Snake oil, it cures what ails you! (folk remedies and cure-alls for colds)

Chimera

So this week I have been fighting the flu and thinking back on my childhood years I always remember being told that Pepto Bismol was this wonder drug by my father. Anything from a fever to a broken arm, drink the pink stuff and you will be okay! My mother did not agree on this solution, instead for her it was "take a Motrin." Personally I never bought into such silliness but had to go along with it as a kid. Thankfully my parents were not as strange as my grandparents which recommended spoon fulls of cod oil as a cure-all remedy to what ever illness I may have had at the time.

So what forms of snake oil have you ever been duped into trying or made to take by orders of your elders? Got any strange homeopathic nonsense that you believe in or know of others who do? I'd love to hear them!

Muse Among Men

My friend is peruvian and witch doctors would rub them down with pigeons and guinea pigs to absorb the sickness.

Uriel

My parents always had me heat up this oil stuff, soak it up into a cotton ball, and hold it just outside my ear to relive pain from ear infections I got on occasion.

HellaJeff

I didn't know Zicam was homepathic until I used the whole bottle : (

mensch-o-matic

if you get the hiccups plug your nose and drink a big gulp of water every 3 seconds. Take 10 gulps and it should be gone

Brolo

Just stop being sick. Walk it off, sissy.

Der Waffle Mous

Boiled cedar leaf fumes and a proverbial hog's head cures what ails ya.

Which may be evil spirits.

This is something I've actually had administered to me by my late grandfather. He was a medicine man.

Taya

My parents used to take cod liver oil when they were kids. Apparently it's as good as it sounds.

I usually avoid drugs if I can, but I'll take an Advil if I have a bad headache.

Kochikens

Snake Oil is good for you. A rich source of Omega 3 fatty acids. More than salmon.

Mr Fuzzbutt

I liked that snake oil salesman in that one Stargate episode.

Someone wanted a cure for a cold, and he was all, "Take this twice a day, you should feel better in a week or so."

PiptheFair

Muse Among Men wrote:

My friend is peruvian and witch doctors would rub them down with pigeons and guinea pigs to absorb the sickness.

I can assure you I rub guinea pigs on me for entirely different reasons

Fandyien

seems like sort of a dick move, though, all ruining the guinea pig's shit by transferring your illness to it

The Black Hunter

I do this crazy thing where I sit around avoiding exertion and eating really healthy

fixes me every time

Bogey

Chimera wrote:

So this week I have been fighting the flu and thinking back on my childhood years I always remember being told that Pepto Bismol was this wonder drug by my father. Anything from a fever to a broken arm, drink the pink stuff and you will be okay! My mother did not agree on this solution, instead for her it was "take a Motrin." Personally I never bought into such silliness but had to go along with it as a kid. Thankfully my parents were not as strange as my grandparents which recommended spoon fulls of cod oil as a cure-all remedy to what ever illness I may have had at the time.

So what forms of snake oil have you ever been duped into trying or made to take by orders of your elders? Got any strange homeopathic nonsense that you believe in or know of others who do? I'd love to hear them!

Hey, please stop making stupid threads. You've already started 9 in less than 2 months, feel free to use one of those to move to other topics.