By: Misty Murph'Ariens

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Let me cut a very, very long story short.  I have been thoroughly disillusioned by conventional medicine.  What used to be called a 'symptom' and was taken as an indicator of some imbalance in the lifestyle of a patient, now seems to be a 'syndrome' or 'disorder'. And, it seems, for most of these 'conditions', there are two treatments—drugs or surgery. 

At one time, someone might have been said to have been 'blocked up' and advised to drink more water, eat more fibrous foods and less meat and get some more exercise.  Nowadays, they might be diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome and sent away with a prescription. 

I find this shift in attitudes both disempowering and disconcerting—disempowering because these new syndrome names create a mystery for the patient, making their health issue the doctors business—not theirs. A disorder is something that they 'suffer' from, something outside themself which afflicts them and they are powerless against.  Further, these modern treatments are dispensed by doctors, and thus are inaccessable to the layperson, especially the poor. 

On the other hand, there was a time when most conditions could be simply and quickly treated by most mothers.  When a child had diarrhoea, mom did not have to rush him to the emergency room in a panic.  She simply went to the cupboard and pulled out antiseptic, stomach soothing (and delicious) candied ginger or gripe (sweetened dill tea). While not as powerful or drastic as modern medicine, housewive's 'stitch-in-time' first aid kept many families healthy for thousands of years. 

I find modern 'health care' disconcerting because it seems more and more younger and younger people are getting chronic conditions, taking medications and dying.  Don’t get me wrong, there have been amazing advancements in medical science for which I am truly grateful.  But, I think most of the things we are treating stem from improper eating and inadequate exercise.

It's no surprise how this is happening to more of us. The food being sold in North American grocery stores today, some even in the guise of 'health food' or 'diet food', is so processed that it is not only totally bereft of nutrients and fibre, but also with unnaturally elevated quantities of sugar, fat, and salt.  Those facts alone are disquieting enough, not to mention the toxic and radioactive ingredients that are being liberally sprinkled into every box and package of prepared 'food'.  I firmly believe the old adage, 'you are what you eat'.  If you eat healthy whole foods, you will be healthy and whole.  If you eat junk food, you will be junk. Hippocrates said, 'Let food by thy medicine', and I'm inclined to believe him.  So, with that, I give you some folk remedies I find useful.

For;
Gas, bloat, food poisoning or discomfort from overeating: ginger, clove, allspice, nutmeg, dill
Headache: mint, chamomile, catnip, lemon balm, lavender (yes, you can eat it-yummy in shortbread)
Eye or ear infections: calendula
Toothache: clove
Parasites: parsley, garlic, thyme, wormwood, wormseed, pumpkin seed, walnut.
Colds: garlic, basil, oregano, thyme, bay

I could go WAY over my word limit here with enthusiasm, so for more information or recipes, email me: mistyariens@live.com.