Home remedies that work

Why go for home remedies

Why bother with home remedies when you can take something off the shelf at the store and be done with it? That in itself may be the best reason of all to ‘mess with’ home remedies. The proven remedies listed here are all natural. Nothing artificial put in your child’s body. Additionally, the home remedy route is…

1.Cheaper-or if you prefer-less expensive. That sounds nicer, doesn’t it.

2. More pleasant for your child. Well, maybe not the gargling part if they’re very young, but overall, home remedies are easier to administer to a child.

3. You’ll have these things readily on hand. You won’t be at a loss for having what you need readily accessible at the drop of a hat.

Grandma knew what she was talking about

Home remedies are all our grandmothers had much of the time. And my theory on that is that if they were good enough for Granny, they’re good enough for me.

Rubbing alcohol for stinky feet

Stinky feet are a thing of the past when wiped down with rubbing alcohol each morning and evening. (You can substitute rubbing alcohol for Vodka as well). Alcohol is antiseptic and drying, so it destroys fungus and bacteria which causes bad odor and dries out the moisture that lets these organisms grow. Apply to feet with clean cotton balls after a shower. Dry thoroughly.

Mouthwash for mouth blisters

Blisters are a bothersome and somewhat painful problem. Dry them up quickly and take away the pain by applying antiseptic mouthwash to the area in your mouth. Do this about 3 times a day until the area dries out. The blister will be gone in a day or two.

Chicken soup for the Flu

Chicken soup really does help stuffy noses and the achiness that comes with a cold or the flu. It acts as an anti-inflammatory by inhibiting the movement of immune system cells that participate in the body's inflammatory response. It also helps to speed up the movement of mucus which possibly helps relieve congestion and limits the amount of time viruses are in contact with the nose lining.

Soap bar for aching legs

When your child complains that their legs are aching or they have cramps, tuck a bar of soap under the fitted sheet at the foot of the bed. I won’t even try to explain why or how this works, but it does. The stiffness and achiness in your child’s legs will disappear. For the curious, some studies have linked this to the fact that soap contains a natural scent molecule that has antispasmodic properties.

Salt for sore throat

Gargle warm salt water to get rid of a sore throat. The salt draws the excess fluid out of the throat which helps to reduce swelling and pain. Teaching your little ones to gargle…that’s something you’ll have to figure out on your own.

Sugar for hiccups

Mary Poppins knew exactly what she was talking about when she said a spoonful of sugar helped. Swallowing a small spoonful of sugar (dry) will put the brakes on hiccups in a hurry. There are two nerves that cause hiccups and sweets overstimulate one of them making it too busy to keep giving you hiccups.

Vapor rub for nail fungus

Vapor rub actually does kill nail fungus. People spend lots of money on pricey meds to do what this age-old ointment does. Rub it on once or twice a day by gently massaging it into the nail. It is is believed that thymol, eucalyptus oil and camphor found in vapor rub helps kill nail fungus.

Duct tape for warts

Warts are viruses. They can spread to other parts of the body. In fact, a wart is usually the result of a virus having spread to that part of the body. To get rid of them, however, applying duct tape to the wart and leaving it on for several days does work. The chemicals in the tape kill the virus without causing harm to your child. This is much MUCH safer than the topical applications or bandages made for the purpose of removing warts. NOTE: Another wart remedy is to rub the inside of a banana peeling on the wart several times a day.

Green olives for nausea

Green olives satiate the queasy feelings or nausea. The tannins in olives calm the salivation that accompanies nausea and you should start feeling better soon. You might try taking a few on the plane or ship to help with motion sickness.

Apples for white teeth

Keep your children’s teeth whiter and cleaner with apple slices. The malic acid in apples whitens teeth and the texture of apples works as a mild abrasive to remove food and plaque from your teeth.

Honey for cough

Honey stops a cough and is much tastier than cough medicines. Honey contains more than 181 different natural substances and its antioxidant and antimicrobial properties may explain why it helpS to relieve children's coughs.

NOTE: Do NOT give honey to a child under the age of 2.

Glue for splinters

Instead of digging for a splinter, apply a few drops of white glue onto the area and let it dry. Once it is dry, peel it off and the splinter will come with it.

Cornstarch for diaper rash

Cornstarch cures diaper rash. Sprinkle it on as you would powder. Be sure to do so in such a way that the baby will not inhale any of the corn starch.

Ice for bee stings

Bee stings and insect bites can be treated quickly and easily with ice, to numb the pain or itching and crushed aspirin made into a paste and applied to the area.

Written by

Darla Noble

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