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An oatmeal skin wash is good for dry skin. Add one tablespoon of finely ground oatmeal to a bowl of warm water and use for rinsing face and neck.

Add two drops each of lavender and chamomile essential oils to a cup of spring water and mix well. Soak two cottonwool pads in the liquid, squeeze out the excess water and place a pad over each eye, then lie down with feet elevated higher than your head. Take bilberry tablets – they help strengthen […]

Crush two cloves of garlic into two tablespoons of olive oil and warm gently over low heat. Strain. Drip a few drops into the ear and wad with cottonwool. (Note: Do not attempt this if you think the eardrum could be perforated, or if there is discharge from the ear.)

Blend 10 drops of marjoram, 15 drops of may chang (Litsea cubeba) and five drops of peppermint oil with 30ml of a base oil, such as almond. Put a few drops on a tissue and inhale to pep you up. Try taking Siberian ginseng – this herb helps the body adapt more easily to both […]

Take three cups of dandelion tea each day in the week leading up to your period to relieve premenstrual bloating.

Eating seeded chillies provides quick relief for sinus headaches. Chillies loosen mucus secretions and increases blood flow in the sinuses, relieving the congestion that causes the headache.

Witchhazel is an excellent natural remedy for haemorrhoids because of its astringency. Saturate a cotton ball with distilled witch hazel and apply after each bowel movement and several times throughout the day to help shrink the swollen vein.

Add 10 drops of thyme essential oil to one teaspoon of shampoo. Mix well and apply the mixture to the scalp and hair. Leave the shampoo in the hair for five minutes before rinsing thoroughly with a 50-50 mix of apple cider vinegar and water. (Note: Because thyme essential oil is so powerful, is must […]

Make fresh ginger tea. Peel and grate a small piece of fresh root ginger, place in a cup, pour over boiling water and steep for five minutes. Strain, sweeten with honey and drink. Another good idea is to take Swedish bitters before every meal.

To stop itching and inflammation of mosquito or other insect bites, apply one drop of peppermint oil directly to the bite. Peppermint has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties.