Many of us tend to run to a doctor at the slightest sign of ill-health. But drugs do not guarantee a cure. In fact, some medicines may do more harm than good. Taking antibiotics for a simple bout of diarrhoea for instance, may aggravate your condition.
Simple ailments like coughs and colds, headaches, sore throat and constipation can easily be treated at home at minimum cost and maximum safety. Drugs are not always necessary as our body has its own natural defences to fight off diseases. So why take unnecessary risks?
I myself have stopped seeing doctor for the past 6 or 7 years and have also never taken any sick leave.
Below are some natural home remedies for several mild health problems.
1) Colds and flu
You don't need to see a doctor for these unless they last for more than a week or are accompanied by fever.
- Take plenty of water and have adequate rest.
- Eat lots of fruits like oranges (or drink the juice) and guava.
- To relieve blocked nose, take deep breaths of hot water vapour for 15 minutes several times a day. All you have to do is sit on a chair with a bucket of hot water at your feet. Cover your head over the bucket with a sheet and breathe in the rising vapour. Alternatively, you can put a little salt water in your cupped hands and sniff it into the nose. Or breathe in the scent of crushed or chopped garlic several times a day.
- Crush some ginger and extract 1 teaspoon of the juice. Sweeten with honey and take this three times a day for four days.
Coughing is our body's way of getting rid of phlegm and germs in the throat or lungs. Medicines are usually not necessary unless symptoms persist or there's blood in the phlegm.
3) Fever
Mild fevers are not life-threatening. You can easily bring the temperature down without having to see a doctor.
- Remove all clothing or wear loose clothes made from thin material so that your body gets lots of fresh air.
- Get someone to fan your body. It helps lower the body temperature.
- Sponge the whole body with a wet towel. If this is not possible sponge the chest and forehead constantly till fever subsides.
- Take soft foods like porridge and soft-boiled rice, and drink plenty of plain water or fruit juices.
- Wash a fistful of green peas thoroughly and let them dry. Fry without oil, place in a cup, add cold water and leave for a while before drinking.
4) Headaches and migraine
- Apply thinly sliced potatoes on forehead. Replace with fresh ones as they dry up.
- Cut a lemon in half. apply each half to each temple and hold them in place for 10-15 minutes with handkerchief or scarf bound round your head
5) Sorethroat
- Put 1 teaspoonful salt in a glass of warm water and gargle.
6) Constipation
- Drink plenty of water.
- Eat lots of fruits (especially papaya), vegetables and foods rich in fibre, eg wholemeal bread.
- Boil 1kg carrots in a litre of water for 2 hours. Then, blend in a liquidiser or rub through a sieve. Drink the soup.
7) Diarrhoea
- Drink plenty of water.
- Oral rehydration therapy (ORT) may also help. Put 2 level tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a litre of boiled water (you can add 1/2 cup orange juice or a little lemon juice if you like). Drink every five minutes day and night until you begin to urinate properly. A child may need to drink at least 1 litre a day.
- Drink plain, strong tea (you may add fried cummin seeds or lime juice to it).
- For babies, boil poppy seeds (kas-kas), grind and mix with milk.
8) Mumps
NOT dangerous in young children and swellings usually go away by themselves in 2 weeks. Mumps leave a strong, natural, active immunity so your child seldom gets a second attack.
- Give him plenty of water to drink and also soft food that he can eat easily.
- Give him plenty of water to drink and also soft food that he can eat easily.
As can be seen from the above remedies, water play a very important role in curing sickness, therefore we have to make sure that we drink enough water daily to prevent illness and maintain our vitality.
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