Long before there were antibiotics, humans recognized their dependence on nature to stay healthy. Led by instinct and experience, primitive men and women treated illnesses by using plants, animal parts and minerals that were not part of their usual diet.
These well-known ancient formulas are lumped together in the all-embodying term of “home remedies.”
“Hillbillies are good people to ask about home remedies,” said Dale Webb, a pharmacy technician at CVS. “I come from a family of hillbillies, and they always have the strangest suggestions for any of your ailments. My mom once burned her arm on a skillet. She put raw potatoes on the burn, and it didn’t even scar.”
Home remedies are readily available alternatives for feeling better without going to the doctor.
For Rachel and Megan Balog, home remedies are their only option. Being children of parents who used only natural medicine, the sisters learned how to treat an ear ache at an early age.
“Heat up some olive oil in the microwave and mix it with a clove of garlic,” said Megan, a sophomore in biochemistry. “Put a few drops in your ear, and it will soothe the pain.”
“For a bad cough, cut up an onion, put honey on it and let it saturate,” said Rachel, a senior in architecture. “Drink a few tablespoons of the substance in stages.”
Crystallized ginger chews for nausea, meat tenderizer in a poultice for bee stings, Epsom salt and water to draw the impurities out of acne-prone skin, vinegar on a sunburn and a grated raw potato on pink eye are only a few of the endless recipes the sisters share.
“Our mom was a hippy,” Rachel said. “She wanted to use only natural medicine with us because her dad was a war veteran who became very dependent on drugs. She wouldn’t even let us take Tylenol. She would get information on home remedies when she would attend food co-ops. Our house is full of books on the topic.”
If quirky concoctions don’t do the trick, others opt for vitamins and herbs to cure their illnesses. Mary O’Malley, a self-taught student of homeopathy for the last 15 years, relies on the popular flowering herb plant echinacea to prevent the common cold.
“Echinacea stimulates the immune system and elevates your white blood cell count,” said O’Malley, a Columbus resident. “It shouldn’t be used regularly because your body will build resistance to it, and it won’t be effective. Only take it when experiencing cold symptoms.”
Vitamin C is also a tried-and-true regular in O’Malley’s household. The recommended daily allowance is 1,000 milligrams a day, she said. Vitamin C is water soluble and light sensitive, so natural sources are preferred over liquid forms. O’Malley said the best way to get Vitamin C is from an orange.
Garlic, known for keeping those threatening vampires away, is also known for slaying infections. Deborah Montgomery, an herbalist and nurse practitioner who works at Pearls of Wisdom on North High Street swears by the cloves for zapping internal bacteria.
“There are many benefits associated with taking garlic regularly,” Montgomery said. “Garlic is the only antibiotic that can actually kill infecting bacteria and at the same time protect the body from the poisons that are causing the infection.”
Kissers, be relieved; garlic can be taken in supplement form and need not create bad breath. However, if a home remedy for unwanted kisses is sought, chewing raw cloves will probably do the trick.
There are also the liquid cures – blackberry juice for diarrhea, cranberry juice for bladder infections and raspberry tea for menstrual cramps.
If test-induced stress is getting in the way of a Monday morning, Montgomery suggests some simple breathing techniques.
“In our store, we focus on healing by balancing one’s self, specifically through the mind-body connection,” she said. “For every thought you have, a body chemical is released, so it doesn’t take a genius to know where your mind needs to be. Breathing is so important. The amount of oxygen taken in during auto-function breathing is low. Conscious breathing techniques help to better oxygenate the tissues.”
Although Montgomery is an advocate of herbal treatments, she also respects the benefits of traditional medicine.
“Herbal medicines are medicines like anything else,” she said. “They are not harmless. Some herbs do not mix well with certain medicines. I don’t think anyone should go off the deep end with any particular substance. If herbs don’t work, go to the doctor and figure out what works for you. There has to be a balance.”
Not enough research has been conducted on home remedies for John Botson, a pharmacist at CVS to be an herbal believer.
“Some home remedies are helpful because antibiotics can’t treat viruses like the flu,” Botson said. “However, there are not many studies that support herbal drug use, so I tend to stay away from them. Chicken noodle soup always seems to work, but I think it’s just a comfort food. I find the day of the week is a better healer. Students will come in on Monday and be too sick to go to class. On Friday, they have the same symptoms, but they miraculously are able to go out that night. I don’t blame them, I did the same thing.”
