Herbal Household Remedies

corncob, mustard, pumpkin, squash

• Corncob tea can be used to treat gout.  After removing (or eating) the corn from 2-3 fresh cobs, cover with enough water to cover the cobs by 2 inches.  On low heat, cook for an hour, strain, cool.  Drink 2-3 cups a day until the problems subside, then reduce to only one cup per day.  Keep refrigerated what you do not use right away.
• Grandma’s Old Time Mustard Plaster still helps for a variety of disorders, gout among them: Mash leaves and stems of fresh mustard plant into a pulp.  Coat the surface of the skin with petroleum jelly (Crisco lard or Vaseline) before applying the pulp to prevent serious blisters or raising welts on the skin.  Bind into place with gauze and adhesive tape and keep on for several hours or overnight for best results.
• The seeds of pumpkin and squash can be used to treat gout, too. Crush a handful of seeds and add them to a quart of boiling water, turn heat to low, cover and let simmer for 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and let steep for an additional half hour, then strain.  Until the desired relief is obtained, drink several cups of the tea each day, as needed.

catnip, ginger, marjoram, mustard, oregano

Warm or slightly coolish tea from marjoram and organo, a tsp each added to a pint of water that just stopped boiling, and let stew for half an hour and strained, helps with fever and relieves cramps too.

Grandma’s Old Time Mustard Plaster still helps for a variety of disorders, just like it used to do, fever among them. Mash leaves and stems of fresh mustard plant into a pulp.  Coat the surface of the skin with petroleum jelly (Crisco lard or Vaseline) before applying the pulp to prevent serious blisters or raising welts on the skin.  Bind into place with gauze and adhesive tape and keep on for several hours or overnight for best results.

Ginger tea breaks high fever:  Grate enough ginger to equal about 2 level tbsps, the add them to 2 cups of boiling water and cover.  Let steep for 30 minutes, drink 1 cup while still warm every 2.5 hrs.

Catnip tea reduces fever and the misery that comes with hayfever and nausea:  Bring 1/2 cup of water to a boil, add a tsp of freshly cut or dried catnip after removing the water from the heat and let steep for 20 minutes. Drink lukewarm, and you can add honey to taste.

mustard, chives, ginger, thyme

• Grandma’s Old Time Mustard Plaster still helps for a variety of disorders, just like it used to do: asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, fever and chills, sciatica, neuralgia, gout, bumps, bruises, sprains, tendinitis, common cold and flu, eruptive sores and boils. Mash leaves and stems of fresh mustard plant into a pulp. Coat the surface of the skin with petroleum jelly (Crisco lard or Vaseline) before applying the pulp to prevent serious blisters or raising welts on the skin. Bind into place with gauze and adhesive tape and keep on for several hours or overnight for best results.
• Chives and ginger tea relieves headaches due to sinus congestion caused by colds and flu. In 1 cup of boiling water put 1-1/2 tbsps of finely chopped chives and 1/2 tsp finely shredded ginger root. Cover with a flat plate and steep for half an hour. Strain, then drink lukewarm. Headaches usually go away within 20 minutes or less. Repeat as often as needed.
• For hot compresses to put on the chest to help break up lung congestion, or as a massage lotion for aching muscles and joints, put 1 1/2 handfuls of fresh thyme in 2 pints of boiling water. Cover and move away from the heat. Let steep for 40 minutes. Strain and use.