Category Archives: Skin
Chickweed (Stellaria media) is a delicate, inconspicuous herb that you find growing about the shady parts of the garden amongst the other weeds. It is the colour of grass with small, white, star-shaped flowers and slender green stems. The whole plant can be used fresh in a salad together with other greens from the garden such as dandelion, sow thistle and sheep sorrel.
(more…)The marigold (Calendula officinalis) is a common garden flower that loves sunny paths and walls, and spreads easily by seed without cultivation. There are several varieties but the one with the orange flowers and flat, olive-coloured leaves is commonly used in medicine. We pick the golden petals in order to make an infusion (tea), medicinal oil or cream, after drying the flowers in the shade, but the fleshy leaves are also sometimes used. The leaves can be dried and made into an infusion, ointment or even a poultice.
(more…)The eucalypts (Eucalyptus spp.) occupy a genus of about 500 trees in all habitats of Australia. Some eucalypts such as bloodwood (Eucalyptus gummifera) secrete an edible gum, others have a starchy root bark, while the flowers of many species produce a sweet nectar. Some gum-tree exudates such as manna can be collected and then soaked together with honey or nectar to make an edible liquid that sets much like jelly. The seeds of a few species may also be eaten, including the river red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) and blue mallee (Eucalyptus gumophylla), while the roots of other gum-trees can be dug up and tapped in order to obtain drinking water.1
(more…)Itching, otherwise known as pruritus, is a common symptom of many conditions. Nerves in the skin become activated and trigger a scratch reflex, then scratching may or may not relieve the itching. Inflammation involving histamine and several inflammatory mediators can intensify itching and pain.
(more…)Candidiasis is an infection caused by the yeast (fungus) Candida albicans or other species. This particular organism is normally present on the skin and mucous membranes of healthy people, but only becomes a problem when conditions are conducive to its growth, the immune system is weakened or the integrity of the mucous membranes is compromised.
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