Local Remedies:

These were taken from interviews with Upward Bound/Woodson Institute students at Berea College this summer.

If you would like to view an interview about herbal remedies and wild-crafting click on the following links. The video will show in Windows Media Player, if you have a PC. The first link is for broadband users and the second link is for those with a Dial-Up modem.

JERI VIDEO (Broadband)
JERI VIDEO (Dial-up)

Use banana, honey, and cornmeal mix on your acne for about a week.
Shayna R.
Bronx, New York

Put Neosporin on your acne and it will go away quick, like over night.
Brittany P.
Whitley Co., Ky

Baby Acne: use baby urine on face.
Kimbri J.
Waco, TX

For a nasty zit, put a “dap” of toothpaste on it, to make it go away.
Brittany M.
Louisville, KY

Body Odor:

Excessive Body Odor:

Bathing in tomato sauce or vinegar stops body odors.
Brittany G
Birmingham, AL

Bad Breath:

Brush teeth daily with lemon juice and salt mixture.
Tunde O.
Berea, KY

Bug Irritation:

Bee sting:

Put wet tobacco leaves on a bee sting.
Tiffani M.
Pine Knot, KY

Mosquito Bite:

Put bleach on a mosquito bite to take out the itch.

Burns:

If burnt by something, then rub mustard on it. It will keep it from blistering.
Danielle F.
Monticello, KY

If you get burned, you can soak the area in milk, using a cotton ball.
Monica F.
Monticello, KY

Chickenpox:

Taking a bath in oatmeal can help cure chicken pox.
Mary Fornoff
Tompkinsville, KY

Constipation:

Eat prunes and drink lots of water.
Brittany W.
Birmingham, AL

Diarrea:

Eat green vegetables for constipation.
Amanda
McCreary, KY

Digestion:

Eat a clove or garlic tablet before eating.
Drink water with lemon while eating.
Dominika D.
Canada

Dizziness:

Burn a candle in ear, while holding something to keep the wax from getting down into your eardrum. The smoke from the candle will take care of your dizziness.
Travis H.
East Bernstudt, KY

Earache:

For earaches and/or dirty ears, put cooking oil in your ear slowly but surely. Put in a cotton ball to hold in oil, they lie down with that ear up for about 30 minutes.
Will Z.
Cincinnati, OH

Blow cigarette smoke in the ear.
Brandy S.
Mt. Vernon, KY

Flu:

Make and drink a "Hot Toddy" (Whiskey, tea, honey, cough syrup, multivitamins, cinnamon and brown sugar)
Bobby N.
London, KY

Hair:

Hair Care:

Mix egg whites together or use a dab of mayonnaise for your hair. It will make it look more healthy. make sure you rub the mixture down into the roots, then let the mixture stay on your hair for 30 minutes. Wash as normal after.
Chantel M.
Nashville, TN

Headache:

Put a banana peel on forehead for headache.
B. J. G.
Berea, KY

Hiccups:

Hiccups: Take a few drinks of water while leaning your head over, like you’re drinking upside down.
Krystal C.
Albany, KY

Hickeys:

Apply a cold metal spoon or a piece of ice to the hickey for about 30 minutes. Don't let parents see what you are doing. :0)
Whitney S.
London, KY

Insomnia:

Drink warm milk nightly for insomnia until problem goes away.
Chessa P.
Whitley County, KY

Jelly Fish Sting:

If you can reach the stung area, pee on the wound. Or have someone you know, and trust, to pee on the stung area.
Holly B.
Stearns, Ky

Kidney Problems:

Drink a beer for Kidney infections. Make sure you are of age, so you don't get into trouble.
Precious P.
Laurel, KY

Pain:

Pain while weaning:

Place a piece of warm, cooked cabbage leaf on the breast if you decide not to breastfeed and will instead use a bottle for feeding the baby. The warmth will take the milk away.
Stacy M.
Corbin, KY

Numbing Pain:

Rubbing liquor on a baby’s gums while teething, takes some pain away. Make sure the baby doesn't drink the liquor, only rub a small amount onto your finger, then onto the baby's gum area.
Josh B.
Rockcastle, KY

Skin Irritation/Injury:

Cold Sore or Fever Blister:

For a cold sore or fever blister, put a used tea bag on it. Leave the bag on for about 30 minutes. The sore/blister should be gone within 24 hrs.
Theresa M
Berea, KY

Cuts and scrapes:

Aloe vera plant can be used for cuts and scrapes. Break open the leave and use the oil on the wound. You can also use the oil for getting rid of warts, if used daily til the wart dissolves.
Hans B.
Srugers Glen, Virginia

Put lemon on bug bites.
Jennifer T.
Elizabethtown, KY

Put vinegar on open cut wounds or bad chemical burns.
Shane
Somerset, KY

Poison Ivy:

Put shoe polish on poison ivy. (at point of irritation)
Brittany Z.
Floyd County, KY

Sun Burn:

Put Pickle juice on sun burn can help heal it.
Bethany B.
Berea, KY

Sprain:

Wrap ankle with strips of brown paper bag soaked with vinegar.
Jeri G.
Carlisle, KY

Stuffy Nose:

Take a hot shower and stand awhile in the steam, with your face tilted up, and it will go away.
Frances D.
California

Throat Problems:

Sore/Hoarse Throat:

Gargle with salt water daily and drink 3 cups of chicken broth until throat feels better.
Tanika W.
Somerset, KY

Drink hot tea and honey to heal horse throat
Sarah W.

Warts:

Wrap a thread around the wart and tie it in a knot. Cut off the remaining string and bury it under the front porch, or in the backyard if you don't have a porch. When the threat has rotten, the wart should be gone. You can also use the Aloe Vera leave and its oil to take away warts, if applied daily.

Resa H.
Carlisle, KY