Robert McDowell's Herbal Treatments
11 March 2004
Herbal Help for Humans and their Companions
How Do You Begin Your day?When you wake what are the first words that enter your head?
- A groan, Oh my God!, Another Day.
What are your first feelings?
- Fear of what’s ahead, anxiety about work, family, responsibilities?
Try another way, before you open your eyes take five minutes to express thanks for the night, the comfort, the warmth, for the day ahead, plan a little, affirm that it will be a good day and will be enjoyed.
Extend your gratitude to those that share your day – family and animals.
Affirm that all is well in your world!
You’ll be amazed how much more positive you will feel about life.
This week we feature:-
- Household Remedy-Camphor.
- Uterine Fibroids.
- Fiddles - The Idiosyncratic Horse.
- Do Dogs Suffer from Bloat?
- Reader Feedback
Household Remedy - Camphor.
Camphor Blocks, available from your local pharmacy are a simple effective treatment and preventative for any age alleviating the symptoms of chest infections such as bronchitis, pleurisy, pneumonia at the change of seasons and winter time.
Camphor is the main ingredient in "Tiger Balm" which you may have heard of or used.
Camphor works both internally and externally simply by hanging a small block around your neck at chest level.
As it vapourises (you need to replace the small blocks from time to time) it is absorbed through the skin. It works by isolating, lifting and eliminating water based fluids, bacteria and mucus.
Due to its rubifacient action it is able to heal by heat stimulation and oxygenation.
Traditionally it was hung around the necks of children and old people in small red flannel (wool) bags giving long term benefits.
Those particularly susceptible to chest problems should consider this remedy.
My own elderly mother uses camphor each winter and escapes chest complaints each year.
Uterine Fibroids
Fibroids can be seen from several different levels from the energetic point of view they can be seen either as:
- Non acceptance of relationship (self or others) issues.
- As a result of a sexual violation of some sort not necessarily physical.
- Resistance to bearing children or an anxiety about bearing children.
On a physical level due to injury, weakness or trauma the body is trying to "darn" and strengthen the area, but in doing so over compensates, creating fibrous tissue where it does not belong.
Because these fibres are thicker than normal muscle they can cause tearing in adjoining tissues and cause bright red blood loss. Uterine fibroids can be very disturbing as they can become large enough to make sufferers look 6 months pregnant and cause monthly menstrual flooding.
I do provide herbal mixes to assist in both the resolution of fibroids and rebalancing hormones but always want to get my patients to work at the energetic level as well either by just thinking about the issues which may be involved in their own cases or by having some sort of energetic or spiritual healing as well.
Please see the link below.
http://www.herbal-treatment.net/herbs_uterine_fibroids.html
In cases of fibroids resulting from trauma such as rape it is essential that healing start by focusing on the energy reasons behind the fibroids, as well as being physically healed by our fibroid and hormone balance mix.
However it is essentially an energetic problem. Emotions like fear and anger are the main reason behind this type of growth, and can be treated by Reiki, as well as counselling.
The second chakra, situated in line with the uterus, is the most affected, and some reading on the chakras will assist you to understand how to change the blocked energy. Carolyn Myss - "Anatomy of the Spirit" is the book I would recommend.
Feeling like you are disgusted with yourself, self blame and holding on to anger are the main inward energetic patterns that you will have to address. Meditation is a good way to begin to address these negative emotions by relaxing your body into a state of peace and joy through the heart centre, and then focus these emotions into the area of the fibroids- practice relaxing and letting the peace of love embrace your being fully.
Self acceptance is the key.
From here, once you balance these emotions back to self trust and enjoyment of your own sexuality, the fibroids will begin to leave of their own accord. You will also begin to notice an improvement in your relationships, as these will relax and take on a new life.
As well, the fibroid and hormone balance mix will assist to balance the endocrine system, and dissolve the fibroids.
Fiddles - The Classic Idiosyncratic Horse
I am sure that many readers out there will appreciate the depth of Fiddles personality."Fiddle is an equine nightmare but very adorable, and very talented, but has his own copy of the vets dictionary and at times I think he is working his way through it. Fortunately I have other 'normal' horses or I think he would drive me mad.
The list of what he will not eat is enormous and also varies with his moods.
For example, for a while he would not eat his carrots if they were cut up in his feed, only fresh whole ones from the hand. They came from same bag !
Fortunately he has grown out of that one.
Disguising things is difficult because once he gets suspicious he will not eat anything at all for several days.
He does not like wet food, Sugar Beet, Garlic, Aloe Vera, Alfalfa, Molasses chaff he goes hot and cold on, apples have to be a certain variety. He filtered the millet and linseed, so just the ground powder was left - all on its own at the bottom of the manger.
Things given in small amounts I can syringe in yoghurt, because he has become very good at being force fed medicine !
He has his own bespoke Bach Flowers made up from a piece of his mane and they keep him much more cheerful.
Just need to mend his feet. It has been very warm and wet this winter and a lot of people are having problems. The hoof wall is good, it is just the frog in the heal area that is giving him trouble.
Look forward to starting on the oil."
"Fiddles" is not your typical nervous horse or moody mare but he does seem to be inconsistent in his feeding habits and handling. The following sites give some ideas about improving and balancing the nervous system of your own idiosyncratic horse.
http://herbal-treatments.com/horse_nervous_rehabilitation.html
Most horses only require 1-2 courses of this mix with perhaps a repeat 12 months down the track.
The idea is to give the mix as a routine twice daily while doing your normal handling and training perhaps introducing some new confidence building work such as the natural horsemanship training like Pat Pirelli's program.
- At home include some chamomile tea in the horse's feed:
http://herbal-treatments.com/horse_chamomile_flowers.html
Use 3 - 4 dessertspoons of the dried flowers to 1 litre of boiling water. Allow to cool and use half for the morning feed and half for the evening feed. This can be given as an ongoing supplement and is also very good for the coat.
- You could also include some brewers yeast (just a pinch) in the feed which would provide an excellent source of B vitamins.
http://herbal-treatments.com/horse_chamomile_flowers.html
- There is also a little homeopathic remedy called Bach Flower’s Rescue Remedy see the following link:
http://herbal-treatments.com/horse_rescue_remedy.html
It is great for shock, fright, panic, etc and is a great addition to the first aid cupboard for humans and animals. It will stop the panic spiral.
Put it in the water bucket, on the hay, on her bit and also put a few drops on her lower lip regularly. This is quite a subtle little homeopathic but may give some assistance to calming and handling your own "idiosyncratic" horse.
Do Dogs Suffer From Bloat?
I found this article on the net quite informative, I suggest you have a read especially the last paragraph referring to ways to prevent bloat.
http://www.barkbytes.com/medical/med0007.htm
Deep chested dogs appear to be more readily affected by this problem.
The article also noted that it occurred in dogs who tended to eat large quantities of dry kibble, followed by drinking large amounts of water. Especially dangerous was when a period of vigorous exercise follows the meal and water combination.
I can make up herbal mix for your dog to treat the gas side of things, this would contain Alfalfa which reduces acidity, Chamomile to sooth the Gastro Intestinal Tract, and Black Cohosh as an anti spasmodic.
I also recommend long term some Chamomile tea and some peppermint tea to be mixed with the food, peppermint is very good for gas. You could soak dry food in the tea if this is easier or simply mix the tea with other food that is being given. Simply steep 1 bag (of each) in a cup of hot water, cool and mix with food (½ morning, ½ evening)
Have any readers experienced bloat with their dogs, how did you recognize the problem and treat it?
Reader Feed Back
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I wish readers and their animals a very healthy and happy week.
Yours Truly,
Robert McDowell