There are no schools or teachers to dispense home remedies. They are part and parcel of folk wisdom. In most villages, dispensaries and pharmacies are not to be seen.
As a result, when someone falls ill, people try out home remedies handed down by many generations. Having been brought up in a remote village I am quite familiar with some home remedies which are safe, cheap and surprisingly effective. For home remedies, you do not have to buy any medicine and keep it in a cupboard.
Most of the ingredients for home remedies are available in the kitchen, spice rack or in the backyard. More and more evidence suggests that certain foods and household staples can relieve common health problems. In fact, many people concerned about the overuse of antibiotics and the trend towards treatment excesses even for minor ailments, depend on home remedies.
According to a leading Ayurvedic physician – Rajakeeya Panditha William Alwis – home remedies are more than just folklore. This is because many housewives depend on natural substances as they have less side effects. However, after administering home remedies, you should be ready to discard them if you experience an unusual reaction.
Then it is time to discontinue the therapy immediately. Ginger Ginger is one of the most effective spices freely available in village homes. In cities, however, ginger has become a luxury item.
According to Ayurvedic practitioners, ginger quiets and eases cold symptoms. Whenever children get wet, mothers give them a boiled cup of coriander, ginger and ‘pathpadagam.’ Several studies show that ginger has a calming effect on the stomach and it can even counteract motion sickness and nausea.
Dr. Elson Haas, the director of a preventive medical centre in the United States, suggests making ginger tea by simmering three to four thin slices of ginger root in two cups of water for about ten minutes, then covering and letting it steep for ten to 15 minutes. Villagers even add lemon and honey to stimulate digestion.
Some people combine equal amounts of dried orange peel and cloves. In cities, ginger was quite popular until recent times. With ginger prices skyrocketing, ginger tea is no longer available.
In village homes, ginger is available freely because they cultivate it in their home gardens. They know the value of ginger and its curative properties when you undergo the misery of cold. Ginger increases blood circulation and perspiration.
Therefore, it is ideal for chest congestion and mild bronchitis. My mother used to wet a wash-cloth in warm ginger tea, put it on my chest and cover it with a towel. However, she never applied the ginger root directly to the skin because it is somewhat irritating.
Sometimes, children and even adults suffer from itching. One home remedy for it is quite simple. Add two tablespoons of baking soda to a bowl of water and wash the affected area.
Itchiness and rashes will disappear. One risk factor is that it may dry your skin. Dr.
Loraine Stern says you can use a baking soda paste for insect bites and bee stings. The remedy is not recommended for children as their skin is delicate. Most of us may not be aware that tea bags dry out sweaty feet and canker sores.
According to Dr Jerome Z. Litt, the tannic acid in tea acts as an astringent that helps feet will stay dry and less odour-prone. He recommends that you should boil one pint of water with two tea bags for 15 minutes.
Later you should add the solution to a basin of cool water. For this purpose, you have to use regular tea bags since herbal varieties do not have tannic acid. First soak your feet for a few minutes a day for a week and later once a week to keep your feet smelling fresh.
To get rid of pain from canker sores, you have to soak a tea bag in tepid water, wring and hold it against sore for five to ten minutes. You may repeat this process every three to four hours. You may have read a lot about the benefits of garlic which fights cold and flu.
The chemical constituents in garlic are capable of destroying disease-causing germs. Dr. Haas recommends adding two to three raw or fresh-pressed cloves per serving to whatever you eat.
For maximum healing power, you can prepare a garlic soup. This can be made easily with two or three peeled cloves, some ginger and vegetables. If you wish to add vitamins A and C, use carrots, broccoli, spinach, tomatoes and pepper.
Even the inhaling of the garlic soup will clear congestion. Insect bites Dr. Litt says ice can take away pain and itch out of insect bites.
You have to rub the cube over the itchy spot as needed. In modern homes, ice cubes are freely available in the refrigerator. According to Dr.
Keith W. Sehnet, a family physician, you can use ice and heat for sinus infections. For this purpose, you need a pan with ice and water and another with hot water.
The patient should lie on his back. A family member can dip a piece of cloth in hot water and wring it slightly. Then put it over the patient’s forehead and cheeks and leave it there for a minute.
You can repeat the process several times until mucus comes out of the sinus cavity. Children very often suffer from toothache. Dr.
Kenneth C. Bentley says ice can indirectly help those suffering from toothache. However, you should not apply ice directly to the affected tooth.
Instead, wrap the ice cube in a gauze pad and gently rub it around the tooth. If you still have the pain, consult a dentist. Although many of these home remedies can be effective, they cannot replace your physician.
Most home remedies are temporary measures. Therefore, if the problem continues for more than a day, you should consult a physician. [email protected].
