Readers’ Questions Answered - Remedies for Allergies, Veggie Boot Feet, and Lavender
Welcome
to this month’s edition of Witch Hazel, your gothic/pagan resource to the herbal world! This month, here are some of the questions I received:
Can you recommend any herbal remedies for allergies?
– Kendy
To help prevent allergies, you need to use herbs and foods that will build up your immune system. Taking a spoonful of bee pollen granules every day is helpful. Herbs such as nettle and echinacea taken in pill form or tea will help ease the suffering of allergies. (Tea is more potent, but pills are more convenient.)
These herbs are not quick fixes for the symptoms, but will help build your body’s natural defenses. There are many herbal extract blends available in health food stores for specific allergies such as foods, animal dander and airborne pollen.
Dear Witch Hazel, I’m a vegetarian, so I don’t like to wear leather. The problem is that fake leather shoes sometimes make my feet smelly. Is there anything I can do?
–Vicky
Synthetic shoes often are non-porous and your feet won’t get enough air, causing them to sweat more than with leather shoes. Before you go out and compromise your ethics by buying leather shoes, there are a few foot treatments you can try.
Sprinkle baking soda inside of your shoes and socks to absorb sweat and eliminate bacteria.
Try to go barefoot at home as much as possible to air out feet, and maybe pick up a pair of canvas shoes like the oriental slippers to wear every once in a while.
Try these recipes for foot powder and deodorant.
Peppermint Foot powder
1/2 cup Baking Soda
1/2 cup Cornstarch
12 drops Peppermint Essential Oil
Mix together baking soda and corn starch in a small bowl, add peppermint oil and stir well with a fork to evenly blend ingredients. Let dry overnight and run through a sifter to break up any lumps that have formed. Store in an airtight container and rub on your feet every morning and sprinkle some in the bottoms of your shoes.
Deodorant Foot Cream
1/2 ounce Petroleum Jelly(or un-petroleum Jelly)
1/2 ounce Baking Soda
1/2 ounce Cornstarch
6 drops Peppermint Essential Oil
8 drops Tea Tree Oil
Put the first three ingredients in a double boiler and heat until everything gets melted and blended together. Stir frequently while heating. Remove from heat and add peppermint and tea tree oils. Massage into feet before putting on your shoes. This will not only kill bacteria and prevent odors, but your feet will feel all cool and tingly from the oils! You can also use this blend as an underarm Deodorant.
Dear Witch Hazel, Is lavender edible? What type of recipes can it be used in if so? Just curious. Thanks,
–desiree k.
Yes, lavender is an edible herb, but you have to make sure to use flowers that have not been treated with pesticides. The lavender sold at health food stores and herb shops is safe, but avoid any flowers that are sold at florists or supermarkets; these are usually treated with chemicals that are unsafe for consumption, and I would use caution in skin care preparations as well.
A cup of lavender tea is great to calm nerves and help sleep after a long day. Simply steep 1 tsp. of dried lavender in 1 cup of boiled water for about 15 minutes and strain. This tea can also provide relief for migraine headaches. I haven’t come across any recipes for foods that include lavender, but if you enjoy the flavour, experiment and add lavender tea to some of your favorite recipes!
Thanks and be sure to check back next month when I’ll discuss everyone’s favourite subject–sex–and review a book on herbal aphrodisiacs!
In the meantime, send your herbal questions or home remedies that you would like to share, please send an e-mail to witchhazel@morbidoutlook.com.
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