Okay folks... things have not been too fun for me lately. Remember my five day headache last week... well it turns out it might not have been related to dehydration after all (although I still stand by my post regarding dehydration). Wednesday morning a rash turned up out of nowhere... it was fairly itchy at first and then the itch transformed into pain... it began to grow and has now turned into a very painful rash covering most of my torso. I went to my doctor and turns out it's more than likely Shingles! :( The doctor couldn't confirm the diagnosis because I don't fit the perfect description of Shingles (only on "one" side), however my research tells me that's exactly what it is. I don't like assuming anything so on Monday I'm going to try and schedule an appointment with a dermatologist to get tested so I can know for sure that it is in fact Shingles. In the mean time I'm getting a jump start on herbal education in hopes that I can ease the pain I am feeling and I have already learned so much.
Chamomile is helps with blisters and has anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial properties. It is also specifically recommended to aide in the recovery of Shingles... 1 cup of oatmeal and 1/4 pound of dried Chamomile in a cool bath and soak.
Plantain is an anti-inflammatory (thank goodness!)
And Comfrey speeds up the natural replacement of body cells so it will help prevent scarring.
So... I'm about to embark in my first attempt at using herbs to heal. This made me think about the Preparedness Challenge over at Homestead Revival. I truly believe it's incredibly important to know what herbs have certain powers to help heal and reduce pain. So many herbs that have these qualities grow wild right in our own backyards... and to be able to recognize these and use them to heal is a great gift to have. I can't wait to learn more and frankly I can't wait to reap the benefits as soon as possible!
