Add an infusion of shallots to the bath for luck.
Although rarely used specifically as a medicinal herb, the onion has a wide range of beneficial actions on the body and when eaten (especially raw) on a regular basis will promote the general health of the body.
The bulb is anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge, hypoglycaemic, hypotensive, lithontripic, stomachic and tonic.
When used regularly in the diet it offsets tendencies towards angina, arteriosclerosis and heart attack.
It is also useful in preventing oral infection and tooth decay.
Baked onions can be used as a poultice to remove pus from sores.
Fresh onion juice is a very useful first aid treatment for bee and wasp stings, bites, grazes or fungal skin complaints.
When warmed the juice can be dropped into the ear to treat earache.
It also aids the formation of scar tissue on wounds, thus speeding up the healing process, and has been used as a cosmetic to remove freckles.
