BajaNomad - baja folk remedies

baja folk remedies

woody with a view - 3-7-2005 at 06:30 PM

i've been meaning to ask this question for some time now. i believe i saw here someone wrote that when you are battling a case of indegestion, a 1/2 lemon squeezed into a glass of water is an immediate cure (i can vouch for the accuracy).

anyone have any other panaceas, old wives tales or brujo recipes???

Hundreds

jrbaja - 3-8-2005 at 01:16 PM

but not at 50 pesos per hour! :lol:

yankeeirishman - 3-8-2005 at 06:36 PM

For sunburn sting..........cut a onion in half, rub on burnt parts of body, Takes the pain out instantly. No kidding.

David K - 3-8-2005 at 06:41 PM

Thanks Yankee... my mom's old treatment was vinegar and mine is tea tree oil followed up with aloe vera gel. Sounds like all three sunburn treatments smell bad (onion, vinegar, tea tree oil)!

Actually tea tree oil smells a lot like eucalyptus, so it may not be bad for everyone's nose...

Adolph's Meat Tenderizer

Ken Bondy - 3-8-2005 at 06:55 PM

on jellyfish stings. Works wonders. Also peeing on the sting works also but is not as elegant. I'm not sure either of those was invented in Baja.

++Ken++

Natalie Ann - 3-8-2005 at 06:57 PM

Milk of Magnesia - dab it on skin with cotton, renew as needed; takes pain out of sunburn. Hardly a Baja cure, but was recommended by the old town doc Illinois.

Diver - 3-8-2005 at 08:16 PM

I can't believe you guys haven't gotten to the obvious.......let's talk tequila;

1 shot for ? anything
2 shots for a cold/flu
3 shots for a sprain
4 shots for broken bone
5 shots for tooth pulling
6 shots for a broken heart
7 shots for non-fatal STD's (why not ?)
8 shots for minor surgery
9 shots for bullet wounds
10 shots major surgery
11 shots for aids
12 shots for liver disease (to get it)
13 shots to listen to JR (haha)

Why not another one....

yankeeirishman - 3-8-2005 at 09:04 PM

For major tooth ache: oil of clove. Dab it on a Q-Tip onto the tooth. Totally wipes out the pain instantly for hours. Just dont swallow this stuff. Your throat will not enjoy the numbness effect! Supermarket with drug counter will have this oil.

JESSE - 3-8-2005 at 09:49 PM

Mom used to mix lime juice and honey and warm it, drink slowly spoon at a time, works great for sore troats.

woody with a view - 3-8-2005 at 10:00 PM

also for sore throat - take a leaf of aloe vera and peel/squeeze the slimey meat into a pot o' water and boil. add honey or lemon or some other flavor to sweeten the tea and drink.

keep them coming, please!

Pepermint Oil

bajapablo - 3-9-2005 at 01:11 PM

mixed with olive oil and rubbed on my kids chest/throat and bottom of feet when coughing, stops it almost immediately. I don't dilute it when I put it on my chest/throat. Just don't rub your eye, scratch your nose or itch parts down under.

Oil of Clove

Natalie Ann - 3-9-2005 at 02:27 PM

Another great use for oil of clove is to dilute it with water - one part oil to 3 parts water - and gently apply to soles of feet or armpits. Cures a cold or cough pretty good. (Don't use it for weeks on end and don't put it in your eye, silly.)

A similar mixture is sold as homeopathic medicine called "Thieves". Apparently this treatment came from the time when plague was prevelant. Apparently a lot of people were robbed by flea-ridden theives who spread the plague. Oil of clove was thought to help travelers in the prevention of catching the disease.

ginger

Natalie Ann - 3-9-2005 at 02:28 PM

And of course we all know that ginger in most any form helps cure a tummy ache.

love potion

calacowboy - 3-10-2005 at 08:43 AM

Ah....., I know a few people that could use that "potion"(Not me of course) could you point me in the right direction? :lol:

Quite the picture, is there a story to that?

Anonymous - 3-10-2005 at 08:47 AM

Theraflu with tequila....a hot margarita cures your cold, sore throat, flu...or maybe you just don't notice you still have it!

Actual Baja Remedy

Natalie Ann - 3-10-2005 at 09:24 AM

The crushed leaves of this plant, when applied to bottoms of feet/toes and worn inside shoes, are said to cure athletes foot. I don't know the plant's name - anyone?

[Edited on 3-10-2005 by Natalie Ann]

Another Baja Remedy

Natalie Ann - 3-10-2005 at 09:28 AM

I believe but am not sure that the plant shown in the next 2 images is a fig.... the milky substance inside the stem can be applied to cuts as an antiseptic. It also dries over the skin to seal cut and keep dirt out.... like nature's bandaid.

This is the juice of the plant.

Natalie Ann - 3-10-2005 at 09:29 AM

And this is the stem with leaves of same plant. Is this a fig?

For babies..

Sallysouth - 3-10-2005 at 09:38 AM

Steep a handful of Hierba Buena ( a member of the mint family) and strain in to a bottle with formula added for severe Colick. I imagine it would work for adults too(without the formula).

Braulio - 3-10-2005 at 09:57 AM

Seems to me there's another medicinal use of hierba buena but I can't quite remember what it is.

I think it involves a pipe - but I'm not sure.

Natalie Ann

yankeeirishman - 3-11-2005 at 08:48 AM

Looks like a

YankIrish -

Natalie Ann - 3-11-2005 at 11:05 AM

Which looks like Lomboy Blanco - the athlete's foot plant or the one I think looks like a fig?

woody with a view - 3-12-2005 at 09:58 PM

to make a wound water-tite or to form a semi-scab:

cover the wound with super glue.

[Edited on 3-13-2005 by woody in ob]

Sting ray wounds.....

Pompano - 3-13-2005 at 04:13 AM

first - shuffling those feet while wading will eliminate almost all chance of surprising a sting ray or skate.

If you do get barbed it hurts a lot, but not necessarily dangerous as long as it doesn't get any infection. Adolph's meat tenderizer and/or urine does help for an immediate pain reliever. Then you should soak the injured foot in hot water...as hot as you can stand...the pain will go away instantly as long as you can keep the foot in the water. Within an hour or two the pain will be gone.

Farmacia solutions:
- antibiotic - Prispen 500mg (1 @ 8 hours to fight infection)
- anti inflammatory - Flamas(? - napracizon?) 500mg (1@8 hours to bring down swelling)

woody with a view - 3-13-2005 at 01:37 PM

question?

while in baja (probably away from humanity), when a bout of diahrea (sp?) or food poisoning hits is it advisable to let it RUN :bounce:

:moon:

its course for a couple days to pass the offending bug? or immediately gulp pepto or some other "co-agulant?"

liquids must be replaced either way, i know!

Pepto will help

jrbaja - 3-13-2005 at 02:50 PM

and there's a whole slew of others, but, drink a lot of water if you get it bad bacause the worst effect, (other than the cramps) is dehydration.
Also, stay away from gringo restaurants and eat at the taco stands! :lol:

Food Grade Charcoal Tablets

Natalie Ann - 3-13-2005 at 03:02 PM

First trip to Baja plus bad lobster equals one extremely ill gringa. At the 24 hour point I wanted to die. At 36 hours mi esposo talked to the hotel staff, who later returned from the farmacia with food grade charcoal loaded into gelcaps. Take 3 with lots (and I do mean lots!) of water; repeat as necessary up to four times daily. Really bad going in and coming out -but helps pull the toxins from your body.

Sharksbaja - 3-13-2005 at 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pompano
Adolph's meat tenderizer and/or urine does help for an immediate pain reliever. Then you should

If you step on a sea urchin. Open puncture enough to pee on spine, works amazingly fast. Vinegar will work slower.Hopefully you didn,'t sit on one.

woody with a view - 3-13-2005 at 06:10 PM

Quote:

First trip to Baja plus bad lobster equals one extremely ill gringa. At the 24 hour point I wanted to die. At 36 hours

reminds me of a trip to puerto escondido, oaxaca when on the third day i came down with a case of the "ick", for lack of a better term.

after three days of running to the toilet, sometimes backwards, depending on which end the pressure was building from,
my "buddies" finally went up to mario's casa and his wife brought me some tablets of who-knows-what. i would have eaten anything by then. two more days and i could walk more than twenty feet without the world spinning like a carnival ride.

i've been a believer in co-agulents ever since and won't go on a trip without it. still wondering if it's best to take at the onset of the two-step, or to wait a day or two?

bajajudy - 3-13-2005 at 07:21 PM

I think that what really matters is the source of your squirts. If it is food borne then you should definitely get rid of it before you take anything to stop you up. If is is virus borne you need an antibiotic and shouldn't keep those little buggars inside you until they are gone...i e you probably should see a doctor. As stated, dehydration is the biggest threat.
Back in the 80's when we first started coming down here, my doctor advised a pepto tablet a day to coat your stomach. I used to eat acidophilus(spelling help?) tablets for 2 weeks before we came down.
Most stomach problems are caused by over indulging...in beer, sun...

Mexican remedies

Osprey - 3-13-2005 at 07:28 PM

Here's a few from the southland
Lomboy for skin cancer
gasoline for agua malas
Treda for any stomach problems
Lime juice for sancudo bites
Shampoo for insect repellent
Bite of papaya leaf for intestinal parasites
Huaco (in Mezcal) for bites, stings, snake bites
Stop bleeding with juice from plumeria

Osprey please explain more

Gypsy Jan - 3-13-2005 at 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Osprey
Here's a few from the southland
Lomboy for skin cancer
gasoline for agua malas
Treda for any stomach problems
Lime juice for sancudo bites
Shampoo for insect repellent
Bite of papaya leaf for intestinal parasites
Huaco (in Mezcal) for bites, stings, snake bites
Stop bleeding with juice from plumeria

What is lomboy, treda and huaco?

Why is gasoline good for aguas malas?

:?:

JESSE - 3-14-2005 at 07:52 PM

Tepezcohuite powder is great in 1st or 2nd degree burns, try it.

yankeeirishman - 3-14-2005 at 08:55 PM

Oh...here you go

Quote:

Originally posted by Natalie Ann
Which looks like Lomboy Blanco - the athlete's foot plant or the one I think looks like a fig?

Natalie Ann - 3-14-2005 at 10:24 PM

YankeeIrishman - say what?? :?:

spiney sticky things -In case you have no vinegar and aren't into being peed on, lime juice will have the same effect. My friend got nailed by a sting ray far from a hospital; couldn't get the entire barb (or whatever it is) out of her foot and it hurt bad and was swelling fast. One of the locals cut a lime, squeezed it on the spot and then bound the lime with cloth to her foot, told her to change limes but keep one there for awhile. She hobbled alot for a few days (difficult to walk with a lime between your toes), then this little rubbery nearly dissolved stinger came right out of her foot. I've found similar treatment works for embeded thorns, bee stingers, and other prickly stickly things we gardeners run in to.

yankeeirishman - 3-14-2005 at 11:20 PM

The fig..........

Quote:

Originally posted by Natalie Ann
Which looks like Lomboy Blanco - the athlete's foot plant or the one I think looks like a fig?

Natalie Ann - 3-15-2005 at 09:01 AM

YankeeIrish -gracias.
And (for Thursday) from the Irish in me to the Irish in you Happy St. Pat's Day!

Arthur - 3-15-2005 at 01:50 PM

That looks like a fig to me, Natalie, and the sap supports the idea. I'm gonna try it the next time I get a cut.

JR, are you home yet?

woody with a view - 3-26-2005 at 06:26 PM

you said you have 100's, but not at 50 pesos an hour! :lol:

i'd like to hear as many as your attention span allows! :light:

In that case,

jrbaja - 3-26-2005 at 07:02 PM

you've already heard them :lol:

Cant believe I forgot this one!

yankeeirishman - 3-26-2005 at 08:31 PM

LIME! Break the skin of a lime and smell with continuations, as you begin to feel carsick OR seasick. I learned this in Tulume, Mex. as I was dumping my lunch into the sea?.

Mexitron - 3-26-2005 at 10:49 PM

Natalie--I think your first photo is a plant called Pedilanthus, or Mexican Bird of Paradise, which has milky sap. What makes me think its different than the second photo is that has lots of basal stems.

The second photo is Jatropha cineria, Lomboy, which also has milky sap. they are both in the Poinsetta family. Jatropha usually grows as a single trunked bush or small tree.

That's my guess anyway....and they are both used medicinally.

Natalie Ann - 3-27-2005 at 09:54 AM

Mexitron - Thank you! I was hoping you would appear to help me figure out the plant thing. There are actually 3 plants and I thought the second two were the same.... but I understand what you're telling me and will spend time later today looking up those plants you mentioned.

If I wanted the best available Baja Plant Guide - not necessarily one I can carry on trips, but the best identifier of flora - what would be your suggestion? I spend most of my time in Baja Sur; rarely make it north. Thanks in advance, amigo.

[Edited on 3-27-2005 by Natalie Ann]

Mexitron - 3-27-2005 at 11:01 PM

The first photo could be Fouqueria diguetti--the shrub-like Ocotillo of the middle peninsula, but can't really tell. Any more photos of it?

Figs

Juan - 3-28-2005 at 12:19 PM

Hi Natalie Ann, The plant you suspected is a fig does not look like the fig trees I have seen.

I have a fig tree on my place here in the pacific northwest and also one at my place in Loreto. The leaves look somewhat like oak leaves only much, much larger, especially the ones on the northwest tree. The figs form on the new growth at the base of each leaf. At this time the tree in my yard (Washington state) is just starting to bud out.

In about two weeks I will be able to tell you how the one in Loreto is doing but I do not like to use the internet cafes so will not post here again for several weeks, at least a month. My tickets are for a month but if I can get my wife to agree we might stay there longer. Still much work to do on the house is my excuse. Sorry for dwelling so long but most of my thoughts right now are about Loreto.

Best wishes, Juan

Natalie Ann - 3-28-2005 at 09:15 PM

Now I've had an opportunity to reread what you've said, Mexitron, and also look through my photos and my plant books.... I'd say you are exactly correct about all 3, and thank you so much for the ID. I'm only getting to know desert plants and they're quite interesting.

So I'll ask again - best book you can recommend for Baja desert plants, por favor? Anyone else feel free to chime in here.

Juan - yea, definitely it's not a fig. I, too, have a fig in my back yard... a citrusy tasting white fig. Came with the house and was undoubtedly planted by the Italian who built here in 1904.

As for getting to Baja, I'm with you! In two weeks I'll also be setting my sandals on Baja soil; a part of me is already there, having remained on the last several visits

Enjoy your every moment in Loreto!

Mexitron - 3-28-2005 at 09:30 PM

Natalie--Norman Roberts' "Baja California Plant Field Guide" is the best all around book for Baja plants. Easy to use, lots of pictures, relatively non-technical. There are other more technical books(Gentry--Agaves of BC, Munz--Grasses of BC, Wiggins--Flora of Baja California) but they're mostly for the taxonomists.

Mexitron - 3-29-2005 at 07:46 AM

:lol:

yankeeirishman - 3-29-2005 at 09:04 AM

Is that "instant" fertilizer I see coming out? :lol:

Anonymous - 4-28-2005 at 12:27 PM

I've got a couple for you:

Sore throat: 3 drops of "tabasco" in 2 oz. of warm h2o tossit back and gargle as long as you can. Then spit. Almost any pepper sauce should work for this. They all contain capcacin which has an anesthetic effect and provides a hostile environment for bacteria/virus replication. Repeat process if pain returns.

Sunburn preventive: 2 tablets 325 mg aspirin an houre before exposure helps. The aspirin promotes peripheral cappilary circulation thereby keeping the skin cooler. PLEASE !!!!! Dont use aspirin if you have any bleeding disorder or are taking blood thinners ie. Coumadin.

I hadn't read this thread...

Mike Humfreville - 4-28-2005 at 08:07 PM

as we were down south I guess, but tonight we're sitting in our computer room (80 Sq Ft with 5 desks and 5 computers) in Ventura, CA. Mary Ann sees Pompano's post about the young lad and his Bruja story and new wife and she reads it to us.

What a great story and what a wonderful thread. We printed the whole thing out so we can study it more closely, medicinally, once we're settled in Bahia de Los Angeles.

In the mean time, Pompano, thanks for a great post.