Simple Living Remedies
Enjoy healthier living with back-to-basic ideas for remedies
Homemade cough drops
Just the idea of making homemade cough drops sounds more complicated than it actually is. All you need is half a cup of raw honey, two tablespoons organic lemon juice (I like to keep a bottle handy in the fridge for all recipes instead of fresh organic lemons) and one teaspoon grated ginger. Toss ingredients into a pot and bring to boil at medium heat.
Use a candy thermometer. Once it is boiling and reaches 300 degrees F remove from heat. Allow foam to settle and drop by teaspoonfuls onto a parchment paper covered cookie sheet. Allow to cool completely before peeling off the sheet. Dust lighly in organic powdered sugar if desired to avoid having them stick together when storing in a jar, or wrap individually.
Acid reflux relief
Antacids and proton pump inhibitors for acid reflux can wreak havoc on gut health. A teaspoon of baking soda dissolved in a cup of water can help neutralize stomach acids and alleviate heartburn and indigestion.
Stuffy nose relief
This stuffy nose strategy is so simple and provides instant relief from a stuffy nose caused by winter’s dry air. Put a dab of coconut oil onto a cotton swab and smooth around the inside of each nostril to coat. Relief can be instantaneous when stuffiness is due to dry air. Repeat three times a day, especially at night, if suffering from sinusitis or rhinitis. Coconut oil is known to be a natural antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal.
Dandruff relief
Contrary to popular belief, dandruff is not just caused by a dry scalp. It’s actually due to an overgrowth of yeast that feeds on excess oil and dead skin cells, Before you reach for a cocktail of chemicals in a bottle, aka commercial dandruff shampoo, try spraying the scalp with a mixture of equal parts raw apple cider vinegar and water.
Leave on scalp for 15 minutes, then rinse. Repeat a couple of times a week until dandruff is eliminated. Apple cider vinegar is not just a natural probiotic, but it helps fight bacteria and fungi.
Natural sleep aid
Drinking a half a cup of tart cherry juice an hour before bedtime makes a nice sleep aid. Cherries naturally raise melatonin levels, which helps the body regulate sleep.
Yeast infection relief
Move over Canesten, there’s a new kid on the block. Battling a yeast infection? Try topically applying coconut oil several times a day to the affected area. It’s naturally anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-microbial.
Sore throat relief
Organic unfiltered apple cider vinegar has countless medicinal uses. Doctors in the 1700s used it to treat everything from stomach aches to poison ivy, and even diabetes. Its antibacterial properties can help with sore throats. Gargle with a mixture of about 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar mixed with 1/4 cup of warm water.
Lice treatment
Over-the-counter lice treatments often contain a slew of toxic chemicals like lindane, malathion, pyrethrums, pyrethroids, permethrin and carbaryl ar.
This natural concoction has been tried and tested, and it works! Mix two ounces of olive oil with 15 drops of tea tree oil and about 10 drops of eucalyptus oil. Apply to the scalp using cotton balls. Leave on the scalp overnight.
The head can be covered with a shower cap overnight. The olive oil and essential oils will suffocate lice. The next morning, comb through the hair fully to remove the lice, then shampoo and rinse and then repeat the shampooing a second time.
Ringworm remedy
The conventional treatment for ringworm, a contagious skin disorder caused by a fungus, is typically a topical antifungal medication. Natural alternatives do exist, and may work for ringworm – one of which is apple cider vinegar.
Mix raw organic apple cider vinegar in a 1:1 ratio with spring water. Apply on the affected area a couple of times a day with a cotton swab. Consult your health professional for advice beforehand.
