Whether you’re looking for natural remedies because you want to take a more holistic approach to wellness or just to save money, you’ll love today’s post. We’re looking at some of the most genius health hacks ever! Keep reading to find out what they are.
15 Genius Natural Remedies & Health Hacks Everyone Needs to Know
Some natural remedies and health hacks are just so clever, everyone should know about them. From how to get the most out of your garlic to the best way to hydrate in the morning, these genius tips will help you live the best life possible. I can almost guarantee you’ll find at least a few that will totally surprise you. I know I did the first time I heard about them!
Two little notes. before we get started. First, this is NOT medical advice. While most natural remedies are safe for healthy people, even something as simple as garlic can be dangerous for those with certain medical conditions. So, talk to your doctor or holistic practitioner before trying any new health hack, especially if you have a condition or take other medications.
Second, I’m using affiliate links to direct you to a few products that I love. If you buy through them, I earn a small commission, but your price stays the same. Okay, now let’s get started.
1. Get the most out of your garlic by doing this first
By now, I’m betting you know all about the many benefits of garlic. It’s practically a panacea for everything from soothing a toothache to promoting heart health to boosting your immune system. Back in 2009, chemists finally figured out why it’s such an extraordinary natural remedy. It’s all about the allicin. No, that’s not a fancy new spelling for “Alison,” it’s the organic compound responsible for the tasty bud’s antimicrobial effects.
If you want to get the most out of your garlic and really activate that allicin, Food Matters recommends chopping or crushing your garlic and then letting it sit for 10 minutes before using it. Give it a try the next time you cook with it!
2. Try this simple recipe to keep artificial junk out of your vitamin C
Like garlic, the myriad of benefits of Vitamin C aren’t really a secret. It’s quite possibly one of the most well-researched supplements. Studies confirm that it can help in the fight against cancer, boost immune systems, and so much more.
Sadly, 1 In 9 women (and a whopping 1 in 5 men) don’t get enough of this powerful vitamin in their diet, so they turn to supplements. While there are plenty of organic and wholesome supplements on the market, many are loaded with sugar and artificial junk. No worries, though, you can easily make your own! Check out my Vitamin C gummies recipe to learn how.
3. Skip the coffee and drink these infused waters instead
While coffee does have its health benefits, it’s actually not the best drink to give you that much-needed morning pick-me-up. Instead, reach for a glass of water. It’ll help hydrate you much faster than a hot cup of joe.
While plain old water is just fine, if you want to really give it a healthy kick, add some cucumber. There’s a reason cucumber water is so popular at fancy spas. It really helps balance your body’s electrolytes. Food Matters shared a great recipe on Facebook, which I’ve embedded below. Not a fan of cukes? Try one of these other detox water recipes instead.
4. Drink beetroot juice to boost this important amino acid in your body
As you may know, our bodies practically run on amino acids. They’re the building blocks behind nearly every single organ, from our brains to our skin. One of those, glutathione, plays a significant role in “detoxing” our cells and helping us fight off nasty free radicals.
While true glutathione deficiency is incredibly rare (it’s affected fewer than 70 people in the entire world), there’s absolutely nothing wrong with giving our bodies a helping hand in ramping up production. That’s where beetroot juice comes in super handy. Here’s a great recipe for it that includes other amazing nutrients, like carrots, cucumber, and turmeric. More on that last ingredient in a moment. First, here’s a great recommendation for organic beetroot powder that you can use in your juice:
5. Turn to turmeric to boost your memory
Turmeric is one of the best little spices for everything from dealing with mild chronic pain to aiding in your weight-loss efforts. Did you know, though, that’s also a very powerful memory aid? In 2014, researchers found that taking just one gram a day can improve the memory of people suffering from diseases that affect their cognitive functioning.
While you’ll get the best results from using real turmeric if you’re not a fan of the spice you can also use supplements. Before doing so, though, I recommend checking out this guide to make sure you’re choosing a good one, like the one below.
6. Try this tasty trick to soothe a sore throat
With cold season right around the corner (and this one is looking particularly scary), now is definitely the time to line up some great natural sore throat remedies. While raw honey is a great option, I have some really good news for all you chocoholics! Turns out, chocolate actually soothes your sore throat even better than a cough drop.
Not any old piece of chocolate will do, though. You want to go with a high-quality (preferably organic) piece of dark chocolate. Obviously, don’t overdo it. Remember, even the best stuff is still technically candy! Get more tips on choosing the best chocolate for a sore throat here.
7. This weird trick soothes a really bad toothache
If you find yourself with a throbbing tooth and you can’t get to a dentist right away, I have a super simple trick for you. Actually, I got it from a friend, who lost a filling and was actually screaming in pain until she could get in to see a dentist. Simply hold water in your mouth! I’m not kidding, it really works! In fact, this is the only thing that worked for her.
Grab a bottle of water, take a sip, and just hold it on the side of your affected tooth. When it stops throbbing, spit it out. The relief only lasts for so long, so you’ll need to repeat it often throughout the day, but it’ll get you through the pain long enough to actually function. As far as the temperature of the water goes, you’ll need to experiment. Some pain responds better to ice cold, others to warm water, and some to just plain room temperature water.
8. Use this home remedy for itchy bug bites
Got a nasty mosquito bite that’s about to drive you insane? This home remedy is a bit sticky, but it really does work. Grab a little locally harvested raw honey and dab it on the bite. Then, cover it with a band-aid. That part is just to keep the honey from getting all over the place.
Along with helping stop the itchiness, raw honey has antimicrobial properties. So, it can even help prevent infections if you’ve managed to scratch yourself open.
9. Go bananas for this dry skin remedy
Another one from the “world of wacky home remedies that really do work,” banana peels are absolutely amazing for dealing with spots of dry skin. Nature’s Nurture recommends rubbing the peel on the affected area three times a day for a few days. Leave the residue sit on your skin for about half an hour, then rinse. Bananas are so cheap that it’s definitely worth trying, right?
10. Before you reach for headache medicine, try this trick
I can deal with a stuffy nose, a sore throat, even a cough, but headaches? Nope! They totally ruin my day! They’re just cruel and unusual punishment. As if the pain of a throbbing skull isn’t bad enough, half of the medications that we rely on to cure them can actually cause more headaches!
While natural remedies may not be enough to cure your worst migraines, there’s a great trick to use for many of the milder (and even some of the moderate) ones. Put a tiny dab of peppermint essential oil on your clean thumb, then stick it on the roof of your mouth. Hold it there for a few seconds, then rinse with cold water. Learn more about how and why it works here.
11. Kill bad breath germs with this popular spice
Cinnamon isn’t just a vital ingredient in pumpkin spice recipes, it’s also great for conquering dragon breath. How? According to researchers, cinnamon oil kills the bacteria in your mouth that causes that nasty breath.
While you could chew on a cinnamon stick (not joking), there’s an easier way. Just boil some sticks in filtered water, then let it cool and store it in a glass jar. Use it as a mouthwash to zap that morning breath. Bonus- while it’s boiling, your house will smell like fall!
12. Make your own ginger ale to soothe achy tummies
Remember how mom used to give us ginger ale whenever we had a stomachache as a kid? Well, there’s a reason for that. Ginger is one of the all-time best remedies for nausea, and the soda is a lot more pleasant than chewing on a piece of the root like people did in the golden old days.
However, as I’m sure you know, store-bought soda is positively loaded with junk, between the sugar and artificial ingredients (and the diet stuff is even worse). Besides, half of today’s soda doesn’t even use real ginger! Instead, try this recipe for homemade ginger ale. I promise, it’s a lot easier to make than you’d think.
13.Drink green tea to ease your anxiety
There’s a reason why green tea is always one of the year’s biggest health trends of ANY year. Let’s be honest, we’re all feeling more than just a little anxious these days, and for good reason. These are some very trying times, to say the least. There are SO many natural remedies for anxiety, but this one is probably the easiest.
Just drink a cup of hot green tea. Studies show that it works just as well as chamomile (which can aggravate allergies for some people). It may not stop a panic attack in its tracks, but it can help with a mild case of “nerves.”
14. Make your own vapor rub with simple ingredients
If you have coconut oil and a few basic essential oils that come in pretty much every starter set, you have all the supplies necessary to make your own vapor rub. Simply add eucalyptus oil, tea tree, and peppermint to a solid coconut oil base. You really can’t mess this up! Just add a few drops of each, stir, sniff, and adjust.
FYI, you can also use tea tree in place of the eucalyptus oil and Shea butter in place of coconut oil. Some recipes recommend using a double boiler, but I just mash the essential oils into the coconut oil really well. Like I said, you really can’t mess this up. Pretty much any butter or oil that’s solid at room temperature and any combination of “mentholy” (there’s actually a word for that, but it’s just out of reach in my brain, you know what I mean though) oils work. Store it in a glass jar and rub it on your chest when needed.
15. Go green!
This last one isn’t really much of a surprising tip, but it’s one of the best health hacks anyway. You really never can eat enough green foods! Leafy greens do everything from keep your eyes healthy to lowering your cholesterol. Too many of us don’t get enough veggies in our diet, though, so here’s where the “hacks” come in.
If you’re a picky eater, try drinking your greens instead. For example, if you don’t like the taste of kale, bury it beneath berries like I did in this blueberry kale smoothie. Oranges and bananas do a great job of concealing the taste of spinach. Lime or lemon juice are other great flavor equalizers.
I hope you enjoyed these health hacks. Whenever possible, I love using natural remedies to deal with common issues. Don’t get me wrong, modern medicine is great when necessary, but many home remedies have been around for thousands of years for a reason.
Last update on 2022-11-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Leave a Comment