Fell flat on my face! Secret weapon for bruising!

Have you ever fallen or been in an accident that really "banged you up"? Did the bruises take forever to go away? I have. 

Ever heard the expression "I fell flat on my face"? Don't laugh... I fell on my face! Seriously, on my FACE!!! A few years ago I tripped up on a torn up drive way with an armload of stuff and sailed headfirst into concrete. As I was falling, I said to myself  "this is NOT going to be good"! 

Long and short of it, I didn't break anything, but my face looked like I'd been hit by a bus! My upper lip immediately swelled up to my nose...I looked like I had had a bad lip job, you know, I looked like a "duck". When I would walk in some place people either looked at me, like a circus act had come into the store or they would quickly turn away so as not to see the creature! LOL

Thankfully it was temporary. However, I have a history of bruising like a banana & a "slow" healer. Normally that wouldn't be a problem on a leg, arm, etc..but my FACE! What's a girl to do?? There's only so much makeup for that! So I upped my natural anti-inflammatory herbs, like OPC's and also started to use biorutin which helps stop bleeding.

one of many brands of witch hazel

THE NEXT DAY I had to host a house warming for some dear friends..already invited folks, ordered a cake, the whole "enchilada". When my friends came filing in & would see me, they would either gasp, some would politely act like nothing happened or come right out and ask "what happened to you"? 

One friend, an old timer who had raised 9 children (NINE!), told me about an old remedy she used with all those children, witch hazel. I had always heard it used as an astringent, but never used it for bruising. She assured me it would heal a LOT faster if I used it. I figured it was cheap, and what could it hurt..so I got some and saturated a washcloth with it and used ice for a few minutes and then witch hazel. The swelling went down & the bruising went away within a WEEK!!! Wow! Who knew??

Turns out Native Americans knew alot about witch hazel all along! There are many useful links on the multitude of uses for witch hazel! 

So if you ever fall "flat on your face", get up, dust yourself off and break out the witch hazel!

Helping You to Select the Best Health,

Sherry