This is the first post in a series on simple kitchen remedies.  No need to run to the pharmacy for every ache and pain.  In fact, you can treat most common ailments at home with ingredients you probably have in your cupboards already!

Now let’s just be clear.  Kitchen remedies don’t replace professional medical advice!   But for hundreds of years our ancestors have been using kitchen remedies safely and effectively for common problems.  And for me personally, it feels good to know I can help myself feel better with some simple, natural, inexpensive remedies.

Chamomile. That’s Grandma’s tea, right?

You’ve probably tasted chamomile tea before at your Grandmother’s house.  It’s commonly used for relaxation and also calming an upset tummy.  Why? Because it really works.

Chamomile is anti-inflammatory, relaxing, relieves spasms, soothes digestion and heals wounds.  It’s used for:

• Digestive and inflammatory conditions - take internally as a tea for mouth ulcers, stomach ache, cramps, gastritis, colitis, and externally on sore & itchy skin.
• Skin soothing - Soak a cloth in chamomile tea and use as a compress on sore & itchy skin, irritated eyes etc.
• Menstrual pains and cramps - taken internally as a tea to relax and reduce cramping
• Nervous tension - taken internally as a tea it’s a mild sedative and relaxant to ease anxiety and stress (much moreso than another cup of coffee!!)
• Children’s remedy - extremely gentle, chamomile is a common remedy for children.  Used as a tea for colic, teething, stress and anxiety.
• Hair rinse for blondes –  If you’re blonde, try rinsing your hair in strong chamomile tea.  I’m very NOT blonde so haven’t tried this myself, but it’s supposed to bring out lovely blonde highlights.

So how do I use Chamomile?

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It feels like autumn here in London.  But even if it doesn’t in your part of the world, you know it’s right around the corner.  And you know what autumn means – dry skin, flyaway hair, cooler temperatures, and a craving for hearty soups and hot drinks.

There are ways you can help your body transition into this new season … and I wrote all about it in the latest issue of Joie magazine.  Joie magazine is available online here - check out page 80 for my article.

You’ll learn:

• What’s the big deal about autumn?
• Skincare strategies
• Simple ways to adapt your diet
• And my recipe for DIY Elderberry Cordial to put away for the coming winter cold season

What’s your favorite way to adapt to the autumn weather??  Any other great tips I missed? Let us know in the comments.

Ok campers, thanks for your patience, it’s finally time to turn that daisy-infused oil into something useful!

Today we’re going to make a daisy salve for bumps & bruises.  Why daisies?  First of all, they’re everywhere this time of year!  And they’re an vintage kitchen remedy for bruises and sprains.   According to my old books, daisies are good for sprains, bruises, aches & pains.  Daisies are anti-inflammatory, a wound-healer, and reduce pain.  In modern life, I think this salve would be brilliant for bruises, sports injuries, sore muscles, arthritis and of course dry skin!  Just please don’t apply on broken skin.  This salve is for closed wounds and bruises etc.

Let’s get started.  If you’re doing Summer Camp with us, this project will earn you the Kitchen Remedies badge (oooh I know you’re all excited…)

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I have never been colder in my life than I am now, living in London.

It’s funny, considering I grew up in New Hampshire, where the winters are long and brutal.  (For you non-Americans out there, New Hampshire is in the northeast USA, much farther north than New York, even more north than Boston!)  But somehow we were more prepared for it in NH.  Long underwear, blazing fireplaces, and most importantly, well insulated houses and windows!

Here in London it never gets THAT cold (in New Hampshire terms), but it feels frigid with the damp drizzle … and the fact that I walk a lot and wait for the train outside probably doesn’t help.

Our single glazed windows had a steady cold breeze coming through them last winter, and I’d taken to wearing full-on frumpy gear at home.  Thermal long underwear, flannel pjs, wool sweaters, fuzzy socks, even fingerless gloves!  Ridiculous.

We’ve since moved house, but I’m still not leaving the cold weather to chance.  I’ve got my winter warmer rum.  Lots of fizzies and oils for hot baths.  And now this, my chili foot oil.

I’ve been intrigued since I came across this recipe, and recently we had an excess of chili peppers from our windowsill chili plant.  So I seized the moment and made a big batch of chili foot oil.  Chilis, mustard and pepper are heating ingredients, almost to the point of being skin irritants.  The theory behind this oil is that it irritates and heats the skin to increase circulation to wherever you apply it.  For that same reason, you want to avoid putting this near your eyes or any other sensitive area!  Like all products, test it on a small patch of skin first before using it regularly.  I’ll report back this winter and let you know how it’s working!

Hot Chili and Mustard Foot Oil

Adapted from James Wong’s Grow Your Own Drugs

You Need:

500 ml. sunflower oil

4 fresh chilis (cayenne), chopped

50 g. ginger root, chopped

50 g. whole black pepper seeds

50 g. mustard powder

Method:

Put all ingredients in a clean glass jar.  (Ok you probably don’t need a photo illustration of this step, but I took them, so here you go!)  Don’t forget to put a label on the jar.

Let it macerate in a sunny windowsill for at least 1 month.  Shake the bottle whenever you think of it, maybe every couple days.

Strain through a cheesecloth and pour into a dark glass bottle.

To use: rub a bit of oil into your feet at night before bed, cover with socks (to protect your feet).  Wash your hands afterwards and be careful not to get it in your eyes – ouch!!

First impressions: The smell is … not good.  Very mustard-y.  It does feel warm on my hands though, so maybe it’ll do the trick.  I’ll report back after giving it a proper testing period!

Do you have any winter warming remedies, tips or tricks? Let us know!

I just love when England is so … English!  Cream teas. Crumpets. Pickle. Hedgerows. Elderberries.  Trifles.

Since I’m living in the UK at the moment, I try to rediscover traditional English remedies as often as possible.  Most recipes start with picking copious amounts of fresh ingredients from a field, tree or hedgerow.  This is a bit of a challenge living in London.  You’re not supposed to pick plants in public parks, and the plants growing beside the road either have traffic grime on them, or might have been visited by a dog…  Needless to say, whenever we are out of the city, I’m on the lookout for foraging opportunities!

On a recent weekend we took the scenic route down to the south coast and along the way spotted some Elderberries growing beside the road.

(And also saw Bodiam Castle … complete with a moat!  Yes, things like this still impress me.  Clearly I haven’t lived here long enough yet.)

Elderberries have a reputation for being an amazing cold and flu remedy.  They also contain vitamin C and taste pretty good when cooked, so they are often made into jams, jellies, or classic elderberry wine.  I decided to make an elderberry cordial.

Not familiar with cordials?  They’re my new obsession.  Cordials are a fruit or herbal flavored syrup that you add to cold or hot water for a drink (and are very popular in England, frequently called ‘fruit squash’).  I like cordials because they’re easy to make, keep for a long time, and you can be really creative.  To use cordial, just add a finger or two of the cordial to a glass and top with hot or cold water.  They are also brilliant for making cocktails in place of simple syrup.

This elderberry cordial is delicious!  I can’t attest to its immune-boosting properties yet, but I’ll be testing it throughout the winter.  So far I’ve been drinking the cordial cold, but I plan to mix it into a mug of hot water this winter … probably with a shot of brandy for extra warmth!

Elderberry Cordial

You need:

1.5 lbs elderberries (or however many you have!)

Demarara sugar

Cinnamon Sticks

Lemon

Method:

In a saucepan, cover the elderberries in water (just enough to cover them).  Bring to a simmer and let cook for 20 minutes.  The berries will become very soft and the liquid will be dark red.

Strain out the berries, reserving the juice.  (Be careful with the juice, it stains!).

Measure the amount of juice.

Pour juice back into empty saucepan.  For each 2 cups of juice, add 2 cups of demarara sugar, 2 cinnamon sticks, and the juice from 1/2 lemon.

Bring mixture to a boil and boil for 15 minutes, stirring regularly (to ensure all the sugar is dissolved).  Remove cinnamon sticks.   Let cool while you prepare the bottles.

I store my cordial in the fridge so I don’t do an ‘official’ bottling.  Take your bottle(s), and clean them well with hot, soapy water. Then, rinse them with boiling water as a final step.

Once the bottles are cool, fill with cordial, cap, and store in the fridge.  Will keep for at least 6 months.

Serve a few fingers of cordial with hot water (and a splash of brandy) when sick or feeling rundown, or with cold still or bubbly water (or champagne!) for an aperitif.

Apple Cider Vinegar is one of those vintage ingredients (like cod liver oil, yum.) that crops up again and again in my reading.  I’ve never used it much myself though, mainly because it smells so… vinegary!  I do love white vinegar for household use, and syrupy dark balsamic vinegar for eating, but cider vinegar I had relegated to the back of my cabinet.  Until recently.

Feeling brave enough to try this? If you do, let us know in the comments.

Smooshed in a middle seat in the deepest, darkest corner of Economy on a plane is a far cry from the golden age of travel.

As a last touch, being the product junkie that I am, I now bring a homemade facial mist.  In my less-green days I used an evian facial spray, or even more expensively, one of the fancy face spray products made for plane travel.  But now I make my own.  It’s super simple, you can customize the scent, and packs a double-punch of being antibacterial AND relaxing.

Jet Setter Facial Mist

Rosewater (or distilled water) – Rosewater is moisturizing and soothing, so it’s perfect in this recipe.  But you could also use orange flower water or distilled water.

Essential oils (lavender, geranium, rosemary, or whatever you prefer)

Small pump spray bottle (under 100ml for airline regulations!)

How to: Add 50ml or slightly less than 1/4 c. of rosewater to your spray bottle.

Add 10 drops of essential oil (I used 5 drops lavender, 3 drops rosemary, 2 drops geranium).

Shake.  Spray on your face or in the air in front of you on the plane (avoiding your seat-mates!!)

Note: The ratio is 20 drops essential oil per 100 ml of water.  Use any combination of essential oils that you want.  I would include something purifying like eucalyptus, rosemary, tea tree, lemon etc.  plus something relaxing like lavender, geranium, clary sage etc.

How do you stay relaxed & healthy while travelling? Share your tips below.