Natural Home Remedies for Minor Ailments

Healthcare has been a hot issue in the realm of politics this year. With 46 million Americans without insurance, another 25 million people who are reportedly underinsured, and a huge bill that passed in Congress it is no wonder that healthcare is on the mind of many.

Obamacare began last Thursday for many; however it could be months before millions of Americans see some sort of relief. To make matters worth, even if there is relief it will still come at a very big cost to tax payers.

So what are people supposed to do to make health care a little more cost effective? Take matters into their own hands. That is to say, for many Americans going to the doctor can something people can increasingly do only when absolutely necessary. In order to do this, people must have knowledge of common illnesses and the home remedies to cure them.

Of course, serious ailments are best left to medical professionals. For example, if you think you are having a heart attack do not hesitate to go to the hospital. However, for most minor ailments there are many natural remedies that will do the trick. These home remedies are not only effective they are also less toxic.

You can research simple treatments for ailments on the internet and books. You can also ask parents and grandparents as they had much less modern medicine and had to come up with home remedies all the time.

Until then, here are some simple and effective remedies to get you started:

Pink Eye: Hold a hot compress on the infected eye for 15-20 minutes several times a day. Then use contact lens solution to wipe the infected eyelid.

Minor Wounds: Soak in salt water. As a native Floridian I can attest to the fact that salt water does the body good. I was also a very clumsy child and my doctor would always tell my mother to take me to the beach.

Minor Burns: Soak in ice cold water and then soy sauce.

Bruises: Treat with witch hazel or caster oil compress.

Even if healthcare becomes more affordable and accessible to all Americans you can still use these natural home remedies to reduce your exposure to toxins. These methods may not be as intricate as the natural remedies concocted by healers in Southeast Asia, but they are most certainly effective.

Sources:

New Urban Habitat
Common Wealth Fund