Natural Remedies

Next time you have an ache or pain, forget about a costly trip to the drugstore and try some of your grandmother’s home remedies instead. It’ll save money and be gentler on your body and the environment.

• Indigestion and Heartburn - The belching, bloat and heartburn caused by indigestion come about because you don’t have enough stomach acid to do the job right. A spoonful or two of apple cider vinegar will help break down the excess food that is causing you trouble and bring your stomach back to balance.

• Sore Throat - You can relieve the pain by gargling with warm salt water a few times a day and then drinking a soothing honey-lemon tea.

• Sore Muscles & Bruises - The humble arnica flower makes an incredible cream that no medicine cabinet should be without. Use it immediately to speed up the healing of bruises, sprains, sore muscles and other general aches.

• Minor Bleeding - You’d think it would burn, but a sprinkle of cayenne pepper on a cut will quickly stop the bleeding and actually relieve the pain.

• Earache - if you feel like your infection is mild and at the beginning stages, put a few drops of garlic oil or white vinegar into your ear canal and lay down on the opposite side to let those drops do their work.

• Burns - Rinse first with cold water, but then immediately apply aloe vera gel to the burn. For those of us who don’t have aloe in the house, slice a potato and rub its cool, soothing juices all over the burn. And honey, with its antibacterial properties, is also good topical ointment.

• Allergies - Before you head for the strong stuff, try green tea, which contains compounds with antihistamine properties. You’ll need to drink 2-3 cups a day to get the full effect.

• Headache - Try rubbing peppermint or lavender oil on your temples and the base of your neck; sniffing these oils may also help. Rub a fresh cut lemon or lime on your forehead, and feverfew is also a good herbal remedy for headaches.

• Dandruff - Many people swear by rubbing aloe vera gel onto the scalp (leave it on for 20 minutes than rinse it out). This will certainly help with dry, itchy scalp. Another remedy is a rinse with apple cider vinegar. Try these remedies a few times before deciding if they work for you.

• Nausea - The classic cure for nausea or carsickness is ginger tea or candied ginger. You can chew on the stuff raw, if you like, but it’s so spicy and strong it might just make you feel worse. Sniffing real peppermint or lavender oil can also help.

• Toothache - In order to reduce swelling and pain while you wait for your dentist appointment, try putting a few drops of clove oil on your tooth and gums, and bite down on a smashed piece of garlic (which has excellent antibacterial properties).

For more home remedies, check out www.home-remedies-for-you.com or www.grannymed.com.

How Green is Your Kitchen?

Both the planet and your health can benefit from having an eco-friendly kitchen area.  Experts from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, the EPA, and others offer these simple ways to green up:

1. Set your dishwasher to air dry. Better yet, install a dish-drawer, which is more efficient for smaller loads.

2. Save your leftovers. This not only keeps you from wasting food, but also saves the energy it would take to prepare a new meal.



3. Reduce your trash. When you’re truly finished with a meal, compost the scraps.  Visit howtocompost.org for tips.  Composting not only keeps waste out of landfills, but can also lessen the amount of pollutants created there.

4. Retire your oven. Instead use smaller, more energy efficient appliances whenever possible.

5. Work in the sun. Daylight is the best light, and it’s also free. Do your prep work by a window if you can.

6. Get a good fit. Heat is wasted when you cook on a burner that’s larger than your pan.

7. Cook on ‘off.’  You can turn off the oven or stovetop up to five minutes before the timer dings.  There will be plenty of heat built up to complete the job.