Natural Home Remedies for Summer

Peppermint

Drinking everyday peppermint tea can fight headaches, indigestion, bloating or gas, and cold and flu symptoms. You can also use this powerful herb topically to soothe itchy, irritated skin caused by hives, poison ivy, or poison oak. Simply empty the contents of a tea bag into a small dish, wet with a bit of warm water, mix into a paste, apply to the affected area, and cover with gauze or a large band-aid for a half-hour. For more widespread irritation or bites, steep 5 bags of tea in hot water for 15 minutes and add the tea to a warm bath.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is very soothing for mild sunburns. Just add 1 cup of it to a lukewarm bath. For mild, prickly heat rash, bee stings, or insect bites, add 1 cup of baking soda to a cool bath and have your child soak in it for 10-20 minutes. Widely thought to have antacid properties, 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of baking soda mixed with water can relieve an upset stomach.

Vanilla Extract

Summer travel can lead to anxiety and car-sickness, and plain old vanilla extract is a great remedy for both. To treat a nervous stomach or nausea, add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract to 2 tablespoons of warm water mixed with honey. To combat nervousness and jitters, you can add 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract to massage oil and treat your child to a nice, fragrant massage; vanilla’s soothing scent alone can calm nerves.

Cinnamon

If summer fun has led to a generally upset stomach in your child, try adding some cinnamon to their diet. The spice is known to help soothe an upset digestive tract — just don’t overdo it. Start with a little bit and then work up to a teaspoon or so a day. Sprinkle some into their apple juice, applesauce, or even make an apple cinnamon smoothie.

Oatmeal

As 100-year-old Russian peasants can attest, oatmeal is great for your insides, but it also works wonders on irritated skin. If your kids are unlucky enough to run into some poison ivy or oak on their summer adventures, make a poultice by placing cooked, cooled oatmeal into a cotton cloth and apply to the affected area(s). You can also grind the oatmeal, wrap it in a muslin cloth, and let it steep in a warm bath for a soothing, full-body treatment.

Honey

Everybody knows that honey is great for relieving a sore throat or helping with a cough, but did you know it’s also a natural antibiotic that can treat minor burns? It’s true; honey has antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties that may work even better than antibiotic ointment when applied to burns. Simply apply it directly to the affected area and cover with a piece of gauze or band-aid.

Salt

Gargling with warm saltwater is a tried-and-true remedy for a sore throat, and it’s also a good course of action at the onset of an illness — and what kid wants to be sick during the summer? Salt can also be used to treat itchy bug bites; make a paste with 1 teaspoon of salt and a few drops of water, apply the paste to the bite, and cover with a large band-aid or piece of gauze for a half-hour. For more widespread bug bites, a soak in a warm, salty bath can bring relief.

Ginger

This great root just might come in handy during long summer road trips. If someone in your family is prone to carsickness, you may want to bring along some ginger, which is a well-known nausea and upset-stomach fighter. Peel and slice a 1-inch section of the root and steep it in hot water for at least 10 minutes for a potent (and spicy) ginger tea. There are a bunch of great on-the-go ways to get your ginger fix, too: crystallized ginger, ginger candy, (real) ginger ale, and even ginger snaps.

Garlic

Historically garlic has been used to treat everything from parasites to respiratory ailments to vampire infestations. Nowadays, it’s valued for its antibacterial and antiviral properties. If you think someone is coming down with a cold just before a big family trip, crush and mince a raw clove of garlic and mix it with 1/3 cup water or add it to a favorite dish — garlic mashed potatoes, anyone? If you’re averse to raw garlic (and the requisite garlic breath) try over-the-counter garlic tablets.

Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne pepper has powerful pain-relieving properties. To treat a backache or sore ankle (possibly resulting from the Slip-n-Slide?), mix 1 tablespoon of ground cayenne pepper with 1 tablespoon of water and apply the paste directly to the aching area for about 15 minutes. Test for sensitivity on a very small area of skin first and avoid use on younger children. Use everyday caution when handling cayenne: refrain from touching your eyes or nose and be sure to wash any treated areas well with warm, soapy water. As part of an everyday diet, cayenne can improve circulation, aid digestion, and reduce pain from swollen joints.