How To Make A Hot Toddy for Colds

Last week I came back from the greatest vacation to China with a ridiculous cold. I had a stuffy/runny nose. I had a terrible cough. I sneezed in groups of 50 and I convinced everyone in my office that Sars was back with  a vengeance . So true to my natural remedy roots I went grocery shopping to treat my cold. I skipped the cough medicines, zinc and got all my medicine in the fruit and vegetable aisle. Now I am certain, that my mission resulted in some casualties, as I was definitely contagious while at the grocery store and I'm pretty sure more than a few fruits were soaks in Krystal juice by my trips end and for that I extend the sincerest "My bad." and a should shrug. Now what did I get? you may be asking. I got ingredients for hot toddies, an old school remedy for cold relief. If.. you never heard of it... ask your Granny or local bartender.

When I was young and sick a close friend of the family made me a hot toddy, which at the time was very illegal but put me to sleep and made me feel great in the morning. So I thought I would share how to make a hot toddy for your colds and why they have some great properties.

Hot To Make A Hot Toddy

Ingredients
1. Hot Green Tea/(Ginger tea is also acceptable)
2. 1 Lemon
3. Honey
4. A shot of rum or whiskey ( I prefer Jamaican Rum)

Instructions:
Boil a cup of Green tea and put it in a cup. Green tea has an ingredient that that is exclusive to Green team called tea-polyphano. Tea Polyphano absords oils and works as a detoxifier for the body. While the tea is still warm squeeze half of a lemon directly into the cup. For aesthetics many people put slices of the lemon into the hot toddy as well. Lemon is a natural histamine balancer. Histamine is the chemical that leads to stuffy nose and watery eyes. Add a shot of rum. Rum is a depressant that relieves anxiety and can assist in lulling you to sleep. Add honey until the taste is to your satisfaction. Honey will soothe your throat and also has anti-bacterial properties. Lastly, drink this before you go to sleep and it will make sure your immune system is working overtime while you are sick.


Photo credit: jeanphony / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

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Mobile Apps for Fertility Management

It’s a perplexing moment when you shift from pregnancy being your greatest fear to your most coveted goal. It usually starts with seeing a kid so cute that you mildly want to kidnap them. Then sanity sets in and hopefully the paralyzing fear of arrest. Next, you tell yourself, “The current love of my life and I could totally make a much cuter kid than that? And in an instant it hits you.

“Eureka!!! I can make a baby! And at this age it’s no longer a social stigma! Jackpot!” You are overcome with excitement while watching Huggies’ commercials until the worries start to set in about your fertility. You may have ovarian cysts, irregular periods, or just be worried about the fact that you have engaged in some risky activity that should have resulted in multiple pregnancies. Well before you freak out, learn the signs of fertility and how to naturally increase the odds of pregnancy with mobile apps. If however, you are like me and currently avoiding pregnancy like the plague…at least for a little while, still check out these apps to help decrease your chances of getting pregnant using science.

Woman Calendar-iPhone
This app is kind of a big deal if you are trying to make a baby or "go half on a baby" as some might say. It tracks your period, dates of ovulation (or the time you are most likely to get pregnant), basal body temperature measurements, and sexual activity. It has fancy charts (which are a lot easier to read with the thought bubbles that are written on them.) You can export all the data via email or print it for your next doctor's appointment. This app is $9.99. Now, usually I give people a free alternative, but let’s be honest, if you can’t afford $10, then maybe you need to wait a while before you have a child. This is an investment.




WomanLog-iPhone and Android
This app is available for both Apple and Android users and its free! Honestly this app should cost with all the great ratings and physician endorsements that it gets but lucky you can keep your purse strings tight because it’s not. It tracks your period, your symptoms, your birth control intake, weight, mood swings, sexual activity and basal body temperature measurements

This app is truly great if you are trying to get pregnant, but may be overkill if you are trying to avoid pregnancy. The next app is just for the single ladies, tired mothers and other egg hoarders trying to delay pregnancy. (I know "egg hoarders" is not a term but I just made it up and I like it.)



P Tracker-iPhone
P Tracker is my absolute favorite and most used app. I even plan my vacation and dates around it. It tracks my upcoming and future menstrual cycles to the date and its notes section always helps remind me of things I want to tell my doctor. As a single female, the thing I absolutely adore are the icons that inform you of when you are fertile and what your projected ovulation date is, so that I am reminded when to take extra precaution. While I still find babies adorable, my shopping habit and travel budgets are not ready to take that hit just yet. So if you are single and somewhat cheap, use this free app for iPhones.




Hopes this helps you ladies. Happy Baby Making and Practicing!

Credits: Biological Clock Image from Foter.com

 DISCLAIMER
On Granny's Cures we strive to provide information from credible sources but we are no substitute for professional medical prevention, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with your physician, pharmacist, or health care provider before taking any home remedies or following any treatment suggested by anyone on this site. Only your health care provider, personal physician, or pharmacist can provide you with advice on what is safe and effective for your unique needs or diagnose your particular medical history.

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Fight Depression! Things To Do To Get Happy

I ran across this article on the tumblr of Bacon.Sex.Sleep and had to repost it for all of my people seeking happy naturally. Below are 12 Things That Happy People Do Differently. I truly believe the easiest way to become happy is to make a commitment to be so, so smile and check out the tips below. 


 (Source: enredosa, via eatcakey)

Photo credit: Sanctuary photography → No Longer Active / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA

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How To Get Sexy Clear Toenails with Listerine and ACV!

Hi Ladies,

Lately, I have been getting a crazy amount of requests for remedies for discolored toenails. Everyone is afraid of being the girl from that iconic scene in Boomerang, in which Eddie Murphy dismisses the most beautiful woman because her feet are for lack of better words "toe up" (pun intended). Well have no fear ladies. You do not have to spend a fortune on anti-fungal cremes or have to fear the "I hate this fucking job" stare as you take your socks off at the nail salon; there is a remedy for you, that I can personally vouch for because I saw results same day though it usually takes about 6 weeks. Check out the

Check out the how to get sexy feet naturally with listerine and apple cider vinegar video.

DISCLAIMER
On Granny's Cures we strive to provide information from credible sources but we are no substitute for professional medical prevention, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with your physician, pharmacist, or health care provider before taking any home remedies or following any treatment suggested by anyone on this site. Only your health care provider, personal physician, or pharmacist can provide you with advice on what is safe and effective for your unique needs or diagnose your particular medical history.

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The Best Liquors To Drink When Dieting

This year  you are devoted to making sure you live a healthier, more fit lifestyle, but New Years is around the corner and it’s almost an unwritten law that you have to drink as part of the celebration…or at least to help forget some of the crappier events of the past year.  Okay, maybe it’s not a law to drink but it’s a strongly encouraged tradition, and who wants to be the person that doesn’t participate in tradition? Not you! Have no fear, there is a way that you can responsibly sip the night away and not pack on the pounds or add to your beer belly…or in some cases beer booty, beer thighs and beer hips.

Rock Out with Your Cocktail Out!

Do you like rum and Coke? Perhaps a tequila sunrise is more of your thing? If you like distilled beverages, you are one lucky party animal because distilled liquors are low in calories (typically under 70)!!! That means you can party hardy…in moderation with a drink mixed with rum, tequila, vodka, whiskey or brandy. (I would advise not drinking them all at the same time kids. Don’t be that guy…or gal! No one likes to babysit drunk people.)

“Tell me more” you say.  Well a vodka and diet soda cocktail can be as low as 70 calories. If you drink two mixed beverages with one part distilled spirit and one part diet soda or reduced sugar cranberry, you have not only given yourself a nice buzz, but you have probably drunken less calories than you would have if you had knocked back a few beers. Try not to drink more than two mixed drinks. Distilled liquors tend to wreak havoc on the liver when drunken in excess.

Light Beer Does Not Mean Light Weight

Light beer seems like the obvious choice for the partier trying to watch their waste line but to be honest, if you plan on having more than one drink, then it’s not that great of a deal. The average light beer is around 100 calories a serving. If you are like me, over the course of a 3-4 hours of partying you can probably drink 2-3 light beers if not more. Light beers seem to be easier to consumer because they are less filling.

If you have to have beer, drink a darker beer instead. While the calories are higher in darker beers, they are more satisfying and it’s difficult to drink large quantities.

Winding Down with Red Wine

According to a US News report, “Some studies suggest that red wine specifically "appears to inhibit the development of fat cells and to have other anti-obesity properties.”” Unfortunately, studies showed that this only applied to women. So dirty wind, but don't spill the red wine, because there is some good stuff in there.

Hope this helps you guys!

Photo credit: Thomas Hawk / Foter / CC BY-NC

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Chamomile Tea and Cramps!

I love it when you find out that your friends is a home remedies and natural remedy enthusiast. Not only does it lead to finding out great remedies but it also leads to me having one less article to write this month. Check out Aneeta's discovery about chamomile tea. 

"Women love and hate their monthly friend. Along with it comes every woman’s share of unbearable symptoms, including cramping, bloating, nausea, and the runs. At the onset of my period, I find that I am mentally and physically drained. Being the anti-medication fanatic that I am, I will try anything before popping pills. The first thing I grab is chamomile tea. I have tried many remedies and chamomile has always worked the best.

What is the secret to this thousand-year-old remedy? Researchers in London, have found 2 key compounds, hippurate and glycine, which are byproducts of the flavanoids found in chamomile tea. Hippurate is responsible for the anti-flammatory and bacteria fighting properties of chamomile tea. Glycine acts as a nerve relaxant and relieves muscle spasms, further relieving you of your cramps.

For best results, steep the tea for at least 10 minutes to draw out all of the nutrients. If the taste of chamomile is off-putting, try mixing it with peppermint tea or taking chamomile as a capsule."

Aneeta Babulal-Granny's Cures Reader

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Quick Pick-Me-Up Remedies for Depression

It’s not uncommon that when we get “down in the dumps”, we head to the kitchen in an attempt to drown our sorrows out with food. Often, the food we choose is sugar-packed or fattening- also known as “comfort food”. Although those kinds of food makes us feel better while we are eating them, believe it or not, they leave us feeling worse off than before we ate them.

                                             

The Tasty and Healthy Alternative

Try this for a serotonin increase… Avocados. Eating away your sorrows does not have to be a bad thing, IF you choose the right kinds of food. The right kinds of food not only treat depression, but can also prevent it. Avocados contain the amino acid, tryptophan, which is compounded once it enters our body into serotonin. The unique feature about tryptophan according to research is that our bodies do not produce it.

Avocados also contain omega-3 fatty acids, which can be beneficial in lessening depression. It is important in preventing cell death associated with brain inflammation that ultimately can be a cause of depression. Omega-3 fatty acids, like tryptophan, do not derive naturally from the body. Therefore, they need to be derived from dietary sources, including fish. According to Alan C. Logan of the Integrative Care Centre of Toronto, clinical evidence conducted in research studies shows depressed patients appear to have low omega-3. Along with omega-3, avocados contain folate, and small amounts of protein and vitamin B-6- all of which can aid in preventing depression.

Music to Your Ears

I once read a quote that stated, ‘When you’re happy you enjoy the music but when you’re sad you understand the lyrics’. So true! It’s quite common (and normal) for most people to gravitate toward ‘the blues’ whenever they are feeling down. And although music is good for the soul, it can be harmful in this case since singing ‘the blues’ can cause one’s feelings to fall deeper into a pit of stink. Music is recommended for mild cases of depression, particularly those cases in which you may be going through a temporary set-back (a break-up, lost job, etc). Pop in your favorite album or load up your favorite songs on your mp3 device and play them until you start to dance! It’s important to “trick” the brain into thinking that it’s having a good time.

Say CHEESE!

Speaking of “tricking” the brain, it has been proving that smiling actually tricks the brain into thinking you are happy. David Lewis, a psychologist and director of research at Mindlab International in Brighton, England, says a warm smile can help us "feel more optimistic, more positive, and more motivated”. Yes, I know. You’re down and the last thing you feel like doing is putting on a fake smile. But, it may not be as hard as you think. Muster up the strength to hang out with some friends or watch your favorite comedy movie and feel your mood increase. The hardest part is actually getting up to do it. But, whatever you do, try not to willingly stay in a funk for too long before you decide to take some action, for ‘this too shall pass’.

Take that, depression!

So, the next time you feel depressed or down, think twice about grabbing that piece of cake or curling into a fetal position in a funk! Grab some avocados, and maybe whip up some guacamole. Blast your music and dance like there’s no one watching, or laugh until your stomach hurts! The key is to take control over your emotions, before they take control over you. Until next time… Live well.

-Evita Caldwell

Photo credit: Stuck in Customs / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA

DISCLAIMER
On Granny's Cures we strive to provide information from credible sources but we are no substitute for professional medical prevention, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with your physician, pharmacist, or health care provider before taking any home remedies or following any treatment suggested by anyone on this site. Only your health care provider, personal physician, or pharmacist can provide you with advice on what is safe and effective for your unique needs or diagnose your particular medical history.

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