from the world's top natural health / natural living authors

This book is one of the seven I worked on with Rodale Press.  Read the excerpt in italics below.

The Doctors Book of Home Remedies II: Over 1,200 New Doctor-Tested Tips and Techniques Anyone Can Use to Heal Hundreds of Everyday Health Problems
the Editors of PREVENTION

" Increasing the amount of healthy oils you consume, such as flaxseed, which is rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids, has been shown to help many skin conditions, including oily skin, says Dr. Brett. Taking flaxseed oil every day helps normalize sebum production. Shop for fresh, cold-pressed, refrigerated flaxseed oil packaged in a dark, opaque bottle. The oil turns rancid quickly when exposed to light or heat, so you can't cook with it. Instead, stir it into a glass of juice in the morning or drizzle it on salad or vegetables. It should have a pleasant, nutty flavor, says Alan M. Dattner, M.D.

Mix equal parts of the following four dried herbs: nettle, for its astringent properties; horsetail, for its high silica content, thought to regenerate and strengthen connective tissue (it has traditionally been used in baths to treat eczema and other skin conditions); Johnny jump-up, also known as heart's ease, for its saponoid content, which is known to heal skin and is frequently used for eczema; and lavender, for its soothing aromatherapeutic scent as well as antiseptic, scalp-healing oils.

Certain kinds of oil, like flaxseed, that are rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids have been shown to help many skin conditions, including dryness, says Alan M. Dattner, M.D., a holistic dermatologist in New Rochelle, New York. Your skin is a reflection of your diet. To keep it healthy, you need to eat the proper balance of essential fatty acids—fats that your body needs but cannot make. The typical American diet is often lacking in these crucial fats. Buy fresh, cold-pressed, refrigerated flaxseed oil packaged in an opaque dark bottle.

Traditionally, dandelion tea has been used internally to treat skin conditions, but the milky sap from the fresh root can also be directly applied to a wart, says Dr. Eversole. (Make sure that the dandelion you harvest hasn't been treated with chemical herbicides for at least 3 years.) Be patient. It may take weeks or months to erase the fleshy evidence of the virus. Of course, if you're snowed in for the winter, you may have to wait until spring to try this remedy. This same technique also works with sap from milkweed, says Dr. Eversole.

Witch hazel extract has a long history of use for skin conditions, says Dr. Snowman. It is an astringent and a mild antibiotic and gives the area a nice cooling feeling. Most extracts have an alcohol base, though, so they can sting sensitive skin. If you experience stinging, stop using it. You can do double duty with witch hazel if you dampen a wad of toilet paper and gently use it to clean yourself. Cause: Rectal itch can have many causes or none."

Posted in: Rodale Press