Homemade Healing

For a scratchy throat, I mix a cup of warm water with honey and lemon. One study found that honey is as effective a cough suppressant as over-the-counter medication—and it tastes better too! —Ilima Loomis, Managing Editor

Lanolin on my very dry and cracked feet—with socks. —Karen Bouris, Editor in Chief

Press one finger between your eyebrows and press your tongue against the roof of your mouth, hold for 20 seconds. Clears my sinuses when suffering from allergies or a cold without using any medicine. It’s especially effective when you’re lying in bed and can’t breathe. —Jeremy Harder, Web Developer

I was given a little treat of shea nut butter preserved with rosemary extract for Christmas, and it has wiped out the eczema on my eyelids and elsewhere. I honestly can’t stop touching my newly soft moisturized new skin! —Sandra Salamony, Art Director

My Nana made this traditional chicken soup that I loved when I was a kid. It’s an old remedy, thousands of years old, but in the last 15 years, some good science has backed up the folk remedy. —Jude Isabella, writer

At the first hint of a cold, I make ginger tea and climb into an Epsom salt bath—as hot as I can stand. After soaking for at least an hour, I wrap myself in towels and blankets and fall asleep. The heat does a great job of sweating out any bugs in my system. —Kalia Kelmenson, Reviews Editor

I like drinking my home-brewed kombucha whenever I feel even the faintest bit under the weather. Its refreshing fizziness is soothing. I first started making kombucha about five years ago after interviewing a chef who raved about its taste and benefits and gave me clear instructions on how to get started. It was remarkably easy, and I’ve been doing it ever since. —Anneli Rufus, writer