• Question: are home remiedies valid and if so, which one is the most effective?

    Asked by they520opah on 17 Feb 2025.
    • Photo: Paul Terrill

      Paul Terrill answered on 17 Feb 2025:

      Great question. I don’t have a definite answer to this, but can share my opinion. I think that some home remedies are valid and effective, and others not so much, or at least not actively. For example, drinking honey and lemon can help a sore throat and/or cough and I believe there are some studies conducted that proivide evidence for this. As another example, drinking water can help cure (or prevent) a hangover as alcohol causes dehydration that leads to a headache. What is interesting is that if a person believes a remedy is going to help then it may help them even if it is not actually doing anything. This is called a ‘placebo effect’, where taking an inactive remedy can still lead to an improvement. An issue with home remedies is that some may actually be harmful so they do need to be considered with caution. As to which is the most effective, I really am not in a position to answer that!

Comments

  • Photo: Mimi

    Mimi commented on :

    There are various home remedies for different ailments but not sure how effective these are on different people. Personally I have tried rosemary oil on my hair for dandruff and this works well for me. Garlic honey and lots of rest helps me during a cold; Cucumber and Greek yogurt face soothes my face: chia seed hair mask makes my hair softer.

    Home remedies usually reduces a lot of waste and have less side effects if there work. I think its a case of trying a home remedy as safely as possible and observing if it works before trying something else.