Make fresh ginger tea. Peel and grate a small piece of fresh root ginger, place in a cup, pour over boiling water and steep for five minutes. Strain, sweeten with honey and drink. Another good idea is to take Swedish bitters before every meal.

To stop itching and inflammation of mosquito or other insect bites, apply one drop of peppermint oil directly to the bite. Peppermint has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties.

Combine four drops of clary sage oil with two teaspoons of a carrier oil, such as almond, and use to massage the lower abdomen, directly above the pubic hair line.

Drink raspberry leaf tea, or simmer a few slices of peeled fresh ginger root and a 7.5mm stick of cinnamon in 150ml water, add honey and lemon, and drink.

Make this mouthwash, then gargle with it as often as necessary. Place two tablespoons of dried sage in a teapot, pour over 250mls boiling water. Steep for 15 minutes, then strain. Add three drops of myrrh essential oil and shake well.

Heat 200g of sea salt in a heavy pan. Funnel into a clean, cotton sock. (Don’t overfill – you want to leave it pliable, like a beanbag.) Pin the end. Apply to the painful area for approximately 30 minutes. The heat helps stimulate circulation, bringing fresh blood to the area to speed healing.

Massage cod liver oil, rich in vitamin A, into cuticles and nails. After three months, nails will stronger and cuticles...

Bathe bruises in chilled hazel or arnica tincture to help contract the damaged blood vessels, making the bruise disappear more quickly than usual. Take bromelain tablets to relieve fluid build-up an...

Buy an aloe vera plant for the windowsill and, if you burn yourself, simply split open a leaf and apply its natural gel to promote...

Make a decongestant by adding a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to a glass of warm water and sipping...