Natural remedies and home cures

Do you believe in folk remedies? Which traditional methods are you familiar with, regardless of whether they address a simple cold or issues with the kidneys, heart, liver, or lungs? For a cold, I always apply garlic rubs, and if my throat hurts, I mix honey and egg into milk... some people lower a fever with brandy compresses placed on the neck... what methods do you use? And do they actually work for you?

Vodeni said:some people try to break a fever by putting vodka-soaked pads on their neck...

🙂Don't do that. Those alcohol fumes could seriously mess with your head and knock you out.🙄

Whenever I deal with bronchitis, I make myself some barley tea. It actually helps, I guess.

Valerie said:That’s not how you do it; the alcohol vapors could actually intoxicate them or make them lethargic.

Hmm... Actually, the specific type of alcohol doesn't even matter. You could even use industrial grade. The concept is simple: as the alcohol evaporates, it cools the surface. Because of that, applying it just to the soles of the feet isn't enough; you really ought to spread it over as much of the body as possible.

Valerie makes a fair point. It isn't just about inhaling the fumes, though—it's also about absorption through the skin. You have to be extremely careful about that when dealing with small children.

And obviously, this isn't something anyone should actually be doing. If necessary, a lukewarm shower is plenty (just make sure the water temperature is lower than their body temperature). Lukewarm, not cold or freezing.

Herbal teas—there’s one for every possible need. Forget about Coke, Fanta, and all that other junk.
I drink them daily. A little honey is a good touch.

For an overactive cough—use half a capful of eucalyptus oil in the room where you sleep or hang out.

Cabbage leaves around the neck can really help with tonsillitis. Also, try placing cabbage leaves on your chest before bed, layered over a regular undershirt and a wool sweater; it helps loosen up phlegm.

Poultice salve works wonders for vein issues, congestion, and even hemorrhoids.

Potato skin water is a remedy for arthritis.

A dry brush is useful for tightening skin after childbirth and nursing.

Coarse sea salt helps soothe aching legs.

Kenneth Hernandez67 said:For an intense cough—use half a capful of eucalyptus oil in the bedroom.

Cabbage leaves around the neck help specifically with strep throat. Putting cabbage leaves on your chest before bed, under a regular shirt and a wool sweater, helps clear out mucus.

Poultice ointment for veins and congestion; they also say it works for hemorrhoids.

Potato skin water for arthritis.

A brush for tightening skin after childbirth and nursing.

Coarse sea salt for sore legs.

Interesting. Is this all actually legit? Let's gather as much info as possible. I'm not a hypochondriac, but after my kidneys acted up once, I started looking into things... then a cold hit, and I began fighting back with garlic.😁 ... good to know.👍

I’ve only shared what my own family and I have actually put to the test. I wouldn't dream of recommending anything unverified.

If you're still interested, I can keep going. 🙂

Kenneth Hernandez67 said:I only wrote about what I personally, or my family members, have actually tried. I wouldn't recommend anything unverified.

If you're still interested, I can keep going. 🙂

Come on, just keep going! If I ever find a great recipe, I'll definitely share it.👍

grlobolja:
-use a whiskey compress, but don't go too heavy on the proof or you'll burn your skin
-slather a thick layer of honey on some gauze and sprinkle some pepper over the whole thing

fever:
-whisk some egg whites and rub them on the soles of your feet
-soak your socks in vinegar and swap them out whenever they dry up

ovarian inflammation:
-a whiskey compress works—just make sure it isn't too strong or too cold. I've actually tried this. Just a heads up: apply it from the bottom up🙂

I think that covers the basics

Vodeni said:Some people try to bring down a fever by putting whiskey-soaked compresses on the neck...

I’ve heard—though I’ve certainly never tried it—that if someone has a high fever, you should soak their socks in bourbon and put them on.😕
My kids have never run such a high temperature that I would even consider it, but it’s an interesting thought.

Is it just me, or is everyone here strangely silent?😢

My parents tried that old-school sock and brandy trick on me, and if things get hairy, I might just try it on mine.

Mix some brandy with water, half and half, but make sure it’s lukewarm, not ice cold. Soak some socks in the mix and put them right on their feet. It’s best to put a waterproof baby mat—you know, those old-fashioned ones 🙂—underneath their feet, then cover them up with something you can easily clean later.

The whole point of this little "game" is to, I don't know, draw the heat away from the head down to the feet. Anything to help prevent seizures.

It works, trust me.

BTW, my youngest has been borderline anemic since she was born. She’s been taking iron, we watch what she eats (thank God, she isn't a picky eater), but she’s still pretty pale—it runs in the family, I have a fair complexion too. Other than that, she’s super energetic and bubbly, so she doesn't seem to have any issues there.

If you guys know any other "old wives' tales" (she's 20 months, turning 21 soon), let me know. Thanks.

briskeagle38 said:If anyone knows any "old-school" remedies—her little one is just under 21 months now—please let me know. Thanks.

I dealt with anemia issues until about five or six years ago—then an herbalist whipped up a specific syrup for me. I took it for nearly a month, and honestly, I've been fine ever since.👍

Justin Gonzalez87 said:I dealt with anemia issues until about 5 or 6 years ago. Then some herbalist whipped up this syrup for me that I took for nearly a month. Been totally fine ever since.👍

Same here—spent half my life dealing with low iron, and the only thing that actually worked was that beet-carrot-apple juice combo.

But I heard little kids can't really handle beet juice well and it might mess up their stomachs.

So I haven't tried it on her.

My only regret is she’s such a picky eater that she won't touch cocoa. That would have been huge, but hey, if she doesn't like it, she doesn't like it. 😢

briskeagle38 said:Pila's iron levels are fine—we watch what she eats (and thank God, she isn't a picky eater)—but she still looks pretty pale. It might just be genetics, since I have very fair skin. Otherwise, she's incredibly energetic and lively, so there's no sign of an issue there.

My Junior always looked like your typical anemic kid growing up—pale, translucent facial skin, dark circles under the eyes... yet every single time we did blood work, the results were perfect!

Don't bother with iron supplements unless her blood work actually shows a deficiency. If you give them unnecessarily, you're just going to cause constipation issues.

And don't forget, beans are packed with iron!

Kenneth Hernandez67 said:My Junior always looked like the textbook definition of anemic when he was little—pale, translucent skin, dark circles under his eyes... whenever we did blood work, it was always spot on!

Don't bother with iron supplements unless her labs actually show a deficiency... otherwise, you're just looking at constipation issues.

And don't forget, beans are loaded with iron!

That is the exact description of my kid. You know what drives me crazy? One pediatrician told me she’s right on the edge of being anemic, then another doctor tells me her hemoglobin levels are totally fine for her age. 😕

I constantly get people making comments like, "Oh, she looks so pale," and honestly, it just makes me feel terrible. 😢

Then I just tell myself—if she's this energetic and happy, there's clearly nothing wrong, God forbid. 😢

Thanks for the tip about the beans! 👍

Everyone tries to force-feed kids greens, but they absolutely hate it... though, honestly, they usually end up liking them if you play it right. 🙂

Mine used to throw a fit even at dinner time... I spent the early days constantly coddling him, acting like he couldn't handle it... but turns out, it doesn't bother them as much as you'd think. 😉

I’d also suggest offering kids some natural fruit juice, a bit of fruit puree, or even a fruit-based snack right after lunch. Fresh fruit provides that hit of Vitamin C, which acts as a catalyst to help their bodies actually absorb the iron from everything else they've eaten.

mistyhound2 said:I heard somewhere—though I’ve never actually tried it—that if someone has a really high fever, you should soak their socks in bourbon and then put them on.😕
My kids have never run a fever nearly high enough to make me consider something that ridiculous, but man, now I'm actually curious.

I mean, seriously, does bourbon even have any acetaminophen or Vitamin C in it?