Everyone has a stubborn person in their life who flat-out refuses to adhere to any medical advice. It may be an aunt, a neighbor, or even your new age-y kiddo, but just because they poo-poo the idea of visiting the doc doesn’t mean they don’t have some great treatments of their own up their sleeves!
You see, before modern medicine advanced to where it is now, average folks had to come up with their own remedies for their minor health issues—and plenty of them still work just as well today as they did 100 years ago.
Here are 9 of our favorite go-to at-home therapies that are effective, easy, and best of all, completely all-natural. For full tutorials on each remedy, be sure to follow the links below!
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Keep nail fungus at bay
Unfortunately, it can take months for even prescription nail fungus creams and medications to show results. In the meantime, stop the yucky stuff from spreading with daily apple cider vinegar soaks or some tea tree oil TLC. Natural is always better!
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Deter ticks without the DEET
Believe it or not, run-of-the-mill cedar oil pretty much makes ticks lives a living hell! Spritz it on your summertime clothing or dilute it with water and witch hazel for an effective spray-on repellant. Smells good, too!
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Calm your anxiety before bedtime
If you suffer from anxiety that tends to rear its ugly head when the sun goes down, we bet you don’t get the rest you deserve. To reclaim your sleep, simply drink a cup of banana tea before bedtime. With high levels of both magnesium and potassium right in the peel, there’s no wonder why this centuries’-old treatment is still widely used today!
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Get rid of lice the natural way
There’s nothing worse than getting a phone call from the school nurse saying your little one has lice! While it may be tempting to go the over-the-counter route—or shave their head! —we recommend first trying out this mouthwash-vinegar treatment. It gets rid of those creepy crawlies without all the harsh chemicals!
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Soothe a burn
If you are suffering from a minor first-degree burn, it’s safe to say that you have plenty of store-bought options to choose from. Just the same, some people say that rubbing a raw onion on the affected area works just as well as, if not better than, the expensive creams and sprays. Good to know!
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Prevent swimmer’s ear
Don’t let painful water blockages in your ears stop you from your swimming pool fun. Before heading into the splash zone, apply several rubbing alcohol-white vinegar drops right into each ear. It’s an effective preventative measure that will keep you swimming all summer long!
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Give yourself a fighting chance against itchy poison ivy
Poison ivy: it’s a plant that can literally ruin a camping trip in a second flat! Of course, you should do your best to avoid it altogether, but if you feel you’ve slipped up, just wash, wash, wash with plenty of dish soap within the first 2 hours of exposure.
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Add some spice to your DIY cold remedy
Sure, everyone knows that a honey and lemon-hot water mixture works well to soothe coughs, but did you know that a bit of Tabasco really kicks the cold remedy up a notch? Now that’s a real Hot Toddy!
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Soothe kidney stone pain
Anyone who has ever had to pass a kidney stone knows that it’s serious—and extremely painful! —business. To ease the discomfort and speed up the “eviction,” try this safe olive oil and lemon juice concoction. This sweet and sour home remedy may just be the thing you need to get you through that uncomfortable passing process!
We’d love to hear your thoughts on these remedies! Have you tried any of these before? If so, were you happy with the results? Do you have any of your own that you would like to add to the list?