With deadlines, a few too many late nights and Exeter’s notoriously wet climate, it’s not surprising that many of us are feeling a little under the weather, and needing a little TLC. But if those devilishly hard to resist TP burgers have ensured your purse is feeling very empty by this point in the term, what can you do? HCX is here to help, with a great list of home remedies sure to make you look and feel back on top!
Garlic
Although garlic is probably best known for getting rid of vampires, it’s also an amazingly versatile cure for colds, cuts and thrush. Don’t let the smell put you off- used raw, this nifty vegetable is packed full of antibacterial and antiviral properties which can cure thousands of ailments! Take in about five cloves of raw garlic (which includes the same amount of allium as a concentrated capsule) and that cold will be gone in no time. Garlic expert Dr Ron Cutler, the deputy director of biomedical science at Queen Mary, University of London also suggests making a poultice of crushed garlic cloves for any cuts or grazes and, if you can really stomach it, you can use a clove of garlic as a pessary to treat thrush. “It’s one of the most tremendous cures for thrush I’ve seen.” (we may not be trying that one any time soon).
Tea
They say a good cup of tea can cure anything, but forget about adding the water, the teabags themselves are pretty deft at treating those suffering from hay fever. Just pop two cold wet tea bags over your eyes to calm any itchiness or irritation and let the tannic acid within them calm your streaming eyes. Tea bags can also be used to treat mouth ulcers because of their dehydrating quality, which dries out the ulcer and numbs the pain.
Avocado
Avocado is not only amazing in salads and on toast, but can do wonders for your skin and hair. Rich in potassium, and vitamins B and E, avocados are known for their moisturising properties; you can ever slather them on your hands with some egg whites, lemon juice and oats to leave them feeling softer than ever. Or why not create an avocado face mask if you have oily skin, which strengthens your skin and is full of nourishing oils. Add some honey and yogurt for a spot of moisturising. Lastly, avocado is amazing for lifeless hair- simply mix the veggie with one egg yolk, some honey and olive oil and heave on your head for one to two hours, or until the concoction is hard. Then all you have to do is shampoo and condition as usual and your hair will have never looked so good. Hairdresser to the stars (including Reece Witherspoon) Lorrie Goddard Clark calls this her “miracle cure”. If you are short on time, simply apply the mask to your fringe, or the shorter pieces or hair that frame your face, as these tend to be the most damaged.
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Honey
This sweet stuff is delicious spread over a piece of bread, or drizzled over some porridge, but honey has incredible healing powers. Honey is pretty acidic, which means it can help to destroy bacteria, always a plus when you are fighting off the onset of a cold. Equally, certain chemicals found in nectar are antibacterial, meaning honey can even be used on those cuts and grazes you’ve mysteriously acquired after a night out!
Sugar
A little sweetness will never go amiss, and making a sugar mask is a brilliant remedy for bad skin. Simply mix together brown sugar, lemon juice and some honey and gentle spread it over your face. The sugar is amazing at cleaning your pores out, and removing all your blackheads, while the honey helps you to moisturise and the lemon juice is a great cleanser, and helps to get rid of all the excess bacteria on your skin. Weirdly, swallowing a spoonful of sugar as Mary Poppins recommended really could help you- white granulated sugar has been proven to be a very effective cure for hiccups, in 19 out of 20 people. Now that’s the kind of medicine we could all get behind!
Of course, if you are more than just a little bit rundown, it’s always best to head to a pharmacy or go to the doctor, but these home remedies are sure to do the trick if you feel like you’ve had your cold forever, or just can’t get rid of those hiccups!
Image Credits: whatscookingamerica.net, idealmagazine.co.uk