This week I have some remedies that have been used for generations. I can remember Gran using some of these and many more that have been lost with time. I wish I would have had the foresight to have written down everything that she had to impart. Momma Said, “Listen to your elders when they want to teach you something, it may come in handy some day.”
LOST REMEDIES FROM OUR GRANDPARENTS
Skin Irritations
- For irritated skin due to shaving, you can make chamomile tea. Allow it to cool down, filter it then refrigerate it. Using a cotton ball, rub the irritated spots for about 10 minutes.
- If the skin irritation is a result of chickenpox, you can take a warm bath with oatmeal to soothe and reduce the desire to scratch.
Stings
- If a bee stings you, just put parsley, honey, or salt on the spot.
- In cases where the stings are more severe, bandage the place with a poultice made from onions, leeks, or raw cabbage.
- Apply fresh plantain leaves, basil, sage, or rattle. Make sure you crush them well to release the active substances.
Burns
- To treat burns, chop an onion and gently rub it on the affected area. The substances emitted from the onion layers can work wonders on the burned area.
- Cut a potato and put the slices on the burn.
- Use the inside of a banana peel or even toothpaste on the burn.
- Also try putting a raw beaten egg on it (this creates a kind of coating that neutralizes the burned skin), or rub buckthorn oil on it.
- To relive the pain and stop the formation of blisters, you can grate a carrot and apply it as a poultice.
Cuts, Scratches, and Bruises
- For minor cuts and scratches, wash the place with marigold oil, and rub the affected area with the inside of a banana peel.
- To heal a bruise, put soaked bread in vinegar or wine and rub the spot with it.
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Toothaches
- Clove oil is a well-known treatment for toothaches. Soak a cotton ball in clove oil, and press it on the painful area. It also relieves pain to chew two or three cloves.
Another natural remedy is garlic. Take a clove, and press it onto the tooth. Garlic juice is a natural anesthetic that acts swiftly and effectively. If you get used to eating raw garlic every morning, your teeth will strengthen and will not be so sensitive to cold or sweet foods.
- Onions have the same properties as garlic and are excellent for strengthening teeth. Chew for three minutes a day, and you will avoid pain.
- Lemon is an important source of vitamin C but also a good remedy for teeth that are affected by improper nutrition. Wash your mouth with the lemon juice in the morning, as soon as you wake up. Bacteria and plaque will be removed, and you will have clean teeth and fresh breath.
- Take a glass of lukewarm water and add half a teaspoon of salt. Rinse your mouth with this solution every few hours.
- Put some oregano leaves in a cup of boiling water, keep them there for five minutes, and then leave it to cool to an infusion. Then make a gargle.
- Prepare a paste of black pepper and basil leaves, and apply on the painful area.
Corns
- Boil hawthorn root in water until it turns brown. Put your feet in that water as hot as you can take it. Do this daily for two weeks. The result will be seen after a few days.
Sunburn
- Dissolve baking soda in water, and apply it with the help of a compress to the affected area. Also, you can take a warm bath in the tub, adding half a cup. After the bath, let the water dry on your skin; do not use a towel. Baking soda is refreshing and helps to rehydrate skin.
- Gently rub the affected areas with slices of watermelon. They are soft and will smooth the area affected by sunburn.
- Mix 20–25 drops of lavender oil in a cup of water, and pour the mixture over the affected area.
- Mix the juice of three lemons with two cups of cold water, and apply it to the sunburn. The lemon will cool the burn, will act as a disinfectant, and will help the regeneration of the skin.
- Make compresses with milk, and apply them on the affected area for 20 minutes, repeating the process every two hours; then remove the milk from the skin. The fat contained in milk is very helpful for burns. You can also mix one cup of skim milk, four cups of cold water, and some ice cubes, blend it, and afterwards apply it on the affected area with a compress.
- Cover the affected area with cooking oil, and sprinkle ginger oil over it so that you can facilitate the healing process.
- Apply peppermint oil on the affected area. You can also make a mint tea to wash the affected area.
Headaches
You can treat headaches or migraines with potato slices. You need two or three slices of raw potato that you just put on your forehead and keep in place with a scarf. If the pain is still there after a while, then you should drink warm potato juice. You grate the raw potato, you squeeze it, and afterwards you drink about a quarter of a glass three times a day. The potato has anti-hemorrhagic and anti-anemic qualities, vitamin A, vitamin K, sulfur (an element that combats excess oil), and vitamin C., and apply it on the affected area. The starch will cool and smooth the area.
Vinegar Socks
If you have high fever, just soak your socks in vinegar. Keep them on your feet for about 20 minutes, and refresh them every half hour until the temperature begins to drop. You can use regular or apple cider vinegar.
