boiling water, steeped for 10 minutes and strained) eases your sore throat by coating it with a gel-like substance to protect it.

Ginger Tea ( 2 inch piece of fresh ginger to 4 cups of boiling water simmered for 20 minutes and strained)

Honeysuckle Tea (1 cup of honeysuckle flowers to 1 quart of boiling water, steeped for 10 minutes and strained)

Teas to gargle with: Raspberry leaf, thyme, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne and ginger.
These teas should be consumed or gargled warm.

Potential Health Benefits of Tea

Green Tea: Made with steamed tea leaves, it has a high concentration of EGCG and has been widely studied. Green tea's antioxidants may interfere with the growth of bladder, breast, lung, stomach, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers: Prevent clogging of the arteries, burn fat, counteract oxidative stress on the brain, reduce risk of neurological disorders like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, reduce risk of stroke, and improve cholesterol levels.

Black Tea: Made with fermented tea leaves, black tea has the highest caffeine content and forms the basis for flavored teas like chai, along with some instant teas. Studies have shown that black tea may protect lungs from damage caused by exposure to cigarette smoke. It also may reduce the risk of stroke.

White Tea: Uncured and unfermented. One study showed that white tea has the most potent anticancer properties compared to more processed teas.

Oolong Tea: In an animal study, those given antioxidants from oolong tea were found to have lower bad cholesterol levels. One variety of oolong, Wuyi, is heavily marketed as a weight loss supplement, but science has'nt backed the claims.

Pu-erh Tea: Made from fermented and aged leaves. Considered a black tea, its leaves are pressed into cakes. One animal study showed that animals given pu-erh had less weight gain and reduced LDL cholesterol

Source: WebMD