Old family remedies...got any?

[denisenh]

My grandmother used to melt butter on a spoon (she'd hold it over an stove top flame) to which she added a bit of ground black pepper and gave it to us kids for a dry cough treatment.
(I don't remember if it worked.....I think it must have. I haven't coughed since. LOL.)

Do you recall any homestyle remedies that worked, or didn't?

 

[pppiglet]

Don't recall any, but yours sounds gross!

 

[SwedishMeatball]

A spoonful of mustard gets rid of hiccups.

 

[lesroi]

My Grandma used to give us a spoonful of molasses for something, cough maybe? Totally disgusting.

 

[Michelina]

My grandma used to rub whiskey on my gums when I had a toothache and then would make me have a sip or two. I think that last part was just to knock me out and get me stop crying about my tooth!

 

[Cindyluwho]

Golden raisins soaked in Gin. Put them in jar, add enough gin to cover the raisins and let sit for 24 hours. Eat 3 raisins twice a day for arthritis pain. I've heard about this for years but never tried it. Then after too much traveling and too many weather changes, my arthritis was to the point that ibuprofin wouldn't even touch it. I was ready to go get a cortisone shot in the joint of my big toe (OUCH) but decided to try this instead. The pain was gone by the end of the first day! This was just two weeks ago, I cannot believe it. The funny thing, I didn't take them one morning and by that night the pain was coming back. I know it sounds wacky, that's why I never tried it before. But, man oh man, it really works!!

 

[bevtoy]

To ease sore throat pain take a small juice glass of water as hot as you can stand. Add a teaspoon of table salt, stir and gargle, then spit it out. Repeat as often as necessary.

For bee sting put a 1/4 cup of baking soda and fold in a cloth. Wet and press to bee sting, it draws out the poison.

 

[tycopj]

We always got a teaspoon of whiskey and honey for a cough

 

[luvthatduke]

A dab of toothpaste (NOT gel), preferably all white,
for any itchy type of bite - mosquito especially.
Really works, and right away!

 

[denisenh]

Wow, I am going to try a few of those. It is interesting what folks come up with to treat their ails.

I know that my grandmother would do something for sunburns too.
She'd bring us to the beach where we innocently baked all day and then she had a sunburn remedy for us that night. I can't remember what it was though.... Maybe it was noxema? She had an old jar of that with yellow crust around the top. Yes, I think that was it.
Gosh, I love that woman.

 

[powellrj]

we use to use creamy barbasol shaving cream in a jar for sunburn. It worked wonders.

We also use Vicks on mosquito bites and it always worked.

I need to try the raisins and gin one. My OA has been killing me lately and I am always looking for something to help!

 

[luvwinnie]

blackberry brandy is what my dad gave us for a cough!

 

[bevtoy]

Wow, I am going to try a few of those. It is interesting what folks come up with to treat their ails.

I know that my grandmother would do something for sunburns too.
She'd bring us to the beach where we innocently baked all day and then she had a sunburn remedy for us that night. I can't remember what it was though.... Maybe it was noxema? She had an old jar of that with yellow crust around the top. Yes, I think that was it.
Gosh, I love that woman.

The old folks used to use vinegar to ease sunburn pain.

 

[stinkerbelle's mom]

My parents would always drink blackberry brandy anytime they weren't feeling well. They never gave it to us kids though.

For sunburns we would take the juice out of a wet tea bag and rub it all over the burn, it would take the sting out.

For bee stings we'd use tooth paste or wet tabacco.

For jelly fish stings we'd rub wet meat tenderizer on the burn. I think toothpaste can be used on this too. There was an episode on Friends about this -- but we never used that remedy!

For headaches/temperatures my mom would put a cool wet rag on our forehead to help ease the discomfort. I still do this.

Also warm Ginger Ale or Coke for an upset stomach.

 

[jx3smom]

blackberry brandy for cramps
My grandmother used to "paint" our throats with I think iodine for a sore throat-ugh! She is the same one who put butter on a burn-ouch it just made it hurt more.
I used to take a teaspoon of honey for a cough

 

[Crankyshank]

blackberry brandy was the cure-all. For coughs, for teething, for everything that cod liver oil couldn't cure

If blackberry brandy wasn't available then amaretto would do in a pinch.

 

[mom2rb]

My step-mom used to make us Hot Toddys when we were sick. I think it was honey, tea and whiskey. I don't know if it worked or if it just knocked you out until you were well.

 

[BeNJeNWaFFLe]

Also warm Ginger Ale or Coke for an upset stomach.

My mom used to do this to us! If we had an upset stomach she'd make us drink warm, flat coke. Then eat some dry toast. Yuck!

A spoonful of sugar for the hiccups.
A piece of chocolate for a dry, itchy throat.

 

[4nana]

Enjoying this interesting thread and have tried many of these throughout the yrs. and had good results with some.

A few that come to mind that have not been mentioned are:

UTI: Cranberry juice/tablets
Muscle aches/sprains: Epsom salts/Tiger balm lotion
Bee Honeycomb: eat to help allergies
1 tsp Castor oil @pm: Laxative (Dr recommended to my Mom who has Celiac)
Pepto Bismol: great med for upset tummy, nausea, D ~ specially when traveling
Soft music & breathing exercises: great stress reliever
Vicks Vapor Rub for chest colds/sinus' (love the baby scent one!). Now they have the plugin ones that are a real Godsend!

Since my DH retired 5 yrs ago, he drinks a TBSP of lemon juice every morn in a cup of warm water as an antioxident and also a bowl of oatmeal as his cure all! Must be working as his dr was impressed with his recent perfect physical!!

My Mom's oncologist (who like her, is also a breast cancer survivor ) drinks water all day with a TBSP of vinegar as antioxident, as does her aunt who swears by it at the age of 90!!

Mary, OMG nothing feels as good as a cold wash cloth when you really need it!! My little grands have even learned to ask for one when they are under the weather!

Natural cures have always interested me and I just added two 'Bottom Line Health Cures' books to my collection. It will probably take the rest of my golden yrs to read them all.

 

[Cindyluwho]

If you can get your hands on a copy of the original "White House Cookbook" from the 1800's the back section is just on medicine/home remedies. The book is a compilation of the recipes used by chefs who worked in the white house. I'm going to have to dig up my copy and see what all is in there. I do remember there are things like mustard poultice, etc.