The Medicinal Herb Info site was created to help educate visitors about the often forgotten wisdom of the old ways of treating illnesses. Many of today's drugs and medicines were originally derived from natural ingredients, combinations of plants and other items found in nature.

We are not suggesting that you ignore the help of trained medical professionals, simply that you have additional options available for treating illnesses. Often the most effective treatment involves a responsible blend of both modern and traditional treatments.

We wish you peace and health!

Fever

Definition

A fever is an elevation of body temperature often indicating an infection. Fever is nature’s alarm bell. It is actually a natural defense system against harmful invaders and, where possible, should be allowed to run its course. In our mistaken fear and ignorance, we often run for the Tylenol or aspirin to bring down the fever the moment it rises above normal. Of course, high temperature (102 degrees or over) indicates your body needs help in overthrowing the infection in your system. We would do well, however, to listen to the ancient physicians when they tell us they regarded a fever as a healing agent. The fever actually burns up the toxins. Normal body temperature ranges from 98 degrees to 99 degrees F. Consult your doctor immediately if the temperature is over 101 degrees F.

If unchecked, fever can cause brain injury and dehydration. A fever is not a disease. It is a symptom of the presence of a disease. Running an elevation of temperature at times may be helpful to the body. This defense mechanism acts to destroy foreign microbes. If the fever does not get too high, you may elect to let it run its course, helping to eliminate toxins.
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Nutrients

Vitamin A: Take 50,000 IU daily in pill form for 1 week, then lower to 25,000 IU. Children over 2 years of age should take 1,000-10,000 IU daily. Or you may use as directed on the label in emulsion form. The vitamin A enters the system quicker and is essential in immune system function. Needed to fight infection and to strengthen the immune system.

Protein Supplement, (free form amino acids) taken three times daily on an empty stomach. Free form amino acids are a readily absorbed form of protein that helps repair tissue damaged during the fever. Vitamin C, taken as directed on the label.

Garlic capsules: Take 2 capsules 3 times a day. Odorless garlic that acts as a natural antibiotic and powerful immunostimulant.

Royal Jelly, 3 times a day, has antifungal properties and improves adrenal function.
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Herbs
  • Blackthorn
  • Echinacea
  • Fenugreek seed
  • Feverfew
  • Ginger
  • Hyssop
  • Licorice root

Lobelia extract or tincture will help lower the fever if given half a teaspoon every four hours. If an upset stomach occurs, cut back to a quarter teaspoon.
Poke root

Thyme, and yarrow tea combination can help a fever.

A poultice can be made from echinacea root which will lower fever. (It is best to grind the herbs to a powdered or granulated form. Add water until the mixture is the consistency of a thick paste. If using a granulated form, add a small amount of ground flaxseed or cornmeal and mix until the consistency of thick paste. Spread this paste on a piece of fresh white cotton so that it is a quarter inch thick, and cover the chest area completely. Place a towel over the poultice to prevent heat loss. If you choose fresh herbs for the poultice, simmer two ounces of the herb in half a pint of water for approximately two minutes. Do not drain. Pour the entire mixture into a cheesecloth. It is best to cleanse the area first with hydrogen peroxide before applying the poultice. Apply the herb poultice directly to the chest area, making sure that it covers completely. A second layer should be added to retain heat. Do not reheat a poultice and reuse. When poultice has cooled, remove and discard. Wash the skin thoroughly).

Other Herbs for Fever:

  • Alder
  • Aloe
  • Alum
  • Angelica
  • Apple tree bark
  • Balm
  • Barberry
  • Basil, sweet
  • Beautyberry
  • Bitterroot
  • Blessed thistle
  • Boneset
  • Borage
  • Buckbean
  • Burdock
  • Butternut bark
  • Calamus
  • Calendula
  • Catnip
  • Cayenne
  • Cedron
  • Chamomile
  • Cherry bark, wild
  • Cinchona bark
  • Cleavers
  • Cohosh, black
  • Colombo
  • Coltsfoot
  • Coral
  • Dandelion
  • Dogwood
  • Echinacea
  • Elder
  • Fenugreek
  • Feverfew
  • Feverweed
  • Fireweed
  • Fit root
  • Flaxseed
  • Fringe tree
  • Garlic
  • Gentian root
  • Ginger
  • Golden rod
  • Goldenseal
  • Hibiscus flowers
  • Horehound
  • Horse chestnut
  • Horsetail
  • Hyssop
  • Ivy
  • Jasmine flowers
  • Lavender
  • Lily of the valley
  • Lobelia
  • Magnolia
  • Mandrake
  • Masterwort
  • Mugwort
  • Mullein
  • Nettle
  • Parsley
  • Pennyroyal
  • Peppermint
  • Peruvian bark
  • Pleurisy root
  • Poplar
  • Ragweed
  • Rhubarb
  • Quassia
  • Sage, red
  • Sarsaparilla
  • Sea lavender
  • Shepherd’s purse
  • Smartweed
  • Spikenard
  • Strawberry
  • Sumac berries
  • Sweet balm
  • Tansy
  • Thistle
  • Thyme
  • Valerian
  • Vervain
  • Virginia snakeroot
  • Wahoo
  • Willow, bark
  • Wintergreen
  • Wood sage
  • Wormwood
  • Yarrow

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Recommendations

While feverish, avoid taking multivitamins or mineral complex that contains iron and zinc. While an infection is present, the body will throw off extra iron into the tissues in an attempt to lower the fever. A supplement containing iron will cause undo strain on the body. Zinc will not be absorbed while a fever is present.

Catnip tea enemas twice daily are needed because constipation and congestion keep the fever up. The catnip tea is also good to drink along with lobelia and dandelion teas to lower fever. Take several cool sponge baths.

Drink plenty of distilled water and juices, but avoid solid food until fever is lowered. Drink 1.5 to 2 quarts of water per day.
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Cautions

If flu symptoms persist or are recurrent, check for diabetes (especially in children) and Epstein Barr virus (in adults and teenagers).

Never give children aspirin (Reyes Syndrome).
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Bibliography

Buy It! The Healing Plants, by Mannfried Pahlow, Barron’s Educational Series, Inc. 250 Wireless Blvd., Hauppauge, NY 11788, 1992

Buy It! Planetary Herbology, by Michael Tierra, C.A., N.D., O.M.D., Lotus Press, PO Box 325, Twin Lakes. WI 53181., Copyright 1988, published 1992

Buy It! Indian Herbalogy of North America, by Alma R. Hutchens, Shambala Publications, Inc., Horticultural Hall, 300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, 1973

Buy It! Earl Mindell’s Herb Bible, by Earl Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D., Simon & Schuster/Fireside, Rockefeller Center 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020

Buy It! The Old Herb Doctor, by Joseph E. Meyer, Meyerbooks, publisher, PO Box 427, Glenwood, Illinois 60425, copyright 1984, sixth printing 1994.

Buy It! Back to Eden, by Jethro Kloss; Back to Eden Publishing Co., Loma Linda, CA 92354, Original copyright 1939, revised edition 1994

Buy It! The Nature Doctor: A Manual of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, by Dr. H.C.A. Vogel; Keats Publishing, Inc., 27 Pine Street (Box 876) New Canaan, CT. 06840-0876. Copyright Verlag A. Vogel, Teufen (AR) Switzerland 1952, 1991

Buy It! The Complete Medicinal Herbal, by Penelope Ody, Dorling Kindersley, Inc, 232 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016, First American Edition, copyright 1993

Buy It! The Yoga of Herbs: An Ayurvedic Guide to Herbal Medicine, by Dr. David Frawley & Dr. Vasant Lad, Lotus Press, Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, Second edition, 1988.

Buy It! The Rodale Herb Book: How to Use, Grow, and Buy Nature’s Miracle Plants (An Organic gardening and farming book), edited by William H. Hylton, Rodale Press, Inc. Emmaus, PA, 18049., 1974

Buy It!The Magic of Herbs, by David Conway, published by Jonathan Cape, Thirty Bedford Square, London, England. (Out of print)

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