Garlic Oil

This is great for sickness! Garlic is a natural antifungal and antivirus.  And I think it even keeps the vampires away.  You can swallow small whole cloves if you prefer.

To make garlic oil:
Mince 4-5 garlic cloves in a small bowl.  Pour olive oil in to cover the garlic.  Let it sit for an hour or so.   Make in small batches when you need it.

To use:
Immune booster:  Mix with salt, parsley, basil, oregano and dip bread in it.  Eat!  Pour on salad, rice or quinoa.  Eat fresh parsley afterwards to counteract the garlic taste.

Cough, cold, flu, fevers: Strain the oil, then rub the oil on your feet and then put socks on.  Can also rub on chest, cover with cloth.

Ear ache - warm oil by dropping oil on spoon over burner on med heat.  (this doesn't take very long.)  Get a dropper and test warmth by dropping a drop of oil on the inside wrist - it should feel warm, not hot or cold.  Drop 2-3 drops in each ear 2-3 times a day for several days, continuing 1-2 days after the pain leaves. Put a piece of cotton ball in the ear to keep it from running out (can remove after a few minutes.)

Ginger Tea

Fresh ginger is great for soothing sore throats and respiratory infections.   It's also excellent for colds and flu, digestion, nausea, motion sickness, gas, bloating, and menstrual cramps.  I used to think it tasted like flowers, but it doesn't really.  It tastes like ginger and it's kinda spicy! 

Ginger Tea:
To peel ginger, use the edge of a spoon.  That makes it easy!
In a small pot, add 2 cups of water.  Peel 1" of ginger and then grate it into the water.  Simmer on med. low for 20 min.  Remove from heat and strain.  Add honey to taste.  Can also add lemon if desired.

If you feel like you are getting sick, make up a batch and sip it through the day.  You can also rub this on sore muscles.

You can take a ginger bath.  Add tea to bath.

Eczema helps

There really isn't a medical consensus as to why people get eczema. It could be because of weather changes, too much exposure to allergens or chemicals, reactions to foods or who knows what. I've even heard it's a genetic disease, which I suppose makes sense that there are those who are more likely to get eczema than others. Certainly is the case in my family. My middle son just broke out in a rampant case of it, and I wish we'd been home instead of camping so I could've treated it better!

Here is what we do:

*Omega 3 supplements. Our favorite is probably Children's DHA from Nordic Naturals, but you can also get it from ground flaxseed or flaxseed oil (easy to add to a fruit smoothie.) My daughter is prone to eczema in the winter time, but if I make sure she gets her omega 3, she doesn't get it. Since it's summer time I've been forgetting this important supplement, but I'll be sure to get back on it now!

To soothe the rash:

*Witch Hazel - can feel soothing and help with the itching. You can buy plain witch hazel at the drug store or health food store. Often found in hemmorrhoidal preparations too, but along with other stuff.

*Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil - keep the affected area moist to help with the itchiness. Applying coconut oil helps heal, keep it moist, and reduce inflammation. I sometimes mix the coconut oil with a base like 100% cocoa or shea butter to make it spread more easily. Cover with a soft flannel cloth or gauze so it doesn't get everywhere. Apply several times a day.

*Diaper Rash Ointment - can help sooth the rash in a pinch. Use a natural type like Burt's Bees if possible.

*Wear Cotton Clothing - other types of clothing can irriate the rash.

Warts

Yeah, I know this is a recipe blog and you won't want to eat this... But I figured a few good home remedies could be fun so I'm starting off with warts.

My 4 year old daughter had a huge wart on the side of her foot. So big that it was even sending out "shooters" to grow more. I asked a relative of mine who is also a podiatrist about it and he said we really needed to get it removed. I called a local podiatrist, made an appointment a month out, since that's how busy he was. In the meantime I researched alternatives and decided to give Apple Cider Vinegar a try.

Here's how to kill warts:

cotton balls
apple cider vinegar
bandaids
towel

Spread out the towel to work on to prevent drips. I usually do this right before bedtime and so we do it in the bedroom. Pour a small amount of ACV into a small cup. Make a small ball of cotton from the cotton ball. Dip gently into ACV, without saturating it. Put the cotton on the wart and place a bandaid over the cotton ball. Leave it on all night and day. Replace the next night, or can change in the morning.

The wart will puff up big and white, and then the center will turn black. And then the wart will fall off (may need to help scrape it off with an emery board or pumice stone.) Occasionally, there will still be an area that is a smaller wart under the larger one that fell off. Depending on the size and deepness of the wart, this can take a few days to a few weeks.

If the area becomes red and tender, take a break for a day or two or more. Sometimes the wart does become painful as it is dying.

My two year old got a big kick out of us doing this every night. She enjoyed watching the process very much. We called it "The Wart Factory" and if I forgot to do it, she'd come and say (very excitedly) "We have to do wart factory!"