After a long week at work, you decide to spend the weekend at your grandma’s house. She makes you a delicious dinner and listens to your stories. You mention that the office air conditioning might have given you a slight cold, and you cough a couple of times. Grandma just nods and smiles, as if she’s planning something.
The next morning, you wake up to find onions in your socks and a tennis ball tied to your back. Confused, you ask Grandma what it all means. She explains that she put onions in your socks to help with your cold. Onions are known for their strong smell because of sulfur compounds, which can help fight bacteria and toxins when placed near your feet. This folk remedy has been passed down through generations, dating back to the 1500s. Although there’s no scientific proof that it works, some people believe it might have a placebo effect.
As for the tennis ball, Grandma says you were snoring loudly, so she used an old trick to stop you from sleeping on your back. By taping a tennis ball to your pajamas, she ensured you stayed on your side, which can reduce snoring. If you keep doing this for two weeks, you’ll get used to sleeping on your side.
Grandma also has a remedy for hiccups. She suggests drinking cold water upside down. This means tilting your head forward over the glass and drinking from the opposite side. It works because it distracts you and contracts your belly muscles.
Later, you realize you forgot your dandruff shampoo. Grandma has a solution for that too! Crush two or three aspirin pills, mix the powder with regular shampoo, and massage it into your scalp. Leave it for five minutes before rinsing. The salicylic acid in aspirin helps calm your scalp and remove flakes.
For shiny hair, Grandma recommends a mayo hair mask. Apply it to damp hair, cover with a shower cap, and leave it for 20 minutes before rinsing. The protein in eggs and the moisturizing power of olive oil make your hair stronger and thicker.
When you realize you left your deodorant at home, Grandma suggests using baking soda. Mix one part baking soda with six parts cornstarch for a natural deodorant. It’s great in emergencies and doesn’t contain harmful chemicals.
After a tough workout at the gym, your muscles feel sore. Grandma’s remedy is ginger. Eating it raw or heat-treated can reduce muscle soreness and even help with nausea.
On the way to pick up your niece from ballet class, she feels motion sick. Luckily, Grandma’s car has a lemon wedge in the glove box. The citric acid helps relieve an upset stomach. If she doesn’t like raw lemon, green apple juice with lemon and black salt can also help.
Back at Grandma’s, you notice your dry skin. A radio show suggests soaking your feet in warm soapy water for 20 minutes to heal calluses. This will remove old skin and make the new skin soft and healthy.
Before bed, you hear your mom on the phone, struggling to sleep. Grandma has a solution: beeswax sleep ointment. It helps relax you by fighting stress hormones. Mix four tablespoons of beeswax pastels with one cup each of coconut and olive oil. Melt them over low heat, then pour into jars. Rub it on the bottoms of your feet before bed, and wear socks to keep your sheets clean.
After a day full of Grandma’s remedies and tricks, you fall asleep quickly, hoping for no more surprises in your socks the next morning.
Try the onion sock remedy yourself! Place slices of onion in your socks and wear them overnight. In the morning, write a short reflection on how you felt and whether you noticed any changes. Discuss with your classmates if you think this remedy could have a placebo effect.
Conduct a two-week challenge where you tape a tennis ball to the back of your pajamas to prevent sleeping on your back. Keep a sleep journal to track any changes in your snoring or sleep quality. Share your findings with the class.
Choose one of Grandma’s remedies, such as the aspirin dandruff treatment or the mayo hair mask, and try it at home. Document the process with photos or a video, and present your experience and results to the class.
Research why citric acid from lemons can help with motion sickness. Create a poster or digital presentation explaining the science behind this remedy and suggest other natural remedies for motion sickness.
Work in small groups to create a beeswax sleep ointment. Follow the recipe provided in the article, and then test it over a week. Record your sleep patterns and any changes you notice. Present your group’s findings to the class.
Onion – A vegetable with a strong smell and taste, often used in cooking for flavor and sometimes believed to have health benefits. – Eating raw onion can sometimes help clear a stuffy nose.
Remedy – A treatment or medicine used to heal or relieve a disease or condition. – Drinking warm tea with honey is a common remedy for a sore throat.
Cold – A common viral infection that affects the nose, throat, and airways, causing symptoms like a runny nose and cough. – Rest and fluids are important when you have a cold to help your body recover.
Aspirin – A medication used to reduce pain, fever, or inflammation. – Taking aspirin can help reduce a headache, but it’s important to follow the dosage instructions.
Hair – The strands that grow from the skin, especially on the head, which can be an indicator of health. – Eating a balanced diet can help keep your hair strong and healthy.
Baking – The process of cooking food by dry heat, often in an oven, which can also refer to the use of certain ingredients for health purposes. – Baking soda can be used as a natural remedy to relieve heartburn.
Soda – A carbonated beverage or a substance like baking soda used in cooking and cleaning. – Mixing baking soda with water can create a paste that helps soothe insect bites.
Ginger – A spicy root used in cooking and medicine, known for its ability to help with digestion and reduce nausea. – Drinking ginger tea can help settle an upset stomach.
Lemon – A citrus fruit high in vitamin C, often used to enhance flavor and provide health benefits. – Adding lemon to your water can help boost your immune system.
Sleep – A natural state of rest for the body and mind, essential for good health and well-being. – Getting enough sleep each night is crucial for maintaining energy and focus during the day.
