Because a lot of people use a home cure does not necessarily mean it works well or is safe. It is often hard to know which remedies are helpful and which may be harmful. A careful study is needed to be sure. Here are four rules to help tell which remedies are least likely to work, or are dangerous.
THE MORE REMEDIES THERE ARE FOR ANYONE ILLNESS, THE LESS LIKELY IT IS THAT ANY OF THEM WORKS. There are many home remedies for goiter, none of which does any real good. Here are some of them:
- To tie a crab on the goiter
- To rub the goiter with the hand of a dead child
- To smear the brains of a vulture on the goiter
- To smear human feces on the goiter
Not one of these remedies works. If it did, the others would not be needed. When sickness has just one popular cure, it is more likely to be a good one. For prevention and treatment of goiter use iodized salt.
FOUL OR DISGUSTING REMEDIES ARE NOT LIKELY TO HELP— AND ARE OFTEN HARMFUL. For example:
- The idea that leprosy can be cured by a drink made of rotting snakes
- The idea that syphilis can be cured by eating a vulture
These two remedies do not help at all. The first one can cause dangerous infections. Belief in remedies like these sometimes causes a delay in getting proper medical care.
REMEDIES THAT USE ANIMAL OR HUMAN WASTE DO NO GOOD AND CAN CAUSE DANGEROUS INFECTIONS. NEVER USE THEM. Examples:
Putting human feces around the eye does not cure blurred vision and can cause infections.
Smearing cow dung on the head to fight ringworm can cause tetanus and other dangerous infections.
Also, the droppings of rabbits or other animals do not help heal burns. To use them is very dangerous. Cow dung, held in the hand, cannot help control seizures. Teas made from human, pig or any other animal feces do not cure anything. They can make people sicker. Never put feces on the navel of a newborn baby. This can cause tetanus.
THE MORE A REMEDY RESEMBLES THE SICKNESS IT IS SAID TO CURE, THE MORE LIKELY ITS BENEFITS COME ONLY FROM THE POWER OF BELIEF. The association between each of the following illnesses and its remedy is clear in these examples from Mexico:
- For a nosebleed, using yesca (a bright red mushroom)
- For deafness, putting powdered rattlesnake’s rattle in the ear
- For dog bite, drink tea made from the dog’s tail
- For scorpion sting, tying a scorpion against the stung finger
- To prevent diarrhea when a child is teething, putting a necklace of snake’s fangs around the baby’s neck
- To ‘bring out’ the rash of measles, making tea from kapok bark
These remedies and many other similar ones have no curative value in themselves. They may be of some benefit if people believe in them. But for serious problems, be sure their use does not delay more effective treatment.
Home remedies you must know!
Are you among those who pop a pill every time you experience some pain? Well, it’s time you turn to your kitchen. There are so many natural remedies available that can be utilized for your overall well being.
Have a look:
Menstrual pain: Mix the juice of 2-3 lemons in cold water and have it every day for relief.
Chronic headache: Peel and chop apple. Dash some salt and have it the first thing in the morning.
Flatulence: Mix about 1/4th spoon of baking soda in water and drink for relief.
Sore throat: Boil 2-3 basil leaves in water and let it boil on low flame till the juice of the leaf is extracted. You can use the liquid for gargle.
Mouth ulcers: Ripe banana with honey offer instant relief. This can be turned into a paste and applied to affected areas.
Sinus congestion: Mix organic apple cider vinegar with a pinch of cayenne pepper powder in less than half a cup of hot water. Have it while it is warm at least twice a day.
High BP: Have amla with milk daily is believed to lower blood pressure. This should ideally be taken early in the morning.
Asthma: Mix one tablespoon of honey with half tablespoon cinnamon. Have it at bedtime.
Dandruff: Mix camphor with coconut oil. You can apply this every night before going to sleep
Premature graying of hair: Dry amlas and cut boil in coconut oil till the amla pieces turn like charred dust. Massage it daily on the skin.
Dark circles: Mix orange juice with glycerine to lighten the dark circles.