5 natural health products I swear by (that are probably in your pantry!)
Becoming unwell with an autoimmune disease in 2020 changed the way I viewed my health.
What I consumed, how I consumed it, and how it works with my body suddenly came front and centre to me. I have spent the past three years building my knowledge and application of natural health, using that alongside a fantastic naturopath (and of course, my medical specialists) to ease body-wide inflammation and to, in short, help myself.
The results have spoken for themselves and I am now equipped with a firm knowledge of natural health products and how they work. As a result, I sing the praises of specific natural health and beauty treatments, which I have found just as much effectiveness than in harsh medical treatments.
I have compiled the following list of my five favourite natural health products and how I use them to ease symptoms I suffer from.
These should always be used by people who do their own research. I am not in the business of giving out medical advice, but these products have helped me in a number of ways.
1. Epsom salts
How did I exist without Epsom salts in my life before the last year? God only knows. They’ve been a godsend for me. That’s why their segment on this blog will be a bit lengthier - it’s a love letter to Epsom salts. These cheap as chips magnesium-packed salts are available at most chemists and supermarkets, and can be used for any number of conditions and ailments.
A float therapy centre recently opened up in my neighbourhood, and I treated myself to an hour-long soak in 400kg of the stuff. I don’t have a bath at home unfortunately. I was skeptical, but afterwards, I felt a dramatic lowering of my symptoms, of full-body inflammation, and a total sense of relaxation that lasted a week. It was profound. And now, I’m a convert. If you have a bath, an Epsom salt soak is a cheap and easy way to experience the endless health benefits of Epsom salts.
How I use Epsom salts in my health and beauty routine
Aside from my recent float therapy experience, I regularly use Epsom salts in a sitz bath for haemmoroids that I’ve suffered from since my surgery a year ago. Just add a cup of salts to a sitz bath of warm water (or a wide enough bucket), and sit for 20 minutes. It is a long-spoken-of natural treatment for haemmoroids ,and I’ve had more relief from this than from expensive steroid suppositories. I also use Epsom salts as a topical paste for boils. Mix two tablespoons with a dash of hot water, mix until it becomes a paste, soak a face washer in the solution and apply to boils for 20 minutes. It’s the same as the expensive boil treatment products in chemists and made from the exact same ingredients.
Finally, I use Epsom salts as a soothing addition to a foot bath, often accompanied by a pedicure. It relaxes sore feet, draws out inflammation and leaves your skin so soft.
2. Olive oil
I was a food copywriter for many years for a foreign olive oil company, and I learned almost everything there is to learn about olive oil. Its production process, its culinary uses and its endless health benefits. This natural health product has been used for thousands of years, and was commonly referred to in ancient times as “liquid gold”. For good reason. You will need to invest in a good-quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil, but once you do, it’s a pantry staple that you can use in your beauty routine in a wide number of ways.
How I use olive oil in my beauty regime
In addition to regularly cooking and preparing food with this pantry essential, olive oil is an essential addition to my homemade skin and face masks. It leaves skin nourished, hydrated and silky soft. However my absolute favourite olive oil beauty hack is to use it as a wax remover. You know those wax removal wipes you get with wax strips - and how they never give you enough and you’re stuck with sticky wax all over your private parts, legs and the like? All you need to do it to soak a makeup remover pad in olive oil and wipe off. It’s a natural wax residue remover and works even better than those expensive wipes you never get enough of. You’re welcome:
3. Sunlight
Sunlight is essential to human health. Without Vitamin D, the human body deteriorates and Vitamin D is essential to the operation of every part of biology. Vitamin D intake is crucial to my particular hormonal autoimmune condition. Medical experts and holistic experts alike all recommend it as a first step treatment. I take 5000IU of vitamin D daily, as my condition ravages my Vitamin D supply.
However, actual sunlight is also crucial to your health routine. Even 20 minutes of sunshine every day not only provides you with a much-needed hit of Vitamin D, but has a plethora of other health benefits, including boosting mood, warding off depression and anxiety, supporting bone health and lowering blood pressure.
Of course, you should always prevent against skin cancer when spending time in the sun. I am very strict about my sun exposure, living in Australia, and in summer I avoid the sun at peak times. That doesn’t mean I don’t prioritise a small amount of sunshine every day. I just don’t overdo it.
4. Salt water
It’s so simple, so cheap (often free!) and there’s a reason that simple salt water has been a go-to health and beauty treatment for thousands of years. We all know how relaxed and rejuvenated we feel after a long dip in the sea. That’s because salt water is a natural body detoxifier that promotes better skin, digestive health, healthy blood pressure and optimal bone health. It’s also proven to improve sleep quality.
How I use salt water in my health routine
I am prone to allergies and sinus issues. I live in Melbourne and it’s the world’s allergy capital! My own very sudden onset of allergies coincided with the onset of my condition in my early thirties. I use salt water in sinus washes that I complete every two days when allergies are bad. Once a week in the off-season. This sinus wash flushes out bacteria, blockages and allergens and leaves your nose and sinuses feeling fresh. You just need a neti pot or sinus wash bottle to make your own sinus wash. Simply boil some water, leave it to cool to lukewarm, add to your chosen receptacle with a teaspoon of table or rock salt, mix it to dissolve and squirt the solution up one nostril (over a sink!) and then do the other. When I realised that the little sachets of “sinus wash solution” that I was paying for at the chemist are essentially just salt, I felt rightfully ripped off. This easy health regime has warded off colds, improved my allergies and it always leaves me feeling that I can breathe properly again.
5. Coconut oil
I love coconut oil! I wish I had discovered it more recently than the last couple of years. It’s a magical pantry essential that you can not only cook with for a healthier meal, but that has been a staple in the beauty routine of millions of women across the world. Cleopatra sang its praises, and she was renowned for her beauty.
I love Thailand and Southeast Asia, and whenever I visit, it never ceases to amaze me how much the local people utilise coconut oil, and how beautiful their skin is. They get sick less, have stronger immunity and look youthful. And many put it down to coconut oil and a healthier and more natural way of living.
How I use coconut oil in my daily health regime
Coconut oil is the central ingredgient of my DIY body scrub recipe that I whip up once a week to treat myself to in the shower. I take a tablespoon or two of organic coconut oil, use my hands to melt it (in summer it’s often already softened to liquid form in the pantry), add half a cup of brown sugar, two tablespoons of rolled oats, a tablespoon of olive oil and mix it all together. I then apply it to my moist body in the shower and scrub away. It exfoliates, moisturises and nourishes, and your skin is unbelievably smooth after. You don’t even need moisturiser. It has been a central defence against dry skin, and boosts the hydration of my skin. Coconut oil is also a good substitute for olive oil as a wax residue remover and a fab massage oil. All for just a few dollars a jar!
I hope that this blog gives you some new ideas on how to use these natural health products in your health and beauty routine. They have provided me immense relief from a range of symptoms, and I couldn’t be more relieved that I have discovered the world of natural health for myself.
Of course, always do your own research, consult your doctor for guidance on your own medical conditions and follow what is right for you.
I am an experienced health and beauty copywriter with over a decade of experience in digital marketing for health and beauty businesses. I offer beauty and health copywriting, blogging and social media management for businesses across the globe. Learn more about my Melbourne copywriting business and my health and beauty content services.
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