We all have home remedies for combating health, skin and cleaning that have been passed down from generation to generation in Nigeria.
I remember a few of these remedies that were handed down from my mother and grandmother that I still use on my children.
Today, I will be touching on a few of my all-time favourites which are in my "go-to" toolkit and are regularly used around the house by the whole family.
Lemon Juice and Honey in warm water:
This is an age old remedy that I picked up from my grandmother and I have used effectively to combat sore throat, cold and flu symptoms. It's very effective for fighting the cold virus and I have done some basic research to understand the reason this remedy works even better than many leading pharmaceutical brands.
According to the mayo clinic - warm lemon water with honey helps loosen congestion and prevents dehydration as cold viruses thrive under dry conditions. Lemon is also high in vitamin C and is an immune booster which aids your system to fight infections. Honey is also soothing to the sore throat, making it an effective cough suppressant.
You can also add a dash of grated ginger to the mixture to increase the removal of toxins from the body.
Natural Coconut Oil:
The health benefits of coconut oil are well known and documented but we all take the humble coconut for granted particularly as it is very widely available all over Nigeria.
I always make my natural coconut oil by grating the white flesh, straining with water and drying on a gas burner to extract the oil. This is a great addition to the home first aid kit, and works fabulously as a salve on wounds and sores as it helps them heal faster.
Based on the unique combination of fatty oils found in coconut oil it has been shown to have powerful medicinal properties such as boosting energy expenditure by up to 5%, reducing appetite and increasing fat burning, making it a great tool for weight loss.
The Lauric acid found in coconut oil has also been found to kill off bacteria, virus and fungi and so is very good for staving off infections.
Coconut oil is used to improve blood cholesterol levels, for preventing heart disease, to moisturize and protect the hair and skin from damage. It also acts as a sun screen by blocking out up to 20% of the sun's rays.
Natural Palm Oil:
Palm oil is obtained from the fruit of the oil palm tree which is found along the coastal regions of southern Nigeria.
Palm oil has been found to be effective for preventing vitamin A deficiency, cancer, brain disease, aging; and has been used in the treatment of malaria, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and cyanide poisoning.
Palm oil, just like coconut oil is used as a weight loss supplement for increasing the body’s metabolism. It's also great as a first aid salve for healing open wounds.
Palm oil is widely used for industrial purposes such as manufacturing cosmetics, soaps, toothpaste, waxes, lubricants, and ink. Palm oil contains saturated and unsaturated fats, vitamin E, and beta-carotene.
Vinegar:
Vinegar is another common home remedy made from fermenting the juice of crushed fruits such as apples.
It is great as a household cleaning agent and can be used in place of harmful industrial cleaning agents around the house.
Vinegar is also an effective tool for aiding weight loss, strengthening weak bones, reducing leg cramps and pain, upset stomach, sore throats, sinus problems, high blood pressure, arthritis, helping the body get rid of toxins, to stimulate thinking, slow down the aging process, regulate blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, and fight infection.
Some people apply apple cider vinegar to the skin for acne, as a skin toner, to soothe sunburn, for shingles, insect bites, and to prevent dandruff. It is also used in the bath for vaginal infections.
In foods, vinegar is used as a flavouring agent and could help lower blood sugar levels in people with diabetes by changing how foods get absorbed from the gut.
Granulated Sugar:
This is a common staple as it is widely used all over Nigeria as a sweetener and food additive. However it is a secret weapon that is used for treating wounds especially after surgery.
The treatment is thought to work because applying sugar to a wound helps to draw water away from it and prevent bacteria from multiplying, thereby starving the bacteria of what it needs to grow so that they die, drying out the wound and helping it to heal faster.
You can also use granulated sugar, vanilla extract and honey to make a lovely sugar scrub that can be used to exfoliate the skin leaving it fresh and rejuvenated.
