How to feel good all over
WE THANK OUR good friends at that great great-granddaddy of all
almanacs, The Old Farmer’s Almanac, for this jaunty romp through a few
classic home remedies.
From the top of your head…
Feel a headache coming on? Pinch yourself. Specifically, put the squeeze on
the webbed area between the thumb and first finger of either hand. Hold it for
30 seconds. Pressure applied here will stimulate nerve impulses to the brain
and relax blood vessel dilation. Your headache won’t have a chance to settle in.
up your nose …
When your head feels under pressure and your nose is all stuffed up, and
even your teeth hurt, you don’t have a common cold. You have a sinus infection. To get relief, mix 1/2 teaspoon of salt into 1 cup of water. (Use cool water
if you’re stuffed up but have no discharge. If the mucus is thick, use warm
water to help liquefy it.) Bring the mixture into the shower and set it to the
side. Turn on the water and let it hit your face for three to five minutes. Hot
water helps liquefy and drain the mucus. Now pour some salt water into a
cupped hand and inhale, so the water goes up your nose. This alleviates irritation, washes out the mucus and kills bacteria. Spit out what goes down into
your throat, and gargle with the rest of the salt water to clear your throat. You
can do this snorting/gargling routine up to four times a day.
down your throat …
A quick, easy way to quiet a dry, hacking cough is to chew gingerroot. Cut
off a quarter-inch piece, trim off the peel and put it into your mouth. Chew it
slowly: The juice will feel hot in the mouth and throat, and the cough will be
gone in a minute. The ginger brings blood to the throat and helps soothe it.
When you’re finished chewing, spit out the pulp.
to the tips of your fingers and toes …
When a painful blood blister forms under a fingernail or
toenail, get a small metal paper clip (not a plastic-coated one)
and straighten out one end of it. Light a match and, while hold-
ing the clip with a pair of tweezers or pliers, heat the
straightened end. Touch the hot metal tip to the
surface of the nail just above the half-moon, so
that it goes through. The blood will drain and
relief will be yours. A
Source: The Old Farmers Almanac 2004, “Home
Remedies” by Steve Calechman
