by Cyda Gwae'nóna
In a time where it is considered easier to make your way to an Alchemists Lab, or the nearest Cathedral or Temple to cure an illness, often the simplest tried and true methods of tending common ailments have been all but forgotten. In this and the following articles I will be writing to share with those who would lend an ear, or at least wish to save a little gold, how to use the most common treatments with the highest efficiency and best outcomes. This article will not, however cover any particular herb, but rather, several different remedies for aching muscles due to either toiling in the fields to collect the harvest, or adventuring.
During the Harvest Season especially, we work the hardest. Be it to bring in the harvest, or prepare ourselves and our homes for the oncoming winter seasons... along with the chill in the air and the leaves changing their colors, a certain sign of the changing seasons experienced by young and old is the muscle and bone pains felt.
Muscles tend to ache for a number of different reasons, ranging from age to stress and illness, but most commonly due to the simple fact that a person overuses their body. Bone aches are caused by mostly the same, along with old breaks healed over and strain, thankfully the remedy used for one can often double as the remedy for the other.
Firstly, in attempts to prevent these sorts of injuries, one should always rest well before partaking in strenuous activities. Eat two Tel'Abim Bananas every day for muscles and three or four shelled walnuts for bone pains. If one is not particularly fond of the texture of either foods, it is suggested to eat plenty of Banana Bread. While it is not as high in the various nutrients found in the two foods separately, there is some good to be had from it. A second, highly suggested method of prevention would be to make certain that you are wearing the proper footwear. While it is near impossible to find a comfortable shoe that is also protective, it is easy to commission your local Leatherworker for a set of padded soles for the shoes you wear. Finally, drink plenty of water and be sure to stretch before any and all activities. I cannot press upon you just how important these two things are!
The most commonly suggested method of mending one’s aches is of course, give it time. Lay down and allow your body time to recuperate from the day’s work. Granted, not always can a person allow themselves the luxury of rest. In this case massage the area afflicted with pain with mustard oil, and use a hot/cold compress by dipping a cloth in hot water or wrap a cloth around heated stones. Once the cloth or stones cool, remove and replace with a towel dipped in cold water (Or if you are lucky enough to have a mage near at hand, ice wrapped in a towel will be better still yet.) Repeat the hot and cold presses until the pain has subsided.
Another, rather simple and cheap method to help mend one’s muscles would be to dissolve two cups of Epsom Salt in hot bath water, while a strange suggestion it has been noted by many healers to help speed the process of healing torn muscles. If one is incapable of getting their hands on the Salt, however, using the leaves from the Silverleaf plant found in the same areas as Peacebloom, in a hot bath will help soothe inflamed muscles. If one does not have a time for a full, long soak, a wash can easily be prepared. One ounce of Silverleaf Leaves per pint of warm water. Dip a piece of cloth in the wash and apply over pain-affected areas.
Lastly, if the pains persist beyond the remedies I’ve listed, the dried bark of the Starwood Trees used to brew a tea will most certainly remove any and all aches a body feels after a strenuous day. Steep the bark in hot water for half an hour and drink three to four cups daily. This cure is also helpful for reducing fevers, boosting a person’s natural defences against illnesses and monthly cramping. It, however is not to be used often as the side effects from accidental overdosing are sever. Some side effects include, upset stomach, ulcers, bleeding of the stomach, nausea, skin rashes and vomiting. If one must resort to this final method of curing their aches, it is strongly advised to seek out the local apothecary for proper dosages.
In closing, aches and pains from the harvest season, cold and reckless adventuring or the combination of all of these things can be prevented with a few simple to preform tasks and common sense, but if one forgets to do these things, there are a variety of easy, cheap and readily accessible remedies at hand. I am of the hopes that this article has been useful to you, my readers, and I am of the hopes that next month you will join me as I outline the cures of the various illnesses that come with the snow and Greatfather Winter!
