Home Remedies

[papayahed]

I thought we had a post like this but I did a search and couldn't find it so here goes.

I feel a cold coming on, enlarges lymph glands, warm itchy throat. Whenever I start feeling this way I double up on vitamin C and Zinc and do a shot of Nyquil at night and that seems to knock out the cold.

My best friends husband was telling us that when he was little and had ear aches his mom would roll up newspaper in a funnel stick it in his ear and light the other end on fire.

Another friend was saying when he was little and had a fever his grandma made him strip down to his underoos and put chilli peppers all over him.

Anybody else have home remedies that work or are just amusing??

[Shalot]

For an ear infection, blow smoke (cigarette or other) into the ear.

For toenail fungus, slather nails and feet with vick's vapo rub and then put on socks

for a cold, put some jack daniels, lemon juice, honey, and hot water in a coffee cup, drink it down and get some rest

for a stomach virus, crunch on ice chips and starlight mints and eat popsicles and sprite to settle your stomach.

(out of 4, I think 3 of those are actually helpful. my grandmother swears by vicks vapo rub, the JD hot totty won't cure a cold, but you will get some rest, and if you are unlucky and have a stomach virus, the popsicles and sprite are necessary)

[Virgil]

My best friends husband was telling us that when he was little and had ear aches his mom would roll up newspaper in a funnel stick it in his ear and light the other end on fire.


What???? And his head did get lit up? That is nuts.

[papayahed]

for a cold, put some jack daniels, lemon juice, honey, and hot water in a coffee cup, drink it down and get some rest


I heard that too except with Blackberry Brandy.


What???? And his head did get lit up? That is nuts.

Yeah Kinda. I never noticed any damage.


Anybody ever tried/used/heard of Neti Pots?

[FacialFracture]

I've heard of Neti pots, but never used one. I don't know if it's helpful, but a magazine I read did a sort of review of them a few years ago; apparently, they work. Using one isn't uncomfortable, but you do get to see all the sinus-stuff that gets cleared out...so, I guess that part could be gross or fascinating depending on who you are.

To add to the "home remedies", my mother swears that tying a knee-sock around your neck will make a sore throat go away; I have tried this, but I can't really vouch for its usefulness.

[TEND]

Oh......wow......if I onyl remembered them all my great grandma used to give me all sorts of weird Ukrainian remedies until she died when I was about 5 or 6 so I don't really remember them or may have some confused.

I remember having to put sliced potatoes on my chest....don't recall what this was for, or if it worked I'm assuming it had something to do with a cold or cough.
Mmmm, I remember having to eat "garlic toast" which didn't mean minced garlic or anything, actual sliced cloves of garlic it was bruuuutal for coughs.
Hmm, don't remember too many others, but I guarantee there were more.

Since about 14 I was able to adopt the much preffered Scottish remedies from my grandmother which mostly include drinking whiskey mixed with hot milk and honey for flu, cold or damn near anything :D .

[Petrarch's Love]

I'm miserably sick with the flu today and even burning newspaper in my ear is starting to sound like a perfectly reasonable idea if it will bring some relief. Amazing how desperation breeds creativity. Won't go for the smoke in the ear, but I may go check the cupboard for what sort of liquor got left over from the last party and try some variation of that hot toddy recipe. :lol:

[Niamh]

for a cold, put some jack daniels, lemon juice, honey, and hot water in a coffee cup, drink it down and get some rest


Thats called a Hot Whiskey to the Irish. But you are using a burbon whiskey. You have to use a whiskey like and Irish or a Scotch, and put cloves in the lemon. It does help sooth a cold and helps you have a peaceful night.

As for the brandy, you use that for upset tummies and kidney infections.

Oh and the newspaper thing sounds like a form of candling, which is very popular in chinese medicine. It burns out the earwax in you ears

[Shalot]

Thats called a Hot Whiskey to the Irish. But you are using a burbon whiskey. You have to use a proper whiskey like and Irish or a Scotch, and put cloves in the lemon. It does help sooth a cold and helps you have a peaceful night.

As for the brandy, you use that for upset tummies and kidney infections.

Oh and the newspaper thing sounds like a form of candling, which is very popular in chinese medicine. It burns out the earwax in you ears

I've had it both ways, but to tell you the truth, JD to most Tennesseans is "proper" whiskey ;)

http://www.jackdaniels.com/age.aspx

[Niamh]

Okay dokey.;)

[Shalot]

Okay dokey.;)

aw, so no go on the JD for Niamh. I guess I can let that slide since she is Irish after all. :D

[papayahed]

I've heard of Neti pots, but never used one. I don't know if it's helpful, but a magazine I read did a sort of review of them a few years ago; apparently, they work. Using one isn't uncomfortable, but you do get to see all the sinus-stuff that gets cleared out...so, I guess that part could be gross or fascinating depending on who you are.


A few people on another forum swear by them but I haven't tried it yet.



As for the brandy, you use that for upset tummies and kidney infections.


For tummy aches we always got ginger ale (Vernors of course - accept no substitute).



Oh and the newspaper thing sounds like a form of candling, which is very popular in chinese medicine. It burns out the earwax in you ears

We were in a health food store and passed the ear candles which prompted the discussion.

[Niamh]

aw, so no go on the JD for Niamh. I guess I can let that slide since she is Irish after all. :D

:lol: Well even at that, there is only one Irish whiskey worth using for a hot whiskey and that is Jameson.:p But the irish swear by hot whiskeys. Its really surprising to see someone who doesnt think they work. If thats the case just have a few glasses straight.

[mazHur]

Try foll

one part marjorum
3 parts honey
one and a half part black pepper

mix all. take one teaspoon thrice a day with a little water for one month.

[SleepyWitch]

Try foll

one part marjorum
3 parts honey
one and a half part black pepper

mix all. take one teaspoon thrice a day with a little water for one month.

sounds cool. what is it good for/against?


does anyone know a home remedy for ear wax? I hate ear wax. I could clean my ears 5 times a day. I know you're not supposed to clean them too much, but I hate it when they itch...
in Portnoy's Complaint by Philip Roth (or was it another of his books?), the mother pours some chemical down the boys ears to clean them.. hydrogen peroxide or something? ever tried that? is it dangerous?

[vheissu]

Hydrogen peroxide?!!! I think that's a bleaching agent....you could bleach your hair I guess. I can only imagine what it would do to your ears :lol:

[Shalot]

sounds cool. what is it good for/against?


does anyone know a home remedy for ear wax? I hate ear wax. I could clean my ears 5 times a day. I know you're not supposed to clean them too much, but I hate it when they itch...
in Portnoy's Complaint by Philip Roth (or was it another of his books?), the mother pours some chemical down the boys ears to clean them.. hydrogen peroxide or something? ever tried that? is it dangerous?

if you dip a cotton swab in peroxide and clean your ears out, your ear feels cleaner. I've done it, my mom swears by it and told us to do it when we had an earache, and so far no damage (that I'm aware of). Pouring peroxide in sounds a little scary though,

But, if you moisten the Q-Tip with anything really, it picks up more wax. I hate dirty ear canals also.

EDIT Also, I've read several reports about ear candles and they say it doesn't really remove any wax and that you could injure your ear if you happen to get ear wax in your ear canal - according to one report, the wax could adhere to your ear drum and that can be painful and require surgery and you risk damage to your hearing. I am not going to try the ear candles just to be safe

[papayahed]

Any home rememdies for sinus congestion?? I did a search and found one but it didn't work.

[TheFifthElement]

A steam bath is good for sinus congestion. You need to part fill a large bowl with hot water (hot, not boiling), get yourself a thick towel which is big enough to cover your head. Put your face over the bowl and the towel over your head so that the towel is covering the bowl and your head (keeping the steam in) and breathe. 5-10 minutes is a good amount of time.

If you add Vicks vapour rub or eucalyptus oil or menthol crystals it works even better.

[Scheherazade]

I think my sinuses are getting worse too. I am worried that I will end up having to use antibiotics again (last time I had to take them for 6 weeks).

:-/

[papayahed]

I am currently trying "tomato tea":

tomato juice or V8
crushed garlic
hot sauce
lemon juice

heated.

[Scheherazade]

I am currently trying "tomato tea":

tomato juice or V8
crushed garlic
hot sauce
lemon juice

heated.Throw in some vodka and you'd have Bloody Mary!

[qimissung]

And with a little vodka in you all those health problems just melt away, don't they? :) actually, while I love "natural" remedies, lately I've been taking zyrtec for my sinuses, a ahlf of one each day. It's worked very well.

[Joreads]

I heard that too except with Blackberry Brandy.



Yeah Kinda. I never noticed any damage.


Anybody ever tried/used/heard of Neti Pots?

Yes i use a Neti Pot. I use to suffer three or four really bad sinus infections each year. Since using the pot I am down to one a year. They can take some getting use to and please make sure to use only warm water not hot!

[JuniperWoolf]

I love home remedies.

Plugged ears - lay on your side (the side that isn't plugged) and pour warm olive oil in the plugged ear. Lay there for ten minutes or so, then empty your ear out over the sink.

Sore throat - in lab tests honey was shown to work as well as most over-the-counter cough medicines (I had to know this, since I'm allergic to pine oil which is in most cough medicines).

Tincture for sore muscles and bruises - chop some arnica flowers into little pieces, then put it in a jar full of 40 proof vodka (the kind of jar that you put pickled beets into). Shake it, then leave it in a cupboard for a few months. Strain out the flowers, and there's your tincture. You smear it on the sore part and don't drink it or you'll get sick.

Arnica grows in most woods. It looks like this:
http://tinytapir.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/arnica-flowers.jpg


A steam bath is good for sinus congestion. You need to part fill a large bowl with hot water (hot, not boiling), get yourself a thick towel which is big enough to cover your head. Put your face over the bowl and the towel over your head so that the towel is covering the bowl and your head (keeping the steam in) and breathe. 5-10 minutes is a good amount of time.

If you add Vicks vapour rub or eucalyptus oil or menthol crystals it works even better.

That works really well, my doctor told me to do that when I got bronchitis.

[qimissung]

Perhaps you could make it and sell it to us?

How much of those ingedients do you put into the juice, Papayahead?

[papayahed]

Perhaps you could make it and sell it to us?

How much of those ingedients do you put into the juice, Papayahead?

Here's the actual recipe:

TOMATO TEA RECIPE
2 cups V8 Juice
2-3 cloves Garlic crushed (use more if you can)
2 T Lemon Juice
Hot Sauce (the more the better, so as much as you can handle)

http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies/tomato_tea.html

[qimissung]

Thanks! I'm gonna try it next week.

[stephofthenight]

I've had it both ways, but to tell you the truth, JD to most Tennesseans is "proper" whiskey ;)

http://www.jackdaniels.com/age.aspx


Don't be dissing the Jack Daniels...Its great for break ups, job losses, failed test, bad days, bored days, colds, coughs, fevers, sleeplessness... it can cure anything, the amount to cure ranges from a shot, to the whole bottle sometimes :) but it is deffinitly PROPER whiskey in Texas :)

We use ear candles, with the boiled water and towel cure for headaches and sinuses add euctaliptis oil, also take real peppermint oil and put two drops in a warm bath, no more than this with pure oil cause it will burn you. great for headaches.

for a good cold the best bet is the sprite, but i disagree with the popcicles, and have to suggest sherbert... orange sherrbert. mmm

Also I dnt kow what you have heard about soy massage candles but I make them and they are good for everything, headache, light them and its gone. tummy ache light them take a small amount of the oil and rub it in and its gone. girl time problems, rub it into the side that hurts and they dissapear(this got me off 100mg of tramadol) and good for a massage too. I'll have to write down the recipe next time I make some, they are real easy to make, just dont buy them offline they are super super high.

epson salt is a good magnesium boost, added in your water and you get relaxation from your normal tense muscles, add in drinking water to get a natrual laxative.

I'll grab the family book and come back with more.

remedy for being underage and out of liquor...simple cough in front of southren parents :P that one was just for fun :P

any for sunburn?

besides vinger...<- super allergic

[papayahed]

Tomato Tea - I'm pretty sure it helped but after two cups my stomach was getting a little testy and I smelled like garlic most of the day.

Hot Toddy (Whiskey, tea, lemon, honey) - The first night it worked pretty good, last night I don't think it helped at all.

Sudafed for sinus congestion - Zero help

Steam Room for about 15 minutes - helped slightly

[Scheherazade]

I am seeing my doctor on Friday re. sinus infection.

Might beg for some antibiotics if he is not forthcoming himself. I cannot even touch the left side of my face at the moment.

[qimissung]

Pobricita! I'm so sorry, scher! I hope Friday comes quickly for you.

[soundofmusic]

We had a thread like this a year or more ago; I think everyone was against smoke and candle wax at the time.
I use the same thing you do with pretty good results when it is a mere cold; after a few weeks, I go to the doctor for antibiotics.
Good Luck

[Scheherazade]

Thank you, Qimi.

Whoohoo!!!

I am armed with a week's worth of antibiotics and painkillers so all's set for a good weekend!

:willy_nilly:

[papayahed]

Alllllllll Riiiiggghhhhttt!



I'm still a little congested.

[papayahed]

I've just tried Afrin nasal spray. So far, as in the last 5 minutes, nothing has happened.

[qimissung]

Drugs are good. Here's to a painfree week, Scher!

Papaya, NasalCrom works pretty well for an over the counter, and I try to use a little saline solution every day, too

[Zhu]

A tea spoon of cod liver oil every other day keeps the doctor away.

:puke:

[papayahed]

Something bite me. Twice. The area is red with a white thing in the middle. A guy at work told me to put meat tenderizer on it, any other ideas?

(if it isn't better by tomorrow I may go see a doctor)

[qimissung]

If there is a discoloration or a halo around the bite it could be a spider bite. Meat tenderizer is good for bee stings, I don't know about other insect bites.

[AuntShecky]

Something bite me. Twice. The area is red with a white thing in the middle. A guy at work told me to put meat tenderizer on it, any other ideas?

(if it isn't better by tomorrow I may go see a doctor)

Make a paste with warm water and baking soda and apply it to the bite. You can get "Anti-itch cream" (hydrocortisone) over the counter, too.

[kiki1982]

Since about 14 I was able to adopt the much preffered Scottish remedies from my grandmother which mostly include drinking whiskey mixed with hot milk and honey for flu, cold or damn near anything :D .

I think I would have preferred those too, only without the milk :D.

My grandparents swore by honey for sore throats. Before I went to bed, one tea spoon of honey. I still do. Works far better than any of those chemist things. It's like it lines your throat and so it doesn't get irritated.

For the rest, my father always drinks sage tea when he's got a cold. Helps, apparently. Oh and Chartreuse alcohol (from pistachio nuts) on a sugar cube for indigestion. I'm not sure that the sugar cube is a real inherent ingredient in this, but maybe it helps to dose properly. Sadly, Chartreuse is quite expensive because it's made in the mountains in France by a few lonely monks. Very good stuff though. If you have the chance, definitely try it (even if you have no indigestion :D). (try the green one, not the rellow one. The green one was first and then they made a lighter yellow version 'for the ladies'. Boo hiss).

[Aylinn]

I remember that when I was little and someone had a problem with cough, my mother used cupping therapy. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cupping_therapy#Fire_cupping) I never liked it.

As for sore throat, it is good to gargle it with salvia or it is also possible to drink sage tea that is made from salvia, but I was worned that it can increase menstrual bleeding, so I should be careful with it.

Other things that my granparents and my mother used during cold are: raspberry juice, linden tea and rose canina tea.

[kiki1982]

I see why you 'never liked it'. I wouldn't be a fan either...

Obviously my father doesn't have to worry about the menstrual bleeding, but I didn't know that.

[Sido]

Swallow the sap of a freshly cut aloe vera leaf to relieve yourself of gastritis. Do it at least two hours after mealtime or before. And then drink a glass of water. It's really slimy and can be a bit bitter, but if you do it a few days in a row (once a day), it will cure or for the very least, help you with gastric problems.

[papayahed]

Something bite me. Twice. The area is red with a white thing in the middle. A guy at work told me to put meat tenderizer on it, any other ideas?

(if it isn't better by tomorrow I may go see a doctor)

haha,this turned out to be an infection. I was given antibiotics and a day off work.

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

haha,this turned out to be an infection. I was given antibiotics and a day off work.

I'm a little late in seeing this, but it sounds like you got it licked, so to speak.
I say "licked" because it reminds me of my father's remedy for anything that ails the body and that was to apply a slathering of salve.
Salve was intended to help heal wounds on the pets, once applied they would commence to licking it off.
It worked well on us too.