Home Remedies

This might fit well here, if it doesn't, feel free to delete it.

I thought we could all share home remedies for things with each other. You know, like recipes for homemade facials, skin treatments, body/hand scrubs, or even herbal remedies for slight illnesses.

However, this thread should definitely not be a substitute for sound medical care, if someone is very sick, and no one here is guarantying that their remedies will work for everyone.

Hopefully this won't get deleted and we'll be able to share our remedies. I'll check back on it and, if it's still up, add one of my recipes for an easy homemade facial.

Oooh, I hope this doesn't get deleted, it's a really cool idea for a thread. I don't have that many to suggest, myself, but I'd love to hear other people's :)

well if you have a cold and a bad cough you can try coke(the soda of course) with ginger.

you boil the coke with pieces of ginger in it,and then drink it like a tea.It really helps.
and i know more just let me figure out how to say the ingredients in english and ill post them.

well if you have a cold and a bad cough you can try coke(the soda of course) with ginger.

you boil the coke with pieces of ginger in it,and then drink it like a tea.It really helps.
and i know more just let me figure out how to say the ingredients in english and ill post them.

Really? I've never heard of that. I'll have to try it - I often get bad coughs with my frequent colds in the winter.

Something that really helps any kind of upset stomach (except the throwing-up flu kind) is peppermint tea, or any kind of peppermint, really, but tea is the best. I'm pretty sure just about everyone knows that, but anyway...

Nope ,thats new to me ,here in guatemala for an upset stomach we drink chamomile tea,with something we call ...pericon,but i havent figured out how you say that in English.

ill let you know...so if you dont have pepermint you could try this..

you boil the coke with pieces of ginger in it,and then drink it like a tea.It really helps.
and i know more just let me figure out how to say the ingredients in english and ill post them.
This is a good idea, I will have to try it and see if it works :)

Something that really helps any kind of upset stomach (except the throwing-up flu kind) is peppermint tea, or any kind of peppermint, really, but tea is the best. I'm pretty sure just about everyone knows that, but anyway...
:agree: I drink Peppermint tea when I have a nauseous stomach. (Which is all the time because I am in the early stages of pregnancy :lol:)

,here in guatemala
:love: I love Guatemala! I was there for a week a couple years ago and fell in love with the country!

A teaspoon of salt mixed with warm watter and gargled can help a soar throat. It is kind of gross, but it really helps.

I also read that if you put pure lemon juice in your hair and chill outside everyday for awhile in the summer your hair will lighten. (I have no idea if this is true though :lol:)

well if you have a cold and a bad cough you can try coke(the soda of course) with ginger.

you boil the coke with pieces of ginger in it,and then drink it like a tea.It really helps.
and i know more just let me figure out how to say the ingredients in english and ill post them.

wow, does that really work? *is awestruck*

I hope this doesn't get deleted, but it might get moved. it's such a cool idea. i dont really have any ideas for remedies though, :lol:. I barely tell my mom if i have like a sore throat or a small cold. i usually get better in a week or so and i know all the medicine, so i've never had the need.

:agree: I drink Peppermint tea when I have a nauseous stomach. (Which is all the time because I am in the early stages of pregnancy :lol:)

Oooh, congratulations!! I only said the thing about not drinking it after throwing up, because I did that a while ago, and.... well, I'm sure you don't want to know the details, but let's just say it didn't stay down.

I also read that if you put pure lemon juice in your hair and chill outside everyday for awhile in the summer your hair will lighten. (I have no idea if this is true though :lol:)


It is true! My friends and I tried it last year... I couldn't tell if it worked on me, since I already have blonde hair which lightens quickly in the sun, but my friend's hair (which is dark brown) had noticeable highlights in it after two days. :D

Something else I just thought of: olive oil apparently is good for a sunburn, if you rub it in gently after you're out of the sun for the day. I'm not sure *how* great it is, since I don't get burned that easily or often, but the times I've tried it, it has helped. (And it's something easier to find than most other sunburn remedies)

Something else I just thought of: olive oil apparently is good for a sunburn, if you rub it in gently after you're out of the sun for the day. I'm not sure *how* great it is, since I don't get burned that easily or often, but the times I've tried it, it has helped. (And it's something easier to find than most other sunburn remedies)
Another thing that is good on sunburns is conditioner. We always used to use this when we were little kids and got burnt at amusement parks and such. We've basically converted to Aveeno now, but if I find myself lacking a lotion, I will still use the conditioner.

My sister's always her own face masks! I don't know how wel they work, she's always got really smooth skin but that might just be natural. She makes them out of avocadoes and oats I think, just mashes them together. It doesn't smell very nice though :S
Another really good home remedy is a hot ginger bath if you've got a cold or are feeling a bit groggy with the cold weather. My mum used to run them for me when I was younger, and I think I've got the instructions for it somewhere.

Something else I just thought of: olive oil apparently is good for a sunburn, if you rub it in gently after you're out of the sun for the day. I'm not sure *how* great it is, since I don't get burned that easily or often, but the times I've tried it, it has helped. (And it's something easier to find than most other sunburn remedies)
My Grandma who used to own her own health and natural foods store, used to put us kids in an Apple Cider Vinger bath or just rubb it on our sunburn, it takes the sting out and helps to not peel! :D

When I used to get stung by a bee my mom would mix baking soda and water until it was a smooth paste and put it on the sting. Then I would have to walk around until it cracked off. This helped to get the stinger out from the bee and helped the sting.

My Grandma who used to own her own health and natural foods store, used to put us kids in an Apple Cider Vinger bath or just rubb it on our sunburn, it takes the sting out and helps to not peel! :D

When I used to get stung by a bee my mom would mix baking soda and water until it was a smooth paste and put it on the sting. Then I would have to walk around until it cracked off. This helped to get the stinger out from the bee and helped the sting.

The Apple Cider Vinegar thing worked for you? And it helped stop peeling?
I may have to try that! No matter how much sunscreen I wear, I burn...it always turns brown in a couple of days, but after about two weeks will start to peel. And then I'm left with my regular skin color all over again. Do you just put in on the burn, or do you have to dilute it or anything??

My mom did the baking soda thing too...only, she did it for my little neighbor who got stung. I've only ever been stung by a bee once when I was like 2, which is good for me, because my dad is deathly allergic to bees and may have passed that onto me...I hear it's genetic.

A basic Cleanser for all skin types:
1 teaspoon Yogurt
1/2 teaspoon Honey
Mix together in a small cup and massage all over face. Rinse and remove with warm water and a washcloth.
The lactic acid in yogurt is ideal for skin and Honey is the only food in nature that bacteria doesn't grow in. Honey is beneficial for antibacterial cleansing.

Cream of Wheat Body Scrub (safe for all skin types):
Mix 1/2 Cup regular Cream of Wheat (non instant) with 1 egg white and 1/4 Cup vegetable oil. Rub all over arms, legs, and torso. Rinse in the shower. Do not mix this recipe ahead of time, or the cereal will become too soft to be effective. Apply a moisturizer and enjoy your silky skin!

Banana/Honey Firming Mask for aging skin (safe for all skin types):
Smash up half of a ripe banana and add a teaspoon of honey. Apply a thick coating all over your face and neck. Leave it on until it is completely dry...you'll feel a tightening sensation. Remove with warm water and a washcloth. Follow with a toner and moisturizer.

That's all for now, I have tons from recipes and books from friends! I'll try some out and let you know which I liked best.

for an upset stomach with ummm too many visits to the bathroom you can try to drink ash water

how
you collect the ashes of a burned coal

ou add them to water,
then you drain,im not sure this is the correct word,what i mean is you take away the ashes,from the water
you add lemon juice and you drink it
my great grandama used this on all her daughters and it has been passed on for generation s on in my family,it works!!!

for an upset stomach with ummm too many visits to the bathroom you can try to drink ash water

how
you collect the ashes of a burned coal

ou add them to water,
then you drain,im not sure this is the correct word,what i mean is you take away the ashes,from the water
you add lemon juice and you drink it
my great grandama used this on all her daughters and it has been passed on for generation s on in my family,it works!!!

O_O Really?? 'cause I'm almost positive that that - running water over ashes - is the way "lye" is made (Lye is the stuff that soap used to be made out of [Or maybe it still is, I'm not sure]). Pure lye is a very strongly caustic substance, and I wouldn't think it would be something you'd want inside you...
Maybe somehow the very strength of the solution is what makes it a good cure for diarrhea, but it seems very strange to me.

well i didnt know about that,but in my family people have been drinking it for years...an it has really worked...but ...someof this remedies...might be risky,people ages ago didnt know this,and this thing,remedie is old,very old,vey popluar when people didnt have stoves andused cola to warm up meals...so ,if like you say ,lye is made with this,lets not risk trying it.forget iever mentioned it,and ill sure tell folks her about this..

thanks!!

If it's caustic that means it's an alkali. And adding lemon juice (which has citric acid) would neutralize the alkali...so I don't think it'd be harmful.
By the way, does anyone have home remedies for dandruff? The thing is my mother has effectively scared me out of using any hair products since she told me that she lost a lot of hair when she tried them in her youth. Now I have no other option but home remedies.

Sorry , no dandruff remedy . But I do have a home made zit cream . When you clean rice (rice that isn't precleaned) for cooking , keep the dirty rice water. You have to wait a long time for the rice water to get creamlike . After it gets like that, put it in your face for at least 30 minutes. Then wash it off with warm water. It is very simple to do. But in order for it to work you have to do it every day. I hope it works

We Indians seem to have home remedies for pretty much everything, so here I go!

1. Puffy eyes: Cucumbers, of course. They hydrate your eyes, and relieve soreness. Do NOT dab at your eyes with the same handkerchief, it just raises the risk of infection; use disposable tissues. For those dark circles that never seem to go away, dab a little rosewater around your eyes before going to sleep.

2. Toothache: My grandmother always said that clove oil is best thing for a toothache. Dab a little of the stuff on the offending tooth and the area surrounding it, preferably before you go to sleep so that it stays for a while. Oh, and I might warn you that this tastes worse than Aunt Trixie's tuna-and-banana pudding.

3. Bad tummy: I have no idea what the English word for this stuff is, so I'll just tell you how we make it. You take some yogurt (plain, obviously) and add enough water to it and stir till you have a relatively watery, lumpy liquid-goo thing (doesn't it sound appetizing already?). Add salt so it tastes a little better, and enough turmeric to turn it orange-yellow. Add some curry leaves if you like, and then boil the stuff over a low flame for about 6 or 7 minutes. Pinch your nose and gulp it down, it'll settle your stomach in no time.

4. Mouth ulcers: Vitamin B complex is the way to go, so if you can't get your hands on those little capsules, try gorging on sprouts, unpolished rice and yeasty food. Sprouts are especially high in this particular vitamin, so eat as much of them as you can stomach.

5. Chapped lips: Butter. Smear on as much as you can right before you go to bed, and your lips will be practically perfect the next morning. Even if you don't have particularly chapped lips, butter makes them softer, a bit redder, and gives the illusion of a pout. Olive oil is pretty good too.

okaii my friend was taking a cosmetics course and she was telling me something about.. well i cant really remember wut she said but it waas something about salt in ur hair... so u should add mouthwash in ur hair. a lid full to help ur hair.

also i read in some magazine to use mayo in ur hair as a conditionar. i dunno if u should try that i donnu how itll work out :lol:

and yeah like junika3 said, oil on chapped lips

I don't know that many home remedies for things but here's how to make a face mask for dry skin:

Get 1/2 of an avocado and a 1/4 cup of honey.
Put the avocado in a bowl and mash it all up. Add the honey and stir it in until it's one mixture.
Apply to skin on face like a facemask.
Leave for ten minutes.
Rinse off with cold water.
:)

I love making face masks and stuff from stratch, it doesn't always work but it's good fun.

For blackheads(which I absolutly hate!!)just put regular white glue on your nose or wherever the black heads are. Wait untill it drys and then it'll peal right off. I haven't done it yet, but my mom has and she said it works.

For blackheads(which I absolutly hate!!)just put regular white glue on your nose or wherever the black heads are. Wait untill it drys and then it'll peal right off. I haven't done it yet, but my mom has and she said it works.

Wow, I didn't know that. I might try it one day instead of paying a fortune for them sticker things that don't even work.

Are you serious?!!?!?!!??!?! OMG i didd't know that!

thanks soo much!!! I'm trying it soon!

Agreed sunshinehannah! :lol:

Making face-masks from scratch is fun, but I've always had this paranoid fear aboutthem being toxic, or causing some major skin disease or something.

Thanks for the sunburn tip !

I don't really have any but I've read lots of stuff about adding vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice ... to shampoo to make it shiny (mostly).

A teaspoon of salt mixed with warm watter and gargled can help a soar throat. It is kind of gross, but it really helps.

He or she is right! It does help alot! But my dad puts black pepper in it as well!

Baking soda is a must in my bathroom.

1)Brush your teeth a couple times a week with baking soda (or everyday like me :p) to help whiten teeth and freshen breath. This is especially important if you drink a lot of pop. It will neutralize any acid left in your mouth that wears at teeth. Personally I started using Baking soda exclusively 6 months ago in place of toothpaste and even my dentist has said my teeth are 7 shades whiter and any receding gums I had are now back to normal.

2) add a teaspoon to your shampoo if you feel like you have to much product in your hair and just cant get it washed out

3)For bug bites make a paste of baking soda and water. It really helps

4) sprinkle some in your tub and pour a cup down the drain and it will keep the pipes squeaky clean

Those are only a few of the things I use the almighty baking soda for. It's cheap and can be used for so many things. It is the true multi tasking agent.

Great thread idea! :] If anyone has tips for getting rid of darck circles let me know! :] Thanks!

Great thread idea! :] If anyone has tips for getting rid of darck circles let me know! :] Thanks!

Get some green tea. Once you make a cup, let the tea bag cool right down. Sit the tea bag on your dark circles for 10 minutes, and wa-lah - dark circles are gone. Good luck! (I do this all the time, it does work!)

I hav a great recipe for a hair conditioning treatment. Mix 1/4 of a cup of olive oil (I suggest using a little less if you have short hair) with a few drops of lavender essential oil. Apply to wet hair before shampooing and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Shampoo and condition your hair as normal afterwards.

I've tried this, and it really works. Doesn't smell half bad with the lavender oil either. :D

I read some where that when you are having an upset stomach you drink ginger ale, eat a little bit of rice with some rice water, and eat yogurt with probiotics. I think it works. Also for pimples put a hot washcloth on it then after five minutes press down slightly and wipe down then just rinse your face all over with really cold water. You might need to do it a few times but it works.