In the Kitchen: The Perfect Food :)

Even when I'm not paying attention (which is usually) I still have to cook. Or rather, I have to eat, which is the end result of cooking.

All of the following are stimulating cullinary herbs. They have a lot of other properties as well (for example, most of them are anti-bacterial or anti-fungal) and together with tomatoes they make spaghetti sauce. Meat optional.

Basil
Rosemary
Marjoram or Oregano
Thyme
Garlic
Pepper

Dice and cook 1 large onion and dice or crush garlic (cook it with the meat if you prefer meat, or add a teaspoon of olive oil and a teaspoon of milk for the same taste without the meat)
Cut up three large tomatoes. Add them to the onions.
Add tomato juice if you like it runny rather than chunky.
Add seasonings.

Cook down and serve. I like eating it alone, without noodles. Tomato soup! Or wrap it in a tortilla before it has cooked down with fresh basil leaves and mint.

Use in place of chicken soup for colds, eat it with additional basil, rosemary and oregano when you need to be alert. Add more Rosemary if you have a headache and more garlic if you have high blood pressure. If I use it for medicine, I add the extra seasonings last, after everything else has cooked in.

I like to sneak it in as an "herbal" meal for someone who needs help but won't admit it.

Chronic pain

Most types of pain--muscle spasms, headaches, backaches--are easily handled. Taking a muscle relaxant will take care of most muscle spasms (which includes the majority of backaches). These types of pain relief I'll address another time.

But some people live with chronic pain, to the point that they have difficulty sleeping and rely on either massive doses of pain killers or chemical sleep aids. Or both.

I try not to take anything chemical, or anything that is considered pharmaceutical. I have people in my family who have serious reactions to certain chemicals, and we have a family history of addiction, so I stay away from anything that might lead in that direction.

Pain is a difficult problem with herbal medicines. If it can't be resolved by a simple anti-spasmodic or anti-inflamatory, there just aren't many choices. Most of the choices for true pain relief are dangerous and addictive.

Sometimes the choice is between pain and sleep. Below is a simple sleep aid, but valerian is an addictive anti-depressant. It should not be taken regularly, or for more than a week at a time. It should also not be taken with other anti-depressants.

1 T valerian leaf
1 T catnip
1 T lemon balm

I choose not to use the valerian root. The leaf has the same effect, it's just not as strong and I still have the plant after. Catnip and lemon balm are both relaxation aids.