Kitchen Cabinet Medicine: Home Remedy Tips

Even the most well-stocked medicine cabinet can't prepare you for every tiny but real emergency — but perhaps other stuff you have lying about your house can help? You've probably had many weird and nonsensical home-remedy suggestions. The home remedies we are about to recommend may be bizarre too, but they actually work. 

Baking Soda For Heartburn

Heartburn can be incredibly annoying — especially for people who suffer from it a lot, like many pregnant women for instance. I remember being up with terrible heartburn all night when I was pregnant with my son. Antacids helped for a bit, but the problem quickly returned and kept me from sleeping. Then, a friend's grandmother told me to mix a little baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) into a glass of water, and to down that in one go. I decided to give it a try the very next time an episode of heartburn hit, which was soon enough.

The good news is that this remedy really does work quickly and, in my experience, better than antacids. It's cheap, and you probably have some baking soda sitting in your cupboard right now. As a bonus, you can also use the stuff to clean your windows with. Do avoid using baking soda for heartburn a lot, because baking soda is high in salt and everyone knows too much of that isn't good for you. Beside that, you just need to see a doctor if you're not pregnant and have heartburn all the time.

Honey and Lemon Sore Throat Soother

To make this remedy, mix 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice into 1 cup of warm water. Stir until the honey dissolves completely. This soothing concoction is a popular home remedy for alleviating sore throats and coughs. Honey's natural anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties can help soothe throat irritation, while lemon provides vitamin C and a pleasant flavor. Sip on this mixture slowly throughout the day as needed.

Butter For Bruises

Wouldn't it be great if you could prevent the formation of bruises and bumps after falling or bumping into something? Well, you actually can! Applying a nice amount of real butter to the area that might otherwise turn nasty can work miracles. This is another old wives' tale I picked up somewhere and reluctantly tried out, only to find that it does the trick. Margarine works too, but not as well. 

See Also: Cold-Fighting Foods from Your Kitchen

Why does butter prevent bumps and bruises? Apparently, it has a lot to do with the bruise-forming process. Histamines flood the injured area when you fall, bump yourself, or get punched. They end up dissolving some of the cells that make up the blood vessel walls, releasing blood and causing a visible bruise. Blood vessels consist of phospholipids, and that contains a lot of phosphate, which is also in butter. Hence, the butter saves your blood vessels and prevents bruising.