Years ago, it was Grandma who was the first line of defense against any scratch, sickness, or symptom. She didn’t have a choice because medical care, especially if she lived in the country, wasn’t as available (or trusted) as it is today. So she brewed special teas to settle stomachs, put together awful-smelling creams to relieve congestion, and fixed her special chicken soup to cover everything else. And in most cases, it worked.
Home remedies aren’t black magic; they’re actually a fine art. In fact, many longtime herbs and treatments have been found to have a scientific basis. Here are a few that you can try on yourself or your family this summer before taking more conventional measures.
Soothe sunburn. To cool yourself before bed, smear some plain yogurt on the inflamed area, let it set for a while, then take a cool shower and gently pat dry. You should experience enough relief to be able to fall asleep.
Treat turista. For an easy, natural way to stop traveler’s diarrhea, make sure to pack some dried blueberries. Backpackers swear by them. In fact, they supposedly learned the tip by noting how ornery (and constipated) bears become after gorging themselves on the fruit. Usually, a half-dozen of the dried variety will help.
Ease an earache. If your kids (or you) are susceptible to ear woes, make sure to blow-dry them after a long day at the beach or pool. Pull the flap of each ear up and out to straighten the ear canal, then set your hair dryer to a low (warm or cool) setting and direct the air into the passage. Hold the dryer 18 to 20 inches away and do each ear for 30 seconds. This will eliminate the moist conditions in which bacteria thrive.
Blunt a bee sting. If you’re at a picnic and there’s some meat tenderizer handy, use some to break down the proteins in the venom. If there’s some aspirin in your purse, moisten the sting, then rub some on to reduce inflammation. (And don’t take out your venom on the bee that stung you; breaking its venom sack will attract others.)
Ice an ache. Summer is the season for overdoing it. When your muscles are yelping after a long day of hiking or biking (and the nearest Jacuzzi is miles away), grab a drink from the cooler, lay a light T-shirt or towel over your sore spots, and roll the can or bottle back and forth. Doing so will reduce inflammation and massage away lactic acid. After you feel better, pop the top. You’ve earned it.
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Comments from Members
One of the best home remidies for sunburn, bee stings, is Apple Cider vinegar, and it gives a great shine for a lenoleum floor. In truth there's about a thousand great uses for Apple cider vinegar. For Sun burns, and burns it draws the heat out, allowing the skin to cool. Noxema is also really great for sun burns as well
Robin Jordan, El campo, Texas
