H

ome remedies have been with us for a very long time and have been used for treating various ailments. Be it the simple cold and cough or burns and cuts or the common tummy upsets - we have all reached out to our granny’s home remedies at some point of time or the other. 

 Passed down from generation to generation, from mothers and mothers-in-law to daughters and daughters-in-law, these remedies have been embedded so strongly in our culture and traditions, that it has become an integral part of our lives. So, you can say that whatever be the ailment, our first approach would be the home remedies.  

While using the home remedies are not wrong, we need to understand that certain ailments are better treated with a visit to the doctor. 

Here are some of the home remedies that may work in common ailments. If the problem persists, please do consult your doctor. 

 

Cold and cough- Cold and cough are the most common ailments. There are many remedies available, based on the region one belongs to. Try these.

 

• Honey, lemon, and ginger Take a teaspoon of honey with a few drops of lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon of ginger juice. Mix together and take a teaspoon 3 times a day. It will relieve you of cold and cough. This remedy can also be used for children. Just reduce the dosage by half.

• Turmeric, crushed black pepper and milk - Add a pinch of turmeric powder, 2 pinches of crushed black pepper to a glass of warm milk, and drink every night.

Burns and Cuts- Burns and cuts are a part of the kitchen when a person cooks.

 

• Turmeric- For cuts, wash the wound, apply turmeric and the bleeding will stop.

• Idli/dosa batter or wheat flour - For burns, wash the wound in running water and apply “idli/dosa” batter or “atta” - wheat flour. The burning sensation will stop. 

• Ghee- For burns, you can also apply “ghee”, if you don’t find idli/dosa batter or atta. 

Indigestion- We Indians love our food and cannot stop eating, leading to indigestion. 

 

• Jeera, salt, ghee, and hot rice- Take a teaspoon of jeera, crush them with a little salt. Heat ghee in a small ladle and keep ready. In hot rice, sprinkle the jeera and salt mix, add the heated ghee(it will sizzle), now mix and eat this for 3 days. Indigestion will be gone. It is usually done twice a day. 

• Dry ginger and jaggery balls - Mix 1teaspoon crushed dry ginger with jaggery and take twice daily before a meal. This will reduce your chances of indigestion in the future. 

• Flatulence (gas)- Another commonly seen problem is the buildup of gas in the gastrointestinal tract. 

• Ajwain/carom seeds - Mix 1/2 teaspoon ajwain powder with an equal quantity of saunf (fennel seeds) powder with warm water and drink it once a day.  

• Jeera- Take a tablespoon of cumin seeds and boil it in two cups of water for 10-15 minutes. Let it cool down, strain, and drink the water after having your meals. 

• Headache - Stress, changes in sleep, or lack of sleep, poor posture, skipped meals are some reasons for headaches. 

• Dry ginger powder and water - A warm paste of dry ginger powder with water applied over the forehead up to 3 - 4 times a day helps relieve the pain. 

 

• Toothache- Toothache can be relieved with items that are readily available at home. 

• Clove- Place the whole clove on the affected tooth and chew it a bit to release its oil. The anesthetic effect will kick in soon to relieve you of the pain.  

• Salt and hot water - Hot water with salt dissolved in it works as a natural antiseptic. Swish the water around the mouth with emphasis on the affected area for at least thirty seconds before spitting it out. 

Home remedies for small ailments are many. The above mentioned are remedies that have been used in our household for a long time. Again, the emphasis is on consulting with a doctor at the earliest, as some ailments/problems cannot be completely cured with the home remedies.