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Do you also remember your grandmother’s strange healing practices? You surely thought, what ideas she had, but now we know that these methods really do work.
Potato for a spider or other insect bite
It really sounds strange, but potatoes for bites work perfectly!
Take a fresh potato, wash it thoroughly and cut off a small slice with a knife. Then use medical tape to stick it onto the bitten area of the body.
Change the potato slice for a fresh one every 12 hours. After a few days, if it’s a more severe bite, it should heal completely. For milder ones it will be much sooner.
Garlic for toothaches
In 1740 the founder of the Methodist Church, John Wesley, wrote an interesting book of healing recipes.
In this book he stated that inserting a clove of garlic directly into the ear helps to relieve unpleasant toothache. However, the clove must be whole and intact, because the direct juice could irritate the ear and the skin.
Another option is to rub a cut clove directly on the aching tooth for 7 to 10 minutes. This will reduce both pain and inflammation.
Be careful though — at first rub for only a few seconds and if the garlic does not cause irritation, then extend the rubbing time.
Orange peel for a runny nose and colds
Many nasal sprays today are made with an orange scent. But that’s not just because of the aroma.
According to Mental Floss, squeezing an orange peel (or cutting off a piece with a knife) and then sticking it into the nose was common practice in the 18th century for a runny nose and colds.
Vodka for foot odor
It makes some sense – alcohol kills the bacteria that create the unpleasant smell from sweat. Therefore alcohol should be able to remove foot odor when applied to the feet.
It is recommended to soak a piece of cloth in vodka and wipe your feet with it. If you don’t have vodka, you can use any other alcohol (over 40%), or rubbing alcohol.
Pencil for headaches
Headaches are often caused by tension in the jaw muscles.
To relieve a headache, place a pencil between your teeth and let the chewing muscles relax. You’ll be surprised how quickly your headache will subside.
Yogurt for bad breath
Do you often have bad breath when you wake up in the morning? Then start eating yogurt.
How does it work? The good bacteria in yogurt can replace and displace the bad bacteria that are responsible for causing the unpleasant odor.
Licorice for calluses
Licorice can soften blisters and calluses.
Mix licorice powder with 1/2 teaspoon of oil or cosmetic cream and apply this mixture to calluses or blisters.
Olive oil for motion sickness (seasickness, nausea from rocking)
If you are about to go on a longer trip by car or boat, you can use olive oil to ease sickness from unpleasant rocking.
Simply put a teaspoon of oil into your mouth, roll it around on your tongue for a while and then swallow.
How does it work? In motion sickness an excessive amount of saliva usually forms in the mouth. Olive oil contains tannins that help dry the mouth and also suppress nausea.
