Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Herb: Chamomile

kaylasbioblog.blogspot.com


chamomile is a fairly common herb that a lot of people drink regularly in herbal tea, which is helpful in aiding a more calming feeling especially in preparation for bedtime. this also can be helpful in reversing the negative effects of caffeine like jitters and insomnia (good info for us soda-addicts!) i personally don't enjoy a cup of plain chamomile, however i do really like sleepytime tea from celestial seasonings, as they add a few extra herbs in with the chamomile that allow the flavor to be considerably more enjoyable for those of you, who like me, might want to vomit your freshly steeped cup of regular chamomile! also, drinking chamomile tea can aid in colicky babies, in order to help the mother relax more. so, then the mom drinks it, not the sad baby!

mysimon.com


another fantastic way of using chamomile is with the pellets, as shown above by boiron. again, these are easily found at many local supermarkets and large chain alternative grocers like whole foods. as mentioned in the posting about arnica, i am referencing dr. shalts for most of these recommendations on the use of herbs. i love, love chamomile! or chamomilla, as you might also see on labels. it is awesome and a must-have if you have babies who are teething or will eventually teethe. place 3, of the 30c chamomilla in the babies mouth, and don't worry she won't choke. the pellets dissolve fairly soon or can be chewed, and the results can be like magic! usually chamomile will work when the child is whiny and irritable and has loose bowels (fantastic, huh?) which seems to be quite often in teething munchkins. dose, then if needed redose after 15 minutes, if the first dose seems to not have done it's job. if after another 15 minutes the symptoms are still there, then chamomile is not the herb for you at the moment, and again i highly recommend searching through dr.shalts' books for more incredible information on how all of that works. but hold on there, this herb is not just for teething babies! it works for anyone who is a bit sensitive to pain and is going to the dentist, or someone who has a toothache (and should go to the dentist!): take 3, 30c about 1 hour before appointment and another dose right before. this is very handy info for patients and those of us married to (future practicing) dentists! in general, chamomile is an excellent soother, and usually perfect for irritable, demanding and angry people of all ages, who would love to just be picked up and rocked, and who are having a sensitivity to pain.

1 comment:

Mumsy said...

We're growing chamomile this year in our garden. I can't wait until it blooms!

I can attest to the effectiveness of chamomile for babies with colic or other problems. It is a must for airplane travel. I gave some to a family I was on a flight with. Their baby wouldn't stop crying and everyone around was getting really annoyed. The parents were willing to do anything. I offered the chamomile and within SECONDS the baby was totally calm and fell asleep.

When my kids wake up at night sometimes and are upset for an unknown reason, I will give it to them and they go right to sleep.

Also--have you ever heard of Dr. Judith Reichenberg-Ullman? She's a naturopathic doctor out of the Seattle area. I have had her book called Homeopathic Self-Care for about 5 1/2 years, and another one just about women's health for about 4. (She wrote a book about Ritalin-free kids, too.) Anyway, I use the self-care book weekly, sometimes daily. It really helps you diagnose and treat yourself for minor things you wouldn't go to the doctor for. Lizzy might remember me using it all the time. It was the only place I found a cure for morning sickness.

Sorry for the long comment--I just am such an avid believer in homeopathy.

Here's the link to that book on Amazon--

Homeopathic Self-Care