The No. 1 myth about baby birds is: if you find one and return it to its nest, the mother will reject it. This is untrue! If you find a nestling on the ground, do your best to return it to the nest.
Did you know the berries of Eastern Red Cedar/Juniperus Virginiana feed more than 54 species of birds, while Kousa Dogwoods feed just four?
Did you know garlic isn’t just for pasta sauce? This powerful herb has antifungal properties capable of wiping out a case of Athlete’s or Gardener’s Foot. Steep six crushed cloves in a gallon of water for one hour, then soak your tender soles for 20 minutes and you’re a new athlete.
By the way, garlic contains allicin, which has natural antibiotic, antiviral, antifungal, and antiseptic properties — admittedly anti-romantic ones too. It also acts as a decongestant and expectorant. So, the next time you have a cold, and desire chicken soup, add a clove of minced garlic to turbo-charge the age-old remedy.
Did you know that parsley, considered a punctuation mark on most dinner plates, reduces bruises? Next time you have an unsightly bruise, crush, chop, and apply a handful of chilled parsley.
Western practitioners believe laryngitis is caused by a virus or by bacteria, while many Chinese healers believe heat and poison in the lungs are at fault. Then again, depending on the patient, some spouses may decide to enjoy the silence — and provide no treatment. On the other hand, Chinese homeopathic treatment consists of licorice and peppermint tea. Some healers suggest adding honeysuckle flower, which like chicken soup can’t hurt.
At the first sign of a migraine, dip the flattened end of a toothpick into cayenne pepper and sniff a little bit into each nostril. In addition to offering natural pain relief, cayenne pepper is a reliable source of magnesium, which helps ward off migraines. Adding cayenne to foods may help prevent future headaches.
To relieve hay fever symptoms — runny nose, sneezing, itchy and red eyes — chew a 1-inch square of honeycomb. Swallow the honey and continue chewing the waxy gum for ten minutes, then discard. Buy honeycomb that was collected locally, so that it contains the same pollen that is causing you discomfort. To help immunize yourself, begin chewing a 1-inch square daily a month before you typically are affected. How sweet it will make life be.