I am currently languishing on the sofa , suffering with tonsillitis. The traditional remedies for this include sage: gargling with a strong infusion. I have made up a tincture that contains sage, amongst other herbs to stimulate the immune system. Other herbs used for pustular conditions include wild indigo and Berberis vulgaris, and I like to include lymphatic cleansers such as cleavers in any condition where the glands are up. I have also been taking marigold tea, as in addition to its effect on the lymphatic system it is also antiviral and stimulates healing. Ginger and lemon tea, made with fresh ingredients, is also soothing.
Tonsillitis is a symptom rather than a diagnosis. The problem with conventional treatment of tonsillitis is differentiating between a viral and bacterial infection; to do this, a swab needs to be taken and analysed. Antibiotics will have no effect on a viral infection.

Herbs for Children

Following on from my herbal talk last week which I very much enjoyed giving, I was asked if I do talks on herbs for children's illnesses and health problems. The answer was that yes, I do. I will be setting a date for late summer: keep an eye on the blog and website education page for further details.