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  |  Healthy Living  |  Lifestyle  |  Home health remedies
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Home health remedies

by Suzannah Olivier
continued from page 1
Natural medicine

Many natural remedies will already be in your cupboards and you probably haven't even realised yet.

  • One essential potion-in-a-bottle is tea-tree oil. It is a potent anti-bacterial that can be used for medicinal and home use. Use it topically to swab any cuts or bruises, or add a drop when shampooing to deter head-lice.

  • To banish Spring-sniffles or a late bout of flu, bruise a couple of cloves and add them to your favourite hot herbal tea, such as camomile or lemon and honey. Cloves have always had a reputation for strong anti-bacterial action, but this is now validated by research - a one per cent clove tincture is three or four times stronger in action than carbolic acid, which was used in the early days of surgery.

  • Keep lavender and mint plants growing in pots to add a delicious scent to your room. Whenever you feel a headache coming on, snip a couple of stalks of lavender and make an infusion by leaving them standing in boiling water for five minutes. Sip slowly. For a digestive aid after a rich meal do the same with mint.

  • Juicing fruits and vegetables is a great way to boost your nutritional protection. Using fresh produce, preferably organic, concoct whatever appeals to you and drink daily for the ultimate vitality kick. Use a blender for soft fruit such as banana and strawberries, or a juicer for hard vegetables and fruit such as carrot and apple. A little fresh ginger will add extra Spring-zing.

  • Feeling run down or anaemic after the winter? If you have a patch of weeds in your garden, Spring is the ideal time to harvest young nettle tops (wear gloves!). Chopped and cooked, with onion, like spinach and enjoyed with a small knob of butter, or made into soups you can boost your immune system. Nettles are particularly rich in vitamins A and C, calcium, magnesium, iron and chlorophyll.

  • Water is the most important health-aid you have in your home. It is the liquid of life that allows your body to balance itself and rid itself of toxins. Make sure you drink one-and-a-half to two litres daily.

    A natural clean home

    You don't always need anti-bacterial surface wipes and cleaning creams for a spring clean. Basic ingredients, such as lemon juice, vinegar and diluted bleach, can work a treat.

  • Lemon juice is a natural bleach. To remove fruit stains from clothes soak them for 30 minutes in lemon juice and then wash. It can also be used as a bleach for grubby wooden chopping boards and for cleaning brass and copper.



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    This iVillage Health service area is designed for educational purposes only. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for personal medical attention, diagnosis or hands-on treatment. If you are concerned about your health or that of a child, please consult your family's health provider immediately and do not wait for a response from our professionals. For the full Disclaimer, click here.
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