Old Remedies Still Have a Place

There are times when the old ways are the best ways, and these are a few simple remedies that have earned their keep over the years.

For chapped lips, you don’t need anything fancy. Mix a spoonful of good honey with a few drops of rose water. That’s it. Honey softens and protects, and rose water cools and comforts. Dab it on before bed or before heading out into the cold wind. Simple, sweet, and effective.

If your stomach has been unsettled—troubled by loose bowels, cramping, or inflammation—it can help to give it a rest from cow’s milk for a spell. Many folks do better, at least for a short while, with goat’s milk or hemp milk, which tend to be gentler and easier on digestion. Sometimes the body just needs a quieter kind of nourishment.

For aching joints and stiff muscles, I’ve long trusted a warming liniment. Take plain baby oil and stir in a little powdered mustard—just enough to bring heat without burning. Rub it into sore or arthritic joints to wake up the circulation and ease the stiffness. It’s an old trick, and one best used sparingly and with care.

And when a sore throat comes on, don’t forget horehound drops. Horehound has been used for generations to calm the throat and loosen congestion. A little bitterness does a lot of good. Let it dissolve slowly and give the herb time to do its work.

These remedies aren’t about rushing or fixing everything at once. They’re about listening to the body, respecting the seasons, and remembering that healing often comes from steady, humble practices passed down from those who learned by living close to the land.

Sometimes the old ways still know best.