Home remedies are part of everyone’s life. Our grandmothers passed them on to us, having had them from the generations before. They have held up against time, so here is a tour of the ones still being handed on today.
Beauty and first-aid remedies
For teenage acne
Slice a tomato thinly and lay the slices on the face over the spots for about a quarter of an hour, then rinse gently with water and a mild soap. Two applications a day, morning and evening, are said to clear the spots within a few days.
For blisters
Thread a sewing needle and heat the tip until it glows, to sterilise it. Pierce the blister gently and draw the thread through to let the fluid out, without cutting the skin — leave it in place until the new skin has grown back.
For dull hair
Blend an egg yolk, a tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of 70-80° alcohol, whisk until smooth, massage into the scalp, then work it through the whole length of the hair before rinsing thoroughly.
Remedies for digestion
For constipation
Take a spoonful of olive oil on an empty stomach in the morning, drink the juice of stewed prunes and then eat the prunes, or add a purée of cooked carrots and apples baked in their skins to the meal.
For heavy digestion
Drink lemon juice or a peppermint infusion, then chew fresh mint leaves or parsley.
For stomach pain
Heat half a litre of water with a tablespoon of cumin, and drink it little by little — half a glass every 15 minutes.
Everyday remedies
For haemorrhoids
Cook a fresh onion, mash it to a paste and apply it as a poultice on the sore area while lying down. Keep an eye on your diet too, and stay away from heavily spiced dishes.
For bad breath
Bite into a clove or a coffee bean, particularly effective after eating garlic.
For good sleep
Make a decoction of about ten fresh basil leaves and drink it before bed, or turn to passionflower to help sleep come.
To ease stress
Make a decoction of poppy petals, keep it in the fridge and drink half a glass whenever stress rises. A decoction of verbena or lime blossom added to the bath water relaxes too. One more simple technique: stop for 3 minutes every hour, close your eyes and breathe, counting to 6 on the way in and 6 on the way out, letting the belly rise, 5 times over.
For warts
Morning and evening, dab the wart with the drop of milky sap that comes from a fresh fig at the moment it is picked.
