A cup of organic rosemary tea is as effective in relieving a headache as an aspirin. It is also
said to be good for memory. Rosemary has benefits not only in the head, but on the
head as well, where it is said to strengthen and stimulate hair and to be beneficial for
premature balding when used as a cold tea rinse or essential oil.
Rosemary also has value as a cardiovascular herb. It has been used to help
circulation, to lower blood pressure and to decrease capillary permeability and fragility.
Rosemary also works in the stomach where it soothes spasms, flatulence and
digestive upset. It is also active against candida.
Dosage: Drink rosemary as an infusion of 1-2tsp per cup three times a day. Or just
drink a cup for a headache instead of taking an aspirin. As a tincture, use 1-2ml three
times daily. Also available in pill form.
Safety: Rosemary, in the appropriate dose, is perfectly safe. There are no side effects,
drug interactions or contraindications, though one author cautions against its use in

regnancy--others do not.

 

While maybe not technically an herb, soy is a organic botanical with unbelievable
health properties. It is like a little factory placed on the Earth by nature to manufacture
health giving compounds. Soy is good for the heart. Unlike animal protein, soy reduces
cholesterol. The protein in soy is also a complete protein, offering all eight of the
essential amino acids, and could serve--if it had to--as the sole source of protein in the
human body.
Soy is also one of the leading reasons why women following a traditional Japanese
diet have rates of menopausal symptoms so much lower than North American women.
Components of soy called isoflavones have mild estrogenic properties that gently
support estrogen levels without the hazardous side effects of estrogen replacement
therapy. In fact, far from promoting estrogen sensitive cancer, soy isoflavones protect
against it. Because they are weaker estrogens than the estrogens produced by your
body, when they occupy an estrogen receptor site instead of one of your own
estrogens, your body's estrogen level lowers.
Soy's cancer protecting properties go beyond just regulating hormones. The
isoflavones, and other components of soy, help fight cancer, and the spread of cancer,
in many other ingenious ways. The very common prostate and breast cancers are two
of the cancers soy shows promise against.
Soy beans are also the source of many exciting new ingredients with incredible healing
properties. Phosphatidylserine from soy is showing remarkable results against
Alzheimer's and depression. IP6 is showing great promise against several cancers,
including colon, liver and breast. And soy isoflavones like genestein and daidzein can
also be taken as supplements for menopausal symptoms and cancer.
Dosage: Soy can be consumed liberally as an incredibly healthy part of your diet. The
average Japanese diet, where many of the health benefiting properties have been
noticed, includes 50-80 grams, or 2-3 ounces of soy daily. Soy comes in many forms,
including soy beans, soy milk and tofu. Phosphatidylserine, soy isoflavones and IP6
are all also available as supplements.
Safety: Some people are allergic to soy products; allergic reactions ranging from skin
rashes to vomiting are typical, and are believed to occur more frequently in children
than in adults. If you have any doubts, consult your doctor or an allergist. 

Possessing some of the widest ranging anti-microbial properties of any plant, organic tea tree
oil makes an amazing disinfectant and has a reserved place of honor in any first aid kit.
Tea tree oil is a useful part of any acne program: it is an effective alternative to benzoyl
peroxide that produces less stinging, burning, dryness and redness.
In addition to being antiseptic, tea tree oil is antifungal. It works against athlete's foot
and is as effective as conventional treatment against fungus infected toenails. It also
kills candida and has been reported to reduce the symptoms of acute bladder infection
very quickly. Recently tea tree oil was found to be active even against antibiotic
resistant strains of bacteria.
Dosage: For skin conditions, just apply the undiluted oil directly to the infection.
Sometimes a 5-15% solution is used for acne.
Safety: Tea tree oil is extremely safe topically. As a powerful essential oil, it may
occasionally cause contact dermatitis. However, it is one of the very safest essential
oils and usually causes little irritation even when used for long periods.

 

organic Usnea is a lichen, a bizarre organism which is really two organisms, a fungus and an
algae, living symbiotically as one. In addition to its immune system stimulating
properties, usnea has very powerful antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties.
Against some strains of bacteria, usnea is even more powerful than penicillin. It is
especially effective against the Streptococcus bacteria that causes strep throat,
Staphylococcus bacteria and tuberculosis.

Usnea can also be used for other respiratory tract infections like bronchitis, pleurisy
and pneumonia. It is an antifungal herb, effective against athlete's foot and candida.
Usnea is also very effective against Trichomonas vaginalis, a sexually transmitted
parasite that causes some urinary tract infections
Dosage: For bacterial infections, use a dropperful two to three times a day. As a
gargle, a dropperful in water can be used frequently for sore or strep throat. Lozenges
are also available and should be taken 3-6 times a day at a strength of 100mg. Usnea
can also be decocted as a tea or applied externally for fungal infections or infected cuts
Safety: There are no known contraindications or side effects. Alcohol extracts could be
irritating if not diluted in water. 

Although valerian is the most famous of all the sedative organic herbs, it actually does
whatever the body needs, sedating it in agitated states and stimulating it in fatigued
states. It is able to help you fall asleep faster and bring on a better sleep while
producing none of the hangover effect associated with sleeping pills the next morning.
Valerian is calming in ways other than insomnia as well. It may be used for anxiety and
all kinds of nervous conditions, including stress and both headaches and heart
problems that involve nervous tension. As a relaxing antispasmodic, it is also useful in
cramps, muscle spasms and epilepsy.
Dosage: Valerian tea tastes terrible, though it may be hard to keep your cat away from
it. But if you do decide to take it as a tea, make an infusion of 1-2tsp of the root per cup
of water and drink it as necessary. 2-4ml of the tincture can be taken three times daily,
or as a single dose of 4-6ml 30-45 minutes before bed. As a pill made from the dried
root, use 1-3 grams either before bed or as needed. If the valerian is standardized as
an extract, take 150-300mg, standardized for .8% valeric acid, 30-45 minutes before
going to sleep.
Safety: Completely safe even for prolonged use. No contraindications or side effects.