This Grandma had never heard of Terry and Joe Graedon until I saw their column in the Sun Sentinel newspaper October 27, 2016. Here was the question and their answer:
“Q: I was desperate last night for a way to help my child. He had a horrible hacking cough to the point of throwing up. I was afraid to put him to bed. I saw a suggestion on your website for Vicks on the soles of the feet and gave it a try. Within 10 minutes, he was sound asleep and slept right through the night. I have six kids and wish I’d read about this long ago.”
“A: Rubbing Vicks Vapo-Rub on the soles of the feet seems like an improbable way to treat a cough. There are no studies to show that this works, but many readers have offered testimonials like yours. You might want to put on thick socks after applying the Vicks so the sheets don’t get smeared with goo.”
Check out their website.
Then I learned more about these famous people with lots of common sense and home remedies for ails we or our grandchildren may have. We now have one for coughs. Here are more:
Muscle Cramps
“Swallow a teaspoonful of mustard. It’s about the fastest remedy we can think of,” says Joe Graedon.
“It fits with `The People’s Pharmacy’ mantra,” said Joe Graedon. “Might help. Won’t hurt.”
It turns out that he is a pharmacologist, and she’s a medical anthropologist and they live in Durham, North Carolina. They were interviewed by the Durham Observer Newspaper and gave more of their favorite home remedies.
Burns
“Grab the yellow mustard, especially if it’s cold,” Joe said. “Just pour it on the burn and let it dry. You will be surprised. The yellow mustard takes away the pain. Do this after running cold water on the burn.”
Minor cuts
“To stop the bleeding from cuts and nicks, pull out a shaker of finely ground black pepper and pour it on,” the Graedons said.
You can wrap the cut with a towel or bandage, but you don’t have to. “Basically, it’ll just stop bleeding within several seconds,” Joe said.
Bee or wasp stings
“You can soothe the sting of a wasp or bee by cutting an onion in half and holding the cut side to the sting,” the Graedons said. They believe it works because onions contain anti-inflammatory agents. Two alternatives: Meat tenderizer or baking soda. Take either powder and make a paste with water. Slather it on the sting immediately.
Allergies and Asthma
“If you develop a wheezing attack and your allergy medication isn’t handy, drink two cups of coffee, maybe three if they’re small,” according to the Graedons.
Their home remedies made me curious. We all have yellow mustard, onions, ground black pepper in our homes, and Vicks is a drug store away. I never heard of these remedies but now will keep them close.
But, what is medical anthropology that Terry Greadon practices?
It seems to be a field in which the experts examine, study, and understand health. We might want to get our grandchildren interested in this as a career, especially after the first time we lather yellow mustard on them and they ask why. See The Society for Medical Anthropology website.
“Medical Anthropology is a subfield of anthropology that draws upon social, cultural, biological, and linguistic anthropology to better understand those factors which influence health and well being (broadly defined), the experience and distribution of illness, the prevention and treatment of sickness, healing processes, the social relations of therapy management, and the cultural importance and utilization of pluralistic medical systems. . . .”
“Medical anthropologists examine how the health of individuals, larger social formations, and the environment are affected by interrelationships between humans and other species; cultural norms and social institutions; micro and macro politics; and forces of globalization as each of these affects local worlds.”
Second, what is the book Terry and Joe Graedon have written?
“The People’s Pharmacy Quick & Handy Home Remedies,” is a best seller on Amazon. Here is the description of the book on Amazon:
“A guide to healing foods and home remedies reported to and verified by Joe and Terry Graedon, including their carefully researched responses on how and why such treatments work. The core of this title is organized as Q&As between the general public and the Graedons. It contains as much information as a voluminous encyclopedia of home remedies, yet it’s quick, easy, inviting, and fun to read, with the same friendly and authoritative personality conveyed in their popular call-in radio show. The Graedons also offer a dozen new recipes for food so good for you, it serves as preventive medicine.
“Organized alphabetically by ailment and then, within each of those, by food or remedy. Offers the basics of three standard diets for health, weight control, and fitness, along with a dozen new recipes for preparing food to match the diets. Includes a helpful index and cross-referencing system, making the book both a good shelf reference and an entertaining browse.”
This is a great holiday present and stocking stuffer in paperback for the parents of the grandchildren. Buy at Amazon.
Their website lists other books and their media involvement.
Now, this Grandma had a mission. Are there home remedies from others to share? See Part II!
Joy,
Mema
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