Burn 2-3 cloves of garlic in olive oil and store it in an air-tight container. Whenever your child suffers from a cold and dry cough, warm up the oil and massage his/her chest and back, and you will see the difference in just a day.
If you get the hiccups, just eat a spoonful of peanut butter and they will be gone. Once you try the peanut butter, you will never have to try all those crazy stunts that people do again.
Eucalyptus has a penetrating aroma that is good for clearing your breathing passages. You will need a bottle of eucalyptus paste or a jar of mentholated rub, a SCOTT Towels, scissors, a sewing needle, thread, and plastic wrap. Cut the SCOTT Towels into 4 X 5" pieces, cut pieces of plastic wrap to the same size. Using a needle, poke holes in the plastic wrap. Place it on top of the SCOTT Towel and place a teaspoon of paste on the center of the plastic. Fold in half. Sew all sides together. Now you have a eucalyptus scented sachet that you can nearby to help you breathe easier.
Save money by making your own replacement shoe insoles. Remove the insole from both shoes. Put together two sheets of SCOTT Shop Towels on a Roll, fold in half, crease and tape the sheets together. Trace one insole on the top sheet, cut out the shape from all the sheets and tape them together at the top. Sprinkle talcum powder, baby powder or foot powder on each sheet, then tape your newly made insole to the original insole. Repeat for the other foot. Carefully replace the insole in your shoes. My SCOTT insoles last about three wearings, but what a difference they have made for my tender feet. Making insoles is a good rainy day project and is so inexpensive!
For neck pain, fatigue or the stress of your day, make a homemade heat pack for your neck. Using a long sock, fill it with inexpensive rice and tie the end. Put it in the microwave with a cup of water for a few minutes. Check the temperature, then place it around your neck (over your shirt, so you don't burn yourself) for a few minutes. Relax and enjoy! The heat pack will hold heat for up to an hour, it's very flexible and you can reuse it whenever you want. You can even cover the outside of it by sewing a sleeve from your favorite material, if you wish.
At the first signs of a headache, instead of reaching for the painkillers, grab a piece of fruit. You'll get juice for hydration and fruit to fill your tummy a little. After a few minutes, if the headache starts to be relieved, there is no need for a painkiller -- just an early meal.
Buy a bag of the least expensive rice you can find -- the size is up to you. Place it in your freezer for a great ice pack. I covered mine with a homemade cover so it would withstand the wear and tear of use as an ice pack. To use it as a heat pack, place it the microwave and heat it for a short amount of time. Check every 30 seconds or so until it gets to the right temperature. Make sure it doesn't overheat.
Try apple vinegar to help you lose weight. Take 1 tablespoon in an 8 ounce glass of water with a teaspoon of honey every day.