Did you ever wonder how witch hazel came by that name? The Anglo Saxon word 'wych' means flexible or supple, which describes the wood of this small graceful variety of hazel tree. Native Americans commonly chose this hazel to make their hunting bows because of this flexible characteristic. The early Anglo visitors observed this, dubbing it witch hazel. The name obviously stuck.
Witch hazel was a staple medicine in Native American society, with both bark and leaves used for a variety of ailments, with both internal and external applications. Although modern medicine is cautious of the safety of internal use, Native Americans used witch hazel internally for its ability to stop hemorrhage and in cases of heavy menstrual bleeding. As a tea, applied externally, this plant was relied upon for cuts, tumors and inflammation of the eyes. Both the bark and leaves were applied as a dressing as a remedy for swollen and inflamed muscles.
The Anglo immigrants and eclectic physicians of the time soon applied these Native American remedies, using the hazel solutions for many of the same purposes, coming up with a few new uses, as a remedy for backache, nervousness, nosebleeds, diarrhea, vaginitis and venereal disease. Not all of these folk uses are currently endorsed as effective remedies.
That old fashioned bottle of distilled witch hazel you've surely seen in every drugstore is so useful, it belongs in your cupboard just like bandages and antibiotic ointment.
Cosmetic uses of this versatile herb are many. Use to clean oily skin, as a skin freshener and pore tightener after a bath or shaving, to reduce puffiness around the eyes and to remove makeup. Mix a bit in water to submerge and ease those aching feet.
The astringent qualities of this plant works to reduce inflammation of surface tissues, conveniently providing some protection against bacteria, thus staving off infection.
Witch hazel is astringent, which makes it effective in the treatment of bruises, cuts and abrasions. This astringent quality makes witch hazel the perfect choice for aching muscles, varicose veins, sunburn, burns sustained in the kitchen or elsewhere, poison oak and ivy and insect bites.
A cold compress of witch hazel, laid across the forehead, eases the pain of headache.
Also available in a gel, it is useful in cases of bedsores and diaper rash.
Internal use of witch hazel has historically been used with success to treat internal hemorrhage and heavy menstrual flow. However, internal use has not received the go-ahead from modern physicians,as controversy exists as to the safety of this internally ingested remedy.
With all these proven everyday uses, you shouldn't hesitate to have this remedy on hand. Distilled witch hazel is very inexpensive and serves you up with a variety of uses to remedy a dozen conditions for which you'd otherwise need a dozen different products.
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