Image via Wikipedia Introducing Epimedium Epimedium is a genus of plants comprising some 50 or more species. Two species are found around the mediterranean, where they are known by names such as Bishop’s Hat, Fairy Wings or, less poetically, Barrenwort. The genus is far more abundant in Asia, where the majority of the species are [...]
John Wesley was an 18th Century Anglican priest who foundedMethodism in England, Ireland and North America. He was a leader in the issues of social justice, and took a keen interest in the health of the poor. This interest led to him publishing a book of inexpensive and traditional remedies. It is from this book [...]
ADHD is a funny diagnosis. There is a lot of agreement on the symptoms, as used in, for example, the DSM-IV and ICD-10 diagnostic criteria. The causes of the condition, however, are not a matter of agreement. Wikipedia has a good overview of the competing theories. Whether you agree with the use of stimulant medications [...]
Echinacea. Its the first thing that many people take when they feel a cold coming on. Many people even take it throughout the winter months to prevent a cold from starting. So what evidence is there for the use of this popular herb as a cold remedy?
Colds cannot be cured. The common cold is caused by a virus, and usually just needs to run its course. However, there are things one can do to treat the symptoms of a cold, and get through it as unscathed as possible. If you really can’t get, or don’t want, antihistamines (to treat the itching, [...]
Honey is a traditional treatment for infected wounds. It even has antibiotic properties and can be used to treat antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. It is so effective, in fact, that wound care specialists in the UK will routinely use honey dressings. Dioscorides in 50 AD described the use of honey as “good for all rotten [...]
Kew Gardens, Britain’s most famous botanical gardens and one of the world’s most prestigious plant research centres, is the home of the ethnomedica project, the purpose of which is: “To collect and preserve a fast disappearing aspect of our British heritage – its medicinal plant traditions. The people who remember using plants as a primary [...]