• Red Clover is a wonderful detergent and cleansing tonic. It is considered a depurative that purifies the blood by promoting the body's eliminative functions. By encouraging the production of bile, the herb helps to purify the liver, thus cleansing toxins from the bloodstream. When taken internally, Red Clover has been used to relieve many skin complaints, especially eczema and psoriasis. (Click here for more information on Red Clover)
• Kelp's apparent ability to balance and strengthen overall bodily function helps to promote healthy growth of hair, skin, and nails. As a system cleanser, Kelp's rich supply of nutrients from the sea appears to have a buffering ability that neutralize wastes in the body fluids to be more easily discharged from the body. The algin in Kelp is said to absorb toxins from the digestive system, which works to improve digestion, stimulate kidney function, increase circulation and purify the blood. Kelp has been thought to absorb and remove drugs, chemicals, heavy metals and radioactive strontium from the body. Herbalists claim that Kelp's active ingredient, sodium alginate, binds these toxins in the gastrointestinal tract, preventing their absorption into the body. (Click here for more information on Kelp)
• Yellow Dock Root has a long history of use as an “alterative," or agent that converts unhealthy cells to healthy cells. As a result, it is believed to help improve skin conditions attributed to toxic metabolites from poor digestion and poor liver function. It is said to support the body in overcoming chronic skin disorders like eczema, acne and psoriasis. Yellow dock is said to achieve its tonic properties through the astringent purification of the blood supply to the glands. The herb has often been used in seasonal cleanses and other blood detoxification programs. It has one of the strongest reputations for clearing up skin problems, liver and gallbladder ailments, as well as glandular inflammation and swelling. (Click here for more information on Yellow Dock)
• Burdock Root is said to relieve skin diseases and inflammatory conditions due to chronic toxicity, notably eczema, psoriasis, acne, leprosy, boils and sores. It is also thought to be helpful in other diseases caused by toxicity in the blood, including syphilis and gonorrhea. When used externally, Burdock is believed to continue many of its same beneficial effects on the skin. Used in poultices, it is employed to relieve boils, carbuncles, canker sores, eczema, psoriasis, skin cancers, bug bites, sores, poison oak, poison ivy, swellings, leprosy, burns, wounds and hemorrhoids. The bur oil in the root is said to help strengthen and beautify hair, stop scalp itching and dandruff and combat hair loss. (Click here for more information on Burdock Root)
• As a blood purifier, Dandelion is considered an excellent treatment that cleanses poisons from the body. Through its action both on the liver and kidneys (as its French name, pis en lit, “wet the bed” indicates), it is said to gently eliminate toxic wastes from the body. The natural nutritive salts work to purify the blood and also help neutralize the acids in the blood. (Click here for more information on Dandelion Root)
• Sarsaparilla is said to be a fine tonic and “alterative,” an agent that may favorably alter an unhealthy condition of the body with the tendency to restore normal bodily function. The herb is also thought to help keep the glandular system in balance. Conventional medicine recognized Sarsaparilla's value in treating skin conditions in the 1940s, when The New England Journal of Medicine officially praised it for treating psoriasis. It was used for centuries as a treatment for syphilis, gonorrhea and other sexually transmitted diseases, being officially listed in both the United States Pharmacopoeia and the United States Dispensatory for those ailments. Externally, it is said to relieve psoriasis, leprosy, boils, abscesses, skin diseases, wounds and eczema. (Click here for more information on Sarsaparilla)
• Echinacea Purpurea is said to promote tissue regeneration. It is considered an “alterative,” an herb that gradually converts an unhealthy organ condition to a healthy organ and gradually facilitates beneficial changes in body. Used both internally and externally, Echinacea's effects as a healing herb for all types of skin problems and infections are said to be legendary, helping to ease cuts, cold sores, boils, carbuncles, acne, herpes and gangrene. One of its chemical properties, called echinacein, is not only thought to repel germs but also to stimulate skin cell repair. (Click here for more information on Echinacea Purpurea)
• Cayenne is called a carrier or catalyst herb that is said to increase the efficacy of almost every other herb or herbal combination. Cayenne contains a resinous and pungent substance known as capsaicin. This chemical relieves pain and itching by depleting certain neurotransmitters from sensory nerves. (Click here for more information on Cayenne)
• Witch Hazel is a wonderful astringent. It is a complement for fine skin care because it helps to smooth wrinkles, cleanse and tone the skin and prevent oily buildup on the tissues of the skin. Its antiseptic properties help to keep skin clear of pimples and acne and heal wounds. Witch Hazel is included in many soothing aftershaves. The hemostatic properties of Witch Hazel's tannin (hamamelitannin) are said to constrict blood vessels and help to stem bleeding from abrasions and scratches, and it is also believed to be beneficial for varicose veins and phlebitis. Witch Hazel is thought to relieve the pain and inflammation of hemorrhoids and soothes minor burns, sunburn (Eucarin), sores, inflamed eyes, bedsores, oozing skin disease, eczema and wounds. Witch Hazel is also used to help dry out cold sores. Please Note: Never drink Witch Hazel purchased from the drug store; it contains an alcohol that is not intended for internal use. (Click here for more information on Witch Hazel)
• Peppermint Leaf is said to promote good digestion and improve the appetite. Its foremost use as a medicine (in both home remedies and pharmaceutical preparations) is applied to relieve indigestion and the intestinal gas caused by certain foods; hence, its use in after-dinner mints and liqueurs. It is used to relax the stomach muscles and promote burping. Some studies have shown that Peppermint lessens the amount of time food spends in the stomach by stimulating the gastric lining, and because Peppermint is believed to increase stomach acidity and stimulate the flow of bile, it helps to digest food before passing into the intestines and colon. (Click here for more information on Peppermint Leaf)
