Mama's Home Remedies: Discover Time-Tested Secrets of Good Health and the Pleasures of Natural Living

by Svetlana Konnikova

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  She liked to tell me about her teenage years, especially when she was 18. According to her, men approached women in a careful and gentle manner then. A manner of respect was a centuries-old tradition. When a young man approached a young woman, instead of leading with questions such as “What is your name? How are you?” they would present themselves with great reverence to the woman and say, “Please allow me to introduce myself. May I kiss your hand, mademoiselle?”

  This tradition was based on human dignity and a show of respect from a young man to a young woman. This question revealed a noble intention to make a first connection; a curious, sincere interest; and attraction at first sight, not love at first sight.

  It was once upon a time when my grandma sat in our Dream Garden with a handsome young man and heard the sweetest music to her ears—his first confession of love for her. As you might guess, the young man was my grandfather. He was a quiet, but ambitious and hard-working man. Later, with great motivational support from my grandmother, he created his “kingdom”

  of vineyards and orchards. They sat many, many times there during the long, balmy evenings of late spring, discussing plans for their future while dreaming in the Dream Garden. They looked in unison at the starry sky through tiny white lilac flowers, observing the movement of the clouds and planets, which witnessed silently their love and trust for each other, their ringing laughter and ecstatic kisses.

  I recently revisited our Dream Garden and found it is still as much alive as it was many years ago. Other people—strangers to me—live there now, but the nightingale’s soprano trill still fills the garden all night long until dawn and the air is still rich with the aroma of lilacs.

  Nastoykas, with lilac flowers and buds from gardens like ours, are successfully used in folk medicine to treat rheumatism, osteoporosis (accumulation of salt in joints), podagra (inflammation of the feet), and heel spurs. Before I mention natural treatments

  for asthma, I want to tell you a little

  bit about how small, gracious, and

  fragrant lilacs can be effective healers

  in different sicknesses.

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  r 1. Make Lilac Vodka. Add ¼ cup lilac flowers and crushed buds to one cup alcohol or vodka. Let steep for 8–10 days in a glass jar in a dark place at room temperature. Take 20–30 drops of lilac/

  alcohol nastoyka or 50 drops of lilac/vodka three times a day. r 2. Add 1 tablespoon dried lilac flowers to five ounces alcohol at 40

  degrees. Let steep for eight to ten days in a glass gar with closefitting lid. Take 30 drops two to three times a day. r 3. Soak a cheesecloth in the same nastoyka (#2) and rub painful parts or make a compress and apply where necessary for the treatment of rheumatism, salt deposit in joints, or knee spur. Lilac is effective for external treatment. Lilac bushes blossom in May and those who practice folk medicine gather the buds shortly after they bloom.

  r 4. Fil three quart glass jars with fresh lilac blossoms. Add enough lamp oil or turpentine oil to cover. Cover with a lid and al ow to infuse for two weeks in a dark place. Then rub this mixture one to two times a day into painful joints until they are red. Then wrap this part of the body with a flannel fabric or wool scarf to keep it warm for one hour. Your pain wil disappear.

  An ancient Greek legend tells that Pan (called

  Faunas by the Romans), the god of forests

  and meadows, nature and the universe, fell hopelessly in

  love with a nymph named Syringe. This is the way that I

  remember the tale, after years of hearing it from Grandma and Mama and many more years of sharing it with my own children.

  Pan was strolling through a lush, sylvan setting when he met a river nymph named Syringe, known for heralding the dawn of a new day. Pan 206 ^ Mama’s Home Remedies

  was so spellbound by Syringe’s graciousness and beauty that he instantly fell in love with her and he lost sight of everything for which he was responsible.

  He was so obviously struck by her that she became frightened of him and ran away. Pan pursued her, all the while trying to assure here that his intentions were noble. The nymph did not reply, but instead transformed into a fragrant bush with delicate purple flowers. Devastated, Pan fell to his knees and wept for many hours, soaking the earth under the lilac bush.

  The next day when Pan revisited the bush, he saw that it was stronger and larger and that a profusion of new blossoms had appeared overnight. Its branches were heavy with clusters of sweet-scented lilacs. He was captured by the beauty of the bush and from somewhere he clearly heard the sound of a woman’s voice, pure and delicate as the lilacs, ”I know now, Pan, that your love for me was true and strong. Your bittersweet tears have provided sustenance for me, given me strength and enduring beauty. I promise you that in return for your suffering, I will love all as you have loved me by providing them my secrets of abundant health and beauty.”

  Pan was inspired by Syringe’s courage and benevolence and he too became overwhelmed by the power of pure love. He proclaimed loudly to all creatures of the forest, ”At his very moment the lilac bush will take the Latin name of Syringe and she will bestow her kindness on anyone who happens upon her. Her beauty and aroma will delight the senses and her medicine will heal the body.”

  Pan ceased to roam the forest groves in grief. Instead his inward grief manifested itself as an outward expression of the love he would forever have for Syringe and he began

  to perform many kind deeds for all he met.

  Trips to chapter

  the Fair title

  yland @

  @ 207

  Lilac takes its name from the Greek word syrinx, which means a tube. Shepherds have cut pipes or flutes from the wood of the lilac bush. So perhaps when you visit Alpine meadows or those of the Appalachians, Rockies, Carpathian, Caucasus Mountains, or others, you may hear and enjoy the beautiful and unforgettable sound of a lilac pipe played by shepherds. In Russia the lilac is known as synel and cyren from the word ciniy (blue). In Russia the lilac grows in purple and white and sky blue, pale pink, golden yel ow, and burnt orange. Infuse a bit of Fairyland into your own backyard by planting a lilac bush there. Enjoy its vibrant beauty and tantalizing fragrance. Each year the month of May wil bring fresh blossoms to the bush. Cut fresh purple or blue clusters and combine them with yel ow tulips. White lilac flowers blend wel with pink peonies. Arrange them in a big crystal vase as a centerpiece of a table or windowsil to bring the beauty of your garden indoors. It wil refresh the air and bring Nature into your life. Remember that cut lilacs do not enjoy other “neighbors”

  in a vase, so this colorful combination is good only for a short time. Another legend, revised somewhat by its numerous repetitions throughout our family, tells us about the origin of lilacs. Many years ago lilacs came into being when

  Spring washed away the snow from the

  meadows and the golden sun rose to the top of the cerulean sky. The sun was accompanied by a rainbow when it began its movement above the earth. Spring, gathering colors to toss upon the earth, decided to mix the sun’s beams with the rainbow’s rays as it continued to move from south to north and then threw the color mixture to earth. Everywhere the vibrant mixture of rays and beams fell, flowers blossomed in sky-blue, navy, yellow, orange, and red. When Spring reached the north, she had only purple and white remaining, but there the weather was still very cold in the Scandinavian countries, including Sweden, Norway, Holland, and Denmark. However Spring was wise and tossed the purple color to earth where it became small, shiny star-shaped flowers. Spring then sprinkled the white generously above the earth. It fell like powdered sugar over the small, bare bushes, creating a myriad of

  delicate lilac flowers.

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  Beautiful fragrant lilac, coming to us from legends into our Dream Gardens, is a beautiful reminder that every year in May, spring will arrive in full prosperity and together with Nature awaken us
from a long winter’s nap. Spring will dress the trees and bushes with buds and bright, young green leaves. Then spring will throw the seeds of admiration and wonder into the forests’

  glades and meadows, and very soon in summer they will blossom into a rainbow of flawless flowers. Each flower wil appear in al its magnificence, emitting its own unique fragrance, coming from the glowing and consistently moving world of Nature. Come to this fantastic meadow of flowers! Breathe the fresh air! This beautiful Fairyland is created for us by Nature. Relax and al ow new energy to pour into your body. Your eyes wil brighten. Your mind wil become clear. Positive emotions and bright thinking wil enlighten you. The stress of day-to-day life wil fall away. Your healthy spirit wil return and you wil be ready to climb mountains. I believe that good energy and positive thinking are all pervasive. A healthy life is based on these two powerful factors. Positive energy and positive thinking combine to become a beautiful airy lace, knit with our thoughts and bio-currents. Throughout many years I have observed that when the weather is cloudy and the sun hides behind the heavens, some people have little energy since the sun passes us its creative life force. Without it, we are weak. Try this: When you commune with Nature, relax and enjoy how the flowers and trees send you their messages and signals. Let your heart and soul be open and receptive to the feeling of a strong emotional union with Nature. Gently release any thoughts that enter your mind. Rest and relax. Breathe deeply and smel the fragrance of the flowers. You wil feel refreshed and rejuvenated and ready to face another day of responsibilities and decisions with a clear head. If instead you feel unhappy or fatigued:

  r5. Make fresh pomegranate juice, add one teaspoon honey to eight ounces, and drink it.

  r 6. Make a cup of green tea. Mix it with white or black tea and pour in it several drops of pomegranate juice instead of lemon. It will lift the spirit and soften the heart. It wil promote energy, refresh the body, and clear sensitivity formed by toxic negativity. Trips to the Fairyland @ 209

  Grandma taught me this one:

  r 7. Make a special egg-milk drink to combat fatigue. Stir one raw yolk (of an organic egg) in a cup with hot milk. Add one teaspoon honey and mix wel . Drink slowly and enjoy. r 8. A cup of black or green tea can accompany the folowing remedy, which is adopted from Tibetan medicine. It is a natural treatment for fatigue and headaches and for strengthening the heart. Mix and eat one ounce walnuts, 1½ ounces cheese (Muenster, Mozzarel a, Swiss, White American, or Smoked Gouda), and 1½ ounces raisins.

  r 9. Add one fresh quince or a teaspoon of quince preserves to your green, black, or black currant tea. A quince gives a special taste and delicate aroma like no other ingredient.

  We used many plants from our Dream Garden—our family Fairyland—

  as natural medicines, libations, tinctures, nastoykas, decoctions, balsams, syrups, and medicinal herbal teas. Mother Nature provides us with special plants to treat a variety of illnesses.

  ^ The oak tree stands out as a healing remedy for people suffering with high blood pressure.

  ^ Coniferous trees and bushes are healers for people with tuberculosis.

  ^ Poplar, hawthorn, eucalyptus, lilac, and bay serve people with cardiovascular diseases.

  ^ Linden and oregano plants help people with respiratory ailments.

  ^ Lavender, mint, and geranium heal people with neuroses and other dysfunctions of the central nervous system.

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  For many centuries humans have developed a close contact with the world of plants, but even so we have strayed far from Mother Nature. Increasingly, as time goes by, we lose this valuable connection with the perfect world of trees and herbs. More and more our precious rain forests with their abundance of healing plants are being destroyed by the bulldozer’s bite. Each day we inhale the toxic fumes of gasoline and other chemicals and the living aromas of natural plants disappear from our homes in exchange for the so-called beauty of silk flowers.

  Less and less we breathe in the marvelous natural scents of trees, earth, and snow that bring us health and energy. When I was a little girl, we always had plants such as eucalyptus, aloe, or a branch of a coniferous tree in our home. Near our house grew a proud pine which we knew always gave us energy and oxygen. In our garden Grandma cultivated mint and lavender; the modest, but fragrant chamomile; oregano; and King’s clover or thyme. She sewed by hand smal pretty cotton sachets, which she stuffed with fresh herbs and hung in our closets and on nails throughout our house. They emitted an intense aroma that made us feel as if we had come to change our clothes in a fragrant garden. Over many years I’ve observed that our memory of smells (our olfactory sense) is much stronger than our visual or auditory (acoustic) memory. Even now, as I am writing this book, I clearly recall the familiar fragrance of chamomile from my childhood. Its aroma reminds me of many events in the past. When I hold a sprig of chamomile in my hand, I breathe in its aroma and instantly recall my brightest memories and become happy and content. I realize why this happens. Our sense of smell is connected closely to the part of our brain that rules our memory and our emotions. Different aromas influence

  the activity in our internal systems. Our brain’s limbic

  system, at the root of the cerebral cortex, releases neurotransmitters (messengers within our body), including endorphins and encephalin, both of which diminish pain and promote an overall sense of well-being; serotonin, which relaxes us; and adrenaline, which

  keeps us stimulated and alert. Aromas have the ability

  to call up positive and negative emotions.

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  Two famous ancient doctors, Hippocrates and Avicenna, used aromas to treat headaches and sleeplessness. Using herbal aromas as remedies, which is what we now call aromatherapy, has been popular for many centuries in ancient Russia, China, and Egypt. For instance, one ancient Chinese doctor discovered that the smell of dried chrysanthemum, lily, nutmeg, and sandalwood helps lower high blood pressure and heal sleep disorders and some respiratory ailments.

  Lily can treat skin disorders too. An ancient French remedy recommends: r 10. Cook the bulb of a lily until soft, mix it with honey, and apply to your face. It wil smooth wrinkles, diminish facial spots, and soothe herpes and eczema.

  Chrysanthemum was brought to Europe in 1676 from Japan, the land of the rising sun. In Japan this flower heralds fall and is a symbol of the sun and the Japanese nation. For a long time the image of a chrysanthemum was sacred in Japan. Only the emperor and his family members had the

  right to wear clothing imprinted with the chrysanthemum design. The legend about Japan’s origin came from the magical characteristics of this last flower of the year, which appears during the initial days of fall. It explains why

  these beautiful, feathery white flowers are as attractive

  as the first autumn frost, breathing on us the first fresh air that allows Nature to fall asleep for a long winter’s

  dream.

  Here is another tale that was popular in our household. Again it has been revised over several interpretations and reiterations and is formed now in our own words.

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  In ancient times a cruel emperor ruled China.

  One day he was told that a marvelous healing

  flower grew on an island near China. He was told

  that a magical Elixir of Life could be prepared from

  the oils of this flower, but only people with a kind heart and noble intentions could pick this flower. The emperor and all his court had committed so many sins in their lives that they decided not to take the risk and instead they sent three hundred young men and women to the island to pick these chrysanthemums. The young people were instantly charmed by the beauty of the island, refused to obey his orders, and never returned with the chrysanthemums. They had fallen in love with this island and founded there—in the land of the rising sun—a new country, Japan.

  According to Italian legend, chrysanthemums first appeared
from paper flowers that a poor woman had used to decorate

  the grave of her son. The next morning she visited his grave with new paper flowers but was greatly amazed to see that

  the paper flowers she had left before had magically transformed. They had sprouted and become beautiful fresh white chrysanthemums.

  Chrysanthemums became a symbol of chastity, purity, innocence, and fidelity. Thus, if you fall in love in the frosty fall, give your beloved a lovely bouquet of white chrysanthemums generously given to us by Nature. In 4,000 B.C. Egyptians distil ed the essential oils of plants such as coriander, cinnamon, and cedar for use in cosmetics, medicine, and mummification. For centuries in Russia it was popular to treat sleeplessness by using a pillow filled with dried hops, which acts as a sedative on the central nervous system. It slows the metabolism and brings about a sound sleep. Dried hops used in pillows for sleeplessness should be replaced every two to three months because aged strobiles (cones) may produce a counter effect and stimulate instead of sedate.

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  Aromas of geranium, laurel noble, and rosemary can have a soothing effect on people with nervous disorders, shortness of breath, poor circulation, and chronic bronchitis. I know that those particular fragrances were tremendously helpful to Mama in overcoming her own health problems. One of the bright impressions in my childhood was a trip to a real Fairyland. Once in the summer I spent my vacation with Mama in Crimea, a beautiful resort located on the shores of the Black Sea. At that time Mama had severe problems with allergic bronchial asthma. She prescribed for herself a special treatment using the aromas of certain plants, which we found in an enchanting place known as Karasan in Crimea.

  A park in the Crimean sanatorium, created in the nineteenth century during the reign of a Russian czar, was divided into five areas with each area planted with herbs, flowers, and trees having aromas which influenced particular human conditions. Although their gardens differed from one another, each shared a common goal—to be useful as healing plants. These sections were:

  ^ laurel—to stop spasms