Going to a doctor with an ailment often results in coming home with a carrier bag full of medication.
They will almost certainly cure the problem, but many have side effects or at least are chemical-based which means that your liver will have to work overtime to eliminate these substances from your body.
We all want quick results so popping a pill is the fastest way to get the desired result, but there are some natural, almost miraculous, remedies, often found in the kitchen cupboard. Others can be bought from a chemist or online.
1. Bicarbonate of soda: Or baking soda, this common pantry item has many uses as an alternative remedy. My mother always used this as an antacid with great effect. It’s excellent for oral hygiene too as it can be made into a paste and used to clean your teeth or disolved in a glass of water and used as a mouthwash to neutralise bad breath.
2. Turmeric: Not only good in curries, this is almost a miracle cure for anything from milk, known in Ayurvedic medicine as Golden Milk. It cured an upper respiratory nagging viral infection when all else failed. For a sore throat, boil a teaspoon of turmeric in a couple of cups of water, strain and use it as a gargle. Mix turmeric powder with sesame seed oil for an alternative to steroid creams to treat eczema.
3. Honey: I know many people who swear by a spoonful of honey each day as an alternative to ant-ihistamines. It can soothe a sore throat and heal a cough. Make a tea with honey and lemon to sip throughout the day – the lemon provides much-needed vitamin C to boost your immune system. Because of the anticeptic and healing qualities of honey, it can be a useful remedy for minor burns, but ensure that the area is cooled first, generally by holding the area under cold water for 10 minutes.
4. Mint: Another multitasker, often found growing in the garden and is easy enough to grow in pots on the balcony. Add a handful of leaves to boiling water and inhale to clear the sinuses. As a tea, it can aid digestion. A friend used to put a couple of drops of mint oil on the back of her wrist and sniff it whenever she felt fatigued during her daily commute home as it is a stimulant. Massaging some mint or peppermint oil into your forehead can soothe headaches and migraines. Freeze a cup of water containing two drops of peppermint oil to use on aching muscles to soothe and reduce inflammation.
5. Euphrasia: Also known as Eyebright. I have used this with miraculous results for allergic conjunctivitis, probably the most common eye problem here in the UAE. The first time was years ago in the form of an eyewash from a homeopathist and then this year, a client gave me a pack of eyedrops. Steroid eyedrops, sold over the counter here, should be avoided at all costs unless for a very short period under a doctor’s supervision.
6. Arnica: Nothing makes a bruise disappear more quickly. Many years ago, I had a small persistent bruise on my cheek: it virtually disappeared over night with a dab of arnica cream.
