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| the child's age) can be given as a nighttime drink to encourage restful sleep. The infusion can also be added to bathwater to soothe overexcited infants. |
| Chamomile yields a deep blue essential oil on steam distillation which is both very relaxing and useful in skin care: add 2 to 3 drops to bathwater to soothe emotional problems. It is also useful in bathwater for muscle aches and pain. For joint inflammations and swellings (including tennis elbow) soak a cloth in a diluted mixture (5 drops in a cup of water) and use as a cold compress. For digestive disorders make a massage oil using 5 drops in 1 tablespoon of almond oil and use to rub the abdomen. |
| Chickweed (Stellaria Media) |
| Chickweed, as the name suggests, is a favorite food for domestic fowl. It is an extremely common garden weed that can be cooked like spinach and tossed in butter or used as a salad herb. |
| Description: A spreading, low-growing annual with brittle stems and well-spaced oval leaves. Small, white, starlike flowers appear throughout the year. |
| Parts used: Aerial parts. |
| Actions: Antirheumatic, astringent, demulcent, wound herb; contains vitamin C. |
| Uses: Chickweed is soothing and astringent; its main medicinal use is in creams and ointments for irritant skin rashes and eczema or for burns, boils, and drawing splinters. The whole flowering chickweed plant can easily be made into an infused oil (using the hot method,p.54) and added to bathwater to soothe skin problems. Use 2 teaspoons of the infused oil in a warm bath. Although not so popular as an internal remedy, it is cleansing and antirheumatic and can be made into a tea to help ease rheumatic aches and pains. |
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