Horseradish Health

Horseradish health : The purpose of this post is to look at the health and medicinal uses of horseradish. In the middle ages horseradish root and leaves were used for medicinal purposes or rather as medicinal herb before the  Germans started using horseradish as a condiment. Horseradish health benefits are the result of its riches in vitamin C, A, pottassium, phosphorus and chromium. It is an excellent medicinal herb for flushing out toxins and providing nutrients to the tissues. It flushes out the toxins when used topically by irritating the tissues so that blood flow is stimulated while flushing out toxins also provides the tissues with nutrients through the fresh blood.

When you eat horseradish sauce its pungent burning smell travels right up the noses resulting in relief from congested sinuses. Horseradish is also a heating herb that promotes blood flow. The volatile oil in horseradish is also antiseptic.

On top of using horseradish soup which you can eat with other meals, horseradish can also be made into a syrup by covering a piece of horseradish root with sugar and leaving it for 24 hours before straining the resultant liquid. You can take one or two teaspoons of this syrup three times a day for the treatment of damp, phlegmy coughs.

A poultice of horseradish root can also be applied to arthritic joints and chilblains and removed as soon as is starts to burn.

The Balm of Gilead populus x candicans

The Balm of Gilead is another medicinal plant that all of us need to know. It is rich in flavonoids, phenolic glycosides which includes salicin. This also another medicinal plant that resembles aspirin for its anti-inflammatory and fever reducing properties. The parts used for medicinal purposes are the bark and the buds.

Medicinal Uses of Balm of Gilead

• Balm of Gilead is used by pharmaceutical companies in cough mixtures
• It has expectorant, antiseptic and analgesic properties which make it an excellent remedy for sore throats and dry coughs.
• It can also be applied to chapped skin, small wounds, suburns and haemorroids with excellent results.
• Scientific studies have shown balm of Gilead to have significant anti bacterial, anti-inflammatory and antifungal properties

Lobelia Benefits

Lobelia or lobelia inflata is one of the most versatile herbs in the hands of herbalist. It is one of the herbs used by North American Indians to treat all sorts of respiratory illnesses such as asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, and coughs. 

It is antispasmodic and is the best herb to relax the body and organs. Lobelia will stop in seconds spasms, cramps, fits and convulsions in patients. While a cayenne tincture cranks things up lobelia tones things down.

As indicated above Lobelia is also great for treating lung problems. Dr Richard Schulze a prominent herbalist says Lobelia is a strong bronchial dilator. It gets patients breathing easily again. It also helps to expectorate material out of the lungs. He says he has seen it work with a hundred different disorders.

Dosage and Administration

The following are recommended adult doses:

• Dried herb (infusion or decoction): ¼ to ½ tsp herb in 8 oz of water, preferably mixed with other herbs; steep 30 to 40 minutes. Take 2 oz four times per day. (This method is not preferred because of lobelia's acrid taste.) The following are recommended adult doses:
• Liquid extract (1:1 in 50 alcohol): 0.2 to 0.6 mL three times per day
• Tincture of lobelia: 0.6 to 2.0 mL per day

Adjust the recommended adult dose to account for the child's weight. Most herbal dosages for adults are calculated on the basis of a 150 lb (70 kg) adult. Therefore, if the child weighs 50 lb (20 to 25 kg), the appropriate dose of lobelia for this child would be 1/3 of the adult dosage.