Your Top 5 Home Remedies....

Belthane

What an excellent thread! I'd just found this and haven't found the time yet to read through it. I have a few to contribute and hope that it hasn't been repeated yet.

1. Mouth ulcer - rub with salt. My husband says it'll hurt at first, but it'll swiftly heal it for you. I tried it myself and it does heal quickly (usually in 24 hours) but it doesn't hurt me. Maybe I'm just thick-skinned. :D

2. Young infant's stomach discomfort, or "wind" - rub eucalyptus oil on their bellies and soles of feet. This is actually a very common practice in Asia, and can be used on newborn infants, even. I use a brand called Euky Bear Eucalyptus Oil.

3. Olive oil or almond oil as face moisturizer. I've tried both, and olive oil does make my skin amazingly soft but is too rich at the end. Almond oil on the other hand, is extremely light.

4. Apple cider vinegar as toner - a lot of people swear by this. Makes skin soft and smooth. I couldn't stand the stink, though! Phew!

5. Heaty body - drink fresh aloe vera juice (you can mix with honey for taste) - it works wonderfully when I have a headache caused by heatiness and/or lack of sleep and tension. For those who are unfamiliar with heat/cold in the Chinese culture, perhaps this can shed some light:

http://www.chinahistoryforum.com/in...he-concept-of-heatiness-and-coldness-in-food/

and

http://www.shen-nong.com/eng/lifestyles/food_body_constitutions.html

That's all I can think of, for now. :)
 

celticnoodle

Belthane said:
What an excellent thread! I'd just found this and haven't found the time yet to read through it. I have a few to contribute and hope that it hasn't been repeated yet.

1. Mouth ulcer - rub with salt. My husband says it'll hurt at first, but it'll swiftly heal it for you. I tried it myself and it does heal quickly (usually in 24 hours) but it doesn't hurt me. Maybe I'm just thick-skinned. :D
REALLY? interesting. I would think it would really hurt. We use to put something on mouth ulcers, and right now I cannot think of what the name of it was---but I do recall that it is also something in Listerine, and so if we were 'out' of that other thing--we'd put a bit of Listerine on it and it would also heal it quickly. burn like hello, but it also cleared it up quickly!

2. Young infant's stomach discomfort, or "wind" - rub eucalyptus oil on their bellies and soles of feet. This is actually a very common practice in Asia, and can be used on newborn infants, even. I use a brand called Euky Bear Eucalyptus Oil.
Man, I wish I had known this 29yrs. ago! :laugh: even 3 yrs ago--as I could've told my daughter to use this on the peanut. well, I'll know this for the next grand baby--if we get another one.

I did know about the apple vinegar thingy, and also the olive oil thingy. the vinegar smell will soon disappear though. I often use white vinegar as a rinse on my hair after washing it. when I tell people this, they make a face at me and say, "Ewww!!! Doesn't it STINK???!" :p Uh, yeah--till the hair dries! and it makes my hair so nice and soft and healthy looking and also helps with my dry scalp and dry hair!

Vinegar is a wonder item. so many incredible uses! No house should EVER be w/o it. I buy it by the gallon. :p
 

linnie

missycab said:
For sunburns... tomato!!

Just cut slices of it and put them over the sunburn area!
Seriously??? Had never heard of that... :) And Aloe Vera, squeezed straight from its leaves... wonderful...
 

creakingcricket

Ingrown toenail: apply a drop or two of castor oil to a metal nail file, put the file under then nail and file upward on the ingrown part.

Scalp eczema: after washing hair, apply a few drops of iodine to a fine-toothed comb and comb through hair. Apply over a sink because iodine stains.
 

Belthane

celticnoodle said:
REALLY? interesting. I would think it would really hurt. We use to put something on mouth ulcers, and right now I cannot think of what the name of it was---but I do recall that it is also something in Listerine, and so if we were 'out' of that other thing--we'd put a bit of Listerine on it and it would also heal it quickly. burn like hello, but it also cleared it up quickly!

Man, I wish I had known this 29yrs. ago! :laugh: even 3 yrs ago--as I could've told my daughter to use this on the peanut. well, I'll know this for the next grand baby--if we get another one.

I did know about the apple vinegar thingy, and also the olive oil thingy. the vinegar smell will soon disappear though. I often use white vinegar as a rinse on my hair after washing it. when I tell people this, they make a face at me and say, "Ewww!!! Doesn't it STINK???!" :p Uh, yeah--till the hair dries! and it makes my hair so nice and soft and healthy looking and also helps with my dry scalp and dry hair!

Vinegar is a wonder item. so many incredible uses! No house should EVER be w/o it. I buy it by the gallon. :p

Oh yeah, my husband grimaces every time he rubbed salt on mouth ulcer. I forgot to mention gargling warm salt water is good for sore throat, though it doesn't work for me. Works great for hubby. :)

As for the eucalyptus oil, it's a well kept secret. Haha, no... usually they suggest gripe water for baby's stomach discomfort and a friend who had a baby around the same time we did, didn't know about eucalyptus oil and was kept up all night by a screaming baby. Poor things. The harried and desperate father PM'ed my husband, and with great surprise he suggested the oil and guess what? Baby is happy. :D We're just glad we could help. Just rub the oil after bathing baby and whenever you feel it's needed.
 

Glass Owl

I add a few drops of grapefruit seed extract to my neti pot when doing my sinus rinses. Grapefruit seed extract is a powerful natural antiseptic and it is also an antiviral and anti-fungal agent.
 

greatdane

Oil of oregano

This has stopped sickness more than once in it's tracks for me and is really cost effective. I get it on Amazon. Three or four drops in a glass of water, twice a day, when you feel something coming on and it really has done the trick.
 

ArmidatheSaracen

Oh what fun this board looks like it will be!

1) Washing your hair with marshmallow root will take all the tangles out, and reduce split ends. Your hair gets really clean. The roots are just a mess to boil down, but you will love what it does to your hair. I made some for a relative experiencing hair loss, and she says it makes her hair look more voluminous and thick. Also washing your hair with honey makes it awfully soft, my hair can be a jungle, but honey will make it all better. Queen Anne used to wash her hair this way-- ladies make sure you get it all out though, or your hair gets glassy, and brittle, same with the marshmallow root- you don't want a piece of it stuck between a lock of your hair. Lime or lemon help too, will make your hair shiny and also soften it, I usually use it in an essential oil form. And last but not least coconut will take the dandruff out of your hair, and also deodorize it!

2) Using ginger root or lemon to get the smell of anything out of your hands, I must cook for the family everyday, I often cook with garlic and onions so this is very important. I prefer lemon because it also tones the skin, you'll notice your hands are really soft. You could similarly apply it to your face as an astringent. I make a mean homemade soap with honey (medicinal, and makes the skin glow) and green tea (full of antioxidants) and bits of citrus peels (to exfoliate) depending on what I have it may be grapefruit, orange or lime, then I add a little lemon essential oil. Bulk apothecary carries a really effective and cheap 5-fold lemon oil.

3) If you fear coming down with a cold then take Reishi mushroom supplements. I never get sick so long as I have them, it is a natural antihistamine and will shoot your immune system through the roof, it also gives you all this energy-- motivates you to exorcise and take other precautions, because it is so powerful I avoid taking it everyday, it can make me stay awake at night. But I am more sensitive than others, it doesn't affect everyone this way. My mother has endless food allergies, so she takes them everyday, and can eat whatever she wants without feeling any symptoms, yet doesn't get insomnia. So I only take it if I am exposed to germs. If I'm in a busy waiting room, and worry about catching something, I take one-- and will be fine. If I definitely feel myself getting cold symptoms take it over a few days or a week, the symptoms will not progress one inch, and they will disappear.

4) Oatmeal if your skin gets irritated or inflamed, rashes, hives etc. I once got had an awful allergic reaction to a dishwashing liquid, my hands broke out in boils. But I rubbed wet oats on my skin (or it can be total meal) and they got much smaller, it really took the swelling down, and alleviating the itching, made my hands soft, now my hands of course are back to normal. Oatmeal can also leave you with a more creamy soft, complexion. If your skin is irritated as in break-out, a lot of acne, then you might want to try goat's milk because its not quite as oily, too much oil can cause acne. I learned that lesson the hard way when I started putting vitamin E on my skin everyday.

5) If you have a toothache try applying a cleansing essential oil like clove bud oil or peppermint oil to your gum or tooth, it will provide a pleasant cooling sensation, numb the pain and fight the infection. Another good use for a more medicinal oil like this is in the laundry, when my clothes aren't heavily soiled but rather just musty, rather than washing them I really liked putting them in the dryer with a combination of fresh top note oils, pine oil, clove, lavender, tree tea, your clothes or linen will be very clean but also have a crisp natural smell, not an artificial one. When I put some bedding in on an essential oil cycle it made it a joy to go to sleep, it was wonderful aromatherapy to have these scents just mildly in my covers.
 

celticnoodle

Oh what fun this board looks like it will be!

yep, it is a great thread! glad you resurrected it. I'm always interested in seeing what others have to offer here.

As for the marshmallow root--It sounds interesting, but I think I'd much rather stick to the vinegar or lemon juice rinses and baking soda washings--as I don't have to worry about any of them getting stuck in my hair! :D But, still interesting! Not sure I've heard of marshmallow root though. Does it actually look like marshmallows?

I did know about the lemon to get any smell out of your hands, but not ginger root. I cook a lot with garlic and onions too. I also know lemon oil is great as an astringent and take note you freckle faces out there--it can also fade away those freckles! (though it may take time for that to happen, and I never stay with it long enough apparently, as my freckles still remain. :(

I am interested in your recipe for the soap you make with the honey, citrus peels, etc. can you post that?

I'm not a big mushroom lover--but will also tell this to my daughter, as she (and hubby) LOVE mushrooms. I should probably get use to it though and take this too as my immunity is low-and I could use it for a jump start in the day. I am always low on energy.

I am now using coconut oil on my skin. I LOVE IT! It makes it feel so soft and good. :) I use it as a daily moisturizer all over as I have such terribly dry skin.

I knew that about clove oil too for a toothache as well as peppermint oil. Peppermint oil is also good for stomach aches, so my pharmacist always tells me.

Looking way forward to your soap recipe! I'm getting interested in trying to make my own bath soap. I do make my own shampoo and conditioner as it is and my own laundry soap too. I use white vinegar for a rinse in clothes at times. I do LOVE the scent of Snuggles liquid fabric softener, but recently found in Walmart two small balls to put in the dryer with your clothes and it removes all the static cling. They were inexpensive, so I thought, "Why not? I'll try it!" and it works!!! :thumbsup: So, bye-bye Snuggles now and if I feel the need to still use the distilled vinegar, I will--as I always have that in stock here. But, these balls are fantastic and now I am buying them for everyone to try. :D
 

Laura Borealis

Cough medicine - equal parts lemon juice, honey, and whiskey. Fresh squeezed lemon is best. Add a spoonful or two to a mug of hot tea and sip slowly. For me this works better than any commercial cough suppressant out there. There's not enough whiskey in a spoonful to even get a slight buzz, so personally I think it would be safe for a child, but you'd want to use your own judgement on that.