Simple Remedies

Dealing with Discomfort or Early Signs of Infection with Natural Remedies

Before a condition worsens into an infection requiring antibiotics, there are a number of easy, natural remedies you can use to lessen and often eliminate a condition.  

Colds ~

Sore Throats  - gargling with a few teaspoons of natural apple cider vinegar  in a glass of water, may hasten recovery from a sore throat. Gargling or holding water in your throat, with a dissolved aspirin in it, will do the same for a raw throat by coating the throat for speedy recovery – if you don’t object to aspirin. Vitamin C with Zinc lozenges are also available to speed healing. Irritable coughs can be soothed with Buckley’s cough syrup or in a pinch, mixing ginger powder into a bit of honey to take in small amounts can reduce coughing.

Prior to reaching the point of this discomfort, ingesting bee products, known for their antimicrobial properties, is well-worth considering. More on the the subject of bee products will be found in the top menu bar of the health journal under Bee Products. 

Congestion – 2 to 3 drops of eucalyptus essential oil, or a mix of 1 drop of thyme, 2 drops of eucalyptus and 2 of either Cypress, Lemongrass, Bergamot or Silver Fir added to a bath or inhaled over a bowl of hot water with your head covered  with a towel to contain vapours, will open nasal passages to reach the sinuses.  A purifying room spray can be made with a similar blend.  Use of a humidifier or cool mister during winter months of dry air can provide much relief for congestion, sinus pressure and colds.

Toenails:

Yellowish toenails, if not from using a nail polish without applying a good base coat first, usually indicate a fungal infection. If your toenail has a crack or small split that is not healing, this can also indicate fungal infection.  Nightly footbaths using 1 cup of natural apple cider vinegar from a health food store and ½ cup baking soda will purify the feet, and applying 1 drop of oregano oil under or around the nail over the course of two to three weeks, will usually clear the condition.  Tea tree essential oil is often used, but when unsuccessful – oregano oil is a powerful option.  Another anti-fungal foot bath is using 1 cup apple cider vinegar and ¼ cup borax in the foot soak, followed by the 1 drop of oregano oil. If you have a persistent foot fungus condition, dealing with it systemically is your best solution. The easiest route is to take aloe vera gel on a regular basis because of its anti-fungal properties, or see a health practitioner.

Ears

A drop or two of colloidal silver, said to eliminate 650 pathogens, will usually help an achy or tender ear.  Another option is a couple drops of garlic oil in a small amount of olive oil, warmed to room temperature before putting in your ear. Check warmth by touching  to your upper lip before dropping warmed oil to your ear. Sinking under the tub water when soaking with 1 cup of apple cider vinegar added to the water is also purifying for your ears.

Eyes

A drop of Collodial silver is a painless and safe alternative for an itchy eye that might become inflamed.

Skin rashes

Oatmeal baths are a traditional remedy for irritated skin. Pharmacies usually have oatmeal bath products available. If not in proximity to a store, baking soda baths have long been a remedy to relieve itching  or rashes.  A few tablespoons of oatmeal  in cheesecloth or a sox left under the running tub water will also release the soothing properties that help irritated skin, although messier than buying a package from the drug stores. Natural apple cider vinegar baths, using 1 cup, are also excellent to purify and heal skin conditions.  Topical applications of aloe based creams or gel have long been used for skin improvement. The Forever Living products on this site include a skin cream based on aloe vera and  bee propolis or the aloe gelly.

Essential oil of Chamomile has long been known as very soothing and healing for inflamed skin. If unavailable, steeping Chamomile teabags to add to tub water or for bathing the face is a good alternative in a pinch.

Poison Ivy or Poison Oak rashes

The native remedy for poison ivy contact or skin rash is a wash made from Jewelweed,  another wildflower usually growing near poison ivy.  A search on the internet will bring up sites providing tinctures or other jewelweed products if you are not familiar with an area growing this plant. Otherwise, gently simmering Jewelweed blossoms and/or leaves in a covered enamel or glass pot of warm water will steep it into a soothing wash for a poison ivy antidote.    

The poison oak antidote is mugwort, also found growing nearby the poison oak plant. If hiking and you touch either of these, grab fistfuls of the antidote plants and rub into your skin, followed by rinsing with water, as a temporary measure.  The brand TECNU is an outdoor skin cleanser designed to clean and decontaminate clothing and skin after exposure to poison oak, poison ivy and sumac, a good option for hikers to carry in their backpack.

Yeast Infections

Sugar feeds yeast, a fungal infection, and kefir is a strong opposition to help rebalance your system – when you’re not drinking aloe vera daily!  When kefir is unavailable, ingesting plain organic yogurt provides some help as well as topical application if necessary.  When travelling and having an unexpected occurence, 1 drop of tea tree oil in 1 to 2 tsp of carrier oil can be applied to a tampon for some relief as long as you take care to use only 1 drop of tea tree essential oil.  Bathing in 1 – 1½ cups of apple cider vinegar is another helpful option.  Drinking aloe vera gel or juice on a regular basis will clear this condition because of its antifungal properties, if your sugar intake is reduced or eliminated until the body rebalances to not crave excessive amounts.

Splinters

Soaking a tiny piece of bread in milk and applying to the splinter with a bandaid, will draw the splinter out in a hour or so to allow easy removal with gently squeezing the area. This can also be done with a piece of tomato.

Stings

Using some of your clay mask over the sting reduces it somewhat by drawing out residuals and the stinger that is often left behind.  Later, when washed off, Aloe vera gel will soothe the area.

Sprains

A cold application with a gel pack or even a towel, slightly frozen, wrapped around the strained or sprained injury does much to reduce swelling and accelerate healing. The power of a ‘cold flush’ happens when you remove the cold, when the blood rushes in to warm up the tissue, and in this action also flushes wastes from the area.