Home Remedies.
I thought it would be neat to share tried and true home remedies.
I have tried garlic infused olive oil for ear infections and it really worked both times I have tried it. If you take a clove of garlic, squish it and put it into 1/4 cup of olive oil. Heat it up in a double boiler to infuse the oil. It keeps in the fridge for up to a week. I used it 3 times a day for a few days and it cleared it right up. The garlic makes it antimicrobial.
I have used breastmilk to clear up an eye infection that my daughter picked up at 6 weeks old. I was out of town and couldnt make it to a doctor and so my mom told me to put breastmilk in her eyes. To my surprise it worked.
When she has a fever I put her in a warm bath and then let her cool down as the water cools down. It works better than a cool bath because they dont get shocked from the water.
Thats all I have so far. This topic came to mind as my 2 year old is getting over a stomach bug and I am making her some feel-better-not-chicken-soup.
I second the breastmilk for treating eye infections. Works very well. That's really the only home remedy I've used in recent times. Maybe I'll think of more later.
breastmilk for eye infection is brilliant, I also used it for any rashes/small cuts as it's antibacterial. The general rule of thumb for a while was that breastmilk sorted out most things!
Lavender oil in the bath, sometimes with some baking soda is good for nappy rash and rubbing virgin coconut oil mixed with rose oil, lavender oil and aloe vera juice into the scalp is good for cradle cap.
A teaspoon of cider vinegar in their juice protects agains tummy bugs. I only used to do it if I knew people near us had the virus but after what my little girl has just been through I think I'll start doing it if not every day then everytime she's going to be around other children.
I have never heard of the apple cider for tummy bugs. I think I will do that on playgroup days.
Great idea! I use all kinds of home remedies (my daughter hasn't been to a doctor in about 4 yrs. I think), but here are a few faves:
Elderberry: great for flu/fever
Cough syrup: agave nectar & sage/thyme tea
Immune boosters: veggie juice (fresh), echinacea, garlic
Baking soda in the bath usually clears up any, ahem, wee-wee area problems.
we have a couple aloe plants around the house and the first thing ea says if she gets a boo-boo is "mommy put aloe on it." I also try to slather aloe all over my body, especially my face. My boyfriend is 10 years older than me and wored outside and surfed everyday in Kauai, still he looks like he is in his 20's, (hes 37). He always had aloe plants and put aloe on his skin every day.
I'm sure everyone knows this one too, but breastmilk will help any skin blemishes, my daughter had bad baby acne and I put it on her face. Also when my nipples got cracked or dry I put it on them.
Grapefruit seed extract clears up Haole Rot, (not its scientific name :) Its white spots you get on your skin in tropical places from damp beach towels, etc.....People get in in Hawaii a lot. Doctors write percription creams, and some people recommend showering with Selsion Blue but when I had it the Grapefruit seed extract cleared mine up in a couple days. It also worked on acne. (I mean obviously talk to a doctor if you don't know what kind of skin condition you have, haole rot is a fungil thing
For newborns, when their poop is basically a liquid mess, rub olive oil (or other good quality oil) all over their butts every time you change the diaper. It keeps the poo from sticking, and keeps rashes away!
For my own ear infections, I put a couple of drops of hydrogen peroxide in each ear. My mom did this when we were kids. I asked a doctor once if it was harmful and she said no. It really works! I'm sort of afraid to do it on babies, but I have done it with my older son. You can hear it crackling around-my mom used to say it was fighting the infection (the noise). It might be true, because if you put it in when there is no pain, you don't hear anything!