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| or marigold cream. If nothing else is available, a poultice of grated raw onion or raw potato can ease the discomfort. |
| Cold Sores |
| Cold sores are caused by the Herpes simplex virus, which is believed to be carried by around 50 percent of the adult population. The sores are always quite localized and take the form of tiny blisters that usually start with a tingling sensation and rapidly develop into inflamed, red areas generally occurring around the mouth but sometimes found elsewhere on the body. |
| Once a person has been infected, the virus can remain dormant in the body for years, usually erupting whenever the sufferer is run-down or overtired. In women, the sores will often coincide with menstruation, and they alsoas the name impliestend to herald a cold or flu. The virus is extremely contagious during the blistering stage and can spread in saliva or by contact; however, cold sores are more of a nuisance than a serious health hazard. |
| Useful herbal remedies include tea tree and lavender oils. Either put one drop of tea tree oil or tea tree cream directly on the sore as soon as the characteristic tingling sensation starts, or dilute 20 drops of lavender oil with 1 teaspoon of water and apply that using a cotton swab. Infused marigold oil can be used in the same way. If cold sores are a recurrent problem, take echinacea capsules (two 200-mg capsules three times a day) or drink 2 to 3 cups of echinacea tea (make a decoction using 2 teaspoons of root to 1 1/2 cups of water) daily. Eat plenty of garlic and take a 1,000 mg tablet of vitamin C daily to strengthen the immune system and combat infection. |
| Colds and Flu |
| Colds can be caused by any one of hundreds of different viruses that can only survive in the body's cells and are usually passed from one person to another in droplets of moisture spread by coughs and sneezes. The viruses are constantly changing as they spread, so |
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