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FOOTBALL |
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Whether you are a player or a fan, football season naturally calls for first aid. Injuries, hangovers, and indigestion often punctuate the memory of a good game. Not surprisingly, when you are holding the opponent at the five yard line, or hauling coolers and canopies into the grove, bruises happen. No topical remedy heals a bruise or contusion faster than arnica. Arnica is the anti-inflammatory extract of a small white flower native to Europe. It is available locally as an oil, ointment, gel, and cream. It is one of the ingredients in Aveda's Beautifying Oil which is great for puffiness and irritated skin. Sore muscles, tired feet, achy joints, blisters, and bug bites are also no problem for arnica. It could be the perfect gift for your favorite football player. Although it speeds healing tremendously, arnica should not be used on cuts and open wounds. Instead try a Chinese herbal salve called Dr. Chi's whole skin ointment. Open wounds heal as fast as Deuce McAllister on a roll. Sesame oil and a type of yam give this salve an odor like peanut butter. But don't let the innocent scent fool you. This remedy is powerful. Another unparalleled patented Chinese remedy for swelling, bruises, and bleeding injuries is Yunnan Paiyao. These capsules would be the Archie Manning of Asian remedies. They accelerate a much broader range of healing. Ancient doctors considered it to be more valuable than gold! A book endorsed by the Dalai Lama titled Asian Health Secrets states, "Traditional Chinese medicine offers nothing less than a miracle drug for wounds, pain, and hemorrhage. Yunnan Paiyao, unlike Western pain drugs, does not turn off pain centers in the brain, but facilitates circulat Ÿion, bringing oxygen to the injury. It thus forges the body's natural defenses. Considering the $2.7 billion that Americans pay yearly for painkillers, any help would be a miracle." "...It quite effectively heals not only gunshot wounds but open cuts and any kind of surgery. It reduces recovery time for surgery by half [at least] because it mends injured blood vessels. Yunnan Paiyao does not interfere with Western sedative drugs, so it can be used the same day as surgery. By immediately activating blood circulation, it helps resolve bleeding, pain, and swelling. It heals oozing wounds and damaged blood vessels, while expelling pus and counteracting toxins." |
It is also indicated for dissolving blood clots, and easing pain caused by arthritis, rheumatism, headaches, and tight muscles. This versatile healer can be used internally or externally for everything from nosebleeds and ulcers to hemorrhoids and angina. In addition, Yunnan Paiyao minimizes scarring. H. If this all sounds too foreign, remember that cayenne pepper, a familiar circulatory herb, also possesses similar abilities. Pour it onto a bleeding cut, for an unforgettable experiment. The bleeding will stop and no scab will form. Rinse it off. You can then remain active and even get the wound wet and it won't start bleeding again. But cayenne will sting like fire while its working. Tienchi won't. The principle ingredient in Yunnan Paiyao is the powdered root of Panax notoginseng called Tienchi. A sweet instant tea named Essence of Tienchi Flowers bears an anti- ¼inflammatory action suitable for "bilious liver symptoms" such as headaches and nausea. So Tienchi can be useful for excessive alcohol consumption and hangovers. Milk thistle has earned the title "the liver herb" for its amazing ability to detoxify and protect the liver. If you like to drink alcohol, you'll love this one. However, when a hangover leaves you feeling as though you met headlong with Todd Wade, you may want to try a Chinese herb called Fo Ti (aka: Ho she wu, He shou wu, or Polygonum Multiflorum). This herb assists in the regulation of blood sugar highs and lows. Renowned as a longevity tonic affecting blood, liver, and kidneys, Fo Ti is used to treat dizziness, blurred vision, and weak lower back and knees. For acid indigestion have you tried baking soda? It is an old remedy. Saltine (soda) crackers can have a similar effect. I prefer a strong fennel tea for definitive relief. But Kudzu root starch, which also comes in capsules, is an easy to tote natural remedy. All types of nausea are swiftly settled by ginger. So ginger ale, ginger candy, or ginger capsules can be added to your football smorgasbord for good measure. You never know when you may be carsick, or the one tending a sick drunk at a game. In my experience ginger capsules have worked best for acute dizziness and nausea. Emergen C fizzie powders will settle your stomach and give you a lift without caffeine. They provide 1000 mgs of vitamin C along with B vitamins. Just add water. Or if you are an Alka Seltzer loyalist, add Emergen C for extra relief. Hotty Totty!
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**Gail Doorenbos is an herbalist and cosmetologist. She dedicates this article to her parents, a Japanese-American pharmacist and a chemical researcher specializing in medicinal plants. She welcomes your questions & comments addressed to Oxford herbal, 20 CR 324, Oxford, MS 38655, or email: laboheme@watervalley.net |
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© 2000 Gail Doorenbos. All rights reserved. |
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