At a Glance Home Remedies

At A Glance Home Remedies 

Here is a quick list of some easy yet powerful home remedies and their benefits. 
Enjoy Chef Mel xx

Vegetables

Cabbage -  helps reduce bruising, inflammation, swelling and cools body. Place a crushed, cold leaf over area and replace with another cool leaf when the first one becomes warm.

Sauerkraut - aids digestion, probiotic, contains living enzymes and helps digest fat/protein

Daikon -  dissolves fat and protein - can be used in many ways. Large pieces cooked until soft take out excess salt and generally relax the body. Raw grated daikon helps to break down fat.

Dried daikon tea - ear problems, fever, headache back and sides of head, migraines, SAD, weight loss

Lotus root - coughs, clearing mucus, allergies, anemia - for a tea, grate 1/2 cup and squeeze out the juice. Cook for 5 minutes and add a pinch sea salt. Drink warm

Burdock - strengthens the blood, increases vitality and is a remedy for anemia

Jinenjo or mountain potato - helps overcome emotional and nervous disorders. Good for vitality. Can be used raw and finely grated with a few drops of shoyu and finely cut scallions. Serve over rice or in soup.

Apples

Apple cider vinegar - good for prevention of hot flashes, improves digestion, increases weight loss, lower chloresterol, helps prevent diabetes as it lowers glucose levels. Use one tablespoon of ACV to 1 cup water. Also very good for the skin and can use it for a soak or bath.

Apple juice - served warm can help headaches in back of head, detox gallbladder/liver , relax, soothe, and improve sleep. Can use grated apple and squeeze out juice. Apple juice kuzu drink is good for muscle pain, jaundice and stomach cramping from excessive consumption of chips/salt.

Granny smith apple - raw and finely grated can reduce a fever. Lightly steamed is a good detox for the liver.

Beans

Aduki, bean tea - helps bone, joints, kidneys, adrenals, constipation - soak 1/2 cup aduki beans in water for 3 hours and simmer with a small strip of kombu in 4 cups of water for 30 minutes. Strain and drink warm.

Black soybean tea - aids digestion, bones, lungs, coughs - use the same recipe as for the aduki beans using the black soybeans instead

Unique Remedies

Umeboshi Plums - food for longevity - strengthen intestines, alkaline, counter affects of sugar, and alcohol, makes absorption of nutrients and other foods easier - immune booster

Ume concentrate - very alkaline, headaches, intestinal issues

Ume vinegar - dilute with a little water and dab on cuts/wounds/tick bites

Kuzu - contains high levels of flavornoids that are responsible for the healing affects to digestion and circulation - starch helps to overcome bacterial infections in digestion and excess water in case of diarrhea. Aids stomach problems, vomiting, food poisoning from fish, shellfish,  or meat

Brown Rice cooked soft into a cereal with umeboshi - aids flu, colds, fevers

Rice cream - soft rice put through a fine strainer is easy to absorb and good for those who are weak from illness or have digestive problems.

Tofu as a plaster - cooling and can be used topically to help ankle problems, burns, front headache, muscle problems, swellings, inflammation, bruises - mash and add enough white flour to bind and a small amount ginger.

Herbs

Basil - anti inflammatory, relieves constipation and stomach cramps

Parsley - cleans blood, breaks down gall and kidney stones, packed with nutrition especially vitamin C, and iron

Cilantro - detox for heavy metals and other pollutants even mercury, good for food poisoning/bacterial infection, immune boosting, helps production of digestive enzymes, lowers colesterol

Ginger - morning sickness, motion sickness, slows cancer growth cells, migraines, flu, colds, congestion, reduces pain and inflammation, heartburn relief

Drinks

Ume sho bancha - alcohol, anemia, strengthen blood, regulates digestion, circulation, relieves fatigue, weakness, relief from sugar or acid forming foods

Ume sho kuzu - strengthens blood, promotes good digestion, restores energy, helps with digestive issues - gastric, colds, flu, frontal headache, heart conditions, strengthens organ function - kidneys, bladder, liver, and stomach
Dilute 1 heaping teaspoon of kuzu in a cup of cold water. Place in a pan and heat on a medium flame. Stir constantly until the kuzu thickens. Add 1/2 to 1 umeboshi and 1/2 teaspoon of shoyu. Mix gently and drink warm. Can add fresh ginger at the end for colds and flu.

Sweet kuzu drink - blood sugar/relaxing for mind and body/menstrual cramps/PMT/lower fever/monks used this tea to mellow out so they could study
Dilute 1 heaping teaspoon of kuzu in a cup of cold water. Place in a pan and heat on a medium flame. Stir constantly until the kuzu thickens. Add 1 tablespoon of rice syrup and mix through. Drink warm

Kukicha tea with tekka condiment - offsets excess sugar, diabetes, anemia, bones.
Add 1 teaspoon of tekka to a mug of hot kukicha tea. Stir and drink warm

Shiitake tea - PTST, nightmares, pain, weight control, bronchitis, lowers cholesterol, liver tonic
Soak 1 dried shiitake until soft - Simmer in a cup and half of water for 15 minutes. Add a pinch of salt. Drink warm and eat the shiitake

Agar Agar  tea helpful for constipation and bloating.
Simmer 1 tablespoon of agar agar in a cup of water until dissolved. Add a tablespoon of rice syrup or barley malt and drink warm.

Kombu tea for aches and pain even toothache. Shio kombu condiment helps  bones, joints, food allergies, lyme, or vascular issues
Simmer a strip of kombu in 1 cup of water for 15 minutes. Remove the kombu and drink warm

Additions

Pain - kombu tea, shiitake tea, relaxing teas like chamomile

Wounds - calendula cream or rescue remedy for blows, rashes, burns, cuts, razor burn, diaper rash

Tea tree oil - anti bacterial, anti fungal, anti viral - acne, cuts, athletes foot, insect, flea bites

Hot Water Bottle - relaxes tight muscles, increases circulation, helps gastric issues, relaxes tight kidneys, and creates warmth, helpful for menstrual cramps.

Salt Pack - arm, hand problems, earaches, gastric issues, stomach aches