Henna More than Just a Dye

Henna is the leaves of a sweet, flowering shrub native to North Africa, Asia and Australia that produces a long-lasting reddish color.In Ancient times Mohammed dyed his beard with henna and was adopted by the Muslim leaders. In North Africa today Arabs still dye hair nails and palms of hands and feet with henna as well as horses manes and tails. This is a custom they claim as cooling and beautiful. In Europe it became a popular shampoo and today some use it as a hair rinse. It may be purchased at herbal shops. Soak two tablespoons of dried leaves in one cup of warm water overnight then strain the mixture retaining liquid and discarding leaves add one tablespoon of alcohol to the liquid and use tinted liquid as a finishing rinse to clean washed and towel dried hair. Henna is used as a medical herb. The leaves have a binding power and being chewed they help mouth ulcers or canker sores. It can be used as a poulice to help cure inflammation and carbunkles.
Folk healers also prescribed henna both internally and externally for jaundice, liver trouble, and afflictions of the skin.

Until next time have a Healthy Happy life and may God Bless all who read this.