Painkiller Recipes from Grandma

My initial fascination and attraction to herbs and natural remedies started with my Grandmother, Irene and her sister Pearl. Today is the anniversary of Irene’s passing and I pay tribute to her as often as I can. I was about 8 years old - I will never forget the day I had a bright pink painful suburn and she ran to her aloe plant, broke off a stem and applied the 100% all natural aloe gel.

It was immediately cooling, soothing and the pain was rapidly diminishing. “What is this MAGIC!?” I thought.

I took me several more times of just playing in her gardens (she had multiple) to realize she surrounded herself with healing plants, fruits, vegetables and florals.

Since then I realized that the answer to so many of our everyday ailments, discomforts, and problems can be prevented or repaired by nature. You surely have noticed that just BEING in nature helps soothe your soul. Pearl had a sense of outdoor adventure and a rebellious nature that I gravitated toward.

For example, Grandma knew that chewing on Feverfew regularly would help keep headaches at bay. A teaspon of elderberry & rosehips syrup were given for Colds & Coughs. Lilacs were always by the bedside for calming and soothing relaxation. I began to realize that Grandma herself was Magic. This was a woman who sharpened pencils with a sharp knife, btw and who accurately would predict ailments based on what your earlobs looked like. Man, I loved that about her.

Today I want to share with you one of grandma’s recipes for toothache pain.

Cloves. Cloves contain Eugenol which soothes inflammation. They also contain Vitamins A and K, beta-carotene, manganese and potassium.

Crush a tsp of cloves in a mortar or bowl
Add a tablespoon of water to soften them enough to chop them
Leave them for an hour while the water turns brown and can be discarded
Remove the cloves from the water with a spoon
Chop them finely with a knife/chopping board. Use a pestle or other “smooshing device” to crush the soft cloves into a flat paste
Fill a spoon with the paste and use a clean cotton poof (or clean fingers) to apply directly to your sore gums or tooth and wait 10-15 minutes. You will start to feel a numbing of the area, which means its starting to work
Leave it there for 10-15 minutes
Rinse your mouth with a glass of warm water or salt water gargle

BOOM! It works! Obviously, if you need extensive repair - please see a dentist, but if you are looking for all natural immediate relief, most people have cloves hanging out in the kitchen waiting to be used for such a wonderful purpose.

Image of me and Aunt Pearl in one of the gardens.