Feb282010
The Great Natural Remedy Comment Contest
The prize package is way better than this!! image by Ko_An
I wasn’t going to have another blog contest for a while, but Celestial Seasonings has donated a Natural Wellness Kit as a contest prize for one of my readers, and I couldn’t pass up the chance!
This Natural Wellness Kit (worth $60) includes:
- Four wellness teas to ease symptoms associated with the cold and flu – Sleepytime Extra, Echinacea Complete Care, Tummy Mint, Sleepytime Throat Tamer
- Two green teas to support a healthy immune system year round – Authentic Green Tea and Honey Lemon Ginseng Green Tea
- Mug, soothing lip balm, honey sticks and Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime BearThe book “Herbs for Health and Happiness” by Celestial Seasonings founder Mo Siegel and Nancy Burke
What a great prize package!
Here’s how to enter the contest. It’s so easy! Simply leave a comment on this post sharing a natural remedy that you’ve personally used or have heard is effective. Each person who leaves a comment will be entered in a drawing, and the prize winner will be announced on Friday, March 5. I’d like the prize winner to give one or more of the Celestial Seasonings a try and leave a final comment on this post as their review.
There’s only one winner in this contest, but with all of our suggested remedies, we’ll have compiled a great resource for all sorts of ailments!
Start your thinking engines, and good luck!
© 2010, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.
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Arnica
I take this drink whenever I have a cold. I don't view it as a remedy though. It helps with symptoms. The main reason I take it is to ward off complications from the cold. I'm prone to sinus infections.
Boiled water to fill a mug
honey tablespoon or so
lemon juice
ginger powder
garlic powder or minced fresh garlic
cinnamon and/or nutmeg (opt)
The garlic and honey are mild antibiotics which help to fight off the sinus infection. Ginger helps with any stomach upset from the cold. Lemon juice has vitamin C to help fight the cold. Cinnamon and/or nutmeg is mostly just for taste.
Personally I think working at preventing illnesses is far better than treating them.
Even without kids, I love your blog!
Andrea
Okay, here goes. My first and best experience with a natural remedy:
My son Isaac had swine flu back in October. He had 24 hours of feeling really crummy, but we had gotten him to the doctor early and started meds so quickly that it was very short lived. Naturally my 3 year old caught it and naturally it was late on a Friday night , after office hours, that she started showing the earliest symptoms. The kicker with Mara was that in a matter of minutes after the fever began, she broke out in a rash from her chin all the way down to the top of her feet. The poor baby looked like she was covered in thousands of flea bites and was so itchy and uncomfortable that she couldn't stand the feel of clothes on her skin. We called and left a message for the pediatrician, but with no promise of when he'd return our call, we had to do something.
Andrea
Part II
We didn't have any calamine lotion, so I did the best thing I could figure to do…I grabbed a big box of baking soda and made a paste with a little bit of water. I stripped Mara down to her Dora the Explorer underpants, slathered her from head to toe with the baking soda paste and wrapped her up in a bath sheet. We sat down in a rocking chair to watch cartoons for a while, and when I checked her rash about 20 minutes later, it was beginning to disappear. Within the hour, it was nearly gone and she was comfortable enough that she could wear her jammies.
When we got in touch with the doctor early the next morning, he said Mara had a case of the hives and that she was allergic to the swine flu virus itself. He also said that baking soda was the best course of action I could have taken under the circumstances. I was never so thankful for Saturday office hours and institutional-sized boxes of baking soda as that October day!
TheSurvivalMom
That's a great story, Andrea! We go through a lot of baking soda around here as a deodorizer with our pack of dogs.
ILPrpr
For Acid Reflux, try a teapoon of vinegar.
Kim
We always make a baking soda paste when we get stung by bees to draw out the poison. I'm mildly allergic to them, and that's the only thing that keeps me from swelling up!
ILPrpr
For a sore throat, try a tea made with lemon, apple cider vinegar, cayenne, and honey.
It is made by adding one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, a tiny pinch of cayenne pepper, the juice of 1/4 lemon, and one teaspoon of honey to a cup of hot water, then stir.
Emily
One thing I love to do with a lot of congestion is drink hot water with lemon juice and honey in it. I love hot teas when I'm sick (or when anyone else is sick for that matter)!
Evelyn
I love lemon and ginger for a cold, because it feels so good, but when I first feel a tickle in my throat, I reach for the jar of hot pickled peppers, and I gargle with the juice. I even save the juice after we finish the peppers. I know the vinegar cuts the "crud" in the back of my throat, and peppers have lots of vitamin C, so I guess that's how it works. It's not soothing at all, so I wouldn't use it when I'm already sick!
Susan
I teach kindergarten and our school nurse has a bottle of meat tenderizer in our first aid area for bee stings! Make a paste and cover with a band-aid. The bee sting is made up of a protein and the meat tenderizer breaks down the protein.
On the flip side – sometimes bee and wasp stings can be beneficial. My mom had arthritis in her finger until a yellow jacket stung her on the knuckle. It was such a dramatic change that she decided to try it on my dad (years ago) when his pinky finger became so stiff and arthritic that he was having trouble getting things out of his pocket. They caught some honey bees and she made them sting around his knuckle. It worked for him, too! I just googled "bee stings and arthritis" out of curiosity and it looks like there are others that have had this experience! Awesome!
LizLong
I'm not sure this technically counts, but two things that work better than coffee as natural stimulants (better because they don't keep me up hours later like the caffeine in coffee or soda) are: dark chocolate and peppermint. Not combined (although that would probably do great, but individually. The caffeine in dark chocolate does it, I think, and there's something about the peppermint that's a natural stimulant, even just the smell. And they work really quickly. I like either peppermint tea or peppermint hot chocolate. You can buy it flavored that way or add a few drops from a bottle of peppermint extract from the grocers.
And of course, for nausea, the pressure points on your wrists that sea bands use is a great help.
Deanna
Ginger is one of my favorite natural remedies for nausea. I have a condition that, when it flares up, creates really bad nausea. Before I go for the prescription meds, I try ginger, and unless the nausea is powerfully bad, the ginger does help a lot.
There are lots of ways to use ginger. The obvious is ginger ale. I can't use the ginger ale, though, and also if you don't have any ginger ale on hand, it's good to know other ways to use ginger.
I try to keep fresh ginger on hand. You can put the fresh root, wrapped, in the freezer and it will keep for several months. It will keep for a few weeks in the fridge. I slice thinly, peel or shred into a mug of water, which I sweeten slightly with a bit of honey, sugar, or stevia, and microwave till hot. I let it all steep for a few minutes then strain out or spoon out the ginger, which can be used again for another mug or two if needed.
You can also used the crystallized ginger or ginger powder in your spice jars. And you can get ginger teas. My favorite is Yogi brand, and I try to keep a couple of boxes on hand. It tastes very good, reminding me of gingerbread.
Peppermint tea is also good for an upset stomach, though ginger is my favorite. Peppermint may aggravate a burning, or acid, stomach, or acid reflux. In fact, I found out from doctors, if you have acid problems it's best to avoid all mint, including mint in toothpaste or mouthwash. I didn't believe it at first, but found it true from experience.
The ginger tea is useful for all kinds of mild to moderate upset stomach, whether from a stomach bug, overeating, after-effects of anesthesia, or a food that didn't agree with you.
Lisa
For extremely dry itchy skin and dry hair I have found that running a vaporizer or cool mist humidifer in the bedroom while I sleep at night works great. I also put a light coat of plain vaseline on my face, hands, elbows, and feet. Wake up moisturized and soft. The moisture is especially great for the hair.
Ravenwolf31
I just make my Flu Soup. This is not the type of thing you would want to eat if you have the puke-y flu, but it works well if your stomach is just upset from it. I make it ahead of time for the flu season. It is just chicken broth with little bits of chicken as extra, salt, garlic, sage, thyme, dill, rosemary, and cinnamon. Couple days of that and I feel right as rain!
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Red Icculus
I am an insomniac and have traditionally written off herbal remedies, but I was willing to try anything that didn't leave me groggy in the morning. Last year, I grew my own chamomile to help me sleep.
A cup of boiling water is poured over roughly a golf ball sized bunch of dried material. It is allowed to steep, is strained, and honey and lemon are added. After consuming, I don't toss and turn as much and sleep much better.
Teresa Juarez
There are several remedies that I use.
Peppermint oil, small amount placed on q-tip or finger tip rub on the area of the head where you have a headache removes the pain quickly. Works well for the worst headaches.
Whole cloves helps with tooth pain.Just put one or two cloves between the gum and mouth up to 15 minutes. This numbs the pain. I have heard clover oil does the same, but must be used sparingly.
for an upset tummy,I have used peppermint tea, spearmint tea, and chamomile tea.
Chamomile tea can be used when stressed or to help unwind from a long day.
I know this is not a remedy, but substituting any herbal tea for soda is healthier.
If your scalp gets dry from the weather or is dry, rinsing your hair with vinegar helps.
Baking soda and oil made into a paste rubbed all over the body reduces fevers.
Vinegar soothes sunburns.
This is all the things that I have used through the years. Hope this information helps others.
Kelly
Aloe Vera
Used for stove burns, chapped lips,sun burns or upset stomach issues like acid indigestion or ulcers. Apply pulp of a stalk directly to arm for a stove burn or on lips for chapped lips. You can put the pulp directly on your hands or feet for dryness. Scrape the pulp out of a stalk and smear all over your body for sun burns. For stomach issues like indigestion or ulcers, slit the stalk open and boil it for 5 minutes in 4 cups of water, take out the stalk, let the water cool on the counter and drink as needed. You can also eat the pulp directly out of the stalk if you can swallow it that way. It's a bit slimy though.
Plant in pots as aloe vera is like bamboo or banana plants they will take over the entire area. Place pots in a shady spot.
Kelly
Aloe Vera
P.S. I also wanted to warn everyone to not drink the juice from the stalk daily or you will end up with diarrhea.
MicheleinMA
I am a beekeeper and get localized swelling when I get stung. My first season beekeeping a neighbor and herbalist used a great remedy when she witnessed me get stung. I removed the stinger quickly (this is key) and she chewed up regular plantain from the lawn, put this green poltice on my sting and within a few minute the pain was gone, and the swelling was quite minimal. English plantain is edible.
I use honey for coughs and sore throats – it has no side effects, is antibacterial, and is soothing. I recommend a teaspoon of honey, let it slowly heat up in your mouth, and swallow slowly.
Julia
We use lavender oil for burns and it works great! Also, Wally's Ear Oil is THE BEST for ear infections. We haven't needed antibiotics for ear infections for years because we catch them early and use Wallys. You just warm up some water in the microwave, place the glass bottle of Wallys in the water to gently warm the oil until you can put a drop on your wrist and it feels body temperature. That's how you know it's ready for your ear. Squeeze a dropperful into the ear and cover with a piece of cottonball. I also like to put a warm rice pack on top of that. Repeat about every 4 hours. Works like a charm!
rightwingmom
Zinc tablets (30 – 50 mg) for adults.
Zinc lozenges for older kids . (Cold Ez or generic = 12.5 mg)
Walmart carries an even lower dose zinc sucker for younger kids.
They're in animal shapes, but I don't remember the name.
At the first sign of a sore throat (that little tickle) or green snot, suck on a zinc. (The 30 – 50 mg tablets are very bitter tasting!) The zinc soaks into the soft tissue of the throat and kills the bacteria. I have successfully avoided antibiotics for conditions that may have turned into Strep Throat, bronchitis, tonsillitis,etc. by using zinc.
Linda
My number one remedy is aloe. Used quickly on stove or iron burns, or sunburn, it really makes a huge difference in the healing time and really cuts the pain. Honey and lemon for sore throats, coughs and colds. No honey for infants, though!! Gargling with warm salty water at the first sign of a sore throat does wonders. Mint tea for tummy aches. Spicy warm chicken broth is wonderful for colds and coughs. Warm up a moist towel in the microwave to apply for sore muscles or sinus pressure – be careful to always check to make sure it's not too hot before applying!
Donna
Honey for sore throats, cuts, scrapes and deep cuts, it heals better than a physician.
Susan
I just used peppermint tea for the first time as a natural remedy for my son. He had a sore, gunky throat and the peppermint tea with a little honey really helped. He was very hesitant to try it because he thought it would be more like peppermint water, but it was good and he actually asked for more! His sore throat is improving and his voice is back to normal!
zmalfoy
I first encountered ginger as a treatment when snorkeling — the ppl who owned the catamaran passsed around tablets made of ground ginger. Those who took them were fine, those who didn't got sea-sick. Ever since, whenever the tummy gets queasy, I go straight for the ginger.I studied voice in college and one semester got laryngitis right before juries (where I had to sing in front of the entire voice faculty for a grade). I don't recall where I'd heard about this, but I made a tea of peppermint, honey, and myrrh. Only a little myrrh, as even that little makes it taste like liquified truck tires. *blech!* But, my voice was back within hours, and I was able to sing quite well the next day.
zmalfoy
Finally, I find lavender very good for anxiety. About a year and a half ago, I had a Very Bad Day, so bad that I knew I'd not get to sleep that night without assistance. However, I hate pills, and felt alchohol was not the way to go (My personal drinking rule is: If I feel like I need a drink, I absolutely won't). I made a few little sachets of some lavender flowers I had and kleenex, and stuffed them into my pillow. I took some other lavender flowers and rubbed them between my hands, as my hands end up somewhere in front of my nose when I sleep. The scent was instantly soothing, and I was able to sleep untroubled through the night, which made the next day a lot better from the start.
ILprep5
It may sound crazy but as a lid if we ever got pink eye my Mom would take a tea bag out of her pot, wrap a paper towel around it and put it on our eye. Gone. I have no idea why it works but it does.
Adrianna
Speaking of a cure for pinkeye….breastmilk has all kinds of great antimicrobial properties. I read an entire article once in Mothering Magazine about all of the home remedies you can do with breastmilk. One example was to apply fresh breastmilk to an infant's eye four times a day for pinkeye. Sure enough, breastmilk worked like a charm when my son came down with it. Saved us a trip to the doctor.
Also, many of you may know that most children's over-the-counter cough and cold medicines were recently taken off the market as they are no longer approved for use in small children. One thing that has been a livesaver for us when a child has a cough that is keeping everyone up at night is honey. One teaspoon plain honey by mouth right before bedtime for children over one year old (again honey is not safe for babies) quiets the night-time coughing. Studies have shown that honey is an effective treatment for cough. Wonderful!
rightwingmom
Night time cough ~ Rub Vick's Vapor Rub on your feet and cover them with socks. Little or NO coughing all night. (Works on kiddos too!)
Lori
The best thing that I have found for a yeast infection is apple cider vinegar with garlic in it. It burns at first but it clears it up faster than Monistat and it's a lot less messy!
katzien
Natural Vitamin E Oil
I use Vitamin E oil on my lips in the morning and night for extra moisturization. This really helps with chapped lips, dry lips or flaky in the winter. I also use it on scars since it promotes cell regrowth and healing. Light scars can be from insect bites, scratches, small pimples, burst capillaries, rashes or exzema.
roxy2711
This is very simple and maybe everyone knows about it already, but for sore throat or for a cut in the back of the throat if you gargle warm salt water for 1 minute every 2 hours it works wonders….It also helps the pain and inflamation if you have strep throat and you have to wait a day or 2 to get into the doctor.
roxy2711
You can also use hydrogen peroxide as well (just a capful) but it tastes horrible and makes some people gag.
TheSurvivalMom
This is one of my favorites as well. Our doctors have always recommended gargling with warm salt water. I have no idea why it works, but it almost always does.
Teresa Juarez
I hope no one minds another hint or two.
For tired and sore eyes I have placed used cold tea bags on my eyes (closed first). I keep them in the refreg. so I can just grab one for each eye and lay down. Tea bags take the inflammation out.
Also sliced cucumbers work well on the eyes.
When I have pulled or sore muscles, I apply vapor rub to the area that hurts. It works really well.
Ang
I am also a fan of ginger for stomach ailments, specifically motion sickness. It was amazing for me and my toddler. We used it in essential oil form and often a drop on our wrist would do the trick. We would have never made it through teething without clove oil. Be sure to dilute the clove oil 1drop with 3 drops of a carrier oil (olive).
Cypresscpl
I use natural peppermint tea for upset stomach. I grow peppermint in a window box. Take a handful of mint leaves, wash and boil for 5 minutes. Let cool or add an ice cube to cool quickly. Strain the leaves out, add a teaspoon of sugar and sip slowly. Works every time. Another good remedy is lemon juice, water and honey for sore throat. Mix 1/2 lemon, in warm water, and add honey to taste. Sip slowly and it will soothe a sore throat.
TheSurvivalMom
WOW! This contest brought out the best collection of remedies I've seen in a long time. As luck would have it, I'm dealing with a son who has a cough and sore throat, so I've been looking through your suggestions for help. Thanks EVERYONE for helping produce a valuable resource we can all return to over and over again. Please feel free to add any other remedies you discover.
Rhiannon Mackey
I use Lavender for everything from burns to restlessness.
I have also used Lavender in a salt water gargle for strep throat, works like a charm.
Red Clover Blossom tea for menstrual cramps along with a nice hot bath.
Mint or ginger tea for upset stomach.
My mother in law also says my ginger bread cookies are wonderful when her stomach is upset from her inner ear issues.
TheSurvivalMom
I need to remember to try ginger for my daughter when she goes somewhere with her best friend. I think she has vomited in their beautiful Volvo SUV at least three times! She never gets carsick in our Tahoe, just their vehicle! The last time she went somewhere with them, she packed her own "vomit bags" in her backpack. Poor little thing. Next time I'll give her a slice of ginger to tuck inside her cheek, although she'd prefer homemade gingerbread cookies!
Alisha
thaks, I love what you wrote! i have gained alot.
Nana
I been hesitant to post this because its the strangest of all and very odd, but I know for fact it works. My grandmother used to "tat" (make lace with a small tool). Her fingers would cramp up so bad and become stiff and contorted from arthritis. It was extremely painful for her. She would make a teaspoon full of baking soda and water paste..and swallow it…in 10 minutes be back at her lace. She did this more times than I can remember. Now I have gotten to the "arthritis stage" I may have to test this out one day.