15 Arab Home Remedies

posted on: May 11, 2016

BY: Nisreen Eadeh/Staff Writer

For centuries, Arabs have been using natural home remedies to fix little problems, such as cuts, stings, and aches. Many of these ingredients can also be used to combat illnesses and provide an alternative to medicine. By holding onto these remedies, and others, from their ancestors, Arab Americans have established small pharmacies at home!

1. Rub tahini onto teeth and gums for toothaches

2. Chew on anise seeds or boil them into water for tea to relieve chest congestion, coughing, stomachaches, liver problems, and more

3. With your finger, dab arak onto teeth for tooth pain and tooth cleaning

4. Dunk a cotton ball into black tea and place on eye if swollen or red

5. Munch on some fennel seeds to combat bad breath, constipation, memory loss, inflammation, and more

6. Cut or mash garlic to gently rub into bee stings, ant bites, and acne

7. Put labneh on sunburned skin for 15 minutes to relieve pain and avoid flaking

8. Warm olive oil and rub it on the chest for congestion

9. Put olive oil on the scalp for hair loss

10. Rub olive oil onto dry skin for moisture

11. Drink sage tea (mairamiyyeh) for a cold or stomachache

12. Make tea with mint leaves (shai na’na’ ) to relieve a sore throat

13. Put chamomile in tea for irritable bowel syndrome, nausea, or stomach flu

14. Take a teaspoon of honey to suppress coughing

15. Make za’atar (thyme, sesame, sumac, and salt) into a paste and apply to skin and joints to soothe inflammation