When I was pregnant and unwilling to put any old drug in my body by way of curing the sicklies, I became real interested in alternative forms of medicine, with a heavy lean towards the natural side of things. That mentality has stuck, and has lead me to the magically fragranced world of essential oils, herbs and homeopathics.
Headache? No more do I down 6 ibuprofen in an attempt to make it go away. Depending on what kind of headache it is (treating your body with natural substances -- herbs, homeopathy, essential oils -- requires a more thorough assessment of aches and pains), I'll massage a few drops of peppermint oil (if its feeling like its stemming from muscular neck pain) into my neck or lavendar oil into the temples (if its a more general, maybe sleep-deprivation headache). If its related to sinus pain, I'll set up a bowl of steaming water with a couple of drops of peppermint, lavendar and thyme and breathe that in for as long as I can stand it. I'll also do a steam treatment with eucalyptus and tea tree oil for Sebastian if he's getting asthmatic.
I've been digging through several different books that are all about the power of treating with essential oils, herbs and homeopathy, and I find it fascinating and empowering. I don't have to rely on expensive drug aisle medicines with lists and lists of unpronounceable ingredients that treat a cacophany of symptoms, but can instead use these pure and natural remedies to get to the heart of the matter. Mostly I've checked these books out from the library, just to get a taste for it all, but I think I'll be best suited to have one or two permanently on hand to use as reference (I'll let you know when I choose!).
We have high plans for a medicinal herb and flower garden this summer, too, which brings us another big step closer to the source and creation of the plants that treat us. The seeds are on order, soon to be nestled in a steamy, warm grow box, which shall be shared soonly...