#camphor essential oil

[truveda]

Discover the Therapeutic Properties of Pure Camphor Oil

Discover the purity of Truveda's camphor oil. Elevate your well-being with our premium, 100% pure camphor oil. Experience the therapeutic power and rejuvenating aroma. Shop now for the finest quality camphor oil!

[aromaazinternationals]

Camphor Essential Oil -The Surprising Benefits in Aromatherapy

Camphor essential oil is a natural compound extracted from the tree of the same name, Cinnamomum camphora. It is obtained by steam distillation method from the wood chips and has a strong, penetrating, fragrant odor. That oils are produced through different processes, including distillation or expression. It is one of the most well-known essential oils and has a long history as a medicine and remedy. In this post, you will learn what it is, how it can be used, and its benefits and side effects.

[expoorganics]

camphor oil is a versatile essential oil with many potential health benefits. But it should always be used responsibly and in appropriate amounts.

[mokshalifestyleinternational]

ORGANIC RAVENSARA ESSENTIAL OIL

Its antibacterial properties prevent infection from occurring within any open wound or cut. It has been utilized for first aid and wound therapy in many cultures. It kills microorganisms and speeds up the healing process. Its washing components relieve itchy and dry scalp, which promotes dandruff and irritation. It cleanses the scalp and keeps dandruff at bay. It also prevents dandruff-causing germs from colonizing the scalp. This is the most well-known effect of Pure Ravensara Essential Oil: its medicinal, camphor-like scent alleviates symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression. It provides a soothing impact on the neurological system, which helps the mind rest. It relieves discomfort and promotes relaxation throughout the body.

[essentialnaturaloil]

Shop Camphor Essential Natural Oil In USA

Shop Camphor essential oil with us in the USA. Our natural camphor oil is derived from the wood of the camphor tree and offers a variety of health benefits. Enjoy the fresh, woody scent and therapeutic properties of our camphor essential oil.

[thejournallo]

Explain the basic: Oils

Check out Part 1, which explains how to use the things down below. Disclaimer: All the things in this post are based on research and personal experience. As much as I could be a teacher, I suggest you find many resources for knowledge to develop your own experiences. Make sure you research the oils you buy/use because some oils can damage or hurt your skin in a really bad way. as well as some aromatherapy oils that can hurt your pet (if you have one).

Types of oils

Anointing oils — A sacred oil that’s blessed and charged and specially formulated for a specific purpose, usually for people.

Carrier oils — Vegetable and mineral oils that are used to help dilute essential oils that could cause skin irritation.

Condition oils — Anointing or conjure oils used to help relieve or improve someone’s condition.

Conjure oils — A dressing oil from an ancient practice usually African, European, or Native American traditions. Often found in Hoodoo.

Dressing oils — Specially prepared oil applied to spell and ritual objects before using them to sanctify, charge, and prepare them for use.

Essential oils — Volatile, concentrated oils, with the characteristic scent of the plant/flower they are from.

Ritual oils — Oils used to anoint candles, ritual tools, material, furniture, money, and other such items, and then use to anoint the body are often also called anointing oils.

Basic oils and their use:

Basil: Stimulates the mind, used in money-attracting oils, and encourages peace

Benzoin: Increases personal power and awakens the conscious mind

Bergamot: Money and protective rituals

Black Pepper: Protection and promotes courage

Chamomile: Meditation and inducing peace

Camphor: Purification and promoting celibacy

Cardamom: Energy to love and sexually oriented formulas

Cedarwood: Enhances spirituality

Cinnamon: Money and psychic awareness

Clove: Courage and protection

Coriander: Love and healing

Cypress: Blessing, consecration, and protection. Helps ease loss

Eucalyptus: All healing and purification.

Frankincense: Spirituality and meditation

Geranium: Happiness and protection

Ginger: Courage, love, money, and sexuality

Grapefruit: Purification

Jasmine: Love, psychic awareness, peace, spirituality, and sexuality

Juniper: Protection, purification, moon symbolism, and healing

Lavender: Health, love, peace, and consciousness

Lemon: Purification, healing, and lunar use

Lemongrass: Psychic awareness and purification

Lemon verbena: Love

Lime: Purification and protection

Lotus: Spirituality, healing, and meditation

Magnolia: Meditation, love, and psychic awareness

Myrrh: Spirituality, meditation, and healing

Neroli: Happiness and purification

Niaouli: Protection

Oakmoss: Attract money

Orange: Purification

Palma Rosa: Love and healing

Patchouli: Money, sex, and physical energy

Peppermint: Purification

Pine: Purification, protection, money, and healing

Rose: Love, peace, sexual desires, and enhancing beauty

Rosemary: Love and healing

Sandalwood: Spiritualty, meditation, sex, and healing

Tangerine: Sun symbol, power, and strength

Tonka: Money

Vetivert: Money

Yarrow: Love, courage, and psychic awareness

Ylang Ylang: Love, peace, and sex

As always, I will love to hear your thoughts! and if you have any questions, I will be more than happy to answer them! If you liked it, leave a comment or reblog (that is always appreciated!). if you are intrested in more method check the masterlist!

[moonkissedmeli]

Rosemary; Salvia rosmarinus

rosemary is a very powerful little plant and I recommend it as a witch's essential herb, a non-negotiable if you will, as it has so many uses.

Other names: sea dew, compass plant, polar plant

Nutritional and Medicinal Fun Facts:

Good for hair and scalp

Good for metabolic health

High in carnosic acid which has anti-cancer properties

Improves memory and concentration

Improves eye health

Can help regulate liver

Aeromatic may help reduce asthma symptoms

Aeromatic and eating it can help reduce stress and anxiety

May reduce inflammation

May help increase circulation

High in antioxidants, manganese pantothenic acid, niacin, thiamin, folate, and riboflavin

extra fun fact: part of the mint family; eucalyptol (camphor-like) and alpha-pinene (pine-like) are the compounds that primarily give the rosemary flavor

~Magical Properties & Lore~

Element: Fire

Planet: Sun

Gods: Apollo, Helios

Goddess: Aphrodite, Hebe

Spells & Rituals:

Love spells

Beauty spells, especially in an aromatic

Health spells and rituals; I also use it in spells to break unhealthy habits

Antifertility spells (along with safe sex! mundane first, always)

Protection and banishing spells regarding negative spirits; especially visitations at night

Sachets, tea, or aromatic for spells to improve intelligence and memory; excellent herb for student

Helps with nightmares and remembering dreams

Use as a tea or aromatic for dream work and past life remembrance

Burn to cleanse home or self of negative energy

Grow it inside to purify the air

Tip: pairs powerfully with Juniper in most situations

Lore:

Christians believe it grows for 33 years until it is the same height as Jesus. They believe it got blue flowers when Mary placed her cloak on it when fleeing to Egypt. It is a Christian symbol of fidelity and remembrance.

Couples should plant on their wedding day and interpret the growth as divination for the family.

Couples have also wore it at their wedding and given as favors to their guests.

Said to protect against the evil eye.

In Wales, it was used as a funeral favor and sprigs were lowered with the casket.

Embalming herb in ancient Egypt

Ancient Greece & Hellenism

Symbol of love, beauty, and eternity

Said to help people retain youth when smelled

Increases memory; students would wear garlands of rosemary for exams

Protection against evil

recipes to eat it in: so good on chicken, fish, and potatoes, rosemary-infused olive oil, rosemary and lemon pasta

[cardicoven]

🌿Rosemary Devotional - Day 4: Mundane Properties.

Culinary Properties. Rosemary is one of the most prized herbs used in cooking, especially in Mediterranean cuisine. It is used to flavour various dishes, both sweet and savoury, but is most popular in dressings for meats. Rosemary is found in the French herb blends bouquet garni and herbes de Provence as well as in seasoning blends for lamb, roasted vegetables, and various Mediterranean dishes. The leaves have a bitter taste which compliments fatty foods like lamb and oily fish. Rosemary leaves contain about 1 to 2.5% essential oils and the main flavour of rosemary comes from the aromatic compounds “eucalyptol” and “alpha pinene” which are described as camphor-like and piney respectively.

Narbonne honey from France mostly comes from bees feeding on rosemary blossoms.

Use in Beauty and Cosmetics. Rosemary flowers and leaves contain an essential oil which has a strong aromatic fragrance, making it a popular ingredient in perfumery, cosmetics, hair products and incense burners.

Rosemary has strong antioxidant properties and contains iron, calcium, and phytonutrients so it is added to hair care products to provide hydration and protection from sun damage. Medicinal Properties. The herb has been hailed since ancient times for its medicinal properties. Rosemary was traditionally used to help alleviate muscle pain, improve memory, boost the immune and circulatory system, and promote hair growth and is a good source of iron, calcium, and vitamin B-6. The leaves and flowers of rosemary can be used to make a tea, thought to relieve headaches, colic, colds, and depression. Rosemary also has antibacterial and antifungal properties. 

It was used in traditional European herbal remedies for a variety of ailments, including wounds, eczema, poor appetite, and asthma. Modern research have shown that rosemary may improve a person’s concentration, performance, speed, and accuracy and, to a lesser extent, their mood. Other studies suggest that Rosemary may slow brain aging and could possibly protect against macular degeneration. Rosemary can affect the activity of some medications, including:

Anticoagulant drugs: These include blood-thinning medications, such as Warfarin, Aspirin, and Clopidogrel.

ACE inhibitors: These are used for treating high blood pressure. They include lisinopril (Zestril), fosinopril (Monopril), captopril (Capoten), and enalapril (Vasotec).

Diuretics: These increase the passing of urine and include hydrocholorothiazide and furosemide (Lasix).

Lithium: This is used to treat the manic episodes of manic depression. Rosemary can act as a diuretic and cause lithium to reach toxic levels in the body.

Sources: McCormick Science Institute : Kew : Medical New Today : Herbalist's Primer by Anna Urbanek

[cleolinda]

Patchouli in perfumery, feat. Snake Oil (Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab)

In the course of writing up Coco Mademoiselle (which I'll post after this), I realized that I need to stop and discuss patchouli first, because: wtf is going on there, seriously. Sylvaine Delacourte explains,

Patchouli has a woody, earthy, humid, dark smell and evokes a colour between brown and black.

(I find this to be true; I always picture a very dark, dark brown when I smell it, even if nothing else in the fragrance makes me think of a color.)

A camphor note molecule is identified in it, it also has almost a dusty scent. Patchouli can be reminiscent of a cork or an overripe apple, some find it smells like mushrooms, cellars and mould. Many perfumers have told me that they can detect a hint of cocoa in good quality patchouli.

On the other hand, as the Perfume Society describes it, in "So you think you hate… patchouli?":

Amazingly, from those fragile-looking leaves comes a sweet, spicy, smoky, cedar-y scent so powerful it has to be handled with care: patchouli is the most powerful of any plant-derived essence.

May the odds be ever in my favor.

But, the Perfume Society continues,

perfumers wouldn’t be without patchouli, for the richness that it gives to fragrances – and not just those heady Ambrées: patchouli makes its way into many chypre and powdery fragrances, swirling exotically alongside lavender, sandalwood, labdanum and bergamot, clove, clary sage, as well as vetiver. (It’s a little like vetiver, if you close your eyes.) Used alongside rose, it extends and ‘fixes’ rose’s sweetness.

Back to Sylvaine Delacourte: "Patchouli is the most important raw material in perfumery," a statement that really surprised me, but this is the former Artistic Director of Guerlain talking here. She concurs that it "combines beautifully" with woody notes like cedar, sandalwood, and vetiver, adding,

It brings depth and sensuality and is considered by some to be an aphrodisiac, especially when combined with sweet oriental [often called "ambrée" now] notes such as incense, vanilla and cistus. Patchouli can be refreshed by citrus fruits such as bergamot. It is often associated with rose, sometimes with jasmine, a little less with ylang-ylang. Patchouli is also a perfect match for gourmand notes.

Sure enough, Thierry Mugler's Angel (1992) famously combines patchouli and cotton candy (and several fruits) (and caramel) (and chocolate). That's a fragrance I also have on deck to write about; it was a game-changer, no exaggeration, at the time. I had also thought that Angel was considered the first "fruitchouli" (nsfw photo), as such, but apparently that may be... Coco Mademoiselle.

Delacourte also mentions that patchouli is "sensual and charismatic, often replacing mosses in chypre constructions and is essential in oriental compositions." And here comes Coco Mademoiselle again: it's considered a "neo chypre." If you go back to the Mitsouko post I did, you'll see that a classic chypre involves bergamot, oakmoss, and labdanum. As Basenotes user purplebird7 neatly explains, "This creates a sweet/sour/earthy/wet/dry combination of notes that makes chypres so complex. [...] New chypres use vetiver instead for the sour/dry component. They also use patchouli for the earthiness, and substitute other citruses for bergamot, the way Coco Mademoiselle uses orange, and [Chanel's] Chance uses citron."

Now, I haven't told you how the word "patchouli" comes from Tamil (patchai ellai, green leaf), or how Tutankhamun had gallons of patchouli oil in his tomb, and how it was worth its weight in gold, literally, to European traders. Or, for that matter, how it came to France via the paisley shawls, layered with insect-repelling patchouli leaves, that were so loved by Empress Eugénie. I didn't mention that patchouli is still very much associated with the "dirty hippies" of the 1960s, who (it's said; I wasn't there) used it to mask either weed or body odor. And I didn't mention any of this because I wanted to focus on how patchouli is used today—and because the hippie thing is extremely cliché. But maybe that's exactly what I should touch on, because:

I don't like patchouli. I do, in fact, Think I Hate Patchouli. Or I did, rather, before I started working on this post. And it's because of the "dirty" smell. Something that's like a combination of fermented basement lichen and the stoner guy I knew in college who took 40 minute showers but never washed his clothes? But since patchouli's in the base of just about everything these days—I decided that I'm going to have to get past that. Rather than use a moralistic term like "dirty," I've started calling the persistent aura that smells like "mushrooms, cellars and mold" The Funk.

And I've noticed that aged patchouli is a lot smoother; The Funk gets less rambunctious with time, and this may be why aged bottles of Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab's Snake Oil are so prized. For years, I wasn't even sure what was in it; the original description only mentioned "Indonesian oils sugared with vanilla." But once you find out that 80% of the world's patchouli comes from Indonesia—yeah, you can tell it's the primary note of Snake Oil. BPAL actually sells it pre-aged now, and with a more detailed description:

Snake Oil has shed its skin, and is back — now with vintage patchouli and dark, rich, aged vanilla absolute. Snake Oil is our signature scent, our first perfume: deep, rich, earthy notes swirled with vegetal musks, sugared vanilla bean, and dark spices.

A few nights ago, I pulled out a vial I'd gotten several years back. I remember that Snake Oil was really heady when it was fresh: a vortex of incense, spicy vanilla, and The Funk. This time, it was pure patchouli, albeit a mellow and dignified one; on a second try, I realized I needed to swish the molasses-thick oil back and forth until it was at least somewhat blended again. I then got a unified patchouli-vanilla and what I swear was a very strong ylang-ylang and sandalwood (both of which are cultivated in Indonesia, among other places). It's a good combination; the light, golden sandalwood-ylang note was the only thing I liked about Chanel's No. 5 Eau Première. I know it sounds weird (or immature, even) to say "I like Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab more than Chanel," but Snake Oil picked something to do and did it well, and that something was not giving me a headache or smelling like a diaper.

(But notice that I say I like it more rather than it is better. Skin chemistry is a wild—but incredibly important—card here. Ultimately, there might be a critical consensus on something, but you can only experience what your nose can sense, and what duet the skin of the wearer, yours or someone else's nearby, can produce.)

Come to think of it, Chanel's Jacques Polge may have removed the patchouli from the original No. 5; I didn't see it in the notes for the 1986 formulation still used today. I wonder now if that patchouli served as a bridge between elements that's no longer there, and that's why the extra pared-down No. 5 Eau Première seemed disjointed to me. On the other hand, there are people who think the new No. 5 Eau Première is a masterwork unto itself, and there are people who hate the dizzying baby powder/Play-Doh turn Snake Oil can take. So it goes. I actually think I might prefer fresh Snake Oil, heady as it is, but the aged notes may be more mellow and perhaps more wearable over all (also tenacious as fuck). I may try a new vial of the pre-aged Snake Oil soon and see how the difference splits.

So, aged patchouli: Good! Manageable! Let's try another! I had left a rollerball of Pacifica's Himalayan Patchouli Berry in a drawer for a couple of years; when I first used it (I was trying to broaden my palate!), The Funk was too much. (Side note: This is a weird perfume, in that Pacifica will tell you upfront that it's grapefruit and patchouli, and you can tell it's grapefruit if you mentally squint at it, but it really does smell like some kind of berry. What kind of berry? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯) Here in 2023, the fragrance has mellowed out, and it's a lot easier to wear. Also, it proves Sylvaine Delacourte's point about citrus working well with patchouli, whether it's cosplaying as someberry or not.

I also had a fresh Nemat patchouli on hand. This was interesting because it had a little too much Funk for me, but it was also the first time I'd been able to smell a vetiver-like note in a patchouli. And by this time, I'd worn both Coco Mademoiselle and Snake Oil twice; my nose was tolerating patchouli better overall. After a year or so, this could smooth out into something really nice.

So: you can render patchouli more crowd-pleasing with the slow ingredient of time. What if you just used science? The Perfumer's Apprentice sells a natural patchouli oil that's undergone fractional distillation, which "produces a more elegant smell with less earthy tones, similar to the flower itself." On the other hand, Firmenich straight-up uses white biotechnology (today I learned!) to synthesize its Clearwood aromachemical:

Beaming with light, it offers the creamy warmth of amber and a dark woody character reminiscent of patchouli. [...] At higher dosages it can be used as a new building block. Rich in patchoulol, CLEARWOOD® can elegantly complement a patchouli essential oil.

I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing some kind of defunked patchouli, be it fractionally distilled or wholly synthetic, is what's in Coco Mademoiselle, which has a very elegant patchouli base. I mean, it also busts out harsh and peppery at first, but there is no actual Funk, oddly enough. But we'll get to that in the next post, now that you have the background.

Coco Mademoiselle (Chanel, 2001) and Coco Mademoiselle L'Eau Privée (2020)

Perfume discussion masterpost

[invoke-parlay]

I’m harvesting and drying my 100% organic, grown from seed Yarrow today. Let me know via DMs if you’d like some ☺️

Yarrow // Achillea millefolium

Parts Used: aerial portions, including flower and leaves.

Family: Asteraceae

Other Names: allheal, angel flower, bad man’s plaything, bloodwort, cammock, carpenter’s weed, devil’s mustard, devil’s nettle, devil’s plaything, dog daisy, gordaldo, gordoloba, green arrow, herbe militaris, hierba de las cortadura, knight’s milfoil, milfoil, nosebleed plant, old man’s mustard, old man’s pepper, sanguinary, soldier’s woundwort, squirrel’s taile, stanchgrass, staunchweed, thousand weed, thousand-leaf, thousand-seal, woundwort, yarroway

Native to Europe, Asia, and North America, yarrow is found in temperate regions all over the world.

Actions and Properties:

alterative, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-pyretic, antiallergenic, antibacterial, antiseptic, antispasmodic, appetite stimulant, aromatic, astringent, bitter, carminative, circulatory stimulant, diaphoretic, digestant, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, hemostatic, styptic, tonic, vulnerary

Constituents:

Yarrow is rich in essential oil and tannins. Yarrow contains 0.3% to 1.4% volatile oils (azulenes, eugenol, caaryophyllene, humulene, limonene, sabinene, thujone, borneol, and camphor), resin, sesquiterpene lactones, 3-4% tannins, flavonoids (including luteolin, apigenin, kaempferol, rutin, and quercitrin), alkaloids (achilletin, betonicine, stachydrine, trigonelline), alkamides, asparagin, aconitic and isovalerianic acids, selenium, beta-cerotene, proteins, sugars, phenolic acids, and coumarins. Its anti-inflammatory and anti-allergy effects may be associated with the constituent chamazulene. The alkaloid fraction of yarrow has shown evidence of hypotensive effects as well as antipyretic effects. Volatile oils in yarrow may have CNS depressent activity. The constituent Achilleine, an alkaloid, might decrease clotting time.

Yarrow is toxic to horses, dogs and cats

All my info is from this lovely website :)

[shadovan]

Scents

Verses relevant: BG3/DnD, Elder Scrolls, Wow, Dragon Age

As lore states, a lich is essentially an animate thinking corpse. Though his body regenerates itself, it's a continuous cycle of fast healing necrosis. He smells like literal death (if you know that smell, it's quite pungent. If you don't, consider yourself lucky.)

No amount of bathing eliminates the smell, but he covers it with his own blend of pogostemon oil (patchouli), cedarwood oil, and camphor residues. It's quite potent, but it covers the scent well enough for anyone/race that doesn't have heightened senses.

If he doesn't have the usual oil in stock, his second preference is one blended with lemon oil and other citrus notes.

[moonshine-dan]

What do they smell like?

Realistically, if you hugged them (P3) - (p1) (p2)

Mattsukawa: He showers a lot to get the work smell off him- Smoky sage and white musk are the main scents in his cologne. Gives gentle, firm hugs that cage your entire shoulders.

Hanamaki: cucumber water and rosehip oil. He nurtures his skin. Lazy side grabbing hugger.

Yahaba: Mint. Aggressively like spearmint. Even his sweat is minty. Will grab your shoulders and pull you in for a quick, tight hug.

Kyōtani: Inexplicably like pipe tobacco??? He doesn't smoke. It's probably a cologne, but like... No one's sure. Breif, tight hugs from him. Sometimes one armed.

Ennoshita: The clinical doctors office smell never really leaves, but neither does the light green tea scent he drinks. Likely to pop your back if he hugs you like a goddamned chiropractor.

Kunimi: cucumber melon body lotion. Weak shitty hugs AND he bunches up the back of your jacket with his hands, but he smiles at you when he breaks away.

Akiteru: Citrus! He's fresh! He's zesty! He puts lemon essential oils on his dryer balls. Tight hugger, really grips you and shakes you a lil.

Kindaichi: Axe body wash and deodorant AND spray. You are GOING to smell the cloud of Ambassador© a solid minute before he walks into the room. Strong but short lived hugs. (Longer ones would make your eyes water.)

Takeda: Like barley tea and ink pens. Crispy fresh laundry scent is embedded in his cardigans, so if you like laundromats, give him a squeeze. Not likely to initiate a hug but returns them gently and with genuine joy.

Fukunaga: Like he's been frying bacon! Frycook smell. Restaurant back of house smell. A lil sweaty when he hugs you but he makes a joke about it so you never really mind. Known to improvise elaborate handshakes on a whim.

Taketora: Sweat. Black ice soap and aftershave if he's just showered. Slaps your back, HARD, when he's finished hugging you.

Koganegawa: He occasionally forgets deodorant, but uses hibiscus dryer sheets and usually smells like those. Will quickly squeeze you when he hugs.

Futakuchi: Like a latte, but the scent changes with the seasons. Lavender in spring, vanilla in summer, pumpkin spice and cinnamon in fall and winter. Bumps into your side and slides into the hug.

Semi: This guy. Leather and rosemary. Smoky, like it's incense he's been burning and not something he put on intentionally. Never lets the hug go on for too long.

Goshiki: Surprisingly sophisticated. Oak and cinnamon from an expensive name brand cologne he impulse purchased during an after-Christmas sale. Is just radiating heat up close when you're in his arms.

Komori: Sort of fruity. Coconut mango body wash will do that. Short and simple hugger, whacks you on the back when he's done.

Aran: Delightful. Has cologne contract obligations, but he'd smell like them regardless. It's a smooth amber scent with a touch of something floral, classy and masculine with a hint of sweetness. Smooths a palm up and down your back when hugging.

Kita: Like rice husk and old pine boards, hard work and sweat and sunshine. A little dusty- when he hugs there might be a little milled rice flour left behind on your back. Hugs firm and solid and really connects with you.

Suna: Sandalwood and almond and juniper. Part cologne, part something else- he won't tell you no matter how much you ask and it's driving everyone completely insane. Likes to sneak up from behind to hug.

Atsumu: Tonka bean & anise cologne.... Sweet and dark. Raises his arms like a bear before he hugs you, likely to rock you around a little before he lets you go with another squeeze.

Hoshiumi: CAMPHOR BODY SPRAY. Usually kind of sticky. He WILL pick you up when he hugs you. This is a threat.

[vrtherbal005]

Be a beard man and have long and thick beard with VRT HERBAL Kingsman Beard Shampoo....

[kradogsrats]

Hello ! You seem very knowledgeable about the practical side of life in the middle-ages and I love reading your takes on the TDP world-building... So, I am researching for the purpose of a fanfiction about Soren's illness and I intend Lissa to be a doctor. Could you tell me a little bit about what could the treatments for breathing diseases be in the TDP universe ?

HA okay so I don't think I actually know more about history than anyone else with an extremely casual interest, like I didn't study it in school except as adjacent to art history and I don't even read historical novels or fiction or anything? Though to be fair my mother-in-law is a legit academic medievalist publishing books about individual English manuscripts so maybe I just don't have a good calibration of "casual interest in history." Anyway, I don't have an answer off the top of my head, but that means I can walk you through my general research process!

Step 1: Decide on some parameters. Is there a real-life illness that you are applying for Soren? Is it a bacterial or viral illness, or a chronic condition like asthma? Are there additional symptoms that will need to be addressed, like fever? Do some research on the illnesses you are considering, and both their modern accepted treatments and "natural" remedies. (Ignore anything based on essential oils.) For example, some home remedies for cough and shortness of breath are:

Tea: with ingredients like ginger, honey, etc. which are believed to reduce coughing. Caffeine is also a natural bronchodilator, and since coffee is not naturally occurring in the TDP setting, tea is a good hand-wave source for it.

Saltwater gargle: more of a sore throat thing, really? But it might help with loosening mucus.

Other herbs: particularly mint (menthol), thyme, camphor, and marshmallow root. These can be incorporated into teas, or you can explore other delivery systems like more concentrated syrups or tinctures, breathing steam from infused water, or ointments applied to the chest/back.

You can also look at historical treatments for these illnesses, but that's sometimes actually quite hard to find information on. I'll usually look at anything from ancient Egyptian to the antibiotics era. Problems I've run into include things like "asthma was not acknowledged as a medical condition, so the treatment was basically 'breathe better'" or "pneumonia was so awful before antibiotics that you basically just died."

Step 2: Decide on what you're willing to allow in terms of stretching the setting. TDP is... not very medieval at all, actually? So I generally am willing to consider stuff that didn't develop until well into the 1800s. This can get particularly awkward with medical stuff, simply because we generally read any framework of medical understanding that predates the germ theory of disease and antiseptic sanitation as ignorant and primitive, and that makes having a medicine-oriented character come across as intelligent and informed is difficult. To that end, I generally just throw up my hands and say the TDP setting understands modern sanitation and germ theory.

The problem with that is that the germ theory of disease and corresponding antiseptic understanding required the invention of the microscope to be able to actually see bacteria. Prior to that, science understood contagion and various people theorized that disease was caused by some unseen particles or agent. (See the case of Ignaz Semmelweis and his discovery that washing your hands between touching cadavers and delivering babies reduced maternal mortality significantly, but was completely incorrect about why.) I would actually be willing to allow microscopes and the corresponding understanding of cells and bacteria into the TDP setting, I'd just describe them in a sufficiently old-timey and handcrafted way, but you may feel differently! (You can also just hand-wave it, of course... behave as if germ theory is common knowledge but never mention bacteria, etc. I mean, I guarantee that's what the writers would do if it came up.)

Generally my personal limits for something no longer feeling like it fits even the most advanced cutting edge of TDP science are things like petroleum products (the implications give me a headache), chemical electrolysis (eliminates a lot of synthesized chemicals), and penicillin-level antibiotics ("this cultivated natural remedy prevents infection when applied to a wound" is fine, but oral antibiotics for bacterial diseases are not). I don't take any of this into account when reading fic... it's just a helpful set of boundaries for consistency when I'm writing. (Also don't forget to check the actual source material: I somehow remembered the animal doctor using a stethoscope to examine the egg, but there's actually no stethoscopes anywhere in that scene or the later hospital ones. Which isn't at all to say you can't have them, but it would have been an interesting canon setting data point given that they weren't invented until the 1800s.)

Or, of course, you could ignore all of that and just go hard mode with Lissa struggling to balance Soren's humors via diet and bloodletting.

Step 3: Brainstorm how the more advanced elements you are allowing could be developed and transmitted. So taking the example of Lissa as a doctor (and oh my god what an idea, that's amazing): how and where was she trained (an apprenticeship, or are you going to include a university system)? What is the human medical community like (isolated individual clinics or some kind of guild network)? Where and how is research being done and how are practitioners informed of new discoveries or theories? (Is there a scientific journal-style circulation of pamphlets? Who verifies them? (That's a place where either a guild or a university would come in handy.) What is Lissa's level of interest in pushing the boundaries of medicine vs. delivering basic care, and how might Soren's illness change that?) A couple possibilities:

If Soren has an asthma-like condition that involves chronic inflammation, maybe she treats it with a form of Ephedra from the region between Neolandia and Duren. (I like trying to match biomes or environmental conditions when transferring real-world plants into TDP, but you don't have to.)

Maybe she hears of a mold that has been cultivated in Evenere that clears infections in wounds when properly prepared, and has to evaluate whether to attempt using it experimentally with Soren against the infection in his lungs.

TDP also has a whole secondary ecosystem of magical substances, which could be effective in various ways even without being used for dark magic spells. Plants from the Sun or Earth primal could have natural healing properties, and combined with ones from the Sky primal could particularly target respiratory symptoms. Basically, if you can't find a natural-ish treatment ingredient, make one up with a goofy name and say it's from Xadia. Maybe Viren goes to collect it himself at great personal risk.

Step 4: Consider magic! I assume part of what's behind making Lissa a doctor is exploring the relationship between magical and scientific medicine in intimate detail with her and Viren, which is amazing. How does the medical community (and/or Lissa personally) feel about magical healing? Is there animosity between practitioners of medicine and dark mages with healing spells, or collaborations that are stronger than either would be individually? Are there medical tools or equipment enhanced by magic (enchanted microscopes or stethoscopes)? Is there disagreement on whether magical Xadian ingredients are more effective than mundane ones for medicines? Does the medical community harbor feelings of resentful inferiority toward the powerful primal magic healing confined only to the elves, or pride in the completely non-magical accomplishments of human ingenuity? Is the overall future of humanity carried in the power of magic, or of science?

So those are overall the kind of things I consider and look up when doing worldbuilding for TDP fic. All the examples here are medical stuff since that's what was asked about, but it's basically the same for anything else from "I wish to intricately describe the fiber content and sources of this luxury clothing item and how it was made" to "I need to make it clear that this basement laboratory is equipped to deal with the possibility of small fires, because fantasy OSHA."

And here are a couple helpful links that I found while doing this:

Wikipedia - List of plants used in herbalism

Wikipedia - Herbal medicine (especially the section on preparations)

Wikipedia - Medicinal plants

Wikipedia - Timeline of medicine and medical technology

[brightgnosis]

Standard Water Herbs

Apple

Birch

Blackberry

Camellia

Camphor ∵

Cardamom

Chamomile ∵

Cucumber

Elder

Eucalyptus ∵

Gardenia ∵

Heather

Hibiscus

Hyacinth

Iris

Jasmine ∵

Larkspur

Lilac

Lily

Lotus ∵↞

Mallow

Mimosa

Myrrh ∵↞

Myrtle

Orchid ∵↞

Passion Flower

Peach

Pear

Plum

Plumeria

Poplar

Raspberry

Rose ∵

Sandalwood ∵↞

Spearmint ∵

Spikenard

Strawberry

Sweetpea

Thyme ∵↞

Valerian ∵

Vanilla ∵↞

Willow

Wintergreen

Yarrow

Witching Water Herbs

Belladonna

Datura

Foxglove

Hellebore

Hemlock

Hemp

Morning Glory

Periwinkle / Vinca

∵ Have in stock currently as Essential Oils ↞ Ended up using in the Water Priestess Perfume

[delightingintragedy]

Oils To Avoid During Pregnancy

"Note: This is not a complete list. Consult with a doctor, midwife, trained aromatherapist, or herbalist before using essential oils while pregnant.

Aniseed (Pimpinella anisum)

Anise, Star (Illicium verum)

Basil (Ocimum basilicum)

Birch (Betula lenta)

Blue Cypress (Callitris intratropica)

Camphor (Cinnamomum camphora)

Chamomile, Roman (Chamaemelum nobile)

Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea)

Fennel, Sweet (Foeniculum vulgare)

Ho Leaf (Cinnamomum camphora)

Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)

Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)

Myrtle (Myrtus communis)

Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans)

Parsley (Petroselinum sativum)

Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium)

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)

Sage (Salvia officinalis)

Spanish Lavender (Lavandula stoechas)

Spearmint (Mentha spicata)

Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus)

Wintergreen (Gaulltheria procumbens)

If exposure to essential oils results in drops contacting sensitive mucus membranes (e.g., in the nose) or splashes into eyes, flush with full-fat milk or a few drops of jojoba oil."

-Blackthorn's Botanical Magic by Amy Blackthorn, pg 297