How Countries Around the World Repurpose Common Items for Home Remedies

No matter where you live or what nationality you are your family probably has some type of home remedy they swear by. Many home remedies are made from using common everyday items found in your home. Home remedies allow you to recycle household items to cure ailments. Different countries may have natural home remedies you have never hear of. Here are some ways people in countries around the world repurpose common items to treat ailments like burns, sore throats, acne and upset stomach. As always use caution when administering a home remedy, and be sure to seek medical treatment for serious ailments or one's that do not heal quickly with home cures.

Acne - In the northeast African nation of Eritrea women use a facial mask of everyday foods as a treatment for acne. They use avocado, honey, egg yolks to get rid of blemishes. Avocado helps moisturize the skin, honey kills bacteria, that causes acne and eggs are high in retinol and vitamin A, which can help heal the skin. If you have oily skin substitute egg whites for the yolks, and be sure the eggs are pasteurized for safety. The yolk which is high in fat is good for dry skin. One of the tastiest home remedies you mix one avocado, the egg suited for your skin type, and about one tablespoon of honey. Apply to your face for 5 to 10 minutes weekly, or when you have an outbreak.

Body Odor - In the country of Italy to treat the ailment of body odor they use common baking soda. You rub water into a few tablespoons of baking soda to make a paste, then apply to your armpits for 5 minutes, then rinse. The sodium bicarbonate in the baking soda acts like a magnet and absorbs odors.

Chapped Lips - In middle eastern countries they repurpose foods like lemon juice and sugar to treat chapped lips. Their home made remedy includes the juice of half of a lemon and a teaspoon of sugar mixed, then you leave on your lips for two minutes. Rinse it off with water and then apply a little glycerin, found at most health food stores, to seal in the moisture. You can use Vaseline if you do not have any glycerin. The lemon juice contains vitamin C, which is an exfoliate. The sugar creates a barrier on the lips to help speed the healing of the chapped lips. Be aware though that frequent chapped lips can be a sign of serious health problems so be sure to see a doctor is this is a constant problem.

Minor Burns - Some areas of Mexico use everyday foods like tomato and honey to treat minor burns. To make these home remedies they simply mash a tomato and apply to the minor burn and cover with bandages. Use of this common food is thought to help prevent scarring since it has vitamins A and C. Another home remedy is to spread honey once a day on the minor burn to prevent infection. Of course if the burn is severe be sure to seek immediate medical treatment.

Muscle Aches - Latin American countries repurpose the spice cayenne to treat muscle aches. Cayenne contains capsaicin, which over stimulates the nerves which decrease their ability to carry pain signals. One of the most popular of the home remedies you can find cayenne capsules at your local natural food store. Or you can find it in a cream. You may feel slight burning or itching the first few times you use the cream, but it should subside in short time.

Nasal Congestion - The next on my list of home remedies from countries around the world is from Russia. To treat nasal congestion they repurpose food items: in a bowl they mix the juice of one clove of garlic, a half teaspoon of honey, and the insides squeezed from one aloe Vera leaf. They soak two cotton balls in the mixture and insert them loosely into the nostrils for about 5 minutes. Garlic and honey are both antibacterial, and the aloe soothes the sore nasal tissues. One word of warning be prepared for the garlic, this common item when juiced has a very powerful scent.

Sore Throats - In the country of Ukraine many people use a glass of hot water mixed with a tablespoon of honey and one of vinegar. They gargle with this home remedy every two hours for a sore throat. The mixture does not taste very good but they believe in it. Honey is an anti-inflammatory, and the vinegar helps to clear the nasal secretions and restore your ph balance.

Upset Stomach - One of the most common ailments people use home remedies for, you can repurpose certain kinds of tea to help soothe an upset stomach. To treat this common ailment in Hungary they alternate chamomile and peppermint tea about every hoursipping a little at a time until you feel better. Chamomile tea has an active ingredient that is believed to relax stomach muscles, cramping an abdominal pain. The menthol in the peppermint tea helps with relaxation and has pain-killing properties.

As with any home remedies be sure to be aware of any side effects or possible reactions before you try them, and be sure they are appropriate for the severity of your ailment. Also if you do not see any improvement after using one of these natural treatments from countries around the world be sure to seek medical treatment. Next time you are ill you might want to try one, many do have success repurposing the common everyday items in these home remedies to treat minor ailments from all over the world.

Sources:

"The World's Cure" Better Homes and Gardens, Nov 2009; 229-235