Natural Health Remedies

A few decades ago I thought herbal and home health remedies were old-fashioned and only a little more respectable than snake oil. My grandma’s answer to almost every ailment was cider vinegar. You could tell her you had a headache and she’d tell you to stick your head under a towel and breathe in a mixture of vinegar and hot water.

Goodness, don’t tell her you were sore or achy or she would take out a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar…mix it in a little water with honey and make you drink it. Yeah…I would feel better afterwards but it sure didn’t taste that great and as a young person...I’d take pain over bad taste any day.

That all changed for me about twelve years ago. After repeated trips to the emergency room for allergic reactions to painkillers and allergy medicine, I decided there had to be a better way to deal with my pain and ailments.

I started researching natural health remedies. I searched the internet, read every book I could get my hands on, and ask everyone I knew and some I didn't...what natural remedies worked for them?

I found out grandma knew what she was talking about….cider vinegar does cure almost everything and a lot of stuff in my kitchen cabinets were wonderful remedies for my aches, pains, and ailments.

Headaches For my sinus headaches I take an herbal blend of boneset, fennel, fenugreek, horseradish, and mullein.

I also keep a little bottle of peppermint oil in my purse and when I feel a headache coming on...I rub a small dab on each temple or the back of my neck or my forehead depending on where I am hurting. It has a cool feeling as it soaks in.

For tension headaches, I take an herbal supplement call Nutri-Calm and take a relaxing bath with a special blend of aromatherapy oils:

Nervous Tension Bath Blend for Nervous Tension - Add 3 drops ylang ylang, 2 drops rosewood, 3 drops lavender to 1 1/2 teaspoons (8ml.) of a dispersible bath oil such as red turkey oil, and add to a warm bath; or drip the oils directly into the bath water and disperse with your hand. Relax in the bath for 10 minutes.

Upset Stomach For an upset stomach, I take a couple of ginger capsules or drink some ginger root tea.

For embarrassing and sometimes painful flatulence you can mix one tablespoon of flaxseed powder in a glass of juice twice a day, together with two capsules of fennel seed two or three times a day or drink a cup of fennel seed tea 2 or 3 times daily. (To make fennel seed tea, slightly crush a teaspoon of fennel seeds and pour boiling water over them.

Stings To relieve pain from a bee or wasp sting…mix ¼ teaspoon of meat tenderizer with I teaspoon of water or vinegar to make a paste. Smear on sting.

Or grab a slice of lemon, garlic, onion, cumber, or potato to soothe and draw out the venom.

Face Mask But my favorite of all natural health remedies is honey . It is good for everything from combining with cinnamon to lose weight to using as a revitalizing mask.