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Ache First Aid Tips - The Wise Woman Way
an article by Susun S. Weed
First
Aid for Backache
Heat - a warm bath, a hot shower, a hydroculator,
a hot water bottle, a towel dipped in boiling water
- will provide temporary relief for most backaches.
Tiger Balm, Olbas, Zheng Gu Shui, Wintergreen
oil and other homemade or purchased herbal liniments
and rubs can penetrate into deep muscle tissue to
relieve tension and pain. They work best if followed
by moist heat.
St. John's/Joan's Wort (Hypericum perforatum)
is highly effective at relieving backaches. The
tincture is a specific for muscle spasms; use 15-20
drops in a glass of water every few hours as needed.
For severe pain, add 3-5 drops of Skullcap tincture.
The infused oil of St. J's has the unique ability
to enter the nerve endings, relieving pain and easing
any nervous system irritation. It works like a chiropractic
adjustment, but through a different route: the nerve
endings are soothed and the muscle is released,
the vertebrae slide back into place.
Exercise for Backache
Cat/Cow can be practiced daily or whenever
needed. Get on your hands and knees on a firm surface;
inhale, let your head hang down and arch your back
up like a cat; exhale, lift your head all the way
up and let your spine return to parallel with the
floor. Continue flexing the spine up and down while
breathing rhythmically. This exercise can also be
done in a standing position.
Knee/Chest Twists stretch the spine and keep
it supple. Once a day, or when needed, lie on your
back on a firm surface and pull your knees to your
chest. Stretch your arms straight out to the sides.
Roll your knees to the left and your head to the
right; relax for half a minute, then roll your knees
to the right and your head to the left and relax
again. Repeat once or twice.
Also for Backache
Chiropractic adjustments are one of the best
preventatives of backache during pregnancy.
Sleep with pillows supporting your legs,
back and belly.
Wear shoes which have flat heels and offer
good support to the feet and legs.
Diet for Backache
Minerals needed to diminish and prevent backache
include calcium and magnesium. Magnesium is found
in all fresh green vegetables, apples, figs, wheat
germ, and all seeds and nuts, especially almonds.
Lemon juice in water, up to six glasses daily,
benefits the kidneys, easing backache.
Herbs for Backache
Wheat grass juice is highly recommended for
all ills, including backaches. The bright green
juice of the wheat sprouts contains a plentiful
supply of the nutrients needed to strengthen muscles,
ease the nerves, and keep the spine flexible. To
prepare the juice: soak wheat berries overnight,
drain off the water, and spread the wheat one berry
deep onto an inch thick layer of dirt on a cookie
sheet with edges. Water the whole thing several
times a day. Harvest the green shoots by cutting
them when they are several inches high. Use a special
wheat grass juicer to extract the most juice, or
blend the shoots with water in your blender, then
strain and drink the liquid.
Nettle infusion is unsurpassed for toning
and aiding kidneys.
Comfrey infusion provides every vitamin and
mineral necessary to prevent backaches. It is also
rich in amino acids, the building blocks of protein,
needed in plentiful supply for strong abdominal
muscles and healthy babies.
Legal
Disclaimer: This content is not intended
to replace conventional medical treatment. Any suggestions
made and all herbs listed are not intended to diagnose,
treat, cure or prevent any disease, condition or
symptom. Personal directions and use should be provided
by a clinical herbalist or other qualified healthcare
practitioner with a specific formula for you. All
material on this website/email is provided for general
information purposes only and should not be considered
medical advice or consultation. Contact a reputable
healthcare practitioner if you are in need of medical
care. Exercise self-empowerment by seeking a second
opinion.
Susun Weed
PO Box 64
Woodstock,
NY 12498
Fax: 1-845-246-8081
Visit
Susun Weed at: www.susunweed.com and www.ashtreepublishing.com
For permission to reprint this article, contact
: susunweed@herbshealing.com
Vibrant, passionate,
and involved, Susun Weed has garnered an international
reputation for her groundbreaking lectures, teachings,
and writings on health and nutrition. She challenges
conventional medical approaches with humor, insight,
and her vast encyclopedic knowledge of herbal medicine.
Unabashedly pro-woman, her animated and enthusiastic
lectures are engaging and often profoundly provocative.
Susun is one
of America's best-known authorities on herbal medicine
and natural approaches to women's health. Her four
best-selling books are recommended by expert herbalists
and well-known physicians and are used and cherished
by millions of women around the world. Learn more
at www.susunweed.com
This
article is © copyright Susun
S. Weed 2004 - Republished here with kind permission. |
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