Potpourri of Home Remedies

Home remedies are primarily made from from plants, vegetables, fruits, oils, and herbs. They have been used for centuries and they still have a place in our daily lives. I got married very young, at 18 years old. My husband and I stayed near his mother for the first couple of years. A couple of months after the marriage I had a day where I had severe menstrual cramps and nothing helped. My mother-in-law made me a Hot Toddy. I had never had one before. She used hot tea, honey, a little lemon and some type of liquor. The drink was hot and, of course, I could taste the alcohol. I soon felt warm and relaxed, and it did relieve my discomfort, but I think I got a little blitzed too, as I had never drank alcohol before. I sure felt better afterwards!

A sty on the eyelid results from a blocked oil gland and they are usually red and annoying. Soak a tea bag in warm water and hold it to the affected eye for 10 minutes (do not press it against the eye.) Repeat three or four times daily. This works due to the tannic acid in the tea which kills the bacteria, plus the warmth will help the sty come to a head and drain the pus sooner.

Acne is another difficult to treat problem. There are some home remedies. Make a single serving of oatmeal, add 1/4 cup of honey and mix. Let cool, then apply to face for 10-20 minutes. This cleanses the pores by absorbing oil and exfoliating the skin. Another good remedy; take a handful of mint leaves and crush with a mortar and pestle. Rub the leaves and juice on skin for 5-10 minutes, then rinse with cold water.

My grandmother kept a little book of remedies she wrote down or cut newspaper clipping out of the paper. Doctors weren’t seen so often at that time. Many home remedies are simple and effective and they certainly don’t require a doctor. The fix for canker sores in your mouth was simple. You wrapped a bit of cotton around a toothpick (now we would just go buy Q-tips), and dipped it in an equal mixture of glycerin and tincture of iodine. It stings for a minute but then relieves the soreness. Also, before and after eating food, you rinsed your mouth gently with a warm solution having been made with a pint of boiling water and a rounded teaspoon of boric acid. Many years ago migraine headaches were reported relieved by regularly using calcium, vitamin D wafers

To treat burns, bite, sting and sores Aloe Vera is wonderful If you have a burn the first thing you do is run cold water over the burned area for a good 10 minutes until the burning has stopped. It is important to get the skin back to room temperature and the effects of the burn won’t be as severe. When I was young we used to put margarine or Crisco on a burn, which is exactly the wrong thing to do. After the cooling down period, use a piece of fresh Aloe Vera plant to soothe the burned area and it will replace some of the moisture your skin lost during the burn. It is a great healer and had been used for centuries. Throughout my life, I have always kept some Aloe Vera plants available. It is also useful applied directly to insect bites and stings. Tape a piece of the plant over the injured spot and secure with a band aid or tape.

Aloe Vera has been used as a soothing healer of bed sores and as an antiseptic. Apply a piece of freshly cut aloe vera and place it directly on the sore once or twice a day. You can also use the juice from the Aloe Vera plant if you have enough plants by dropping large amounts in the blender with the blades covered with water and processing on a high speed for a few minutes, then, gently apply to bed sores. Of course, you can purchase Aloe Vera juice in the stores as well. Apple cider vinegar also works for these sore.

If you tend to get frequent bladder infections, drink cranberry juice; 2 ounces mixed with 2 ounces of water and drink 3-4 times daily and also stay well hydrated

The use of Castor Oil has been around for generations. Castor oil is obtained from the Castor bean and has a multitude of uses. I remember that bottle from my youth. About 2 ounces will relieve constipation and eating prunes will also provide relief as well.

Castor oil penetrates deep into the skin because it has a high molecular weight and is used in a number of over the counter products. It can be used on skin problems, burns, sunburns, cuts and abrasions. It is also used to draw out the pus from a sty, although typically you don’t use it on the eyes. The oil is also used as a rub or pack for various ailments, including abdominal complaints, headaches, muscle pains, inflammatory conditions, skin eruptions, lesions, and sinusitis.

A Castor oil pack is made by soaking a piece of flannel in Castor oil, then putting it on the area of complaint and placing a heat source, such as a hot water bottle, on top of it. This remedy was often suggested by the American psychic Edgar Cayce. Castor oil can be used directly on the skin to lighten those brown aging spots. It penetrates deep into the skin and its anti-inflammatory properties and acid may lighten the spots.

There a lot of commercial products on the market for teeth whitening, not to mention expensive dental treatment. There are several ways to whiten you teeth with home remedies. You can use hydrogen peroxide brushing for 3-4 minutes, baking soda and a lemon and salt mixture. Parsley is an herb that you can chew if you have a problem with bad breath. Also, floss your teeth daily. Apple cider vinegar using one teaspoon in a glass of water and drink a glass before each meal, or gargle for 10 seconds after you have eaten is effective.

There are a few remedies for those dark puffy eyes such as potatoes. You grate a peeled potato and pound it into a plaster, then wrap the potato with a clean cloth. Lie down with your eyes closed and leave in place for 15 minutes. Potatoes have anti-inflammatory properties which are good for soothing redness and irritation but they don’t reduce swelling. Place tea bags put in boiling water, cool and wrap in a cloth; lie down for 15 minutes with your eyes closed. These are good for puffy eyes. Cucumber are also good for puffiness. Slice two thin slices placing one over each eye relax for 15 minutes. You can also grind cucumber into a poultice to treat bags under the eyes.

Last but not least, a list of cures for hang overs. Many folk cures that are suppose to cure a hangover replenish vitamins and liquid you lost while drinking. Avoid caffeine for a quicker recovery as it is also a diuretic like alcohol. Sleep if possible to give your body time to recover. Replenish with fruit juice, orange juice is good for Vitamin C and drink water. Take an extra Vitamin B. Also, drinking Gatorade or Powerade helps. Eat mineral rich food. Drink a Bloody Mary (that would be 1 drink) as when your body is dealing with the new alcohol it is ignoring the old, plus the tomato juice and celery are giving you needed vitamins. Take a shower switching between hot and cold. Sometimes physical activity if tolerated will help burn off the bad chemicals. Avoid aspirin, Tylenol or ibuprofen even though that is the first thing you might normally take.

This article barely touched the surface of home remedies, as your home is full of many types of useful remedies for all types of problems. Try getting a good book on Home Remedies or search the Internet. Many ailments can be treated without medical attention. Home remedies are becoming more popular once again as people don't want to take so many antibiotics and it is expensive to go to the doctor and then get prescriptions filled. It is definitely worth spending a few minutes of time to see just what home remedies make sense for you and your family.

The copyright to this article is owned by Pamela Oglesby. Permission to republish this article in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.