Home Remedies

Can’t wait for a wart to go away on its own? Try rubbing it with lime juice or the inside of a banana peel. Or tape a penny over it. So go the home remedies that some people swear by Doctors don’t endorse such treatments. However, herbal remedies and alternative medicines have long been used throughout the world. Herbs—many from the Middle East—represent the original sources of many drugs.

When in doubt, consult your doctor. But people will tell you that you can find relief in your own pantry with preparations that were passed from mother to daughter.

Here’s a sampling to consider.

Facial Rejuvenation

Bring a fresh look to your face with at-home aromatherapy. Boil water and place in a deep open bowl. Position your face six inches above the water and cover your head with a towel to trap the moisture and steam. Once your face is flushed and the steam has dissipated, mist face with cool water. This process fully opens and closes your pores for added cleanliness and refreshes the elasticity of your skin to avoid wrinkles. Continue the rejuvenation by lying down with relaxing music and placing thinly sliced cucumber rounds over your eyes. After a while, remove the cucumber and treat your entire face by placing a washcloth, lightly soaked in whole milk over your forehead, eyes and cheeks. Rinse face with warm water and moisturize with lotion. Your skin will thank you afterward!

Minor Cuts

If you have a minor cut, you can stop the bleeding quickly with precooked coffee grounds. Place the grounds directly on the wound and once the bleeding stops, switch to natural vitamin E (d-alpha tocopherol) to speed the healing. (Simply prick a vitamin E capsule with a sterile needle and squeeze the oil onto your cut.)

Flesh Bumps

As soon as you bump your face, thigh or other body part or notice a swelling or discoloration, place a slice of raw potato at the center. The potato shrinks inflammation and increases circulation to flush away the stagnant blood that turns skin black and blue.

Eye Pain

To revitalize tired eyes, treat yourself to a soothing chamomile compress. The chamomile soaks through your eyelids, soothing eye tissue and reducing swelling in the capillaries. Apply for 20 minutes.

Skin Care

For legs that everyone is sure to notice, apply olive oil and rub in deeply.

Headaches

Dull a headache by massaging a few drops of peppermint oil (Mentha piperita) into your temples or place a mint tea compress over your eyes. The mint works as well as the main ingredient in aspirin and prevents your body from sending pain signals to your central nervous system. Some find long-term relief from headaches by eating two teaspoons of honey at each meal.Internal Cleansing The sweetness of your breath may suffer, but eating a plate of curried sauteed onions on rice can really loosen congestion in your chest. Lightly sauté two onions, sliced, and at least one teaspoon of curry powder in two tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil until the onions are soft. Onions contain quercetin and sulfur, two plant compounds that break up mucus and increase circulation. Of course, you can avoid a cold altogether by eating a sliced and cubed lemon, peel on, with a pinch of salt once a week.

Dizziness

A common kitchen spice can stop a case of the spins. Drop a pinch of cayenne into a glass of warm water and sip. The warmth of the water and the heat of the cayenne cause your body to pump more blood and oxygen to your brain, which makes you feel clearheaded and steady.

How did these home remedies travel to the United States?

The early British colonies led their maritime expeditions to the Mediterranean, stretching from Gibraltar to the Levantine and Anatolian coasts. This was one of the few regions not already dominated by one of Europe’s mercantile empires. Here enterprising colonists could sell New World items like lumber, tobacco and tools for delicacies such as capers, figs and raisins. An especially brisk business surrounded the exchange of New England rum for Middle Eastern spices and herbs. While many traders considered silver, gold or precious jewels their most valuable acquisitions, others claimed that spices, destined to be ground up for home remedies, were the real prize.