Medicinal Herbs: Two Experiences in Natural Healing

I first became acquainted with medicinal herbs several years ago, when my husband was stationed in what was then, West Germany. There were two instances while living in Germany that showed us how much healthier the use of medicinal herbs was, and though it took some time for this concept to catch on, it changed the way most common illnesses were treated in our family.

Our oldest son, who had just turned one, had become quite ill. Though my husband and I were concerned when he started vomiting, and running a fever; we weren't overly concerned, as we figured he was teething. All through the night he cried, vomited and ran a low - grade fever. As a new mother, I knew enough to keep him hydrated, even though he couldn't hold it down; but that's about all I knew.

Before leaving for work the next morning, my husband told me that he would call the clinic, and try to get our son in to see the pediatrician that day.

Shortly after he left, the elderly German lady that lived downstairs, came up and handed me two tea bags. One, she told me, was for upset stomach and the other was for a fever. It seemed our son had kept them up most of the night also, and she knew just what to do.

In her limited English, she told me to put the two bags in water; bring to a boil, and then take off the heat and steep until cool enough to put in his bottle. I gave it to him, and he drank it right down. I was kind of surprised also, that he didn't vomit any.

Then the most amazing thing happened. I kid you not; within the hour, our son was up and running around with no fever or vomiting, whatsoever. When my husband came home a couple of hours later to take him to the doctor, he was shocked. He could not believe the change in our son, after just three hours.

Since my husband is fluent in German, he went downstairs to talk to the lady, to find out, what it was that she had given our son. One tea bag was Chamomile, and the other was Fennel.

Our kids are now grown, and we are proud grandparents. This concoction has seen our family through many illnesses, without the need to take prescription drugs.

Ever since my husband and I had been married, I had suffered greatly with cystitis infections. My American doctors were always prescribing a sulfa drug, tell me to urinate after marital relations, and keep myself clean. I followed this routine for years.

The sulfa drugs would clear the problem up, only to come back in a few weeks. Then came the time when these drugs started making me sick. I would get nauseous and my face would swell. I was totally frustrated.

We went to see a German doctor at our expense. He sent me to a Urologist who had taken his medical training in the United States, and spoke very good English. He ran some tests (something that American doctors never did), and he told me that I had a birth defect in my urethra, that made the opening into my bladder so small, that my bladder never emptied out completely. He told me that I could have surgery to expand the opening into my bladder, or I could keep my bladder flushed out with an herbal tea. I opted for the herbal tea. The herbal tea was 'Blasen Tee,' or Bladder Tea.

His instructions were to drink the tea at least three times a day when I had bladder discomfort, and drink at least one cup a week for maintenance.

For years I had no problem with Cystitis until I started working in a nursing home. Since I am tall, it was much easier on my lower back, to do patient care with the bed rail up. I didn't realize it at first, but with my lower abdomen pushing against the rails, it was causing trauma to my bladder; which would then swell, causing an infection.

Within hours I would be passing blood in my urine, and I would be in absolute agony.

My doctor would put me on drugs. The infection would go away; only to come back again in a few weeks.

I was frustrated, and didn't know what to do. I couldn't just go down to the grocery store and buy a box of Bladder Tea. They didn't have any. I also knew that it was very unhealthy to take antibiotics all the time.

One morning I was crying, and voicing my concerns to my husband. He told me that a health food store had just opened up in town. Why not give them a call. We called, and after explaining the situation to the owner on the phone, and the fact that I used to take herbs, with good results. She suggested that we come down; she had just what I needed.

She gave me an herbal tincture called BLADR. I was to put 6 - 12 drops of this tincture into a liquid and drink, at least three times a day.

It tasted awful, but within 24 hours the pain was starting to subside. Within a week I had no discomfort at all. I have been using the same regimen that my German doctor put me on years ago, and I can honestly say that I have been cystitis free for years.

I am not a doctor, so when I get sick, or if it is time for my physical, I go to my doctor. She knows that I am a strong advocate for herbal and alternative medicine. I don't like taking a chemical drug, and herbal medicine has a more lasting effect. We are able to work together to find the best treatment.