Home Cures

I'm a huge fan of home remedies, partly because I HATE going to the doctor and inevitably catching some other unrelated funk, but mostly because I don't like taking unnecessary medications or having invasive procedures performed on my body. Plus, growing up with an Asian mom, I've learned to be suspicious of Western medicine and try everything I can to avoid having to see an actual trained physician.

Ginger, Tangerine tea with Honey: Use it when you feel a cold coming on. *Peel fresh ginger and boil it up with tangerine peels for 5 minutes or so. Serve it with a liberal amount of honey. The ginger and tangerine will open up your sinuses and sooth your throat as well as honey aka the "original throat lozenge". My mother also had me eat a spoonful of honey when I had a bump on my tongue.

Heating pads: LOVE MINE! Use for sore muscles, sleep issues or mild stomach aches. *Keep it on a low heat and try to avoid your lower back. You don't want to aggravate your kidneys! (PS. Years ago some of my Kentucky friends shared a secret to falling asleep quicker called "The Head Blanket"! Wrap a small blanket around your head and you'll be sleeping like a baby in no time. It's so weird, but it works.)

Seaweed: I know, I know, most of us Americans would gag, but seaweed is rich in iodine and iron and quite high in protein. It is a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, magnesium and riboflavin (B2). It's also good for your hair and skin! My mom used to make a delicious chicken soup with seaweed when we were really sick or later, after we had our babies because it's so iron rich. * http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/miyuk-guk

Tiger Balm: Use it for headaches and migraines, stomach ache caused by trapped wind, stuffy nose, muscle aches and pain, and especially itching and pain caused by insect bites. *I believe it cures everything.... maybe even cancer and acne.

Here a few others I thought were interesting:

Home cure: Sugar
Use it for: Hiccups
A teaspoon of sugar swallowed dry can stop hiccups in minutes, says Andre Dubois, MD, PhD, a professor of medicine in the emerging infectious diseases graduate program at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, MD. The sugar is believed to modify the nerve muscles that would otherwise tell the muscles in the diaphragm to contract spasmodically and contribute to hiccups.

Home cure: Duct tape
Use it for: Warts
Yes, this really does work! Covering warts with duct tape eliminates them better than freezing them off, according to a study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. In the study, the duct tape eliminated 85% of the warts after 2 months, compared with 60% with the freezing method.
To use duct tape safely, clean the area. Then cut a piece of duct tape to a size slightly bigger than the wart. Apply the duct tape to the site and rub into place. Every 3 days, remove the tape and file down dead skin with a pumice stone or nail file. Repeat until the wart disappears. Chemicals in the tape suffocate and kill the wart.

Home cure: Baking soda
Use it for: Urinary tract infections
At the first sign of symptoms, drink a solution made with ¼ teaspoon of baking soda mixed in 8 ounces of water. Continue this once a day until you can get a culture done at a doctor’s office and start antibiotics. Baking soda makes the bladder environment more alkaline, which reduces bacteria’s ability to multiply, says Larrian Gillespie, MD, a retired assistant clinical professor of urology and urogynecology in Los Angeles.

Home cure: Apple
Use it for: Whiter teeth and bad breath
Crunchy fruits and vegetables act as little toothbrushes when you chew them; they have a natural cleansing action that works on tooth enamel to remove stains. In particular, “apples have a gentle malic acid that also helps dissolve stains,” says Jennifer Jabow, DDS, of Park 56 Dental in New York City.

...and last but not least, "Vicks on the soles of your feet to stop a nighttime cough". Does it work, does it not??? YES, I have tried this, and it works. Put Vicks Vapo rub on the soles of your feet and cover with socks when you go to bed to stop a persistent cough. It worked for me, seriously, and I have no idea why.

What are some home remedies you've tried?!!!