Homemade Remedies from the Kitchen: Part 2

 

Cliona Elliott,

Editor (Food)

 

Sometimes when you have annoying cold symptoms, dry skin or need a quick fix to clean your kitchen floor, you needn’t look any further than your kitchen to find amazingly versatile ingredients to make your own remedies.

Sunburn remedy: Vinegar has antiseptic properties that can help to kill germs and soothe pain. It can help heal and soothe sunburn by balancing the pH content of the skin (its level of acid/alkalinity) and by preventing the formation of blisters. To make use of the benefits of vinegar, fill a spray bottle with apple cider or white distilled vinegar and spray a light mist over the affected areas every couple of hours.  Alternatively, add 2 cups of vinegar to a bath and soak for 15 minutes.

Common cold symptoms: Although there is no actual way to cure the common cold, chicken soup has been proven to help relieve symptoms. It works in 2 ways: it acts as an inflammatory due to the infection fighting salt, fluid and heat and secondly, it temporarily speeds up the movement of mucus which helps relieve congestion. You can either make your own homemade soup or buy ready made.

Dry skin face mask: When the skin is dry, especially on the face, it is important to choose the right products as many chemicals can dry the skin out even more. Many face masks contain avocado which has a high content of potassium (known as the youth mineral), and by eating or using on skin it can help to maintain a youthful and healthy glow. Instead of buying one you can make your own moisture quenching mask at home. Simply mash up the following ingredients into a smooth paste and leave to set for 15 minutes before washing off:

• 1/2 medium ripe avocado
• 1 tbsp. all natural honey
• 1 tbsp. all natural yogurt

Insomnia and restless sleep: This is another problem that has no perfect cure. The stresses of work or children or eating too late at night can make it harder to get to sleep, but by drinking a glass of milk, containing the chemical tryptophan which stimulates drowsiness, you might increase your chances of having a restful sleep. You could also warm the milk up if you think this will add to its calming effect.

Stress relief: For centuries lavender has been used as a remedy for a number of problems, including stress relief. The sweet and soothing aroma of the scent instantly awakens the senses and immediately arouses a sense of relaxation. To make full use of its relaxation powers, burn lavender infused candles, apply small drops of essential oil onto the wrists or add a few drops into a warm bath and soak for as long as desired.

Headaches: The frustrating pain of headache is often treated with a couple of paracetamol, but as an alternative you could try the well-established remedy of vanilla. The ancient Egyptians discovered that vanilla’s headache fighting properties treated their headaches almost every time regardless of the severity or intensity, and this is because it contains eugenol (an antiseptic and analgesic essential oil that helps unclog blood vessels.) To test this ancient remedy mix a tablespoon of pure vanilla extract with a glass of water and drink before going to bed.

Image Courtesy: Muffet/ liz west at http://flickr.com/photos/53133240@N00/793672848, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license/Wiki Commons