Home Remedies

This article was first printed in Hamodia magazine, and appears in my upcoming book, "Health, A Natural Approach"

 Home Remedies

 

As a practitioner of Chinese Medicine, I have seen how effective natural remedies can be. While Chinese herbs are especially useful for chronic problems like asthma, chronic coughs or seasonal allergies, arthritis or women’s health, for everyday use, they have some drawbacks. You have to get the prescription from a knowledgeable herbalist, since nearly every formula is custom-tailored for the individual situation, so you can’t keep them handy in your medicine cabinet to pull out as needed.

 

Benefits of natural home remedies

• They’re usually inexpensive.
• You don’t need a prescription.
• You can buy many of them anywhere.
• You can keep them on hand to use as-needed.
• Many have multiple uses.
• They’re safe and have minimal side-effects.
• You may have some of them in your house already.
• Some may be found in your own backyard.
• When they work, they work well.

 

In my experience, many simple home remedies can be more effective that over the counter options with too many ingredients. For example, bacitracin can produce disappointing results. I have found this substance to be about as effective as Vaseline in preventing or healing wound infections. (Don’t ever put Vaseline on an open wound.) In this article you will find a lot of far more effective options.

 

There are many options out there. Some remedies are great for one issue, but useless for another. Some remedies take time, and for others you’ll see results right away. I am only sharing remedies that I have seen be effective for my patients. Nothing works for everyone, but I have chosen these remedies based on their ability to produce positive results time after time. The remedies are listed in no particular order.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Where to get it: In Israel (where I live), you can only get Hydrogen peroxide at a pharmacy. It comes in tiny bottles of 100ml, which is about 3.3oz. This is mightily frustrating, since it’s such a useful substance. For the same price, you can get ten times this amount in the U.S., where you’ll find it in most grocery stores and pharmacies. I recently told a friend that hydrogen peroxide is now officially my only anchor to the U.S. (except of course for my relatives there).

 

Uses:

Whenever my sister-in-law calls me up for advice on home remedies for any problem, I tell her, “Try hydrogen peroxide!” It’s become a bit of a running joke between us. But the truth is that hydrogen peroxide has many uses. It is known as a wound disinfectant, and it is incredible for that. 

 

Wounds: Pour some hydrogen peroxide on clean dry wounds. For more serious, stubborn or inflamed wounds, soak a cotton ball in hydrogen peroxide, then place it on the wound for as long as possible. Do this a few times a day. Alternatively, wrap gauze around the wet cotton ball and leave it in place for a few hours or overnight.

 

The reason hydrogen peroxide works even when antibiotic ointments have no effect, is probably because of its ability to break up hard scabs and penetrate the infected wound beneath, and then kill the bacteria. It does not damage healthy tissue while it destroys dead or diseased tissue. Hydrogen peroxide can burn a bit when you put it on, but it’s very effective.

 

Many infectious bacteria are anaerobic. This means that they survive better without oxygen. Oxygen actually kills these unhealthy bacteria. This is why it’s important to avoid Band-Aids and expose wounds to open-air to promote healing.

“Bandaids work great for booboos! I tell my kids to put the Band-Aid anywhere except the booboo. My kids happily accept them as a consolation prize.”

 

Hydrogen peroxide is H2O2, which is like water with an extra oxygen atom. The oxygen bombards anaerobic bacteria and kills it quickly. Unlike antibiotics, bacteria do not seem capable of developing resistance to this substance.

 

Ear piercing infections: Replace whatever earrings you’ve been wearing with solid gold earrings, to prevent the hole from closing, and apply hydrogen peroxide to the infected ear lobe twice a day. Interestingly, gold has antimicrobial effects as well, which is why you should wear gold earring if you’re lobes get infected.

 

Gargle: According to the bottle, you can use hydrogen peroxide as an “oral debriding agent.” This means it helps clean your teeth. But you can also use it to clean your tonsils, which may clear an impending strep throat. Gargle with hydrogen peroxide a few times a day at the first sign of a sore throat.

 

Foot fungus: Spray hydrogen peroxide directly onto your feet, or use as a foot soak. This can be as effective as any antifungal spray, probably even better. Submerge your nails for toenail fungus and soak for 5 to 15 minutes daily. Beware that hydrogen peroxide will destroy leather shoes.

Tip: You can use your crocs to soak your feet.

 

Preventing Toe Infection: Although I have successfully treated toe infections with Chinese herbs, preventing infection is preferable. Toe infections are common on the big toe, and are often the result of cutting the nails a bit too close to the corner of the nail bed. To prevent this, spray hydrogen peroxide on your toenails every time you cut them.

 

Household cleaner: Literally a “home” remedy. Kills mold and can be great for cleaning damp hard surfaces found in bathrooms and kitchens. Hydrogen peroxide will not work as well as bleach on mildew stains, but it’s really fun to watch it bubble when you spray it on organic matter. This is a chemical reaction that frees the oxygen and leaves just water behind.

 

Stain remover: Especially good for blood stains. All laundry chemicals with names like “oxy” or “oxygen” rely on the same chemical reaction that hydrogen peroxide produces.

Iodine

Where to get it: You can find iodine for external use at most pharmacies. If you want to use it as a gargle, I recommend an edible form, like Lugol’s Solution, which is a quality yet affordable option. If your pharmacy doesn’t have Lugol’s, you may have to order it online.

 

Uses:

Iodine is a broad spectrum antimicrobial that can kill fungus, bacteria and viruses. In my experience, it works best for fungus. You can try it as a gargle for sore throat as well, but only use an edible form of iodine for gargling. It will feel sore at first, but better soon after that, if it’s working for you.

 

Fungus: Iodine is great for any area that gets damp, sweaty and itchy such as jock itch, and underarm rash. Test iodine on a small area of your skin to make sure that it doesn’t irritate you. Apply any type of iodine for itchy rashes, experiment with liquids or ointments. It may burn a little at first, but it should calm down after a few minutes. If it’s working for you, then you should feel immediate relief. Warning: Iodine is brown and though it is washable, it will temporarily stain your clothing yellow.

 

Diaper Rash: Diaper rash can quickly become infected. Apply iodine ointment to prevent or cure early signs of infection. Also change diapers frequently, or let your child spend some time diaperless, since exposure to air prevents infection and promotes healing. (I would put “air” on my list of top remedies too, but I think most people already know how to use it.)

 

Eczema: According to Medical News Today, “Atopic eczema is on the increase, and while we don't know what causes it or how to cure it, we do know that one of the triggers is the yeast M. sympodialis, one of the most common skin yeasts in both healthy people and those suffering from eczema. Usually our skin barrier stops the yeast from causing infection: but in people with eczema, the barrier is often more fragile or even broken, so it allows the yeast to cause infection and make the condition worse.” ^[1]

 

Many mothers have reported to me that iodine ointment gave their infants and children much relief, even for extremely irritated eczema. Eczema may be caused or exacerbated by microbial infection. Since iodine is a broad spectrum antimicrobial, this may be why it works for eczema. Again, it may cause some initial irritation, but after a few minutes there should be relief. With persistent use, some may find that the eczema completely clears. Only use long-term if you see good results.

 

Warts: One book on home remedies recommended iodine ointment for treating warts. Don’t bother using it for this problem because it’s not nearly as effective as something everybody should have in their pantry:

Apple Cider Vinegar

Where to get it: You can get it at any grocery store. Look for one that is preservative-free. (I find it absurd that some vinegars have preservatives when vinegar is a preservative!)

 

Uses:

Warts:  “When I was a kid, I had a wart burned off my finger by a dermatologist. Apparently, some of it was left behind, because it started to come back again. More burning. 25 years later, I still have scars to show for it. I wish I had known about apple cider vinegar. I tried iodine on my daughter’s wart. It didn’t seem to do much. Then I tried apple cider vinegar. It caused a small wart on my daughter’s finger to simply vanish. No scar.

 

 Then we tried it on a stubborn and painful plantar wart (on the bottom of the foot) on one of my other kids. We kept it up for weeks. I made the method simpler by dripping a bit of vinegar on a Band-Aid. The wart started to blacken, which I know is a good sign. We took a break over pesach, thinking that the wart was already on the way out. It came back with a vengeance, and after pesach, we had to start over. This time, we were really persistent and applied a vinegar Band-Aid morning and evening. It took a few weeks, but the stubborn wart finally fell out. I have heard that plantar warts can last for years and have a tendency to spread. Apple cider vinegar is officially my new best friend!”

 

Mosquito bites: try swiping a bit of apple cider vinegar over an itchy mosquito bite. When it works, it provides instant relief.

 

Multi use apple cider vinegar beverage: Add a tablespoon of vinegar to a cup of water and drink before meals to prevent acid reflux and treat insulin sensitivity. ^[2]Or any time to prevent dehydration (according to ,(רש"י רות ב, יד improve digestion and cleanse the bowels. If you love it, you can even try your luck against a common cold or flu. ^[3]

Household cleaner: Put a combo of vinegar and water (at about a 1 to 8 ratio, but it’s not an exact science) in a spray bottle to create a non-toxic cleaner which is even effective against household bacteria. You can add a few drops of essential oil for aroma.

Baking Soda

Where to get it: Anywhere.

Uses:

Foot Deodorant: Pour baking soda into your shoes if you have smelly feet.  Though you may be tempted, be careful about using baking soda on inflamed rashes; I have seen it aggravate problems like diaper rash or jock itch.

 

Thrush: Dip a wet cotton swab into baking soda and apply directly to the spots in the baby’s mouth. For thrush on mom, try gentian violet.

 

Yeast Infection: Add ½ to 1 cup of baking soda to a warm bath. Stir it well and soak for about 20 minutes. Rinse afterwards.

 

Baking Soda beverage: Add a few pinches or up to 2 teaspoons to water to prevent dehydration, treat acid reflux or indigestion. Some people love baking soda in their water, some find it nauseating. Only use it if you find it palatable.

 

Putting out fires: Not exactly a medicinal use, but potentially lifesaving, so worth mentioning. Keep a container of baking soda on hand in your kitchen in case of emergency.

 

“About 12 years ago, on Chanukah, there was a mishap at my in-law’s house, when a frying pan of latkes caught on fire. It was suddenly huge and terrifying! My husband immediately swung into action and started throwing open cabinets in search of baking soda. He found baking powder in a pesach cabinet and tossed it over the fire, smothering the flames. My mother-in-law forgave him for opening the pesach cabinets in the middle of the year, and we all commended him on his quick thinking- it wasn’t baking soda, but it did the job.”

 

Household cleaning:

Frying pans: For stuck-on grease, sprinkle with baking soda while the pan is still hot (you can even leave a small flame on), then add water. As it comes to a boil, it will lift most of the burnt matter right off the surface of the pan. Leave for 20 minutes before attempting to scrub it.

 

General cleaning: Put baking soda in a spice container and sprinkle it over hard surfaces (like sinks, counters, tubs and tiles) and scrub.

 

Drain Cleaner: Pour up to a cup of baking soda and a cup of vinegar down sink drain, let it bubble for about 15 minutes, then wash it down with hot or boiling water.

 

Dishwasher: Add to your dishwasher to degrease.

 

Laundry: Add up to a cup of baking soda to the detergent section of your washing machine. Baking soda acts as a deodorizer and a fabric softener.

 

Note: Chemical fabric softeners leave harmful residue on laundry that can irritate sensitive skin. If you use dish towels with fabric softener to dry dishes, you are then eating fabric softener, which is a very bad idea. Towels are actually more absorbent without chemical fabric softeners.

 

About 13 years ago, I discovered that fabric softener creates a coating on the dryer’s lint trap which prevents air from passing through and shortens the lifespan of the dryer. The way to test this is by rinsing the lint trap with cold water – if it’s coated with residue, the water will bead on the surface instead of passing through. For all these reasons, I haven’t used fabric softener since then, but I do use baking soda in my laundry nearly every day.

Tea Tree oil

Where to get it: In Israel, they sell it in pharmacies. If you can’t find it in your local pharmacy, try a health food store, or buy it online. With tea tree oil, you get what you pay for; look for the highest grade product. It should be 100% pure with no additives or other oils. The percent of the active ingredient, Terpinen will determine its potency. Terpinen content can range from 10 to 45 percent. Beware that although higher potencies are more powerful, if you have sensitive skin, the higher levels of Terpinen may irritate your skin.  Quality tea tree should be sold in a dark brown glass bottle, and stored away from light and air.

 

Tea tree oil is strong stuff. Some people like to use it straight-up, but because of its strength many people need to mix a few drops of it into a carrier oil, like a spoon of olive oil, or a bit of water. Try it both ways to see which feels better. Always test tea tree oil on a small area of the skin first to make sure it doesn’t cause irritation.

 

Uses:

Natural Deodorant: Tea tree oil’s antimicrobial qualities can kill the bacteria that cause underarm odor. You can rub a drop under each arm instead of deodorant. I think it has a lovely smell, but some people think it smells like pine sole.

 

Mosquito repellant: Tea tree oil was recommended to me by a colleague over 10 years ago to relieve itching from mosquito bites.  While attempting to use it for this purpose, I accidentally discovered that it’s also a great mosquito repellant. Citronella essential oil is also a good mosquito repellant (but not useful enough to warrant its own subtopic. Sorry, citronella).

 

Acne: A safe and effective alternative to harsh cleaners. Use a q-tip to dab a drop onto each pimple and leave on for a few hours or over night. For Terpinen content higher than 15%, test your sensitivity and dilute if necessary with a small amount of water before applying.

 

To make a gentle acne face wash, mix a five drops of tea tree oil with two teaspoons of raw honey. Rub the mixture on your face, leave on for one to five minutes, and then rinse it off. ^[4]

 

Lice repellant: Mix 20 drops into a bottle of shampoo to create a lice repellant effect. Don’t expect this to completely resolve a current lice infestation, only to keep future invasions at bay. Lavender essential oil may also be used for this purpose.

 

 

Gargle:  Mix a drop or two with a little water as a mouthwash or gargle. It will freshen your breath and may also keep tonsillitis at bay.

 

Yeast infection: Mix a few drops into water and wash the area with it, or soak in a shallow bath. It may sting a little, but it should bring immediate relief after that.

 

Toenail Fungus: In my practice have seen thousands of toes, and it is rare to find anyone over the age of 30 who does not have some toenail fungus. Toenail fungus is not a popular topic of conversation, so most people have no idea that they’re in good company.

 

I have not seen tea tree oil work for toenail fungus, but perhaps it will work better if combined 50:50 with oregano oil. Consider combining with hydrogen peroxide treatment (see above).

 

Antifungal:  In addition to being antibacterial, tea tree oil can be used on itchy skin rashes that are caused by fungus. This will be a better option for you than iodine if you’re wearing a white shirt. Discontinue if you notice ongoing irritation, or no relief.

 

So there you have it. If you are Dr. Mom, you’ll probably want to stock your first-aid kit with hydrogen peroxide, iodine, apple cider vinegar, baking soda and tea tree oil. With these items, you can clean wounds and you can clean houses, without any chemicals or poisons. You’ll wonder how you managed without them! There are plenty of other safe, effective and affordable natural remedies that can be put to good use, but these five are a great place to start.

 

Vitamin C

In 1975, Australian physician, Archie Kalokerinos, M.D. was called upon to care for the very sick Aborigine population (the Australian natives). Of particular concern was the incredibly high death rate among aborigine children. Astoundingly, one in every two Aborigine babies was dying (hence the title of his book, “Every Second Child”).^[5]

 

He discovered two important things: Number one- the children were dying after receiving vaccinations. Many of the children were already sick before vaccination, which led to his second discovery- the children were extremely malnourished; in particular, they were deficient in Vitamin C. The Vitamin C deficiency caused them incredible susceptibility to illness.  Since vitamin C is depleted by illness, or vaccination (among other stressors) the vaccines pushed them over the brink and ultimately caused their demise.

 

He realized that by supplementing these children with modest doses of Vitamin C, he could prevent most, if not all deaths. He continued to supplement and vaccinate, but later realized that the vaccines were not helping to prevent death (since they were causing death) and eventually recommended against vaccination altogether. To his frustration, Dr. Kalokerinos’s discoveries about the deadly potential of vitamin C deficiency and vaccine-related scurvy deaths went completely unheeded by medical authorities worldwide. This was despite the fact that simply supplementing with vitamin C has the potential to prevent disease and death, particularly in impoverished malnourished populations.

 

Vitamin C deficiency is common among people across the world, not only under primitive conditions. People who eat few fruits and vegetables are likely to be deficient. If the deficiency is severe enough, it can cause scurvy, a potentially deadly condition. To prevent scurvy, European sailors ate fermented cabbage (sauerkraut), and Chinese sailors ate bean sprouts throughout their long sea journeys. The vitamin C content in these vegetables actually increases during the fermentation/sprouting process. These dietary methods were highly effective in preventing scurvy deaths among sailors.

 

Most people today are aware of the importance of Vitamin C. Some, however are not aware of how little of the vitamin is actually contained in most fruits and vegetables. We have also been sorely misinformed about how much is needed on a daily basis. The U.S. RDA, recommends 60mg of vitamin C daily, which has caused much suspicion from consumers, since this amount is so minute.  Most people probably need about 10 times this dose. Aware of the inadequacy of the Recommended Daily Allowance, most vitamin manufacturers offer supplements with a minimum of 250mg per dose, which is quadruple the RDA suggestion.

 

For example, when orange juice containers claim that 1 cup of juice contains 100% daily value of vitamin C, this is highly misleading. Firstly, most orange juice contains no vitamin C, because the juice is pasteurized and heat destroys vitamin C. Exposure to air over time also causes vitamin C content to diminish, so bottled juices are not likely to contain much vitamin C at all. Secondly, even if there were 60mg in every cup of juice, this is a dangerously inadequate dose, approaching scurvy levels. Since soil quality today is poor in many places, many fresh fruits and vegetables contain far less vitamin C than expected. So unless you have a fresh daily supply of high quality organically-grown fruits and vegetables, it is recommended that you take a vitamin C supplement every day.

 

The best way to take vitamin C is in small doses (250mg) throughout the day, because the body uses it quickly but cannot store it, so excess will be wasted. Just like water, you can’t drink your day’s supply first thing in the morning and hope you won’t need another drink for the rest of the day (unless you’re a camel). Fat soluble vitamins, like A,D,E, & K, can be stored longer in the body and don’t necessarily need to be taken daily.  If you are pressed for time, or if the thought of taking supplements throughout the day sounds daunting, especially if you are not in the midst of fighting an illness, you can take 250mg to 1000mg of vitamin C once a day.

 

Vitamin C comes in many forms. For children, ascorbic acid is usually preferred, because it’s sour, and can be sweetened to create a pleasant taste. Other versions, like sodium or calcium ascorbate can be great in pill form, but they are bitter and unpalatable for children. In our home we dissolve ascorbic acid powder in water and add fruit juice concentrate for the kids. The adults mix it with plain water or seltzer.  To boost immune function, the best way is to take small amounts throughout the day. Large doses can have a laxative effect, which may be beneficial for those in need of a laxative.

 

The laxative effect of vitamin C is the reason why there is no concern about overdosing. Once your body has absorbed all it can, the rest will be eliminated through the bowels. The dose which causes diarrhea is known as “bowel tolerance”; it is considered beneficial for individuals to figure out how many milligrams causes this effect and then take a bit less than that each day.

 

In addition to supporting the immune system, vitamin C is also a detoxifier and nature’s antibiotic. It has been used to remove deadly poisons, such as after exposure to toxic heavy metals or pesticides. The following important and lifesaving medical breakthrough has sadly been largely forgotten by the world: In 1949, Dr. Fred Klenner reported successful treatment against polio, diphtheria, herpes zoster, herpes simplex, chicken pox, influenza, measles, mumps, and viral pneumonia with injections of large doses of vitamin C. “The results,” he wrote, “which we have reported in Virus Diseases using vitamin C as the antibiotic may seem fantastic.”

 

I will point out that antibiotics kill bacteria and are ineffective against viruses, but I think he was using the term to mean anti microbial, or anti-infection. Despite the existence of anti-virals, modern medicine has no truly effective treatment for viruses, since anti-virals are not very effective. One might expect the medical world to jump on an effective and inexpensive option like vitamin C. Instead, the medical establishment recommends doses that are too low to have any curative effect, offering just enough to keep healthy people from dying of scurvy.