Herbal Remedies

I recently messed up my food perpetrating Shenanigans that, in retrospect, were not so wise. But then again, so are most shenanigans. However, due to corn being in the vast majority of medicines I can't really take any of them(this is true for all of us corn-allergists). So I've been slowly moving into the land of herbs/spices to help cure or at least stymie my ailments enough to make them manageable. Here are a few that I've been using recently:

White Willow Bark- This is the natural equivalent to aspirin and in my personal opinion, quite the godsend. I took this constantly while I had pleurisy and it helped relieve the swelling and pain a bit. It's more expensive than aspirin but even people who aren't allergic to corn have told me that it's much more effective than aspirin is, so it's worth it. The only corn-free version I can find isn't vegan and it's basically the only place I'll make an exception to my veganism.

Turmeric- Turmeric is most commonly known as a flavoring in middle eastern/indian dishes or as a coloring. However, turmeric is also an antiseptic and an anti-inflammatory. If you want it as an antiseptic, merely make a paste out of it with water, apply to the cut area, and cover it with a band-aid or the like. As an anti-inflammatory, take around 1 tsp of the ground turmeric with around 2-3 tsp of raw honey orally. It will taste fairly unpleasant but it will help.

Bromelain- This is a "sulfur-containing proteolytic digestive enzyme that is extracted from the stem and the fruit of the pineapple plant" according the National Institute of Health. Now Foods makes a Quercetin with Bromelain pill they say is corn-free and I think it's trustworthy. Anyway, Bromelain can function as an anti-histamine and an anti-inflammatory. Considering how bloody hard it is to get an anti-histamine that is corn-free and doesn't make you really groggy, this is useful to have around.

Peppermint- Peppermint is at once calming and energizing. The methanol will help clear up your respiratory system, allowing ease of breathing and a slight comfort when ill. It is also said, along with wintergreen and other forms of mint, to help with increasing appetite. One's stomach and bowl can also be calmed by peppermint, making the tea excellent to have during a bout of indigestion. It's essential oil(once properly diluted, naturally), can also help with headaches when applied to the temples.

Honey - Once again, I'm one of those dirty vegans who will still eat honey. That being said, I very rarely use it in cooking because I prefer Maple Syrup(as it stays a liquid at room temperature, while raw honey does not). Honey, besides being delicious, has many useful properties though. It is an anti-fungal and anti-bacterial. Put some on the pad of a bandage and put it over a wound and it'll keep it nice and clean for quite a long time. It is also an excellent thing to pick-me-up in herbal teas(especially peppermint) and makes the aforementioned turmeric palatable(or at least able to put down). I've also been told that regularly eating raw honey can help with pollen allergies if you eat honey that was produced off of the same kind of things you're allergic to; it must be raw honey though.. As a side, but important, note, never give an infant under 1 1/2-2 years old honey; there is a possible risk of dormant bacteria being in the honey and their immature immune and digestive systems cannot handle it(they can get Botulism, which is a very serious and possibly fatal illness). Avoid processed honey as well, as it could be artificially sweetened or have some corn-derived processing.

Lavender- Lavender is actually another useful plant within the mint family. It is also excellent for its calming and soothing effect. Lavender is often used to fill small bed pillows to add a pleasant smell to the beds as well as help in making the restful mindset. It's essential oil, when diluted, can also be applied to the skin as an anti-inflammatory and does wonders for aroma-therapy. It's not an herb I use terribly often but I wouldn't want to be without it, either.

Garlic- Garlic is one of the loves of my life. The flavor that garlic gives to food, cooked or raw, is amazing and surpassed by very little in my mind. It also has a plethora of medicinal uses: it's an anti-fungal and anti-bacterial, lowers cholesterol, and will help keep away insects and ticks. My brothers regularly eat it raw when ill, though it may be a bit harsh for some people in that form. I've also read that if one eats a combination of the raw and cooked garlic on a frequent basis, it have anti-carcinogenic effects. It's also rumored to help control and lower blood sugar levels but that's somewhat up in the air. The only downside of garlic consumption is, if one eats enough of it, it causes halitosis, a fancy word meaning one exudes a somewhat unpleasant, garlic-y smell. Seeing its many benefits makes it worth in my opinion, though.

Ginger- Ginger, in the form tea usually, is known to help with indigestion and motion sickness(also vomiting due to pregnancy). It is also used for colds, coughing, and other like illnesses throughout southeast asia. Other uses haven't really been studied much and have a great variety of claims.