Do these classic remedies really work, or are they a bunch of myths? We check out three
By Lee Li Ying
If Grandma had her way, she would probably be rubbing boiled eggs on our bruises to make the swelling go down, or making us chug down the homemade tonic of Milo with raw egg, that is supposedly better than Red Bull.
These homemade local cures might make us laugh, or feel a little queasy, but do some of the well-loved (and frequently practiced) remedies really work the way we think they do?
AXE BRAND UNIVERSAL OIL
As its name might suggest, Axe Brand Oil is a potent-smelling little bottle of medicated oil. It is everybody’s go-to remedy for, well, everything.
Axe Brand Oil is used on the temples to cure a pounding headache, on the tummy for stomachaches, on a pesky insect bite to alleviate the itching, and as a remedy to a whole assortment of other maladies.
A check revealed that its active ingredients are menthol and camphor, both local anaesthetics with counter-irritant qualities that have been traditionally used to treat coughs and inflammations.
It is no surprise that they are highly prized for their medicinal properties.
This tiny bottle is budget-friendly medication that packs a punch. I will definitely keep one handy.
TIGER BALM
Another traditional remedy that my Grandma swears by is her jar of Tiger Balm. With a soothing scent of camphor, this unassuming white ointment has similar qualities and is used in a similar fashion as with the Axe Brand Oil.
Tiger Balm is best for relieving overstrained muscles and arthritic pains. Apparently, Tiger Balm is so effective that it has a huge following overseas as well.
Hollywood star Gwyneth Paltrow and pop diva Lady Gaga supposedly both swear by it, with the latter having declared that it is a “backstage must-have” on her Twitter page.
Its new products, Tiger Balm Active and Tiger Balm Junior, are made especially for fitness-conscious and younger consumers.
BOILED COKE WITH GINGER
The sweet taste of coke does sound more palatable than your average cough syrup. However, downing boiled carbonated soft drinks as a remedy seems at least counter-intuitive when you are down with a painful cough and sore throat.
Does the Chinese principle of “fighting poison with poison” really work?
While boiling the coke serves to do nothing to its original constituent ingredients and merely de-carbonates the drink, the ginger serves as a pain reliever.
As a stimulant and anti-inflammatory herb, ginger works wonderfully to boost a compromised immune system and to send you on the way to recovery. Boiling the ginger with coke is probably Grandma’s way of masking its strong and spicy taste, and persuading the younger ones to take to the remedy with greater ease. Ingenious!
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