There was a time when most families were rural (far from the nearest town or community) and had limited mobility (no 2 or 3 cars in the driveway). And these were also the times when there was no InstaCare Clinic three blocks from anyone’s home.

These constraints generally meant folks had to be independent, self-reliant, and well-prepared when it came to health and wellness. Whether it was grandma’s honey and lemon tea for a nasty sore throat, a baking soda poltice for bee stings, or mineral oil drops for an earache, mothers knew how to cope with the common ailments typical to raising families.


For instance, my husband likes to tell the story of how his mother was very handy with a needle and thread. She dealt with the too-common need for stitches among her 6 children with this needle and thread. Money was TIGHT and there was never a vehicle available anyway, to run a bleeding child to the hospital. So she’d stitch ‘em up herself.

While times have drastically changed (most of us live in towns, mobility isn’t an issue so much, and InstaCares are popping up all over now), it wouldn’t hurt us to have a few home remedy tricks up our sleeve today. It’s highly likely there’s some good ‘ol fashioned common sense in your cupboards just waiting to be put to use!

One old fashioned trick I learned from my mother that I’d like to share is my 1st Aid Mustard Plaster. This was always my GO-TO for chest colds when my kids were growing up.


I can’t say enough good about this concoction—its ingredients are common and its effect is powerful. Mustard is a rubefacient, which means it stimulates blood circulation through dilation of the capillaries, which, when applied over the lungs will help open them up and encourage expectoration of mucous that may be trapped.

And the camphor oil vapors penetrate the nasal passages, further opening things up. These vapors also warm the chest and loosen up any croupy stuff or other things going on in the lungs. This remedy just makes ya feel better! Here’s the recipe:



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If you have any home-grown tips for fighting the discomforts of flu, colds, ear aches, itchy skin, etc. etc., please share. There’s a lot of good ol’ fashioned common sense out there that we really shouldn’t lose. Now, while I’m not suggesting we forget going to the doctor, we shouldn’t underestimate the good ‘ol fashioned common sense lurking right in our own kitchens. The fact is, it can serve us when we’re in a pinch! So the question is, “What’s in YOUR cupboard?”