Korean Home Remedies

Everyone has a home remedy or two that they've tried at least once. Some work, some don't. After seeing my mother use one to help with the bruising on her face; I decided a post was in order.

For those that have been following my blog, you know that my Mom had a mishap a few days ago and has been healing one day at a time. An update on her health status: The swelling is still noticeable on her face, but has gone down significantly around the eye area. Her cheeks and chin are still puffy and the bruising has now spread to the rest of her face in small areas. She gets feverish off and on and uses a cold ice pack regularly to bring down the heat as well as the swelling. Today however, she did something new - something that apparently Koreans have done generations before. This led to my curiosity and of course a conversation of multiple other remedies that my mother grew up using. I did some research on some of the things she mentioned just to see if there was any truth to the effectiveness of them. Some are well-known and used worldwide. A few of these I have actually never heard of, but I thought they were interesting nevertheless.

Here are a few staples she mentioned to always have handy:

• Ginger
• Ginseng
• Celestone G (a topical cream)
• Cinnamon Sticks
• Hard Boiled Egg
• Honey
• Rice Water/Rice Powder
• Scallions or Garlic

Here's what I discovered:

Ginger helps reduce nausea and relieves upset stomachs.

Ginseng is a tonic that can help with fatigue.

Celestone G is a corticosteroid (betamethesone)...it's just another type of steroid cream like hydrocortisone. It helps reduce swelling, itching and allergic reactions. I've found it to work really well for bug bites and the occasional rash. My mother and aunt swear by it. I believe every Korean household keeps these little tubes of cream stocked somewhere. In our family, it's known to be the "cure-all" for any kind of minor skin condition. 

Cinnamon strengthens the immune system and is believed to have antibacterial properties.

Hard boiled eggs are used to rid of bruises by gently rubbing it over the skin (what Mom used today over her bruised eye and cheek...it actually minimized the swelling). After much "Googling" and whatnot, it appears there is nothing magical about using an egg. However, it does state that the warmth of the egg is much like using any kind of warm compress which can help open up the blood vessels and in turn help sweep away the broken blood cells faster than if left alone.

Honey is a natural expectorant. Great with tea!

Rice Water/Rice Powder is used to achieve clear skin and to help with blemishes.

Scallions and garlic come from the same onion family and all contain anti-inflammatory properties.