Unusual Uses for Garlic

Image via WikipediaWe all know that garlic has wonderful antibiotic properties. It has been a favorite home remedy for ages, eaten raw, mixed with other ingredients for cough syrup and even worn on the body to ward off germs.

But here are some other uses that may surprise you!

Did you know that fish like garlic, and you can use it for bait? A clever way to use it is to stick a piece inside a mini-marshmallow and put it on your hook. Don’t have any fresh cloves? Roll the marshmallow in garlic powder instead.

Do you have a stubborn case of acne? Eating garlic daily, raw or in capsule form can help. You can also crush garlic cloves, and apply the juice directly on the affected area in the same way you use an astringent.

Are you out of glue? Rub garlic juice lightly on the paper and it works like an adhesive. And here is an interesting factoid. Did you know that the Chinese in ancient ties used garlic juice to repair small cracks in glass?

Garlic is also a natural bug repellent. Add it to your pet’s food and it will keep away fleas and ticks. It even repels intestinal parasites.

Some farmers rub garlic juice on their horses' coats to keep flies and mosquitoes away.


Irene Helen Zundel is a freelance writer, educator and mother, and an expert in child development, home schooling and creative parenting and home making. Visit her online at http://www.irenehelenzundel.com

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Beer: A Beauty Product?

Image via WikipediaDo you think beer is just for drinking? Think again!

Did you know that applied on the outside of your body, beer can actually soften skin and make your hair look great?

Here are some simple tips to try at home:

For shiny hair with extra body, make a beer shampoo! Just add a raw egg to a half a can of beer and massage it into your hair. Rinse and style as usual.

To condition your hair, massage a cup of warm beer into your scalp and hair and leave it on 20-30 minutes. Rinse well afterward, so you don’t walk around smelling you like you fell into a keg at a party!

To lighten your hair, saturate it well with beer and lay out in the sun. You will get wonderful highlights, and it lightens as well as the old favorite, lemon juice.

To soften your skin, add a few cans of beer to your bath water and have a nice long soak in the tub. Yeast and other ingredients in beer are natural skin softeners.
Just remember to rinse well afterward.

Beer is also a great ingredient for a pedicure! Fill a basin with enough warm water to cover your feet and ankles, pour in half a can of beer and stir. Soak your feet for about 15 minutes. You will feel wonderfully relaxed, and the skin on your feet will feel oh so soft!


Irene Helen Zundel is a freelance writer, educator and mother, and an expert in child development, home schooling and creative parenting and home making. Visit her online at http://www.irenehelenzundel.com

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Creative Frugal Lifestyle Tip-Join a Time Bank!

Do you ever find yourself in need of a service, but have no money to pay for it?

Ever wish you could learn a new skill, but lack the time or funds for a class?

The fun, creative and easy solution is to join a local time bank.

A time bank is a community group consisting of people who are willing to share their skills and talents with others on a flat exchange basis. For each hour you donate to helping others, you have an equal number of hours you can use for obtaining various services for yourself.

For example, I can research, write, edit, home school and tutor children, cook vegetarian meals, and am willing to drive others to appointments.

Maybe someone else does pet massage, can tune up car engines and plant an organic garden.

Another member knows how to can food, play guitar, sew, and do calligraphy.

A third person can make great homemade bread, knit, play piano and write music.

I donate five hours helping someone’s high school kid get ready to take the SAT. I now have five hours of credit. I could get my ferrets a massage, my car tuned up, a guitar lesson and learn the basics of canning, all without spending a dime! As an added bonus, I meet a lot of interesting, talented and giving people in my area.

To find, or start a time bank in your area, visit http://www.timebanks.org/ or put your city name and time bank into a search engine.



Irene Helen Zundel is a freelance writer, educator and mother, and an expert in child development, home schooling and creative parenting and home making. Visit her online at http://www.irenehelenzundel.com