The Mexican Apothecary

As we head into cold and flu season, I’m redoubling my efforts at staying healthy. I’m eating oodles of mandarinas that have arrived fresh off the tree at the fruteria. I’ve upped my intake of vitamins, including C & D. And I’ve incorporated even more garlic into my meals. These few things coupled with sensible social distancing and hand washing, well, here’s hoping for an illness-free holiday season. 

Along those lines, I’m also delighted to announce the publication of The Mexican Apothecary: Traditional Cold and Flu Herbal Remedies, now available on Amazon. In this beautifully illustrated book (with drawings by Claudia Guzes), you’ll discover information about more than 70 cold and flu remedies commonly used in Mexico including traditional treatments for:

  • Cough
  • Stuffy noses and congestion 
  • Headaches 
  • Sore eyes and earaches
  • Nausea and diarrhea
  • Sore throat and cold sores

There are also 44 plant studies with well-researched scientific support for each herb’s specific use as traditional alternative medicine.

Recently, I chatted with Roxana Bangura from the Bangura Chronicles about the validity of herb use for wellness and we talked about my book. You can check out that conversation here:

Mexican Traditional Herbal Remedies with Author C.E. Flores

If you are interested in downloading the Bugambilia Cough Remedy information I talk about with Roxana, you can do that below.

In other herb news, my book, Exploring Traditional Herbal Remedies in Mexico: An Introduction to Natural Healing was inducted into the Great On Kindle Program. When you buy the kindle version of this book, you get credit towards another book purchase from the Great On Kindle Program. It’s quite an honor for little ol’ me. 

Any of these herb books would make great gifts, for yourself or another health-minded loved one!

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Natural Healing — Palo de Brasil

Haematoxylum brasiletto Photo credit: Jim Conrad

Palo de brasil (Haematoxylum brasiletto) is also called azulillo, palo rojo, Brasilillo marismeño, and in Nahuatl quamóchitl (or cuamóchitl) and hoitzquánhuitl. This tree has yellow flowers and under certain conditions can bloom most of the year. It is native to Mexico and Central America.

In some areas it is known as palo tinto or palo de tinto, however this name leads to some confusion due to the fact that a very similar tree, Palo de Campeche (Haematoxylum campechianum), is also called palo tinto. The misnomer continues when translated into English. Palo de brasil (Haematoxylum brasiletto) is Brasilwood, while Palo de Campeche (Haematoxylum campechianum) is Mexican logwood. Both trees are used to make paint dye (hence palo de tinto). Many herb texts use the two interchangeably, which is incorrect.  

Palo de Brasil has been used traditionally for heart conditions and kidney disease. The Aztecs used the bark as a treatment for diarrhea. In Sonora, twigs are chewed for mouth sores and tooth infections. The bark is combined with licorice root for asthma attacks. A tea made from the branches is a common remedy for depression, fever, and urinary issues. Other areas in Mexico use palo de Brasil as an astringent to clean wounds, treat skin infections and genital warts. 
This tree has anti-bacterial properties and has been shown to be effective against E.coli and Staphylococcus aureus infections. Brazilwood is also used in the treatment of gastric ulcers and cancer in some areas of Mexico. Studies have proven it has anti-cancer properties supporting its use in cancer treatment. Scientists have also discovered that it is useful in the treatment of diseases caused by parasitic protozoan trypanosomes of the genus Trypanosoma such as Chagas disease.

Palo de Brasil Infusion for Kidney Problems

Boil ½ liter of water. 

Add:

12 to 15 grams of palo de Brasil woodchips 

Drink 1 cup 3 times a day after meals.

***

Interested in natural remedies? Uncover herbal remedies from traditional Mexican sources for healing and wellness in the Exploring Traditional Herbal Remedies in Mexico series.

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Black Friday Freebies

I don’t know about you, but things are kinda tight around here this year. So shopping during the month-long Buen Fin, Black Friday, or Cyber Monday is out of reach for us just now. Instead of telling you to BUY BUY BUY, I thought today I’d share my own FREE Black Friday deals and a few others I know about. Free is certainly more in line with the budget.

If you like bright and shiny things, Leonie Dawson’s Freebie Page might appeal to you. Leonie is quirky and real and has pretty pictures on her downloads.

Melissa Storm’s Author Engine Quick Tips mini-bundle is FREE and a great resource for authors. There are tips on lead magnets, keywords, categories, Facebook ads, targeting international markets, and more!

If you are struggling with getting that manuscript in tip-top shape, then Stacy Juba’s FREE Editing Course–Line Editing Made Simple: 5 Days to More Polished Pages, might be just what you need. I took the course and felt it really made a difference. You can read my review of the course here. Stacy also has other freebies including a FREE toolkit 7 Simple Steps To Nailing Your Book Blurb and a FREE Character-Naming Guide for you to check out.

Herbal Academy is one of my favorite online herb resources. The Herbal Support for Winter Wellness ebook is FREE to download. It has 10 essential herbal recipes for winter health, just what the doctor ordered! You can get the FREE Herbal Support for Cold and Flu Season Ebook and 10 Wintertime Tea Recipes by Friends of the Herbal Academy too!

I am also offering some FREE Black Friday stuff. This weekend the ebook version of Book Weaving: How to Create a Story Tapestry From Your Blog Threads is FREE on Amazon.

And since finances and contagion deem I will be staying put this holiday season, how about some FREE virtual ebook travel with Playing Tourist in Mexico: A Collection of Adventures from Women Traveling in Mexico.

How about some Zoom games to while away the time? I have THREE FREE for you in Spanish and English. My talented friend Claudia did the drawings for these fun and interactive games.

Who Was I? Women of the Old Testament Guessing Game

Who Was I? Women of the Old Testament Guessing Game for Zoom is a fun way to review your Bible studies. The scriptural notations allow you to look up more information about each woman if you are stumped. Available in English and Spanish.

Women of the Old Testament Trivia Game

Review your knowledge of 37 different women mentioned in the Old Testament via Zoom! Play as individuals or in family groups. Available in English and Spanish.

Women of the Bible Bingo

Women of the Bible Bingo is a fun and educational aid to Sunday school lessons or homeschooling curriculum. This set includes three different bingo boards and calling cards. Available in English and Spanish.

I hope that at least one of these freebies tickles your “love a good deal” bone and that you and your loved ones enjoy a relaxing and healthy holiday season.

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