Thursday, July 16, 2009

Home remedies

Ever since last weekend, when my mum's special cold 'n' flu remedy backfired on me so horribly, I've had to take stock of all the other "mum's own" type of health wisdom that I've grown up with.

Like :
  • don't wash your hair when it's that time of the month
  • wear more clothes when it's cold. No, another layer, and make it a woolly one
  • don't let TLM play with cold water if it's a cold day or if she's poorly (obviously doesn't apply to me because I don't play with water)
  • drink plenty of hot lemon and honey if you've got a cold (this, I still unreservedly believe in)
  • don't let your head get cold
  • don't have cold drinks with hot food
But, if I can't believe in my mum's own health fixes, whose can I believe in?

Over the last two weeks I've been sat on the couch in my PJs, watching home remedy recipes being demonstrated on morning TV. Some of them rely heavily on whisky, which would only make me go bright red in the face and then fall over wheezing.

The others make much use of raw onions, unbelievably large amounts of raw garlic, lemon juice and various spices. I don't know if I'd want to go down that route unless I'm sure they'll work - they may or may not boost my immunity, but no-one would be willing to stand close enough to me to expose me to their germs anyway.

Do you have home remedies that really work?

10 comments:

Deborah said...

don't wash your hair when it's that time of the month

What?!!!! That's utterly bizarre.

The rest look good to me, bar the cold drinks and hot food one.

Amanda said...

My recommended home remedy for most ailments is getting into bed, turning the electric blanket on and sleep all day. It works for me although it is often quite tricky to manage when you are a working mother, of course.

Anonymous said...

I reluctantly believe in the 'sweating it out' thing (just rug up super warm by the heater or in bed with eleccy blanket on full bore) although it could be mind over matter.

My mum is full of medical advice, like don't sit on cold concrete because you'll get piles, don't have a bare middle cause you'll get a cold in your kidneys. Ditto on having wet hair outside. No drinking with meals cause your food can't digest (I suspect that was just borne out of convenience for her so she didn't have to deal with food AND drink at the table at mealtimes). Don't get a cold neck (and this extends to never wear v-neck clothing - which are so flattering for the fuller figure - and ALWAYs have a scarf tightly wound around your neck as extra coverage). Don't put your feet by the heater of you'll get chilblanes.

Don't hang upside down because it will make you get spots in front of your eyes.

Don't put meat in the top of the fridge cause it's germy and also don't put food in the fridge until it's cooled down.

Watson Woodworth said...

My friend ST once ate a green chili and she drained so much and so fast that she said she could hear, smell and even see more clearly.
Had a foreman at work who could burn a piece of particularly narsty plastic when he had a cold, it cleared his head but I'd be really worried about toxicity.
And I can't imagine the whiskey being a good idea because it dehydrates people. Though it would take a person's mind off being sick.

Violet said...

Deborah: I think that one's related to donnasoowho's mum's one about not going out with wet hair. With an extra feng shui thing - apparently running water causes loss of energy or something.

donnasoowho: yeah those all sound really familiar. The one about putting raw meat on the bottom of the fridge - that's just good hygiene, to stop raw meat juices from dripping onto your salad veges etc.

mtnw: yep, I would do that too, except I'd rather have access to a telly!

nigel: good gods, I don't think burning plastic is a good idea at all!

Deirdre said...

I've got to say I think there is something in not having a cold drink with hot food. Along the lines of not putting hot water on your frozen car windscreen. Perhaps the cold water/hot food prohibition is to prevent your teeth cracking..

Hope you're feeling better.

Deirdre

Anonymous said...

I happen to like cold drinks with my hot food -- but I'm American, and that seems to be more of an American thing than anywhere else. My husband can't stand drinking hot drink with hot foods.

And the first one, well, that's just weird. =)

Violet said...

deirdre: that cold drink/hot food thing is supposed to be bad for your digestion. Personally, I don't drink at all until I'm finished eating. I am a little better thanks, but when I get up in the mornings I still have eyelids that resemble small marshmallows...

aprilbapryll: I guess anything you're used to doing isn't going to kill you - unless it's breathing in burning plastic to clear your sinuses!

Angela said...

Sticking my feet in hot water for a migraine.

Another one to reduce stress is making hubby take the kids.

Smiles!

Hope you are well this next week

Violet said...

Angela: I've never heard of the hot water remedy. I wonder if it works for sinus headaches?
Hubby taking the kids off your hands works for me!