Herbs and Spices

In almost all households we use herbs and spices everyday in preparing our food or even for medicinal purposes.

Ever though about what the difference is between herbs and spices?

 It’s simple really.

Herbs come from the leaves of plants while spices come from the stems, seeds, roots, and bark. Interesting, some plants are used as both herbs and spices, for instance, the leaves of the coriander plant are used as a herb and the seeds as a spice.

According to a research done by the California University of Ayurveda, coriander seeds are quite effective in curing different skin ailments like eczema, itchy skin, rashes and inflammation as they have antiseptic properties. They are known to cure mouth ulcers and sores as well. The seeds contain linoleic acid that also has pain relieving properties to diminish irritation.

Whether the recipe calls for herbs or spices;  use these palate-pleasing plants in your everyday cooking!

How to Fight Dandruff

There is no need to use extreme measures, such as tar products to combat the production of dead skin cells that we know as dandruff. In most cases it can be dealt with successfully using gentle, traditional recipes.

Serious cases of infection and a very itchy scalp are sometimes diagnosed as the chronic skin condition seborrhoeic dermatitis. 

But before you seek medical advice, it is worth trying natural methods that are kind to the skin. If these two remedies do not work, consult a specialist.

Oils for Dandruff

Cedarwood oil is good for getting rid of dandruff. But, as this treatment contains rosemary oil, avoid it if you are pregnant or suffer from high blood pressure or epilepsy.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon wheatgerm oil

2 drops Cedarwood oil

2 drops rosemary oil

2 drops lemon oil

Blend the oils together. Massage into your scalp and leave for two hours. Wash and rinse hair thoroughly.

Herbal Hair Rinse

This herbal rinse reduces the production of sebum and soothes inflammation of the scalp.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon horsetail

1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

½ cup water

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Mix the herbs in a heatproof bowl. Boil the water and pour it over the herbs. Add the vinegar and leave to infuse for about 20 minutes. Strain the mixture and use after shampooing.

Take Care: If you are pregnant or breast feeding, consult your medical practitioner before using herbal remedies  

Article: Facts About Fruit Juices and Syrups

How to Treat Greasy Hair

If your hair gets greasy and limp soon after shampooing, it is because the sebaceous glands in the hair follicles are producing too much sebum - the hair’s lubricating oil. As a result, the hair needs washing more frequently.

Harsh shampoos also increase the need for washing, as they strip the nutrients from the hair. This alters the hair’s natural balance and makes it become greasy more quickly. To prevent this you need a shampoo that regulates the production of sebum. Herbs that can help prevent hair from becoming too greasy include calendula, horsetail, rosemary (avoid during pregnancy) and yarrow. 

Too many spicy foods, fats and sugars can make the hair greasy, as can stress, hormonal change and lack of sleep. To keep your hair as grease-free as possible, stick to a healthy diet with plenty of fruit, vegetables and wholemeal products. Avoid sweets and processed and fatty foods.

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Five Homemade Hair Care Products

1. Basic Shampoo

This shampoo is also based on olive oil soap. It has a pleasant fragrance and creamy consistency, and will produce no side effects. 

Ingredients

·         1 tablespoon olive oil soap. Grated

·         100ml water

·         Herbal extract of your choice

·         Essential oil off your choice

Preparation

Boil the water in a saucepan, then turn down the heat and add the soap to the water, stirring continuously until it has dissolved. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Stir in a few drops of your chosen herbal extract or essential oil. Pour the shampoo into a screw-top jar or bottle.

2. Bulbine Conditioner

This conditioner, suitable for all hair types, is made with Bulbine frutescence¹, a useful cure-all plant in every garden. Sap from the leaves can be used to soothe insect and mosquito bites, burns, grazes and cuts, sunburn and rashes.

Ingredients

·         Fresh Bulbine leaves

·         2 drops rose essential oil

·         2 drops rose geranium essential oil

Preparation

Squeeze the gel from the fleshy Bulbine leaves to fill about four tablespoons. Pour into a bowl, and then add the selected essential oil. Mix well. Apply to washed, towel–dried hair and massage in thoroughly. Leave for 30 minutes. Rinse out thoroughly.

3. Chamomile Conditioner

Modify this recipe to suit your hair color-add dried chamomile for fair hair and walnut shells if your hair is dark. If using walnut shells, crush to a powder using a pestle and mortar or coffee grinder.

Ingredients

·         100 ml water

·         1 tablespoon dried chamomile flowers

·         1 tablespoon walnut shells, crushed

·         6 table spoons lemon juice

·         6 tablespoons cider vinegar

Preparation

Boil the water and pour it over the chamomile flowers or walnut shells. Leave to infuse for ten minutes. Strain the liquid, then stir in the lemon juice or vinegar; leave to cool slightly. After washing your hair, work the conditioner through the damp hair. Do not rinse out.

4. Comfrey Shampoo

This shampoo will cleanse and condition your hair.

·         15 g comfrey root

·         100 ml water

·         2 egg yolks

·         4 teaspoons ethanol

Preparation

Put the comfrey root in a saucepan. Pour the water over it and leave to infuse for three hours. Bring to the boil, stirring continuously. Cover and leave to cool. Strain the liquid, and then stir in the egg yolks and alcohol. Massage half the shampoo into wet hair and rinse. Repeat twice.

5. Mild Herbal Conditioner

The horsetail in this conditioner will make dull hair shine again.

·         500ml water

·         1 teaspoon dried stinging nettle leaves

·         1 teaspoon dried rosemary flowers

·         1 teaspoon dried horsetail

Preparation

Boil the water and pour it over the mixed herbs. Leave to infuse for ten minutes, and then strain the liquid. When cool, massage into the scalp. Leave for three minutes, then rinse.

¹Bulbine frutescence is indigenous to South Africa and it occurs naturally in the Orange Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and parts of all the Cape Provinces. It is an aloe-like succulent plant with a rosette of fleshy, thorn less, straw-colored leaves.

²Horsetail is a safe herb and you can drink horsetail infusion throughout the day for an indefinite amount of time. Always buy organic horsetail grass in order to avoid harmful toxins that are present in conventionally grown herbs.

The pleasures of a bath

A warm bath is a daily oasis for many people. Relaxing in a hot bath will ease the effects of tension and put you in a better state of mind to deal with your troubles.

Remember, the bath should be warm, not hot.

Some well-chosen herbs in your bathwater could make you soak even more effective. Different herbs provide subtly distinct sensations when added to bathwater. Place one type of herb or a mixture in a cloth or net bag, and then toss the bag into the bath or hang it on the tap as the bath fills. Use the guide below to help you choose:

·         Stimulating, for a refreshing early-morning bath:lovage, mint, rosemary, sage, orange, pine, thyme

·         Tranquillizing, for an end-of-the-day bath: camomile, sandalwood, lavender, marjoram, marigold, mint

·         Relief for sore muscles or joints: arnica, wintergreen, lavender

·         Relief for itchy skin: parsley, sage, rosemary, basil

·         Antidote to fatigue or stress: pine, sage, fir (plus a cup of cider vinegar)

Every few days, stay in the bath long enough to soften skin on your feet, elbows and elsewhere. Then rub those areas with a wet pumice stone or abrasive puff. After removing rough skin, rinse off and apply body lotion.

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