Cautions For The Natural Medicine Cabinet You have to remember that some herbal remedies, just like the drugs patterned after them, have to be taken on a regular basis in order to be effective. I can take parsley from time to time for water retention, but a friend who suffers from depression has to take St. John's Wort every day. And she knows this both from reading up about the drug and from discussing it with her physician. If you're trying to "go herbal" with your medicine, first discuss any conditions you have with your doctor and discuss your desire to use natural remedies. If your doctor is against this, get a second opinion from a doctor who is open to the idea. Some physicians hate the idea of herbal remedies, primarily because of patients who use them without the proper information or precautions. But many doctors now try to include those options for their patients. And if a doctor who is open to natural remedies advises against it, trust that judgment. So when you've decided what your needs are, see your doctor, then decide which remedies you will need to take on a daily basis for an extended period of time.

The Natural Medicine Cabinet The first step you need to take in trading your pharmaceutical medicine cabinet in for a natural medicine cabinet is to write down exactly what you need regularly and what you need on occasion. For example, you may need a multivitamin, calcium supplement (because you're a woman over 35), extra folic acid, and chamomile tea every day, and you need a diuretic (for water retention) and something for migraines on occasion. This is how you stock your natural medicine cabinet. Write down your needs, symptoms, what has worked for you, what you need to look into or ask your doctor about, and anything else you can think of. This is the first step to going as "natural" as you can.

Herbal Remedy of the Day - How Much Do I Need? I can give you advice on what herbal remedies are good for which conditions, but another step in the natural health process is to decide exactly how much of each item you need. For example, some books advise you to take high amounts of vitamin C daily, while others advise a lower amount taken in combination with other vitamins or minerals. The best thing you can do is inform yourself by reading as many different reports as you can. Do a Web search for your particular condition. If you have high blood pressure, for instance, search for "high blood pressure and natural remedies." That should get you several articles. Or go browse through the book store. Call an organization or get a natural health magazine. There are many ways to educate yourself on the amounts that you will need, and you don't have to go by one particular assessment. Once you are reasonably sure about the amount you need of a particular remedy, stock your medicine cabinet accordingly.

Rosemary for Health & Personal Care For those who suffer with catarrh, rosemary has a cool nose-tingling aroma that, if inhaled, can help clear the nasal cavities of heaviness. It is also used as a tonic and diuretic for cleansing and boosting the system. For an insect repellent, try oil of rosemary, particularly effective in repelling midges. Rosemary is also excellent as a shampoo component for darkening dark hair.