natural remedies

Exploring our ancestors’ use of natural remedies is a fine way to rediscover the forgotten traditional uses for several herbal combinations and tonics.

When I was little, I would suffer from terrible stomachaches in school. They were so bad that I would have to go to the nurse’s office at times and even be sent home. It turns out I was lactose intolerant—that coupled with having high anxiety did not mix very well.

You may have heard of using lemon balm for preventing and treating cold sores. And it’s great. We know it’s helpful from a long history of traditional use as well as from research studies.  But lemon balm’s not the only game in town.

As someone who has been living with chronic pain for years, I’m slowly learning that nature has all the answers. We just need to ask the right questions and be willing to listen—listen to our bodies, to our minds, and to our souls. In our lifetime, we all go through physical and mental pain—not to mention heartache. And nature has everything that we need to heal, ready and waiting. 

31 million Americans suffer from chronic back pain, and according to one recent study, up to 80 percent of Americans will experience an episode of low back pain during their lifetime. Many chronic back pain sufferers undergo extensive therapy, even surgery, to find relief.

For anyone who gets a herpes cold sore from time to time (medically known as Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1)), you know how unpleasant this ailment can be. These sores show up on the lips/mouth and can be quite painful and unsightly -- and are highly contagious. Along those lines, this means no smooching (the biggest reason I dislike having this virus), no sharing food or drink with friends and loved ones, and also generally means feeling low-energy and rundown.

Infantile seborrheic dermatitis, otherwise known as cradle cap, is a dandruff-like condition that usually affects babies around six to twelve months, although it can still occur with children who are older. It is a harmless condition consisting of flaky, dry, yellowish or brown skin that is scaling. There is no clear consensus as to the main cause of it. Although it is not necessary to get rid of cradle cap, if the appearance bothers you, there are different ways to remove it from your baby’s scalp. Here are 9 natural remedies for cradle cap.

Bees are vital to the world around us. They pollinate our flowers, as well as our food supply. In fact, 75 percent of our food relies on the pollination of bees. We love what bees do for us, but we don't always love the outcome of coming into close contact with them. If you spend anytime outdoors, chances are at least once in your life you will experience a bee sting. Sadly, this often can end the bee's life and leaves you with a nasty sting. Unfortunately, you can't do anything for the bee, but you can soothe your wound.

“Put on a hat–you’ll catch a cold!” and “Turkey makes you sleepy” are just some of the old wives’ tales you’ve likely heard growing up. Or, perhaps you had a mother or father who was particularly insistent upon herbal remedies like consuming raw garlic for colds and flus. While some old wives’ tales are just that–tales–we’ve gathered the ones that seem to have actual merit and thus a place in your kitchen, too.

I despise socks. I know that sounds crazy, but since I was a kid I would fling them off my feet the first chance I got. That's if my mom could manage to put them on me at all. The problem with freeing your feet is it can easily lead to shoe odor. Yes, I know how gross that sounds, but it happens. At one point in your life you too will have a smelly pair of old shoes stinking up your closet. And if you have kids, then you may have several pairs. Luckily, there are a few home remedies to beat the stench of smelly feet.

1. Baking Soda