Whenever flu symptoms would start to rear their ugly head my grandmother would appear at the sound of the first ‘Achoo’; “Rub this pon she.” she would say as she gives my mother the tiny, glass bottle with a distinct red label. Upon closer inspection you can make out some Chinese writings on it, it was ‘Shilling Oil’ the miracle remedy for colds in my household and I’m sure in many of yours as well. Along with this, she would have an entire small box filled with medication. Let us take a look at some popular home remedies that every Guyanese has used for treating their cold.
Shilling Oil
Shiling oil was created in the 1920s by a military doctor and his brother who discovered that the substance had analgesic properties which means that it has the ability to relieve pain. Shiling oil started to gain popularity because it could be used to treat dizziness, muscle aches and pains, and also abdominal discomfort. Shiling oil’s main active ingredients include Menthol (16%), Camphor (5%), and Salicylate (4%) with the addition of eucalyptus and lavender oil.
Bottle of Shiling Oil. Photo Source: https://www.tokogembira.nl/en/shiling-oil-1-28ml.html
What Can Shiling Oil Be Used For?
Stuffy Nose
Nasal congestion or study nose can be very uncomfortable and cause breathing issues. This can leave you feeling less productive. You might try blowing your nose continuously but sometimes nothing comes up. You are left feeling frustrated. Adding a few drops of Shiling Oil into some water and taking a few deep breaths, allows for your nasal passages to be cleared so that you can be able to breathe better.
Muscle Pain
Muscle pains can be caused due to over exertion or injuries that you may have sustained. You may have experienced these daily pains, maybe you woke up one day and got a stiff neck because you slept uncomfortably or you’ve been sitting at your desk all day having the same posture. As stated above Shiling oil has analgesic properties and can help with these daily annoyances. Massaging the painful area with a few drops of Shiling Oil can help increase blood circulation, and soothe muscle tension and stiffness, thus promoting relaxation and reducing stress.
Headache
You can experience headaches for various reasons, you probably haven’t had enough water for the day, you didn’t get enough sleep or you’re just stressed. The most common type of headache that occurs is ‘Tension Headache’ where your muscles would become tense. This can leave you feeling nauseated and become light-sensitive. Luckily, there is a simple solution, rubbing a few drops of Shiling oil on your forehead can create a cool sensation and reduce the amount of heat on the skin which is common to many headaches.
Ginger Tea
No Guyanese household is without this herbal tea in their kitchen. Ginger is a flowering plant that originated in Southeast Asia and started to be exported to the ancient Greeks and Romans. The ginger root is said to have religious significance for the Austronesian people and was used for healing. The use of ginger tea because during the 13th and 14th centuries. It is often consumed with lemon or honey to make it less bitter. Ginger tea has been a common household remedy for cold, flu, and cough. Ginger tea contains anti-inflammatory ingredients as well as prohibits microorganisms from infecting the immune system and boosts immune health. It can also aid in relieving nausea.
To find out about some other uses of Ginger check out this article – https://www.thingsguyana.com/ginger-19-things-you-didnt-know-about-the-healthiest-spice-on-earth/
Ginger and Lemon Tea Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lemon
- 1 or two ginger rhizomes (root)
- 1 tsp honey
Preparation
- Clean and peel ginger
- Add ginger to a pot of boiling water and stir for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Strain the ginger mixture out into a cup
- Add your honey, this acts as a sweetener
- Squeeze your lemon and extract the juice, then add to the ginger and honey mixture.
Image of Ginger Tea. Photo Source: https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ginger_Tea_.jpg
Ginger and Tumeric Tea
This tea mixture also helps to enhance your immune function to treat cold and flu symptoms. This tea mixture also has its origins in Southeast Asia. The Chinese have been using Tumeric for centuries due to having many health properties.
How to Make Ginger and Tumeric Tea.
Ingredients
- 1 Tumeric Rhizome (root)
- 1 ginger rhizome (root)
- 1 tsp honey
Preparation
- Clean and peel ginger and Tumeric
- Add your roots to boiling water for 15 to 20mins
- Strain your mixture into a cup
- Add 1 tsp honey to your mixture and stir.
Photo showing Ginger and Tumeric Tea. Photo Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/30478819@N08/49577485386
Vicks Vaporub or Vicks
Vicks VapoRub was created in 1894 in the Greensboro drugstore by the pharmacist named Lunsford Richardson that had once employed the future author O. Henry as a clerk. The main ingredient was menthol or mint camphor, then imported as a “wonder drug” from Japan. Vicks Vaporub helped to alleviate breathing problems created by the flu pandemic that occurred in 1918.
The active ingredients in Vicks VapoRub are camphor (a cough suppressant and topical analgesic), eucalyptus oil (a cough suppressant), and menthol (a cough suppressant and topical analgesic). Rubbing a small amount of this salve on your nose or chest when you are experiencing an itchy throat can have you coughing less within just a few minutes after application.
Photo Showing Vicks Vaporub. Photo Source: https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vicks_VapoRub_(51013600352).jpg
These remedies are still being used in many Guyanese households today and I am sure everyone has at least ONE of these in their medicine cabinet or kitchen at this moment.
References:
- Shiling Oil – http://shiling.com.hk/remedies-shiling/
- Ginger Tea – https://www.storiesabouttea.com/the-story-of-healing-ginger-tea/#:~:text=In%20the%2013th%20and%2014th,taste%20a%20bit%20less%20bitter.
- Tumeric and Ginger Tea – https://www.quiktea.com/blog/turmeric-and-ginger-tea-benefits-101-quiktea/#:~:text=Turmeric%2C%20deriving%20from%20southeast%20Asia,their%20benefits%20is%20in%20tea.
- Vicks Vaporub – https://www.ourstate.com/lunsford-richardson/
