There are a lot of holistic, natural, old-world remedies people swear by. They swear up and down that these old-world remedies are far safer than the new world drugs and chemicals and more effective to boot.
However, as we know, nothing is true 100% of the time. Some old-world remedies do, in fact, work well and may even work better than their modern counterparts. I, for one, swear by some of the herbal remedies I learned because I’ve given them to friends and family, and they worked!
One Secret Lies in Your Gut
Food is often one of the best medicines you can have. Food is the fuel that gives your body nourishment and gives you the energy to do what it is you want to do. Many people don’t realize how much the food they eat affects their health and how they feel, unfortunately.
You can avoid certain foods to minimize inflammation and eat certain foods to increase strength or help treat anemia. The foods you eat affect everything in your body and your overall health. It is a good idea to research what medicinal powers your favorite foods hold and what pitfalls you might be missing because of your diet. Many people have switched to a plant-based diet for these reasons. If you have been considering it, the Plant-Based Recipe Cookbook is an excellent resource to help you get started, with recipes, instructions, and even a grocery list!
There’s a Herb for Everything
The medicinal power of herbs was one of the most popular and well-known of the old-world remedies. They had an herbal treatment for everything; they made topical ointments, oils, and ground herbs to treat everything from hair loss and rash to indigestion and fatal diseases.
While not everything the old world thought herbs could cure is actually true, there are several remedies that actually prove effective. Things like ginger and a combination of specific herbs to ease nausea or certain herbs to soothe rashes or other skin irritations. If you’re interested in the medicinal powers of herbs, we recommend researching treatments that are proved scientifically to be effective. The Yummy Herbs EBook is an inexpensive guide to raising herbs in pots, without the need for huge plots of land for a full garden.
Although there are many herb books available today, my “Go To” book for herbal remedies that have worked for me is Dian Dincin Buchman’s Herbal Remedies. Every remedy I tried from this book (from back in the 1990s when I was the “old crone on the mountains” – even though I wasn’t all that old) has worked!). I’ve included some other resources at the end of this article.
There’s an Essential Oil for Everything
Essential oils are another great old-world remedy that still has relevance in the modern world. In the old world, essential oils and herbs were used to treat absolutely every ailment, including things like migraines, depression, and stress. Nowadays, we know these items aren’t the cure-alls they were once believed to be, but that doesn’t render them useless.
Essential oils like lavender, eucalyptus, etc. can help to soothe headaches and pains, ease stress and anxiety, and some can even help promote sleep. Diffusing essential oils and breathing them in deeply can offer some medicinal benefits; we recommend relying on scientific research when purchasing these, so you don’t get suckered into buying ones that aren’t actually effective.
I have ordered essential oils and raw herbs from multiple locations, but my favorite, both for product quality and customer service is Mountain Rose Herbs out of Eugene, OR.
A source I use for premium grade fragrance oils to use in things like diffusers (to brighten your environment), or to use in your laundry and cleaning products, candles, bath bombs, etc., is P&J Trading Company.
Your Mind is Your Most Powerful Tool
The mind is way more powerful than we give it credit for. In the old world, they thought the ailments that could be overcome with the mind were either made up in the first place or caused by a demon or something similar.
Today we know that our minds hold the power to overcoming or persevering through many conditions or ailments. A positive outlook and hope can make all the difference in a battle with a fatal illness. Positivity, focus, and determination can all help overcome limitations we once thought insurmountable. Your mind can be one of your most effective tools.
My neighbor is a perfect example of this. His body is riddled with cancer and he has a few other problems that make his life challenging. Yet, he keeps going. When I’m taking him to his doctor appointments, we have some pretty lively conversations, and usually a pretty good amount of laughter as well! And during this time of coronavirus, he is (thankfully) taking the necessary precautions and being smart about his health. (And he takes his Vinegar of the Four Thieves when he should as well!)
While some old-world remedies have been proven ineffective, they aren’t all malarky. It’s important to do your research so you try only the old-world remedies that are known to be effective. I wish you all the best in your journey and applaud you on your decision to try a more natural alternative to medication.
RESOURCES:
Remedies:
- The Lost Book of Remedies
- Herbal Remedies by Dian Dincin Buchman
- Vinegar of the Four Thieves (from Herbal Remedies)
Food: The Plant-Based Cookbook
Gardening: Yummy Container Herbs
Meditation CDs: This is a site I found that I like, so I’ve created a list of the ones I think are most needed right at this time of insecurity in our lives.
- Home Page – A list of all their CDs
- Stress Relief – something we all need now!
- Sleep Pack – Make sure you are getting restful sleep for your immune system (and your brain)
- Recharge & Refresh! – For the most productive day you can have
- Meditation Pack – Different types of meditation, so you get to choose the one(s) that fit best for you.
- Super Pack!! Get a large selection for a “pack price”
Disclaimer: Some of the resources are from third-party sources, which means if you buy one of them, I may get a small commission from your purchase. Thank you!