Why The Elderly Trust Natural Remedies
“Home remedies are good for promoting a healthy lifestyle, longevity, well being and a sense of empowerment that one can manage petty health issues”
Minimal Side Effects And Implicit Faith
Most home remedies medicaments are in the form of essential oils,enzymes, minerals and alkaloids, which once absorbed are assimilated only in the quantity needed by the human body and thus are popular with the elderly, In their self-management of chronic ailments, due to their lack of side effects, chemical-tree nature and affordability. And India has a rich heritage of prescriptions passed down from generations and also folklore.
A natural remedy is a treatment used to cure common ailments, aches and pains using commonly available ingredients from the kitchen like spices, vegetables fruits etc. Plants with medicinal value like tulsi, mint and methi etc, were used as self-help remedies for managing primary health care and grown in home gardens. Their hyped medicinal properties and minimal side effects foster the attitude and implicit faith in them and this really matters in alleviating pain!
With an increase in lifespan, the elderly population face with a fresh load of health challenges they need to overcome. Geriatrics care too has evolved as a specialty in the medical field and the improvement in modern medical science has led to exorbitant expenditure on medical consultations, tests, medicines and procedures.
Expensive prescription drugs have become the norm and this warrants the popularity of natural remedies among the elderly for common health problems.
Holistic Approach
Natural remedies provide a holistic approach to the physical, emotional, physiological and cognitive changes associated with ageing and provide relief from the expense and hassle of conventional medicine, which continues to become prohibitively expensive for the elderly. Natural home remedies for most common ailments are easily available at home on the kitchen shelf or in the garden.
Natural Ingredients
Ingredients like black pepper, ginger, garlic, jaggery, asafoetida, curcumin, turmeric or haldi, cumin seed or jeera, kalonji or black cumin seeds (Nigella Sativa), methi seeds or fenugreek, sesame or till, fennel seeds, honey, dates, omum seeds (ajwain), amla etc are a few. Ginger and Garlic are very popular and used in most homes for headache, blood pressure control, to treat skin problems, joint pains, colds and other ailments in certain permutations and combinations. The method, dosage and associated rituals add to the mystery and aura of beliefs in natural remedies, some of which are mentioned here.
Cautionary Note
Natural Remedies Are Not Foolproof
Though home remedies are quite effective and comforting, the elderly should be aware that natural remedies are not foolproof as there is a lack of sufficient research and assurance and its effectiveness differs from individual to individual.
It is important to remember that those who opt for home remedies, expect no miracles and do not practice it as an alternative to the treatment prescribed by a healthcare professional for serious life-threatening disease.
Home remedies are good for promoting a healthy lifestyle, longevity, well-being and a sense of empowerment that one can manage petty health issues. So, lifestyle changes, nutrition and regular exercise along with natural remedies, go a long way in promoting wellness while ageing.
Natural Remedies And Relief
- Jaggery and ginger juice in the morning is consumed as a cure for jaundice
- Application of dry ginger powder with hot water on the forehead serves as a remedy against headache
- Ginger juice and lemon juice for indigestion, ginger juice and honey for relief from congestion
- A mixture of eight cloves of garlic, one cup of honey and one cup of apple cider vinegar helps in weight management, blood pressure, and general well-being. And the suggested dosage is one teaspoon daily.
- Garlic cloves taken with ghee and honey are good for health and longevity
- Chewing two peppercorns wrapped in a betel leaf and swallowing the saliva provides relief from a persistent cough
- Gargling with a decoction of pepper helps in alleviating toothache
- Turmeric powder or haldi in hot milk promotes good sleep and provides relief from a persistent cough. A paste of this herb prevents cracked heels and also helps alleviate pain in the joints.
- It helps build the immune system and at the same time helps tight the onset of a cold, Also, haldi in milk is known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties.
- Nowadays haldi milk is very popular in the West and the tad is, ‘turmeric latte!’
- Another popular drink is the ‘cuppa glow’ also known as golden milk,’ made from cold pressed turmeric, almond and milk.
- Pomegranate has many uses in natural remedies – all parts of the pomegranate tree (rind of the fruit, the whole fruit, flowers, leaves, root and bark) are used in treating diarrhea and dysentery and anemia.
- According to recent studies, the typical home remedy – hot chicken soup to treat colds and mild flu and respiratory infections is very effective.
- Popping an aspirin for relief from pain is also very common, but just six cherries have the same effect as swallowing an aspirin as they are filled with antioxidants – a perfect natural remedy.