There’s nothing like the Olympics to get everyone out of their chairs and reliving their greatest sporting memories. But if like me you it leaves you a little sore and achey, why not try these great remedies from the Homemade book to soothe those aching muscles and keep you in tip top condition.
Hot Pepper Rub
The capsaicin in hot chillies (peppers) has begun to be appreciated as a pain reliever even by commercial drug companies. Make your own for much less.
You will need
- 20 g ground cayenne pepper
- 1⁄2 cup (125 ml) Green Aloe Moisturising Lotion or any commercial moisturising lotionx
1 In a small bowl, combine the cayenne pepper with the moisturising lotion.x
2 Massage the mixture into the painful area
NB do be careful to wash your hands afterwards before touching your face or eyes.
Make your own massage cream
This soothing massage cream will help to take care of sore muscles and your bank balance.
You will need
- 2 teaspoons grated beeswax
- 3 teaspoons coconut oil
- 1⁄4 cup (60 ml) cayenne-infused oil
- 10–15 drops wintergreen essential oil
- 30 ml ginger tincture
- 30 ml water
- 30 ml aloe vera gel
- 1⁄2 teaspoon borax
- 1⁄4 teaspoon powdered vitamin C
1 In the top of a double boiler over low heat, mix the beeswax and coconut oil and stir until the beeswax has melted. Stir in the cayenne-infused oil and the wintergreen essential oil.x
2 In a separate pan, heat the ginger tincture to evaporate as much alcohol as possible, then add the water, aloe vera gel, borax and vitamin C, and bring to 70°C to 80°C on a sugar thermometer. Place the ginger tincture mixture in a blender and whirl at high speed as you add the beeswax-oil mixture. Pour the resulting cream into a clean jar with a tight-fitting lid.x
3 Massage the cream into sore joints as needed. Keep refrigerated for 4 to 6 weeks.
For more ideas for saving money and avoiding artificial ingredients have a look at this great book. “Homemade” is a fantastic one-stop source of recipes and instructions for making more natural and less expensive alternatives to many of your favourite brand-name products. ”Homemade” includes over 700 recipes for food, beauty and health items and pet and garden products, as well as household cleaning solutions, polishes and compounds.
