Posted on: 12.08.2015.
Author: Ana G
As mothers, we are guardians of our family’s health. We are often called upon to be a nurse for everything from skinned knees to upset stomachs. We prepare for emergencies by stocking our medicine cabinets with over-the-counter remedies to the point they begin to look like small pharmacies.
You may not realize it, but you probably have some powerful natural home remedies lurking in your kitchen cupboard or under your sink right now.
Many of these remedies have been popular for centuries. Your mother or grandmother may have even used them when you were a child. These natural solutions to everyday illnesses and injuries have remained popular because they work, are readily available and inexpensive.
Here are five of our favorite natural home health remedies you should consider adding to your medicine cabinet.
Alternative names: striped alder, spotted alder, winter-bloom, snapping hazelnut
The term “witch” is believed to refer to the Middle English word wych, the Anglo-Saxon wice and Teutonic wik, meaning weak or pliable. The branches of the witch hazel shrub are very bendable and were used by early settlers for locating underground sources of water, a practice known as water witching.
Witch hazel is a tree or shrub typically growing five to 15 feet high but can reach heights of over 20 feet. The shrub has gray bark and oval leaves about three to five inches long. Witch hazel produces yellow flowers during the autumn. The flowers develop into woody pods that mature and burst open the following summer.
Native Americans were among the first to recognize the health benefits of witch hazel. The shrub's leaves and bark have natural astringent properties because they contain high levels of tannins. Witch hazel also contains gallic acid known to have antiviral and antifungal benefits. Witch hazel is best known as a facial cleanser and toner, but it is also reputed to help with numerous ailments ranging from skin conditions to dysentery.
Health benefits of witch hazel:
Alternative names: bread soda, bicarbonate of soda, sodium bicarbonate, cooking soda
In its natural mineral form, baking soda is called nahcolite. Natural baking soda is a crystalline, white solid, but you are probably more familiar with it as the fine powder used as leavening in baked goods. Baking soda has the chemical formula NaHCO3.
Baking soda has long been used as a natural cleaning agent. It can be added to laundry to remove odor, added to dishwater to remove coffee stains and turned into a paste to polish silver.
Health benefits of baking soda:
It is important to note that the health benefits mentioned here apply only to baking soda, which should not be confused with baking powder. Baking powder is a different substance and does not share the same health benefits. You should also make sure to only use pure sodium bicarbonate.
Alternative names: ACV, cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is made by double fermenting apple juice. The liquid turns into alcohol during the first fermentation. Acid-producing bacteria are added during the second fermentation to convert the alcohol into vinegar. ACV is usually pale to medium amber in color.
ACV is used in a broad range of household and cooking purposes. You can use it to clean your windows as well as use it in a salad dressing for dinner. ACV was even used for medicinal purposes as an antiseptic over two thousand years ago.
As an ancient folk remedy, ACV was used to treat a variety of ailments including warts and the flu. It is likely your grandmother may have even used vinegar to treat issues such as nail fungus, ear infections and muscle cramps.
Health benefits of apple cider vinegar:
Alternative names: lavender flower oil, lavender spike oil
This essential oil comes from distilling lavender flowers. Lavender oil contains a number of phytochemicals including linalool and linalyl acetate. The lavender fragrance has a calming effect physically and emotionally.
Lavender oil has been used for thousands of years for bathing, perfumes, and religious ceremonies. Lavender was used as a paint solvent before the use of turpentine. You can even find lavender in dishes at some of the world’s finest restaurants.
Health benefits of lavender oil:
Shea butter is a fat found in the nut of the African shea tree. The butter is extracted through a process of crushing, roasting, grinding and boiling the nuts. Unrefined shea butter is a buttery, pale yellow color. The butter becomes white as it is refined. Shea butter also has a distinct scent similar to cocoa butter.
Raw or unrefined shea butter is considered a "superfood" for the skin since it contains essential fatty acids, vitamin A, and vitamin E.
Records show that shea butter was used for cosmetic purposes as far back as Cleopatra. The butter melts at body temperature and absorbs into the skin very quickly. Shea butter does not leave a greasy residue and does not clog pores. Today, shea butter is often found in lip glosses, hair conditioners, and moisturizers. Shea butter is also a common ingredient in candles and soaps. In Africa, shea butter is used in cooking, as well as to protect skin and hair from the sun.
Health benefits of shea butter:
A well-stocked medicine cabinet should include natural remedies alongside the Band-Aids and cough syrup. The items mentioned here are by no means all of the natural home remedies available; however, they are perhaps the most effective and most versatile ones. You should consider natural remedies another weapon in your arsenal as you work to ensure the health and safety of your family.
