Feverfew: 10 drops daily plus every half hour during attacks.
For severe cases, 30 drops daily or twice daily, for 1 month, then try reducing over next 3 months. Once completely clear, 5-10 drops daily.
Nausea: If nausea a problem during an attack, try mix of peppermint, meadowsweet and chamomile tinctures every hour during attack.
Trigger: Try to locate trigger. If possible, do a month’s de-tox, to see if you stay clear of attacks, then re-introduce foods and watch to see what causes the migraines. Be very aware of coffee, chocolate and fried foods and cut them all out if possible. Alcohol can aggravate, if taken in excess – keep a note to see if a night out brings on a migraine within the next 48 hrs. (Alcohol excess can also affect the efficiency of feverfew; hence also can trigger an attack).
Vitamins. Vitamin B Complex – 50 – 250mg daily.
B3 (Niacin) 50-100 mg daily: at onset of headache, take a tablet and lie down for 15 minutes. If headache has not started to subside, take another.
Or
Take 200mg Niacin and 800mg Niacin amide daily – see which of the 2 methods works best for you.
Vitamin C with Bioflavonoid daily
2 x garlic perle daily.
Calcium/magnesium supplement – 2000 mg calcium to 1000mg Magnesium daily.
Other stuff: Take local honey daily at mealtimes. At onset of attack, take 1 tbsp, and hourly after that.
Put equal cider vinegar and water in a small basin and bring to boil on the stove. Simmer, lean over basin until fumes are strong to the nose, and breathe in 75 breathes. Attack should start to subside.
At start of attack, get hot footbath and add 2 tbsp yellow mustard powder. Steep feet and keep hot, whilst placing cold lavender or peppermint oil compress (or simply cold if nauseous) to back of neck and/or forehead.
Sip peppermint tea to relieve nausea. Try taking chamomile, meadowsweet or peppermint tincture during attack if feverfew cannot be taken.
Daily:
Take tincture of gingko or ginseng daily to help prevent migraines and relieve high blood pressure.
“How to survive a Summer Pregnancy”
For those of you pregnant during the summer months, you will know that many herbs are not available to you during this time.
The Green Witch range includes a blend for “Exhaustion”. This was the product of tired pregnant mums in Aberdour and is wonderful, not to mention safe, for the latter end of pregnancy. Use to inhale from a tissue, use in a burner, or add to a cool refreshing footbath during the summer months or after an exhausting shopping trip. This will help you survive that last three months, and can also be used for the next few months once the baby has arrived. Many a mum has been having a footbath, whilst feeding the baby at the same time.
If you are feeling flush and want the ultimate pampering during pregnancy, then the oil for you is Rose Otto. Only the best is good enough, so no cutting corners. The price tag is large on this pure oil, and in this area, you gets what you pay for. You can add 2 drops only to the bath, for the ultimate relaxing feeling. Baby will be so laid back when it is born, it will have been worth every penny. Use this during labour (a friend of mine that I had given this to was so relaxed, baby was born right there in the bath with next to no hassle).
To keep up iron, try Sweetheart Stout – very refreshing on a hot day. Two bottles a day was the prescription from my midwife. Peppermint cools the body, so drink peppermint tea, especially if heartburn is a problem. Chamomile tea is also very helpful during pregnancy as it is calming and stress relieving. Very good during labour too, especially if backache is a symptom.
After 38 weeks, Motherwort tincture (hence it’s name) will help the uterus get ready for the trials it is to face, support the uterus, and act as a tonic to your body for the fun that is to come. Continue with this tincture after the birth to ensure the uterus is restored to its normal function and size and the milk is flowing. Oh, and good luck and happy birthing to you all.
Essential Oils during pregnancy
I am going to rant for a moment! How did any of us have a successful pregnancy?
Every year, something else is taken off the list of can and can’t haves, and do’s and don’ts whilst expecting. What has made me write this was a pregnant girl who asked if she was safe in my shop inhaling the smell of the place, as she had been told to stay away from aromatic oils. Now, if you know me, you can imagine my face! I laughed and made some smart comment about pregnant women and perfume counters!! After a conversation, I then found out that she was using “plug-ins” in the home and chemical foam baths for her soaks instead….now, is it me??
So, thought I would set a few things straight on this subject for all those expectant ladies. Firstly, if inhaling aromas was dangerous, we couldn’t step outside without masks on, in case we smelt tar off the road or newly mown grass. I know I’m being extreme, but a couple of drops lavender on the pillow or a tissue to help you relax and sleep is going to be better for you than the chemicals you will be inhaling from air fresheners and plug-ins (and the fact anyone invented putting plastic and liquid into electricity is beyond me…but that’s another rant!!), so here are some basic rules on oils during pregnancy now I have calmed down and got off my soapbox again…
No essential oils should be added to your bath or to the body for the first 13 weeks (1st Trimester). So, during early pregnancy, inhaling oils direct from a tissue is fine, as is having oils in a vaporiser, but avoid the body.
In the 2nd and 3rd trimester, I would use the following oils, but as needed & well diluted: only add 3-4 drops oil in the bath (half the normal dose for an adult) and only 1-2 drops to 5-10ml carrier oil for massage. Chamomile, lavender, Ylang Ylang and geranium and wonderful and relaxing, whereas Bergamot, Grapefruit and Mandarin are all energising, for when tiredness strikes or you need a little lift (footbaths are great). If you get a cold, use tea tree or Niaouli to fight the virus. The more expensive oils are fantastic in pregnancy: Rose, Neroli and Frankincense are wonderful and a must at the final stages of pregnancy, if you can afford them. Use only good quality carrier oils for massage (not cooking oils from Supermarkets – you would be surprised!!) Indulge in jojoba or Wheatgerm added to apricot kernel or sweet almond oil for your belly to avoid those stretch marks, and massage every night very carefully or better still, let your partner do it.
There is a lot you can do during pregnancy to ease problems and if you avoid chemicals, you will have a healthier pregnancy.A good little book is by Francis Clifford called “Aromatherapy during your pregnancy”. It is full of little bits of help for problems that might pop up.
Take tincture of gingko or ginseng daily to help prevent migraines and relieve high blood pressure.
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