CHAMOMILE

There are traces of Vitamin A, a high level of calcium & magnesium, potassium, iron, manganese & zinc in the chamomile.

In traditional folk medicine, chamomile is widely used as a sedative & tonic.
Chamomile is used to treat teething & colic, it calms the digestive system, settles nervous indigestion & gastritis, relieves headaches, menstruation, disorders of the kidney, liver & the bladder, hay fever, hiccups, stomach cramps, vomiting, appetite loss, spastic pain, arthritis. 
Relieves stomachaches & diarrhea in infants & small children.
In treating eczema, the effectiveness of chamomile has surpassed even the standard treatment of hydrocortisone cream.
It aids in digestion & soothes gastric complaints & colitis including irritable bowel problems.
It also safely relieves morning sickness & restlessness that comes with pregnancy.
Chamomile eases bloating & indigestion when taken after meals & can soothe occasional heartburn.
Many herbalists consider chamomile the premier children’s herb for easing upset tummies & calming frayed nerves after an exhausting day.
Chamomile has a sedative action, milder than harsh or potentially habit forming prescription tranquilizers.
It is calming & relaxing, can help in the aid of depression, insomnia & stress.
It takes away some of the emotional charge of anxiety, irritability & nervousness.

Chamomile tea is a good remedy for hangover.
Treats swollen eye lids & eye strain with chamomile tea. Soak some cotton wool in lukewarm chamomile tea, place on closed eye lids & leave for 10 minutes.
Chamomile also makes an excellent insect repellent, simply splash some tea on face arms & feet.
It can be used, especially in combination with similar herbs, to sooth problems associated with muscle cramps & spasms.
Especially useful for menstrual cramps. Drink 2-3 cups of tea per day.
Built up wax can be treated by first using warmed olive oil as ear drops (35° Celsius) for a few days, then rinse the softened wax plug out with lukewarm chamomile tea.
For stomach problems, including gastritis, colitis & morning sickness, drink a cup of tea an empty stomach first thing in the morning hot or cold.
When used topically, it speeds the healing of cuts, scrapes, blisters & burns.
It is also helpful for rashes, eczema & other skin inflammation. Rinse the affected area with chamomile tea.
Chamomile mouthwash helps keep gums healthy & soothes mouth inflammations.
Chamomile can help lower your blood sugar levels by drinking a few cups of the tea a day.
The antioxidant ingredients in chamomile will help to build up the immune system.

To soothe sore, painful muscles & joints, make a poultice & soak a towel in it & wrap painful joint area.
Give a hyperactive child a chamomile bath to calm him.
It has been used as an anti-inflammatory agent, inhalant for asthma treatment.
For infected nail beds, a decoction of oak bark or chamomile will soothe the affected area.
Use a standard infusion to treat ulcers, expel parasites & as a general tonic.

PRECAUTIONS:

Chamomile should not be used by people who are already using blood thinners because some constituents may have anticoagulant action.
Chamomile may cause allergic reactions in those allergic to ragweed.

RECIPES:

Strew a few chamomile flowers over a tossed green salad & season cream sauces, butter & sour cream by adding small sprigs.

Chamomile Steam:

Place a couple handfuls of dried chamomile flowers in a large bowl.
Pour 1-2 cups of some boiling water in the bowl.
Place your head over the bowl & place a towel over your head so that it also covers the bowl.
Inhale deeply, enjoying the warmth as it spreads through the respiratory system.

To prepare an infusion, add 1 tbsp of dried flowers to 1 cup of boiling water.
Allow to steep for 5-10 minutes.
Drink 3 to 4 cups daily.
Chamomile minimizes the impact of gas-producing food.

Tea: Pour 1 cup boiling water over 1 tsp of herb.
Steep for 5 - 7 minutes.
The longer it steeps, the more powerful its calming effects.
Chamomile relieves inflammation.
Drink up to 3 cups of the tea daily.
Stomach aches, cramps & inflammations can be soothed with unsweetened chamomile tea.

Premenstrual Bath:

Calms cramps & emotional upheaval.
Add to the bath tub tea made from chamomile flowers, clary sage flowers or lavender flowers.

BEAUTY:

It helps reduce dryness, itching, redness & sensitivity to irritated, inflamed skin.
Regular treatments can aid in reducing redness of fragile or broken capillaries.
It helps condition hair & scalp, adds shine & lustre to hair.
Chamomile also makes for a good hair rinse for blonds-it brightens & lightens the hair.
It can also be used as a face wash to clarify the complexion.
Reduces the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles by accelerating the healing process of the skin while also possessing anti-irritant & anti-inflammatory properties.
Take a chamomile tea bag & place it under your eyes & on top of your skin’s surface to help remove dark circles under the eyes.
Using chamomile tea infusion bath or extract can be good for skin conditions such as eczema as well as to reduce swelling.
You can make herbal bath with added chamomile, thyme, rosemary & rose petals.

Chamomile Hair Lightener:

2 cups water
2 cups chamomile tea
1 tbsp of parsley
1 tbsp of lemon juice
Boil all the ingredients & let it simmer for 15 mins.
Strain & let it sit till room temperature.
Poor on to hair over a sink & rinse 2-3 times.

Chamomile Astringent for Acne:

2 cups water
1 tbsp yarrow
1 tbsp chamomile flowers
In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil.
Remove from heat & add the herbs, cover & steep for 30 minutes.
Strain.
Pour into jars.
Refrigerate for up to 1 week, then discard.
Apply with a cotton pad onto your face & shoulders, back or chest blemishes. Avoid the eye area.
Follow with moisturizer after use.

Calming Herbal Bath for De-stressing:

Take handful each of dried chamomile blossoms, lemon balm leaves & rose petals.
Place the mixture in a large muslin bag, an extra-large tea strainer, or even an old nylon stocking.
Attach directly to the faucet of the tub.
Let hot water (the hottest possible) run through the herbs for a few minutes. Then adjust the water temperature to a comfortable level & fill the tub.
Opens up the pores, absorbing the healing properties of the herbs & the warm water relaxes while it cleanses.

MAGIC:

Chamomile is used in spells for money, peace, love, tranquility & purification.
In a number of folk magic traditions, chamomile is characterized as a lucky flower.
Use it in a bath for peace & tranquility when you are angry or hurt.
It is also used to sharpen the mind & intellect & is therefore good for studying & exam success.
Chamomile has a well-known reputation as a healer. It is believed that it can bring health to one's garden & promote energies that are good for all plants.
Plant chamomile in your garden to be the guardian of the land & you will have certain success.
It can rid anger, help stabilize emotions & help release emotions linked to the past.
If applied over the throat, it can help a person to express their true feelings.
An infusion used to wash thresholds (doors & windows) to keep unwanted energies or entities from passing through.
Sprinkle powdered chamomile flowers around your self or home to remove spells cast against you & to prevent fires & lightening strikes.
When sprinkled around the house it removes hexes, curses & spells.

Just a simple chamomile bath while visualizing will increase your attractiveness to the opposite sex.
Also, use it in a bath as part of a spell to release a loved one, or to release feelings of pain, loss or anger.
For a goddess look, make a fresh garland to wear around your hair to attract a lover, or carry a satchel of chamomile in your pocket for overall good fortune.
To attract a lover, run a bath with a bag of Chamomile under the tap water & wash body, face & hair with the water.

Add to sachets for luck or money or place pressed chamomile flowers in your wallet to attract money to it.
Washing your hands in chamomile water before gambling will increase your luck.