Popping pills has become a disturbing habit among people looking to find relief from many common maladies. It is always wise to have a full physical, including a full blood panel analysis annually. This way you can rule out any serious conditions or pathologies. Ideally we want to prevent disease from taking place in the first place. Knowing the vital blood markers for health will help you identify any possible areas of concern.
If you suffer from occasional minor headaches, colds, cuts or bruises, coughs, or indigestion there are natural alternatives you can implement instead of reaching for the over the counter chemical based medications.
Remember each time you take a suppressing pharmaceutical drug, you are not curing the root cause of the problem.
Minor Headaches:
Remedy: H2O
Instead of reaching for the the advil why not drink some water? Have you considered how well hydrated you are? How much water are you drinking daily? Also how many caffeinated beverages are you consuming? Caffeine based drinks rob your body of vital fluid, and the caffeine often can lead to tension based headaches.
Often times headaches are a symptom of a poor diet with tons of caffeine and a low level of hydration. So cut out artificially sweetened foods and drinks (ie. aspartame based drinks like diet pop), processed foods such as white bread, baked goods, fried foods and anything that comes out of a fast food restaurant. ANYTHING processed has ADDITIVES and chemicals that may be TRIGGERING your headaches. Also you may have a food intolerance or allergy. Most offending allergens are: Wheat, corn, sugar, dairy, eggs, peanuts, soy and gluten.
Indigestion, Nausea, Upset Stomach:
Remedy: GINGER, PEPPERMINT, PRO BIOTICS
Indigestion can be caused by overeating, a food allergy, a virus, ulcers or other digestive diseases and STRESS. So for minor and occasional discomfort you can reach for ginger. Ginger is one of the best anti nausea and tummy settling herbs around. It can help with morning sickness for those expecting, motion sickness from traveling, and nausea brought on by flus or bacterial infections.
My motto with diets and health always is to get your nutrition from whole foods given by mother earth. Supplements have a place, however they should not be relied upon to achieve a sound diet. Probiotics is one supplement that I would say is required by everyone living in a modern industrialized nation. We are far too stressed, rushed, and eat poorly for the most part, to sustain a healthy digestive tract.
Probiotics is the best digestive and immune insurance you can invest in.
It is proven to increase overall immunity, prevent and treat digestive disease such as ULCERS, COLITIS and IBS and symptoms that lead to pathology such as constipation or diarrhea. Probiotics are healthy gut bacteria that will keep a healthy balance of flora in your system.
Sore Throat and Ulcers
Remedy: Licorice Root (tea or tincture formula)
Licorice is an herb with demulcent (soothing, coating agents) and expectorant (rids phlegm and mucous from the respiratory tract) properties. As such it is highly beneficial for minor upper respiratory tract ailments such as coughs, sore throats, and sinus infections. It is also HIGHLY beneficial to those with ulcers, and any inflammation in the digestive tract. Licorice helps to decrease the burning pain that ulcers are known for.
Inflammation is a symptom that should not be left ignored. Your body is telling you something is not balanced, and left supressed with pharmaceutical pills only will eventually cause more serious problems later on. Address the issue underlying the problem by really looking at your lifestyle and what needs to be CHANGED. You alone are responsible for what you eat and how you choose to live your days.
Bruises, Cuts, or Scrapes:
Remedy: Homeopathic Arnica, Olive Oil
Every single household should have Arnica in homeopathic form and topical cream in their medicine chest. This is one of the “miracle” first aid remedies for injuries and 1st stage trauma to tissues. I have seen arnica heal bruises, speed up the healing of bone injuries, muscles and tendons tears and ligament injuries. Nothing works like Arnica.
My own mother suffered a bad fall and nearly broke her nose. I gave her 3 doses of arnica minutes after the fall. She experienced no pain, no blood loss and bruising diminished within a few days!
A patient of mine who suffered minor injuries in a car accident reported that just 2 doses of Arnica (which he had in his car at the time of injury, smart dude!) right after the accident reduced bruising, and pain “miraculously”. What should have been major bruising and pain from the impact on his shoulder and face, was minor and healed within 2 days of the accident! Go buy some now if you don’t have any, it’s really that good!
Olive oil is another healing agent you should consider for cuts and scrapes. The ancient egyptians not only drank this elixir for health, but they slathered it on their bodies to heal the skin. Olive oil has anti bacterial properties and will help heal cuts thereby reducing any chances of SCARRING. Its more than just a tasty salad dressing 😉
Occasional Constipation:
Water, High Dose Probiotics, Fish oil, Senna*
An acute case of constipation can occur due to more daily stress than usual, a change of climate (i.e going on vacation), an illness or injury where you are prescribed medication, surgery, compromised immune system due to a cold or illness, or a traumatic life event.
For the times when you just can’t go, there are some very effective ways to get things moving along again.
The first thing is to evaluate how much water you drink each day. You need to be drinking at least 2L of water a day.
The other consideration is to determine if you are getting enough healthy fats. Healthy fats come in whole foods and natural oils such as: Avocados, Flax Seeds, Coconut oil and Nuts and seeds.
Check out my new ebook about how eating good fat can help you get thin:
For an acute case of constipation, consume 2 tablespoons (divide the dose in 2 and take morning and night) of organic fish oil. This helps lubricate the whole digestive tract and reduce any inflammation that may be occurring due to the digestive issues.
Also take a high dose of probiotics. These can be found at your local health food store. Look for a brand that supplies 80 billion or more per dose. Take 2 a day (split the dose) during an acute episode. Probiotics are one of your Immune system’s BEST FRIEND. They heal the gut and help keep the bad gut flora in check. It will clear constipation and help the digestive system become rebalanced again.
*And then there is Senna leaves: I include this laxative herb because it can really help when you are in a very backed up place (pun intended lol). It should ONLY be used during an acute situation where immediate elimination is desired. If you have not passed a bowel for 3 or more days, this would be the last resort. It is not to be used on a regular basis, as it can become habit forming. It can lead to lazy guts motility (or muscle contractions). So only use if you are really needing short term relief. Seek the attention of a health practitioner if your constipation last longer than 3 days, or becomes a chronic condition lasting for months or years.
I hope this has helped you add some new and more natural remedies to your medicine chest. Please post or comment below any questions or opinions you would like to share. I always love reading your feedback.
