I have recently come to find an additional use for thieves oil. I'm sticking it behind my ears to help fight an ear infection and a cold. It knocked my parents both flat on their backs. So far, combined with catching this early, DayQuil, thieves oil, si-w, and emergen-c, I'm a little stuffy and very tired. It knocked my parents down within 24hrs and it's been just over that since I noticed the early symptoms.

Been going to rendezvous for a few years now, and several of the "mountain man" folk are into natural, or alternative medicines.
Before I go to far. Shadowlander mentioned canker sores in the mouth. Nasty things. Anyway. I found that taking some Hydrogen Peroxide on a Q tip, and rubbing it on the spot helps. Foams up, and stings, and you will want to spit like crazy, but I do it a couple times a day, and the sore leaves much quicker.
Nettles were mentioned in tea. I have yet to try it myself, but for those who have, if you do get "burned" the plant has it's own remedy. If you have a knife cut along the stalk to expose the sap. then rub the " burned" area with the sap. Results vary with each person, but most find almost immediate relief.
For warts I have been told that the sap from Milkweed works as good as Compound W.
I know that this last one is not a medicinal use, but somebody might just find it handy some day. Mullen. The tall stemmed plant that's sort of like Yukka, but has fuzzy leaves comes in real handy when nature calls while hiking, and you find you forgot to pack any Charmin for the hike

I like to use natural remedies when I can. But if I need an antibiotic, I'm going to go to my doctor and get one.

As a kid, I was sick almost all of the time. I would get sick in October and wouldn't get well until May. A few years ago, I found a product that helped me SO much. It's called Transfer Factor - they extract the immune messaging molecules from bovine colostrum and eggs that are passed from mother to child. So, those immune messaging molecules are all that you are getting. It helps your own immune system work like it's supposed to (raises it when it needs to be and lowers it when it needs to be). Since I've been taking it, I might still get sick now and then, but it is no longer my constant state.

The last time that I had a killer headache (not a migraine, but it was mimicking a migraine at times - and it lasted almost 2 weeks!) - aspirin wasn't helping, neither was ibuprofen or aleve. So, out of desperation, I called a friend to ask about pressure points. She helped me with that, but also suggested some essential oils. It helped so much! I was very pleased (and surprised).

Speaking of hydrogen peroxide, Puddleglum, we use that in our ears. It feels mighty weird as it loosens any built-up wax, but it sure is effective. Tilt your head so your waxy ear is up; dribble a few drips in until you feel your ear well fill; lie down for 5-10 minutes as the work begins. It will most likely bubble and bubble (as long as you're not too clogged) and tickle something awful. Then, over a sink, syringe out your ear gently. Sometimes it takes 10 or more times to start getting wax out, but it will come if there is stuff to be got! Most satisfying, I must say.

As for canker sores, I haven't use h.p. before, but good suggestion. For those painful mouth ulcers, I grew up using Friar's Balsam, which stings like anything when you put it on, but really helps with the healing.

parableproductions, I'm sure glad you've found some help!

Just had a nasty run in with a YellowJacket yesterday at a friends. It's a type of hornet hereabouts. Stung me pretty good on the foot, leaving a burning welt. Iced the area right away, and made it home without any adverse reaction, which was a worry as I was deathly allergic as a child.
When i got home I picked some Plantain that grows wild near the wig-wam. After rinsing the leaf I chewed it to a pulp, then put it on the sting, and held it in place with a Band-Aid. By morning the redness was all but gone, and the area was just slightly tender.
The lst time I was stung, about five years ago, the area burned for several days after. I cannot guarantee the same results for everyone, but if you have a area with a lot of stinging insects, or even mosquitos, I would give it a try.
Just make sure it's the right plant before sticking it in your mouth.

Ugh, friend Wiggle, the encounter with the Yellow Jacket sounds nasty. But whew! about no adverse reaction. Good to hear about the Plantain, recognizing that it might not work the same on everyone. Sure glad it did for you! How is the area feeling today—a couple of (few?) days after?

And, you know, I bet Athelas/Kingsfoil would do the trick too ... if any can still be found.

A little itchy, but otherwise doing well. I cannot remember what the toxin does exactly, but there was probably some localized damage to the tissue causing the itch.
Never heard of Athelas?Kingsfoil. I will have to look that one up. Thanks.

Actually that was a hobbit joke, sorry for not explaining further. Athelas is only in Middle-earth ... at least, I have never heard of this healing plant being found anywhere around our earth. Pity, though.

But, back to reality , how apt that you have plantain growing near your wig-wam. Although I hope you never have to experience yellow jackets at such close range again.

Aaaaactually...it is assumed that athelas is a (potentially extinct) member of the Lamiales order, possibly a precursor to mint, basil, or greater plantain. Its construction bears strong resemblance to other bilaterally similar flowering plants with fused petals. Some also argue that it could be a relative of wintergreen, but that seems to be out of left field for me, as wintergreen is not really related to the others. Further, both basil and mint have significant healing properties that are often ignored, and mint can often be considered to be a weed, as its root structure allows to it grow in an invasive manner. Lavender is also in this family, as is rosemary, but neither of these match the leaf pattern described for athelas. Also, the term "basil" comes from the Greek term for "royal" and it was a king's herb. So...kingsfoil, anyone?

/end geeky herbal rant

Geeky herbal rants for the win!

While I can't make any specific conclusions about the cause or the cure, I was plagued by the onset of some mystery allergies about this time last year and they continued through February of this year. Really severe, random attacks of congestion. I'd never had sinus problems before and nothing in my environment had changed, so I was pretty baffled. I went on elimination diets a couple of times, cutting out different food groups and trying to figure out what was triggering the episodes. I kept food journals and could never figure out what was the problem. It drove me a little crazy.

Around the beginning of March, though, the random attacks on my sinuses stopped. In February, I had started taking two things. One was spirulina, a kind of blue-green algae that my mother suggested because she read about someone who had success taking it for seasonal allergies. (I take it in tablet form.) The other was milk kefir, which I started taking because I'd heard so many good things about its purported health benefits, one of which being reduction of seasonal allergies.

I don't know if spirulina or kefir or something finally running its course is the cause of my allergies going away at long last, but I do know that I'm very grateful! I'm certainly tempted to think that one or the other or both had something to do with it, looking at the timing, but I won't know unless I stop taking them and the allergies return. Not really interested in testing that out, but perhaps I will. For science.