Mama's Home Remedies: Discover Time-Tested Secrets of Good Health and the Pleasures of Natural Livin, Svetlana Konnikova [classic fiction .TXT] 📗

His story takes us back to our natural roots and explains how the bold and wise badger used his instincts to survive by foraging for just the right

“medicine” from Nature’s green pharmacy.

I first heard Mama’s version of this story when I was a child. When I had my own children, I too adapted the story to my own words, so I told them my version and they understood what it means to be in harmony with Nature and all she provides. They admired how the small and clever badger successfully treated and healed his wounds by using natural resources. It became my children’s favorite and they requested it time and again. Each time the story is told by someone new, the words are bound to change, but the moral remains crystal clear. Trust in Nature to be healed.

You wil be able to read my variation of Paustovsky’s classic story of delicate psychological insight that speaks of a smal animal that we, depending on where we live, can sometimes see in our own backyards, in the forthcoming book, The Badger’s Nose.

The badger knows that Mother Nature is the best healer. Thus, if you love Nature, you can easily explore her green pharmacy. Look in your kitchen cupboard for yellow onion, garlic, cabbage, or ginger.

^ Rub the highly antiseptic cloves of garlic (peeled and cut open) on acne pustules and other infected pimples.

^ Crush garlic and apply to stubborn corns to draw them out. Fold a bandage into three layers with the garlic in between and roll over the finger or toe.

^ Cut one slice of yel ow onion and put it on insect stings—you’ll get rapid relief.

^ Lie down and apply washed fresh cabbage leaves as a plaster to the forehead and temples for 15 minutes to soothe a burn or bruise or to relieve headaches.

“Even the Badger Knows…” @ 9

^ Chew a piece of crystallized ginger or eat ginger candy or cookies to prevent travel sickness such as nausea and vomiting during long journeys in a car or boat. Go with your children to the national parks, forests, meadows, lakes, wetlands, and swamps. You will discover a whole new world there. Ask questions!

Healthy curiosity brings its own rewards.

In a countryside emergency you can apply yarrow leaves to wounds and nosebleeds. Lie down for 15–20 minutes or wrap a bandage or cheesecloth around your wound. With nosebleeds you must lie down for 10–15 minutes at least. Do the same with crushed daisies and it will help you with bruises and sprains. Fresh leaves of shepherd’s purse, Self-Heal, or wild geranium will stop bleeding. Use the same method with the bandage or cheesecloth or lie down until the bleeding stops.

It has been always a mystery how animals follow their instincts and recognize the healing properties of plants, especially those which can treat their wounds, burns, scratches, and bites of other stronger animals. Guess what? They never had doctors or pil s, like we do. However they also want to survive on the planet Earth, so Mother Nature gave al Earth’s inhabitants her generous gifts—plants, herbs, trees, and flowers. She planted them everywhere—in gardens, forests, meadows, glades, fields, swamps, and marshes. She created the world’s most amazing huge green hospital where remedies for health problems are 100 percent natural and grow right under your feet so people and animals can use them any time and heal themselves. I don’t know many people who have enough knowledge to take advantage of this free “hospital,” but the animals know for sure what to do and how to take care of themselves. They know which “green medicines” are safe and which are poisonous. They have amazing instincts for survival, much better than people have. The explanation is quite simple: they are born and live in a wild environment and must rely on themselves.

From our story you will learn how the badger treated his nose, badly burned in boiling hot oil, with the mold from the decomposed stump of a pine tree.

We too have the ability to explore Nature’s green pharmacy and learn how to be healthier and happier. Good luck to you on the road to explore a new you!

10 ^ Mama’s Home Remedies

Natural medicine recognizes the healing properties of plants, minerals, and different stones. However, for centuries scientists and doctors ignored unusual treatments employed by so-cal ed “ignorant” healers. These remedies include mold and spider’s web or gossamer. Most doctors and scientists discounted them. In the meantime “women from the crowd” (midwives) treated inflammation with these natural antiseptics—just as our little hero, the badger, did. What is this miraculous mold from the decomposed stump of a pine tree?

You’ll be disappointed if you expect to see something beautiful. This green mold looks very unattractive. It was called “an awful green mold or mud,” even by some bright scientists. For years it was considered to be harmful and even infectious and useless and it was scorned by good doctors. Many years ago a physician in Russia was shocked to see that his patient had used an awful green mold as a substitute for a medicinal ointment.

“Look, this is only one step away from gangrene!” he exclaimed indignantly. But after inspecting the patient’s wound, he had to admit that the wound had healed. The doctor was