With Arthritis Care Week this week, it got me thinking about the many ways we try to treat arthritis and relieve joint pain.

Now as you know, arthritis is traditionally treated with anti-inflammatories and injections. But after doing a little digging I discovered that most common arthritis treatments are ineffective as not only do they only treat the pain – not the source – they also become ineffective with excessive use as your body becomes accustomed to it.

Bearing this in mind, I have spent the last week looking for alternative herbal treatments, and have actually come up with quite a few.

So if you or someone you love are currently suffering from arthritis, then why not give some of the following herbs and oils a try, to improve your joint and pain relief:

• Alfalfa – this is best taken as a tea. (Do not take as a powder)
• Angelica Black cohosh – this is particularly good for rheumatism.
• Boswellia – works similar to anti-inflammatories but doesn’t irritate or cause ulcerations in your stomach.
• Celery seeds – contains 25 different anti-inflammatory compounds.
• Devil’s claw Epsom salts – used in a bath can help to increase circulation and reduce swelling.
• Feverfew – some studies have found this to have more anti-inflammatory effects that NSAIDs. Simply take 250milligrams once/twice a day.
• Ginger – ginger tea or a ginger compresses are great for relieving pain and swelling in the joints Hop tea.
• Liquorice – behaves in a similar way to cortisone without the side effects.
• Red pepper, cayenne pepper – is believed to interfere with pain perception due to the capsaicin it contains. Simply apply to your skin as a cream 4 times a day and it can help to reduce your pain by up to a 1/3.
• Rosemary – enriched in earnosol, oleanolic acid, rosmarinic acid and ursolic acid, these anti-inflammatory substances can do wonders for your joints when drank as a tea.
• Stinging Nettle – is widely used in Germany and is particularly helpful for treating the early stages of arthritis.
• Wild cucumber bark – many herbalists tout this as the best plant to treat arthritis. Simply put it in drinking alcohol or use in tea.
• Willow – the original herbal aspirin, willow bark tea is believed to have pain – relieving and anti-inflammatory effects.

And these are only the herbs you can take to improve your arthritic symptoms. You can also use essential oils to treat and control your pain.

Take the following arthritis bath blend. Use daily for 2 weeks at the time and this blend can offer immediate joint pain relief.

To make all you need is: 2 handfuls of Epsom salt, 1 handful of rock salt, and 4 drops of the following blend: 30 drops Fennel, 16 drops Cypress and 10 drops Juniper. (NOTE: do not use any other treatments whilst you are using this bath blend).

After the 2 weeks, you can then massage any of these essential oils into your joints:

Roman chamomile, German chamomile, lavender, yarrow, peppermint, niaouli, calendula, eucalyptus, angelica, cedarwood, sandalwood, pettitgraine, black pepper and rosemary.

TIP:

When using any of these essential oils always make sure you add 1tbsp of carrier oil (coconut oil or jojoba oil) to a few drops of your essential oil.

You would think that hay fever would have something to do with hay, but you’d be wrong.

Hay fever can occur anywhere between January and September and is actually triggered by the pollination of trees, some weeds and grass.

So what is hay fever?

Hay fever basically occurs when pollen grains either land on the conjunctiva of your eye or are inhaled and land on the mucous membranes inside your nose.

Now if you’re allergic your nose and eyes will immediately sense the allergen leaking from the grain causing you to sneeze, rub your eyes or even in extreme cases trigger asthma.

And as you can guess, the more you come into contact with these pollen grains, the worse your symptoms will be.

How can I prevent hay fever?

With more than 15 million in UK suffering from hay fever, and a staggering 9 out of 10 suffers revealing that hay fever leaves them unable to function at full capacity (2% not at all), it is only natural that you want to nip this problem in the bud.

After all, who wants to spend most of the year suffering from runny noses, itchy eyes and incessant sneezes? No one.

Yet before you can even begin treating hay fever, you first need to get to grips with the seasons and recognise which type of pollen you are allergic to.

1. Tree allergy – trees usually pollinate earlier than grasses so can happen anywhere between January and June. Common ones include oak, olive, elm, birch (this is 2nd to grasses for being the most common cause of hay fever), ash, hickory, poplar, sycamore, maple and walnut.
2. Flower allergy – a lot of us blame our allergies on flowers, yet for the exception of compositae (those belonging to the daisy family), cultivated flowers don’t actually cause allergy problems.
3. Weed allergy – common weeds such as mugwort can cause late summer symptoms, usually between July and September.
4. Grass Allergy – usually causes symptoms between May and September, although you’ll notice that its pollen counts are higher in June and July, especially on sunny days.

Treatments for hay fever

Hopefully the above information helped you to identify your hay fever triggers so you’re better prepared for the coming season. However, when it comes to hay fever recognising is not enough. You want to be able to stop it, so you can safely step outside without subjecting yourself to all its pesky symptoms.

And unless you plan to stay at home all day with your windows tightly closed, the reality is, you’ll eventually have to go outside.

So what can you do?

Well if you don’t fancy taking an anti-histamine (which is designed to calm down the production of histamines which trigger mucus production and swollen eyes); there are a number of natural herbal remedies you can try.

1. Haymax – whilst you can use Vaseline to create a barrier between your top lip and nostrils, the best way to capture pollen and prevent it going up your nose is Haymax. This consists of plant based oils and waxes, which when smeared around your nostrils will stop pollen and a streaming nose.
2. Pycnogenol (created from pine bark) – has been found to calm inflammation in your mucus membranes.
3. Native nettle – this produces the same results as anti-histamines (helping you to decongest and calm down your allergic reaction, whilst mopping up catarrh) without the drowsiness.
4. Chamomile tea bags – you’re probably wondering, how you can protect your eyes from constant streaming. Well one effective tip I’ve heard of is placing soaked chamomile tea bags on your eyes. These will help to calm down irritation and leave you feeling relaxed.
5. Vogel Luffa Nasal Spray – can offer immediate relief to inflamed mucus membranes in your nose. You can also get this as a tincture or as a tablet.
6. Potters Allerclear Eyedrops – this contains eyebright which can help to soothe your eyes and calm down inflammation and redness.

You can even use individual herbs to help prevent coughing, weepy eyes, a runny nose, irritation in your eyes, nose and throat, headaches and itchy skin.

• Eucalyptus – place some eucalyptus oil into some boiling hot water, and inhale the steam. This will help to break up congestion and help you to breath easier.
• Ginger – can help to reduce inflammation
• Licorice root – similar to ginger, licorice root can ease inflammation
• Rooibos – has been found to have anti-histamine properties. I recommend having it in a tea
• St. John’s Wort – taken in capsules this herb can help to relieve sinus headache
• Ginkgo – can decrease your body’s reactions to allergens which is particularly useful if you’ve got asthma

A weeds, a weed right? Wrong.

Your very own back garden could secretly be hoarding an array of herbs and roots which could help to improve your health and well-being. The very same herbs that you go browsing the shelves to buy every single day!

So before you go tearing up your weeds this spring, stop for a moment to see if you have got any hidden herbal gems hiding in your garden.

What’s hiding in my garden?

Now I’m not saying you’ll find all of these in your garden, but use one of Baldwin’s many herbal books as a guide (I used ‘The Yoga of Herbs’ by Dr David Frawley) and I’m pretty sure that what you mistook for a weed is secretly a herb.

Here are some of your more common garden herbs:

1. Shepherd’s purse – the top half of this plant after it has formed ‘heart-shaped purses’ i.e. seed pods can be used to make a tincture to stop bleeding. This is particularly helpful if you suffer from heavy periods. Simply have 1ml four times a day.
2. Cleavers – you might have to venture outside your garden for this sticky plant as it is usefully found on the edges of cultivated land. Now the whole of this plant is reputed to strengthen your lymphatic system and relieve tender swollen breasts, PMS and allergies. I recommend using 2/3 of the plant whilst it is flowering and making a tincture using alcohol.
3. Chickweed – this one has got many uses including dissolving cysts, and improving your thyroid and weight loss and can easily be added to your every day salad.
4. Daisy – who would have thought that a daisy can be used to relieve headaches, muscle pain and allergies, but it can. To use take its leaves and flowers to make a tincture (using alcohol) and have 1ml twice a day.
5. Dandelion – you might think of dandelions as a weed, but they are one of best known medicinal herbs in the world. You can use any part of this plant to make a tincture which will strengthen your liver, relieve gas, heartburn and indigestion, and improve bowel movements.
6. Dock – also known as yellow dock, curly dock and broad dock, this plant is quite good for treating PMS, period cramping and balancing your hormones.
7. Mallows – these are more common in neglected gardens. Now each part has got its own benefits. Rich in sticky mucilage once soaked overnight you can use it to ease sore throats, upset stomachs, heartburn, colic, constipation and food poisoning. But this is not all it can do, externally (when used as a poultice) it can relieve bug bites, burns and sprains.
8. St John’s Wart – whether you use its flower heads to make an oil or a tincture, this plant has got numerous benefits i.e. improves mood, relieves muscles aches, and can used to treat cold sores, back pain, sciatica and headaches.
9. Yarrow – like many of the others this plant has got plenty of uses. As a tincture, its flowering top can be used to prevent colds and the flu. Externally yarrow has been reported to repel ticks and mosquitoes.

See what I mean? Your garden could secretly be host to an array of herbs which can naturally help to improve your health and help you ward off illness.

So take a look and see what gems your garden may be hiding… If you find something interesting why not let us know on our Facebook page.

There are a lot of oils on the market which claim to do this, that and the other, but Argan oil is one of those rare oils which can do everything it says it can.

From adding a hint of nuttiness to your meals to improving the condition of your hair, skin, immune system and digestion, you could say it is an all-rounder.

Anyway, in this post I wanted to focus on the benefits Argan oil can have on your skin. As an eczema sufferer, winter always leaves my skin dry, cracked and sore, so to find an oil when can help to revitalise my skin, reduce irritation and help it heal is fantastic.

What is Argan oil?

This oil is actually pretty rare as it is extracted from kernel nuts which are only found in Morocco. Used for centuries by local Berber women as a beauty agent, it is only in recent years the healing benefits of this oil have been recognised by the world.

As such, all Argan sold today is produced by a women’s cooperative that shares the profits amongst the local women of the Berber tribe.

How does Argan oil work?

Like I mentioned before Argan oil can offer you a myriad of health benefits due to its high concentration of fatty acids (80%), polyphenoles, antioxidants, carotenoids and other helpful acids.

Yet of its benefits Argan oil is best known for its use in the treatment of acne, eczema and psoriasis.

Take the following benefits for instance:

• Argan oil helps to protect your skin from premature aging and wrinkles (particularly crow’s feet)
• It is a natural remedy for dry skin as it is enriched in proteins which improve the bonding structures and the elasticity in your skin, keeping your skin fresh and toned.
• Reduces skin irritation triggered by eczema whilst healing the marks caused by scratching. Argan oil is also used in the treat of skin inflammatory diseases such as acne, chickenpox and psoriasis which can leave red dots and patches on your skin.
• As well as helping dry skin, Argan oil helps to combat oily skin by regulating the secretion of sebum.
• Argan oils helps to reduce stretch marks during pregnancy.
• Argan oil is great for arthritis helping to sooth and reduce joint pain by slowing down the degenerative process.

And to use this oil is incredibly simple as you don’t have to do much to use it to moisture your skin.

For instance, if you’re simply looking for a night time moisturiser, then all you need is a few drops of raw Argan oil which you can rub directly onto your skin.

However, if you’re looking for a full body oil (especially if you’re suffering from eczema or acne), then this following recipe is perfect.

To make all you need is: 2 ounces of camellia oil, ½ ounce of hemp seed oil, ½ ounce of jojoba, ½ ounce of Argan oil, ½ red raspberry seed oil, 10-25 drops of lavandula abrialis essential oil and 10-25 drops of ylang ylang essential oil. Mixed together you can gently massage this onto your skin and give your body a lift after the long winter months.

Other uses for Argan

Like I mentioned before Argan oil isn’t just good for your skin, it also has the following benefits:

• Rich in oleic acid, Argan oil can help to limit and maintain your cholesterol levels, preventing spikes.
• Argan oil contains a number of acids which are converted into 3 kinds of prostaglandins. These can help to improve your immune system and anti-inflammatory functions.
• Combining these prostaglandins with its vitamin E levels, these can help to improve the health and functioning of your heart.
• The sterols in Argan oil can help to block cholesterol absorption in your intestines.
• Argan oil helps to increase pepsin levels (a digestive enzyme) improving your digestion.

Argan oil is even used in fish, sweet potato, salad, soups and dessert dishes to add a nutty taste and smell! It truly is a versatile oil so whether you’re looking to improve the condition of your skin or lower your cholesterol, Argan oil can help.

I don’t know about you, but the smell of bleach and chemicals whilst I’m cleaning often leaves me feeling as if I have poisoned myself.

Maybe I am exaggerating a little, but ask yourself this: how often after a good spring clean do you find that you’ve suddenly got a migraine, feel sick or discover that your hands are red raw and inflamed? More often than your think, right?

Well this is partially down to the chemicals they contain and release. And I’m sorry but anything that leaves you with a headache and feeling queasy can’t be good for you. After all, isn’t that why pregnant women are told they can’t use bleach? The fumes are not good for your baby.

Well, all of this got me thinking about natural cleaners…

Surely there is an eco friendly way to clean your house without having to expose yourself to unnecessary chemicals? There is…

How to make your own natural floor polish

Yep. I came across this interesting recipe whilst browsing the web and found it pretty good for cleaning up my wooden cabinets.

Here’s how to make it:

• 1/2tsp Olive oil or jojoba (a liquid wax)
• ¼ cup of vinegar (or if you can’t stand the smell use fresh lemon juice

Simply mix these ingredients together in a jar, then dap some onto a soft rag and wipe down your wooden surface. This should help to bring out the graining, and leave a gentle shine on the surface.

Now this wasn’t the only natural cleaning product recipe I found. I also came across the following which were pretty easy to make and use:

• Carpet stains – mix ¼ cup each of salt, borax and vinegar and rub the paste into your carpet. Leave for a few hours, then vacuum.
• Tile mould – this works well for all kinds of mould. Simply mix 2tsp of tea tree oil with 2 cups of water, shake and then spray onto your problem area.
• Floor cleaner – this works on wooden, laminated and tiled floors. Mix 1/8cup plant based liquid soap and 1/8 cup of distilled white vinegar into a gallon of water, then add 10 drops of lavender essential oil.

And none of these left a nasty smell either which was a refreshing change.

However, if you’re looking to completely overhaul your cleaning cabinet, then you might enjoy trying some of these natural household products.

I don’t know why but Easter always leaves me stuck for ideas on how to entertain the kids. Once they’ve done the Easter egg hunt and found all their eggs, the rest of the day just ends up with the kids playing in their rooms, watching TV and if I’m lucky a quick visit to the grandparents.

And I feel this is a real shame as there is so much more to Easter than chocolate…

That is why this year I have decided to mix things up, and try this fun idea I found on the web, which I’m sure all kids will enjoy, not just mine: dying eggs.

What is natural egg dying?

This is actually an old Easter tradition – although some other cultures dye eggs to celebrate the summer solstice – but all things considered I think this is a great way to celebrate Easter and give the kids something fun to do.

How can I make natural dye?

Really easily as most of the ingredients you need are probably already in your cupboard. And if they are not, it doesn’t matter as they are pretty cheap to buy:

• Black – black walnut or alder
• Blue – elder berries, elecampane, cornflowers or indigo root
• Brown – burdock, comfrey, fennel, onion skins, juniper berries or tea leaves
• Yellow – turmeric, safflower petals, chamomile, green tea, saffron or juniper leaves
• Orange – carrots, paprika, onion skins or tansy shoots
• Green – spinach leaves, angelica, marjoram, rosemary, tansy, yarrow, or hyssop
• Red – dandelion root, St Johns Wort flowers, ladies bedstraw, oregano, sweet woodruff or hops
• Purple – red cabbage, violet flowers or red grape juice
• Pink – sorrel root, chicory root, madder root, beetroot, raspberries or cranberries

TIP: for stronger shades, you can try over-dying the egg by first using one of the suggestions, then another.

How to dye your egg

Now you can approach egg dying one of 2 ways. It just depends on the how you plan to decorate your egg.

So you can decide on your own, I’ll show you both methods…

Method One:

Materials – white eggs, flowers and leaves to decorate your eggs, a pot of water, dye (pick from one of the above), 1tbsp vinegar to intensify the dye, 1 pair of old tights (I suggest using skin colour tights as black ones may run) and thread.

Once you’ve got your ingredients, you’re ready to get started:

1. Start by cutting your tights into 4”-5” sections and tie off the end of each one.
2. Next wash your eggs with soapy water to get rid of any oils, then dry and put them in the fridge until you are ready to stick on your leaves or flowers.
3. Choose your leaves/flower carefully, aiming to pick one which has got a distinct shape that can be pressed flat to your egg. Flatten them, then wrap them around your egg.
4. Carefully place your egg into your tight pouch, keeping your leaf/flower in place, then tie off the other end. Tip: make sure the tight is stretched tightly over the egg to keep the leaf/flower in place.
5. Once your eggs are ready, you can make the dye. Add your dye material, vinegar and eggs to the water and boil for 20 minutes.
6. Remove your eggs from the water, cut them out of the tight pouch and then rinse.

Now you can eat these if you want, but after boiling them for 20 minutes they probably won’t taste that great so I suggest just using them for decoration.

Method Two:

Materials – 3tsp of white vinegar, 250ml water, white eggs and depending on the herb/plant you choose, you will need to following per 250ml of water – 125ml fresh herb/berries or 2tsp of teas/ground spices

Okay, once you’ve got your ingredients you can either prepare them using a hot or cold method.

Cold Method:

1. Hard boil your eggs, then allow them to cool before dying.
2. Next you will need to prepare your dye. Add your herbs, spices or berries to 250ml of water and bring your mixture to a boil in a pan.
3. Reduce the heat and leave to simmer for 15 minutes (or longer depending on the colour you want).
4. Remove from the heat and pour your dye mixture into a measuring jug and add 3tsp of white vinegar.
5. Next pour your mixture into a bowl which is deep enough to cover your eggs, then lower your eggs carefully into the hot liquid using a slotted spoon.
6. Leave your eggs to soak. NOTE: the longer you leave them to soak, the deeper the colour will be.

Hot Method:

For the hot method, you make your herb dye the same way as above and place your eggs into the dye in a pan. Bring your mixture to boil for 10-30 minutes (no longer than 30), then remove from the heat.

Now at this point you can either choose to remove the eggs from the dye or leave them to soak in the dye in your fridge. Whatever you decide, remove them from the dye, dry and return to the fridge.

TIP: if you fancy decorating these eggs, you can use wax crayons or wax to draw shapes and pictures onto the eggs, but remember to do this before you dye them as the wax won’t absorb the colour.

Were you aware that after April 2011 many herbal products and food supplements containing herbs became illegal due to changes in EU law (Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive THMPD)? I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t…

Unless you’re an herbal enthusiast, you may have missed the debate.

However, nearly a year on debate over this legislation is still raging as campaigners fight to protect traditional medicinal cultures.

What is the purpose of THMPD?

Now if you have missed this debate, don’t worry. Here is a quick overview to what has been going on for the last 12 months.

As of the 30th April 2011, only herbal medicines and supplements which have been registered under the THMPD scheme will be available across the EU.

Now as you can guess this legislation has had a major impact on herbals products from non-European traditions such as Ayurveda and China. Many are now no longer available as it is nearly impossible for them to meet these guidelines or keep up with the expense.

According the THMPD, herbal products have got the meet the following criteria:

• Must have at least 15 out of 30 years of usage within the EU – as you can imagine, this has put non-European herbal traditions from Ayurveda, China, South East Asia, Tibet, the Amazon and South at a disadvantage despite them having the longest and most developed botanical based healthcare in the world.
• Particular combinations of herbs may be disallowed – according to the THMPD, traditional use is seen as one herb or a specific combination of herbs, and as a result have prevented the use of new combinations despite their scientific backing.
• All products are subject to pharmaceutical criteria and Good Manufacturing Practices – this means, manufacturers must meet the same purity and stability criteria as conventional pharmaceuticals.

Now due to the complexity of some herbal mixtures, this will make it difficult for many non-European herbal products to meet the GMP.

• Traditional medicines are only eligible for registration if their purpose is for minor ailments, not major conditions such as heart disease.
• Herbal products containing high levels of vitamins and minerals will be prohibited and allowed ONLY if its nutrients are considered ‘ancillary’.
• Herbal products that contain non-herbal ingredients other than vitamins, minerals are disallowed

And this is forgetting the fact that: the THMPD is controlled by the HMPC who are weighed towards pharmaceutical products rather than herbal medicine, and the huge costs manufacturers will face trying to meet this regime.

Fortunately the Alliance for Natural Health and the European Benefyt Foundation are challenging this legislation, and plan to take them to the UK High Court before progressing to the European Court of Justice.

Hopefully if they are successful, you won’t have to lose out on all the health benefits these herbs and herbal medicine have got to offer. However until then, why not have a go at making your tinctures/capsules of these herbs?

You may not be able to buy these traditional remedies, but this doesn’t mean you cannot have a go a creating them yourself…!

If you’ve been reading up on the benefits of berries, then you’ve probably heard a lot about how they can help you to lose weight. However, this is not all these clever little berries can do.

Take bilberry for instance…

Bilberry extract has been proven to be a powerful anti-inflammatory and is commonly used to treat macular degeneration and cataracts; improve blood sugar levels (diabetes) and ease the symptoms of heart disease:

• Eye health – due to bilberries high concentration of flavonoids (anthocyanosides), bilberry is often used to treat eye problems including macular degeneration, diabetic neuropathy and cataracts, as it helps to protect collagen structures in the blood vessels of your eyes.

  In fact, bilberries are so well known for their ability to help your eyes adjust to light changes, that during WWII pilots ate bilberry jam to improve their vision (for both day and night flying).

• Blood sugar – aside from flavonoids, bilberry also contains glucoquinine which has been found to lower your blood sugar levels.

  NOTE: If you are a diabetic, I strongly suggest speaking to your doctor first if you are interested in trying bilberry extract. This is particularly important, if your blood sugar is already low as it could affect your medication.

• Varicose veins – recent studies have found that bilberry can alleviate swelling and varicose veins, relieving itching and pain.
• Heart disease – similar to your eyes, bilberry extract can help to combat hardening of the arteries, improving blood flow and circulation.
• Reynaud’s disease – due to its ability to alleviate swelling and inflammation, bilberry is often used in the treatment of Reynaud’s disease which causes numbness to your fingers, toes and nose (when cold).
• Circulation – similar to the capillaries in your eyes, bilberry can help to improve your general circulation.
• Blood pressure – remember how I said bilberries are overflowing in antioxidants? Well, its antioxidant anthocyannin has been found to reduce high blood pressure.

Is bilberry risk free?

Now whilst bilberry has not been found to cause any known adverse effects, there is a small chance that you may experience a stomach upset, dizziness or a headache when taking bilberry.

Similarly as I mentioned before, as bilberry extract can lower your blood sugar levels and blood pressure, it is important that you speak to your doctor first before trying it so they can modify your medication levels.

Other than that, bilberry is a fantastic nutritional source which can offer you an assortment of health benefits. So if you are looking to improve your vision or tackle those annoying varicose veins, then why not give bilberry a try? From one simple berry, you can gain so much…

Your mother is special right? She brought you into this world. Has raised, taken care of and has been there for you through all the highs and lows… She is unique.

So what better this Mothers Day than to offer her something that proves how much she means to you?

Well you can…

If you – like the rest of us – can’t afford to send your mother away to a spa for the weekend, you can easily offer her the perfect alternative: a collection of homemade oils, massage oils and beauty products that are 100% natural and organic.

In fact you can offer her the perfect relaxation tools…

Create your own home remedies

I came across the following recipes when looking for gift ideas for my mother, and they really are ingenious as you can find many of these ingredients in your cupboards so it doesn’t have to be expensive:

• Lavender and Rosemary hair oil – you probably didn’t know this but many of your favourite essential oils – lavender, chamomile, rosemary and tea tree – have been used for years to create revitalising shampoos.

  Now this particular recipe should suit most hair types and will help to keep your mothers hair healthy and encourage growth. Simply mix 64 drops of lavender, with 64 drops of rosemary and 16 drops of sage.

  If, however, your mother has got thick hair, you can easily mix up this recipe. Instead you will need to mix 4 ounces of Jojoba, coconut and sesame seed oil in equal parts, then add 48 drops of lavender, 48 drops of rosemary and 48 drops of ylang ylang.

• Cucumber Hair Drench – this particular recipe is fab if your mother likes to go swimming as it combats the damage done by chlorine.

  Simply blend 1 egg, 1 eggshell’s worth of olive oil and a quarter of a peeled cucumber, then tell your mother to spread it through her hair and leave for 10 minutes before rinsing.

• Kiwi Facial Cleanser – I quite like this one as it leaves your skin feeling really fresh.

  To make simply grab 1 kiwi fruit, 2tbsp plain yoghurt, 1tbsp of apricot or almond oil, 1tbsp honey, 1tsp finely ground and 2 drops of orange essential oil then do the following.

  Puree your kiwi until it is a liquid, slow adding your yoghurt, orange water, almond/apricot oil and ground almonds. Keep blending until it is thick and resembles a cream. Lastly add your essential oil and stir (note: this recipe will make one application)

• Ginger Skin Crème – this one involves a little cooking but is worth making. To make you’ll need a 2” piece of fresh ginger, 2tsp light sesame oil, 2tsp apricot kernel oil, 2tbsp vitamin E oil and ½ cup of cocoa butter.

  Once you’ve got your ingredients, preheat your oven to its lowest setting, then finely grate your ginger so you have got 1/8tsp of ginger ‘juice’ (to get this juice, squeeze your grated ginger over a small bowl). Put your ginger juice and your other ingredients into a glass container and heat until your cocoa butter has melted. Next pour your crème into another dry container and store in a cool dry place. If you want you can even add a few drops of essential oil.

• Lavender Hand and Foot Wash – to complete your collection of homemade remedies, this Lavender foot and hand wash is a must as it helps to relieve red and inflamed skin.

  First get ½ cup of dried lavender flowers ½ cup of finely chopped fresh sage, 2 cups of water and 8 drops of lavender oil. Once you’ve got your ingredients pop your lavender flowers, sage and water into a saucepan and simmer (whilst covered) for 20 minutes over a low flame.

  Strain your mixture through a cheesecloth and leave to cool. Get rid of your solids, and add your lavender oil to the liquid (I recommend transferring this liquid to a glass container as you will need to shake it).

Now these are only a few recipes I’ve found. There are loads of others online, so if your mother loves strawberries you can easily swap out the ginger skin crème for a strawberry cream instead.

But generally that’s all there is to it!

All of these are really easy to make, and if you make an effort with personalised packaging they can make a beautiful present for your mother this Mothers Day.

So why not give them a go? You might even find one that you like for yourself.

We love hearing about all the creative things people do with our products so if you try one of the recipes, why not come and let us know on our Facebook page.

After a long day at the office (or in my case chasing the kids around the house), there really is nothing better than sitting down to a perfectly brewed cup of tea. Mint, elderflower or lemon, herbals teas are so much better than your average Tetley.

However, if you haven’t got a willing slave to go make you one (i.e. your hubby), making a brew can often feel like a tall order, especially if you are craving the heavenly scent of apple and ginger.

I suppose this is why I love pre-made herbal teas so much…

They take away the hassle of having to blend the herbs by hand, yet still manage to offer you all the health benefits.

Herbal health perks

Now every herbal tea is different, so whilst elderflower is great for curing colds, you wouldn’t use it ease aches and pains.

Here is a brief guide to help you decide:

• Elderberry – a traditional cure for the common cold, elderflower is a great decongestant as it helps to clear your nasal passages and keep you breathing easy.
• Lemon Verbena – is normally used as a digestive aid as the citrus helps to break down fats in your digestive tract.
• Ginger – this clever herb works best during the early signs of infection, as it promotes a fever and hastens healing. Ginger is also believed to help relieve rheumatic pain by widening your blood cells and encouraging circulation.
• Nettle – feeling a little run down? Have some nettle tea. Nettle is an excellent source of iron, calcium and silica which are essential for producing red blood cells and building bones, hair and teeth.
• Chamomile – if you are struggling to sleep chamomile tea can help to relieve insomnia as it acts as a relaxant (alternatively you can try a little St. John’s Wort to ensure a more restful night)
• Green tea – this Japanese drink can help to strengthen tissues cells around your body as it is overflowing in antioxidants which prevent cell damage from free radicals.
• Thyme – similar to elderberry, thyme is ideal if you’ve got a cold.
• Fennel – this Mediterranean herb is particularly useful if you’re suffering from constipation, colic or flatulence (grim I know but it happens to us all). The Fennel acts to relax your intestinal muscles, ensuring you feel more comfortable.
• Peppermint – did you know that peppermint is ideal if you are feeling sick or nauseous? It stimulates bile production in your gall bladder whilst breaking down fat in your digestive tract, thus stopping nausea.

As a bit of a health nut, I can honestly say I have got most of these in my cupboards. However, if you are fairly new to herbal teas, then here are some that I thoroughly recommend trying: Pukka Lemongrass & Ginger Tea, Dr Stuarts Elderflower and Lemon, Higher Living Organic Green Tea and Salus House Organic Nettle Leaf Tea.

I personally like to mix these up and have something different every day, but even a handful of these aromatic teas can offer you a surplus of health benefits, so give them a try and say ‘bye bye’ to aches, pains and those annoying colds.

COMPETITION: WIN A Selection of Higher Living Teas

Tell us your favorite flavor of herbal tea in the comments below to be in with a chance of winning a variety of delicious Higher Living teas.

All comments will be entered into the competition and the winner will be picked at random. Closing Date: Tuesday 13th March.

UPDATE: Congratulations to Cathryn Spalding from Facebook, the lucky winner of our tea competition.