By Ifeanyi Chijindu
It’s that time of year again – time for giving thanks, family
gatherings speckled with gift giving and, unfortunately, time to
fight against the wintery nights responsible for their nasty
assortment of colds and the flu.
“Llewellyn’s 2007 Herbal Almanac” by Llwellyn is not only an
unlikely aid for those suffering from the headaches, coughs and
stuffy noses, so often accompanied by the holiday season, but this
book provides amazing information about making your own holiday
treats and gifts.
The almanac not only features herbal health properties, but it
features step-by-step advice on growing and gathering your own
herbs (if you prefer) before moving onto the culinary, beauty and
gift ideas using herbs. It also contains history, lore and myths
behind many popular herbs.
It doesn’t matter whether your living space contains a large
backyard or if it’s a Cal Poly suite. This book shows how anyone,
anywhere, can easily grow their own herbal garden.
“Llewellyn’s 2007 Herbal Almanac” comes at an auspicious time
where young people now look towards more natural ways of preventing
and curing so many common, bothersome ailments.
Even though the herbal movement has been underway for quite some
time, it’s now reaching a fever pitch as a growing group of people
find themselves frustrated with their overall health.
Millions of people now turn to holistic alternatives because
they resent the sting of exploitation from the pharmaceutical
companies whose drugs keep promising health, but only deliver more
side effects and expenses.
While you don’t need a health plan to utilize the benefit of
herbs because of their accessibility, their affects are real,
powerful and should be treated with utmost respect by doing a
little research and starting off with low dosages.
Most herbal remedies have little or no side effects when used in
the right amounts. In fact, when it comes to working with herbs,
the main worry is figuring out if you have an allergy to any of
them, which the book expands upon since allergies are vastly
different than regular side effects.
Once allergies are ruled out, herbs will prove to yield more
positive than negative experiences, especially compared to
conventional medicines.
“Llewellyn’s 2007 Herbal Almanac” is very organized in the
organization of their herbal information because researching the
herbs you want to work with along with their negative side effects
is an essential practice when working with anything medicinal.
The Llewellyn’s 2007 Herbal Almanac advises you to combine herbs
with the advice of your medical practitioner.
Here’s a few of the remedies found in Llewellyn’s 2007 Herbal
Almanac:
One suggestion uses mullein tea for a “whooping cough.” Mullein
is a well known and respected expectorant and will soothe the
inflamed soreness brought on by a hard, dry cough.
Try rose hips infused in a jar of honey along with rose petals
as a treatment for colds and flu since rose hips contain at least
five times more Vitamin C than oranges.
Basil teems with antiseptic properties and it’s also a great
expectorant, like mullein, and also digestive, which explains much
of its culinary uses.
Teas made with basil and honey effectively fight against chest
colds. If suffering from the sniffles, you can use sage instead of
basil to battle the sniffles, and relieve a sore throat or achy
muscles. Ginger tea also aids with sore throats and nasal
congestion.
Even if you don’t have time to grow herbs or are just
horticulturally challenged, you can still walk into your local
grocery shop, head for the spice or tea section and find what you
need right there.
“Llewellyn’s 2007 Herbal Almanac” features easy recipes for
making holiday favorites like ginger snaps with ginger and cloves,
but also eclectic recipes such as “Luxurious Lavender
Shortbread.”
Lavender not only makes a calming tea or bath, but it is edible,
smells delicious and makes incredible desserts.
In addition to holiday comfort foods and natural cures,
“Llewellyn’s 2007 Herbal Almanac” shows you how to make even more
advanced herbal food and beauty crafts from your own bath oils,
salts and bath bombs like “Vanilla Milkshake Bath Salts,” to
exotic, homemade liqueurs like “Honeysuckle Liqueur,” and “Orange
Blossom Brandy.”
Whether you’re a novice or very well versed with herbs and their
amazing uses, “Llewellyn’s 2007 Herbal Almanac” is highly
recommended for providing a cornucopia of herbal inspiration for
health, knowledge, pleasure and every aspect of life in
between.
Ifeanyi Chijindu can be reached by e-mail at
arts@thepolypost.com or by phone at (909) 869-3744.
Herbal Remedies Cure Seasonal Ailments
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