Natural home remedies for winter, flu season: Guatemala
November 28, 2011 at 9:00 am Christian Foundation for Children and Aging (CFCA) 3 comments
It’s that time of year when sniffles, sneezes and sore throats strike!
In communities struggling with poverty, people often can’t afford doctor visits but rely on natural home remedies made with plants and herbs from their environment.
Cypress seeds used for natural home remedies in Guatemala.
Here are two common Guatemalan home remedies used during the winter and flu seasons.
Note: This blog post is provided purely for informational purposes to shed light on the lives of CFCA sponsored children and elderly. CFCA does not endorse these remedies or encourage readers to try them.
If you do decide to try a natural home remedy, please check with your doctor first. Certain home remedies, particularly herbal ones, can interact with prescription medications.
Cypress seeds (submitted by Gerver Churunel)
Seeds from the Cypress tree are used for natural home remedies in Guatemala.
Knowledge of medicinal plants is of great importance for rural Guatemalan communities. Often families have these inexpensive plants in or near their homes.
A common recipe calls for Cypress seeds, used for throat infections and swollen tonsils. It’s a simple recipe intended for people of all ages.
Five Cypress seeds are collected in half a glass of purified water and boiled for eight minutes. After it’s cooled, the seeds are strained from the water.
Two tablespoons of white honey (different from amber honey) are added, and people then gargle with the water three times a day for four consecutive days.
Tomatillo husks (submitted by Luis Cocón)
The tomatillo husk is commonly used for treating sore throats and coughs. This home remedy is used by all ages. Some common synonyms for this plant are tomate, tomatito and miltomate.
Seven tomatillo husks are boiled in one cup of water for approximately eight minutes. After it’s cooled, the husks are strained from the water.
People then gargle with the water three times a day for five consecutive days.
Related links:
What’s your favorite natural home remedy? Feel free to share in the comments!
Entry filed under: Around the World with CFCA, Central America, cfca, christian foundation for children and aging, poverty, sponsor. Tags: cfca, Christian Foundation for Children and Aging, Guatemala, home remedies, poverty, sponsor.
1. Kelsey Rae | November 28, 2011 at 10:40 pm
My Costa Rican host mom would always make me a “tea” of water, lemon, ginger and honey whenever I was feeling under the weather or my throat hurt. :)
2. Christian Foundation for Children and Aging (CFCA) | November 30, 2011 at 12:37 pm
Oh, that sounds really good! :) Ginger tea is one of my favorites, and I’m sure the honey and lemon make it even better.
Another drink my mother used for colds was water mixed with a tablespoon of honey and two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar.
~Shanxi, CFCA web editor
3. Maribel Sanchez | December 1, 2011 at 7:48 pm
De parte de la familia Sanchez Quiros damos nuestras condolencias a los familiares de don Roberto y Doña Cristina,desde Heredia Costa Rica,estamos en oracion unidos a ustedes BENDICIONES
keylor Mauricio Sanchez Quiros Y Gerald David Loria Sanchez