Natural Treatment for Ringworm

By writing this article, I hope that I save you a trip to your doctor's office.

Ringworm can be very annoying, especially with people who do not know how to treat it themselves.

 Interestingly enough, ringworm is actually not a worm, but instead a contagious fungal infection. It can affect the scalp, the body (particularly the groin), the feet, and the nails. Its name comes from the characteristic red ring that can appear on an infected person's skin.

Ringworm is usually an itchy infection, showing up differently on different parts of the body. Ringworm of the scalp begins as a small pimple that becomes bigger and leaves scaly patches of temporary baldness.  Ringworm of the body can show up as a flat, round patch (anywhere on the skin). It becomes larger and looks more like a ring as days progress. The area can be itchy. Athlete's foot is a fungal infection of the feet, another form of ringworm. Athlete's foot appears as a scaling or cracking of the skin, especially between the toes. You can also develop ringworm of the nails. With this infection, the nails become thicker, discolored and brittle.

One of the most successful home remedies I have seen to cure ringworm is Tea Tree essential oil. Tea tree essential oil is a natural anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral substance. You can easily buy Tea Tree essential oil from most health food stores or online (make sure it is 100% pure essential oil). Apply Tea Tree to the affected area 2-3 times per day until the ringworm fungal infection disappears.

For some people, however, tea tree is not enough to kill ringworm. Another successful 'at home remedy' is to soak a couple of pennies in apple cider vinegar for a few hours. You can then take a cotton ball and dip it into the apple cider vinegar and apply it to your ringworm. Do this for 3 to 4 days, or until your ringworm is gone!

And, WALLLAAAA!! You have successfully treated a Ringworm infection on your own!

UPDATE: As I have experimented with other remedies for ringworm, I have discovered another remedy that works (and more efficiently for some people, I might add). Organic, cold-pressed Coconut oil is also anti-fungal and kills ringworm within a day or two.  I have found that apple cider vinegar and tea tree oil feel uncomfortable when placed on ringworm on the skin, while coconut oil feels nourishing as it is working to kill ringworm.

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Svea is a traditional Naturopath, classical homeopath and holistic doula. Her private doula practice can be found here. Her Montreal Natural Fertility site can be found here. 

Chamomilla: Natural Remedy for Teething, Colic, Earaches, Cold, and Inconsolable Babies

If you have young children, especially a baby, then you need to stock your first aid kit with the homeopathic remedy Chamomilla (Chamomile).

Let me start out by giving you a short story of how this remedy works:

A couple weeks ago a parent brought in a 5 month old baby. The baby was very fussy, and had been since the previous day. I took out my homeopathic first aid kit and found Chamomilla. I mixed two small white pellets in a small glass of water. At that point the mother was at her wit's end, so I had the baby in my arms. He was still fussy as I gave him a small spoonful of the homeopathic water. To my surprise, within 5 seconds, the baby was fast asleep!

The mother couldn't believe her eyes (and to be honest, neither could I). The mother called me the next day and said that her baby slept all night and woke up happy. She was absolutely thrilled and amazed at the healing power of homeopathy!

Chamomilla (homeopathic Chamomile) is one of my favorite remedies for babies. It is indicated for pain, including teething and colic in babies. When a child is in a 'chamomilla state', they are obviously unhappy and uncomfortable. They are angry, irritable, impatient, and inconsolable. They are crying, screaming, and arching his/her back. They ask for something, but then refuse it. Their head can be sweaty, one cheek red and the other pale, thirsty, and with green diarrhea. Their symptoms improve when they are rocked or carried. Worse at night.

Earaches: sensitive to cold and noise (feels better with warmth); pain that makes the child frantic.

Colds: water, hot, runny nose that is also stuffed; difficulty sleeping.

Fevers: alternates between feeling chilled and overheated.

Cough: dry, tickling cough, hoarseness; worse from 9pm-midnight.

This is one of the best remedies for teething, colic, and earaches--especially when their symptoms match the above 'symptom picture'.


**Homeopathy is such a diverse field of practice. There are thousands of different remedies and sometimes it can be difficult to find the exact remedy. Consult a homeopath or Naturopath skilled in homeopathy. **

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Svea is a traditional Naturopath, classical homeopath and holistic doula. Her private doula practice can be found here. Her Montreal Natural Fertility site can be found here. 

Soothe Your Skin, Nourish Your Soul!

One of my favorite hobbies consists of making all-natural herbal salves, since it is so difficult to find safe and pure lotions and substances. I have explored the isles at Whole Foods and other health food stores, and very few times have been impressed with what I found.

Over the last couple of years I have been experimenting with the best recipe for an all-natural lotion. I have used organic Almond oil, Jojoba oil, Olive oil, Grapeseed oil, and many others. I love the feel of each of these in their own ways, however, I was still searching for the BEST oil for my skin.

I finally found that oil . . . organic cold-pressed virgin COCONUT OIL! This tropical oil slides on the skin so easily and soaks in quickly, with no oily residue. I even explored further, adding beeswax and different essential oils, but still found that I like 'untouched' coconut oil (although I made some pretty magical blends!).

I have also found that coconut oil contains many healing properties. This amazing oil not only nourishes the skin, but it actually takes part in the healing processes of the skin as well. Coconut oil has proven to be effective in treating eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, and other skin infections. It also decreases wrinkles and prevents premature aging... who wouldn't want that, right?!

Coconut oil is so versatile and can be used for a variety of things. Many people use coconut oil for cooking, since it is the most stable at high temperatures. Others use it to nourish and heal their hair. Furthermore, people add it to their salads, desserts, and anything else that requires oil. Be creative!

I use Coconut oil everyday and benefit with well nourished and healthy skin! If you love a tropical smell, you will adore the coconut smell, while getting a pure and all-natural product too.

So, start soothing your skin and nourishing your soul with Coconut oil!

*When purchasing coconut oil, you want to find organic, cold-pressed virgin coconut oil. This has proven to be the best for eating, using on the skin, and cooking too.

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Svea is a traditional Naturopath, classical homeopath and holistic doula. Her private doula practice can be found here. 

Bee Pollen: Nature's Superfood!

In my studies I have been totally impressed with the lives of bees. I love eating raw honey because of all the wonderful benefits that it provides. Another Superfood that I discovered in the last year comes from bees too... BEE POLLEN!

We constantly hear the term "Busy as a Bee." This term is 'oh so true' for the life of a bee. Bees work double duty all the time: collecting pollen from flowers to feed its hive while also pollinating more than 80% of all plants and flowers.

Bee pollen is the male reproductive part of a flower that the worker bees collect. These bees pack the microscopically fine powder into granules by adding some nectar or honey from their honey sacs. They then take this back to the hive where they then add a special enzyme to prevent germination. It is used as the food for the young bee, and provides every nutrient needed for proper growth and development. Without this bee pollen a hive of bees would die.

Bee pollen contains nearly every nutrient required by humans, making it one of "nature's complete foods." The free amino acids found in bee pollen (as well as many other nutrients) are so readily used by the body that this food is phenomenal for people with protein deficiencies.

In the past, scientists have realized the amazing nutrient content of this food. They replicated Bee Pollen in a lab--every nutrient, amino acid, and fat molecule. Essentially, they thought they created the perfect supplement, however, when they fed this to a hive of bees, the bees all died! This just shows that we cannot artificially replicate this food, and that, in fact the bee adds a "magic element." To this day, the mystery remains unknown--there are still elements present in bee pollen that science cannot identify.

For many centuries, Bee Pollen has been considered to be a superfood amongst different cultures. Chinese medicine has regarded pollen to be a nutritive and energy tonic. Other cultures have used it for a surprising number of applications, including: increased endurance and vitality, aiding recovery from many chronic illnesses, cleansing and building the blood, extending longevity, preventing cold and flu, decreasing allergies, and so much more.

I have been taking Bee Pollen now for a few months, but haven't really stopped to marvel at the incredible nature of how it is "made", as well as the long list of benefits that it provides. Every day I grow to appreciate this beautiful nature food much more than the previous.

Take this into consideration:
A bee that works 8 hours per day, for one month, will gather only 1 teaspoon of bee pollen. One pellet of Bee Pollen contains over 2 million flower pollen grains, while 1 teaspoon contains more than 2.5 billion flower pollen grains. WOW!

I suggest that you add this to your diet EVERYDAY. Start small. Take 1/2 teaspoon per day for a couple of days, then boost up to 1 teaspoon. If possible, buy local. Bee pollen that is local will help with seasonal allergies, and can be guaranteed fresh and pure. The results are endless with this superfood. In my own practice I have seen Bee pollen help with muscle atrophy, unnecessary weight loss, allergies, digestive disturbances and much more.




**Be very careful if you have severe allergies. In rare occasions, bee pollen can cause a severe allergic reaction. Consult your natural health practitioner if in question.**

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Svea is a traditional Naturopath, classical homeopath and holistic doula. Her private doula practice can be found here. 

Natural Treatments for Plantar Warts

For the last few years I have struggled to find a natural treatment for plantar warts (warts on the feet). It seems like I tried everything, from Oregano essential oil to duct tape to potato peelings. NOTHING WORKED!

Now, if you know me, and you know my background, then you know that I do not like to use any chemicals or toxic substances, pharmaceuticals included. It seemed like I was at the end of my threshold with these warts. They were growing in number and increasing in size.... and boy did they ever hurt!

The highlighted portion below is my original post on using Apple Cider vinegar for plantar warts. Since I wrote this article, I have learned some very key facts on plantar warts. If suppressed, they will come back with a vengeance. Just like acid from a pharmacy, apple cider vinegar suppresses the warts. For some people the warts fall off, only to come back a few years later.  If you truly want to get rid of your plantar warts - DO NOT use acid, apple cider vinegar or anything else that you apply topically. I strongly strongly advise against this. After you read below, you will see my story with the use of apple cider vinegar. After I stopped using it (and boy was it painful), the warts grew even bigger (instead of falling off like they do for some people). I also learned that we do not want to suppress these things - because they are an external manifestation of what is happening on the inside. If you have a lot of plantar warts, then you have the virus inside of you. The apple cider vinegar will not kill the virus internally - it will only remove the external plantar warts - which will come back later if not treated appropriately.

I have found the best medicine to be Homeopathy for plantar warts. It's very important to see a Classical Homeopath who will find your constitutional remedy - this remedy will knock off the warts (without all the pain of the other "natural" treatments), as well as kill the virus internally so the plantar warts will not come back.

I was reaching the point of going to the pharmacy and getting a wart remover, even knowing how toxic these really are, until I found a very simple home remedy that was reported to have great results. Some of the comments in the forum were similar to mine... they tried everything (including medication), but nothing seemed to work...until finding Apple Cider Vinegar!

I was immediately excited to hear the results of using this simple home remedy. I am always pleased to find simple solutions that are very inexpensive compared to conventional medical treatment.

Since I use Apple Cider Vinegar to make tinctures, I had some in the cupboard and began using it that night. In order to get the apple cider on my toes (which is where the majority of my plantar warts are), I dipped a cotton ball into the apple cider vinegar and secured it with first-aid tape. I left this tape on throughout the night.

On the forum that I read, I learned of a lot of people who said it is very painful. After this first night, I would have to agree.... VERY PAINFUL! From my understanding most wart treatments hurt, and maybe even hurt worse than this natural treatment. The pain wasn't unbearable--it was worse in the morning right after I took off the bandages, and lessened throughout the day. I also took some pictures of my toes after the first day.  I wasn't sure if I wanted to share those pictures on here because it looked so terribly gross, however, for the purpose of science (hehe), I will post them below.

Warning: If you do not like gross images, please skip the image below and scroll down to the text.

After the first night, all of my plantar warts expanded to about 50 times their normal size. These warts were hardly detectable on my toes before the apple cider vinegar treatment. As you can see here, they are large and completely disgusting. I feel brave for sharing! After removing the bandages, the warts shrunk back to their normal size, and again, were hardly detectable.

I continued to do this treatment every night for four nights. By this time, all of these plantar warts had turned black and became much harder. This 'blackening' indicates that the roots of these plantar warts were dying. Many times, the roots are very deep, and very difficult to kill as well. By this time I wanted to give my toes a rest, since the apple cider vinegar is very acidic. I allowed these roots to fall out, and then continued to do the treatment. Each person is different for the amount of time they need to apply this natural treatment. I am still working on mine now, after a month. I have noticed a considerable decrease in size (and some are even gone already). Other people report that after a week their warts disappeared and never reappeared again. Apple Cider Vinegar can be used on any wart on the hands and feet.

I must say something else here now. Since I know much more about Natural Health and Alternative Medicine, I must point out the significance of these warts. All of the plantar warts that I had developed over time are on both the medial and lateral (inside and outside) portion of my big toe. In Chinese medicine, these are the Spleen and Liver meridians. So, this indicates that I have some sort of dis-harmony in those meridians and those organs.  Secondly, plantar warts are a type of Human Papillomavirus, which most people think is a sexually transmitted disease, however, can be picked up from floors, showers, shoes, swimming pools, the air...basically anywhere (so, afterall, not all strands of HPV are sexually transmitted).

Since I have plantar warts (caused by a virus) along these meridians, this might signify that I have to kill viruses in my system, especially in my liver and spleen. Knowing this, I have incorporated an herbal program that will target these viruses and kill them.

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Svea is a traditional Naturopath, classical homeopath and holistic doula. Her private doula practice can be found here. 

Natural Treatment for Pink Eye (Conjuctivitis)

A couple of days ago I woke up with a pink and itchy eye.

I have only had pink eye one time in my life, and I was shocked to find that I had it again! I live a very active and healthy lifestyle and haven't been in contact with anyone who was infected. Usually when people have pink eye, they run to their doctor and ask for antibiotics. I, on the other hand, was excited to test my knowledge of natural cures!

Through my family line, I learned of a folk remedy that is reportedly good for pink eye... a tomato.

So, I decided to try it. I sliced a juicy tomato and let it rest on my eye for about 10 minutes. It didn't feel irritating to my eye, but instead, felt very cooling and helpful.

The next day my pink eye was still there, but this time with a little bit of puss too. I wasn't too sure if the tomato actually helped or not, but it sure felt good when I did it. On this day, I decided to try out another natural remedy for pink eye.

Colloidal silver has been found to be very successful for the treatment of pink eye (especially if it is a bacterial infection). Colloidal silver is a good supplement to take around the "flu season" as it helps to rid your body of those "bugs" that make you sick!

I dropped some colloidal silver (which is actually a liquid solution...it looks just like water) into the top of a cap and then dropped it into my eye. I thought this might burn a little bit, but it just felt like water drops. This liquid felt soothing to my irritated and itchy eye. I also avoided contact with my infected eye, although it was itchy and irritated.

The next day my pink eye was mostly gone, and the day after it had completely disappeared. This was a very successful case of a natural treatment for pink eye.

Antibiotics are way overused in our society. Why not try a very cost effective, natural remedy that works just as well, or better, than antibiotics!

To your health!

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Svea is a traditional Naturopath, classical homeopath and holistic doula. Her private doula practice can be found here. Her Montreal Natural Fertility site can be found here.