Okinawan Mothers’ Natural Remedies

These are local child care tips from Ekubo moms, and perhaps worth trying for yourself.

By Taiyo no Ekubo magazine,  Translation from Japanese to English by Emi Uechi.

Onions for cough

To calm down nighttime coughing, cut an onion in half, and just place it next to the pillow of the coughing, child. It’s a bit smelly but worth trying. (Mother of 7-mo, 3 and 5-year olds)

 

 

 

Breast milk for infant eye sleep crust

Breast milk has many healing properties, a drop down directly into the baby’s eye and wipe off gently cures the baby’s eye sleep crust. (Mom of 5 & 3-year-olds)

 

 
 

Baked mandarin  orange for cold

Bake a mandarin orange with its skin  intact in an oven. It’s sweet and good  to eat when you have a sour throat.  (Mom of 3-year-old)

 

 

 

Cabbage wrap for fever

Place washed cabbage leaves on the head of a feverish child. After a couple of hours,  change the leaves. Withered leaves should not be eaten but disposed of.   (Mom of 18-month-old)

 

 

 

Daikon (Japanese radish) honey syrup for sore throat

Dice daikon radish into small pieces and pour honey on them. Place for 30 minutes in the fridge until daikon’s essence seeps out. Sip the syrup to ease a sore throat.

*This syrup should not be fed to infants younger than 1-year-old because of honey is used.

 

 

 

Tea for Diaper rash

Using green tea at every diaper change would keep away diaper rash. (Mom of 1-year-old)

 

 

 

Getto (Shell ginger) for insect repellent & floor disinfectant

Sprinkle & wipe room using Getto liquid, which comes from cooking Muuchi (flavored Okinawan rice cakes) to keep off bugs. (Mom of 11 & 6-year-olds)

 

 

 

 


 

*These natural remedies are not 100% guaranteed, but just for reference. Please see a doctor if your little one is sick.

 

08:27 29 Mar , 2024