6 Home Healing Hacks

6 Home Healing Hacks

We often get hurt at the most inopportune times. On a holiday or in the middle of the night when stores are closed you may obtain a nasty bruise, get a bug bite, or drive a splinter into your finger. Before you panic and run looking for help, these 6 home healing hacks may get you the relief you need without an emergency room visit or trying to track down an over-the-counter (OTC) remedy. 

There are a variety of treatments in your home right now that you can apply to minor scrapes, cuts, burns and many other unexpected ailments that really work. Give some of these healing hacks a try for yourself to see if there just may be an unexpected response that pleasantly surprises, while genuinely healing.

Helpful Honey 

Raw honey is one of the most resilient, potent healing foods available. When stored properly, and not heated (pasteurized) it never goes bad and holds a long list of therapeutic properties. 

In a study titled, ‘Honey-Based Dressings and Wound Care’ published in the Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing it was reported that,

“Honey has been found to exert anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects without antibiotic resistance, promote moist wound healing, and facilitate debridement [the removal of damaged tissue or foreign objects from a wound].”

Use raw honey only (Manuka honey is the very best) as regular pasteurized honey is loaded with too much fructose which can act as an accelerant for bacteria. Apply raw honey to minor burns which can significantly prevent scarring as well as scrapes and cuts where bleeding has coagulated to prevent bacterial buildup. 

Pulmonary Friendly Plants

According to The US Environmental Protection Agency, as reported by Earthkind, 

“Indoor air quality can be 10x more polluted than the air outside. Indoor air quality is the nation’s top pollution problem.”

Before you spray your home with synthetic, chemically laden deodorizers and anti-bacterials try populating sunny spots with pollution fighting plants. These specific plants are capable of removing harmful chemicals from the air through a process called phytoremediation. 

  • Japanese royal ferns
  • Spider plants
  • Boston ferns
  • Purple waffle plants
  • English ivy
  • Golden pathos
  • Aloe vera
  • Peace lilies
  • Snake plants

See if one or more of these plants may help keep your indoor air safe and your lungs clean.

Get Coco-Loco

Every home should contain a jar of organic coconut oil as this is one of nature’s most impressive healing hacks. These are just some of the many uses of this incredible, nutritious, protein packed food:

Oil pulling – Coconut oil is excellent for the ancient practice of oil pulling. This is when you take about a tablespoon of coconut oil in your mouth and swish it around for a few minutes. The anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and anti-microbial properties of coconut help draw out toxins and plaque from in-between the teeth and deep within the gums. Always rinse and brush after oil pulling,

Hair Tamer – All you need is about a quarter size dollop of coconut oil in the palm of your hand and then rubbed through your scalp. It has been linked to reducing dandruff, minimizing frizz, improving shine, and strengthening follicles. 

Quick Fixes

  • Glue Your Splinter – If you sustain a splinter and don’t want to or can’t dig it out with a needle, simply apply some white glue over the splinter, let dry, then peel off. The splinter should come right out. 
  • Stop the Bleed – When you don’t have a bandage available but temporarily need to stop the bleeding of a minor cut you can sprinkle cayenne pepper on the wound. It will burn but the bleeding will stop. You can also clean with soap and water then dry as best you can, squeeze together and apply the same glue you might use for that splinter. The wound will seal long enough to keep the bleeding at bay. Finally, a sanitary napkin aka feminine pad is an excellent absorber when a bandage is not handy. 
  • Sunburn Hacks – When summer hits it’s easy to head into the sun and forget all about your delicate winter skin. If sunburn strikes, try dabbing vinegar mixed with equal parts water on the area. If it’s really bad you can soak a t-shirt in the mixture and wear it for instant relief (even though you’ll smell a little like salad dressing). You can also try mentholated shaving cream rubbed on the area as well as buying some aloe vera juice or gel and freezing into ice cubes to rub on sunburn. 

These 6 home healing hacks are a small example of utilizing what you have around the house when conventional first aid is unavailable. These are temporary fixes that could get you through a situation until further treatment can be applied. 

Sources:

https://journals.lww.com/jwocnonline/Abstract/2009/01000/Honey_Based_Dressings_and_Wound_Care__An_Option.8.aspx

https://www.earthkind.com/blog/natural-home-remedies-life-hacks-tips/