Winter is the perfect time to focus on enhancing immunity in the comfort of your own home. A cup of hot tea, a bowl of hot soup, and… a sock remedy.
Albert Einstein once said, “I have reached an age where if someone tells me to wear socks, I don’t have to.”
True – we do not have to wear socks if we don’t want to. However, after reading this article you may think of socks much differently than you did before, and actually want to wear them in ways you previously never considered.
Related: What Happens If You Put Lemons In Your Socks
Surprisingly, they have very utilitarian applications for wellness. Using simple preparations socks can assist in reducing fevers, and boosting immunity, as well as reducing pain and inflammation. Read on to discover the hidden value of socks!
Sleep More Deeply and Boost Your Immunity by Covering Wet Cotton Socks With Dry Wool Socks at Night
Notice the wet, cold cotton sock hanging next to the dry wool sock while the foot soaks in a tub of warm water. When you put on wet cotton socks at night, and cover them with another pair of dry wool socks to hold in the moisture it actually has the effect of increasing lymphatic circulation. This is important. The lymphatic system, unlike our circulatory system, does not have its own pumping action; we need to move it ourselves manually to help detoxify and enhance immunity.
Many naturopathic schools teach this treatment to their students, so it is not as bizarre as it may sound. By increasing lymphatic circulation this treatment will relax you and help you sleep better. It will simultaneously increase your pain resistance and ability to heal infections. It seems to work the best when you repeat it three consecutive nights.
Related: 5 Forbidden Remedies That Should Be Legal
You will need the following supplies:
- A pair cotton socks
- A pair thick wool socks
- A towel
- A warm foot bath or you can put the socks on after a normal hot bath at night
Follow these steps:
1. Warm your feet in either a small tub with hot water, or in a full hot bath.
2. Dry off and put on your nighttime wear. Remember – your feet must be warm!
3. Soak a pair of socks in cold water completely.
4. Wring them out thoroughly so they do not drip
5. Put the cold wet socks on your feet.
6. Cover the wet cotton socks with a pair of dry wool socks.
7. Go to bed immediately and cover yourself well.
8. Keep the socks on overnight.
9. In the morning, when you wake up, you will see that your socks are dry.
Serious chronic conditions require that you periodically stop this procedure and then start up again. You can try this technique three days in a row to start. Take a break for a couple of days. Then proceed.
The main issue is understanding how this treatment detoxifies you. Sometimes the detoxification process creates headaches or nausea. This is normal but you do not want these symptoms to become too intense. Therefore hydrate and proceed carefully.
Relieve Arthritis Pain, Nerve Pain and Bone Spurs With Apple Cider Vinegar Socks
Apple cider vinegar has been used since it was created for healing. Home remedies using apple cider have proven efficacy in reducing:
- Arthritic pain
- Nerve pain
- Inflammation
- Muscular soreness
- Mild bone spurs
What makes it work?
Apple Cider vinegar is high in minerals such as magnesium, calcium and particularly potassium. These are all natural anti-inflammatory substances. Apple Cider vinegar actually reduces the swelling caused by nerve pain and arthritic pain. It will also dissolve calcifications. This is why it is effective on milder cases of bone spurs.
However, it can take several weeks to see the results. Hang in there though – it’s worth it.
Follow these steps:
1. Make sure you stay well-hydrated during the day.
2. Before bed warm your feet in either a small tub with hot water and ⅓ c. vinegar for 10 minutes
3. Dry off and put on your nighttime wear.
4. Cover your feet with a pair of dry cotton socks and then a pair of wool socks. The wool keeps the feet warm, the wet cotton socks absorb the toxins.
5. Go to bed immediately and cover yourself well.
6. Keep the socks on overnight.
Repeat as needed until your condition improves. Sometimes in the case of bone spurs this procedure can be repeated every night for a month or more. It is a painless and easy way to improve your bone spurs plus it is relaxing!
Sometimes the detoxification process creates headaches or nausea. This is normal but you do not want these symptoms to become too intense. Stop for a couple of days, hydrate very well and then try these steps once more.
Detoxification actually means this remedy is working at a deeper level. However, one must proceed carefully. Take a break whenever needed.
Relieve Cold and Cough Symptoms With An Onion Sock
This remedy is quite easy and effective. Before you go to sleep at night, cut two half-inch round slices of onion. Any type of onion, white, yellow or purple will work.
Put a pair of thick wool socks on to create warmth around the foot. Place each slice of onion on the heel of the foot. Let the sock remain tight around the onion slice to keep it in place on the heel. The heel has the potential to absorb the juice of the onion.
Related: 17 Natural Remedies for Fast Cold & Flu Relief
Once this powerful immune-boosting juice is absorbed it affects the respiratory system and can clear the mucus membranes in the sinus cavity. You probably will not need to repeat this remedy more than once.
However, if symptoms persist you can repeat the process for three days. The beauty of this remedy is that a small amount of the onion juice is delivered consistently, and slowly overnight.
Reduce Neck and Back Pain with a Warm Barley Sock
This remedy is very easy and also makes a great gift if you tie a ribbon at the top of the sock instead of using a rubber band. A shorter sock makes a good neck wrap. A longer sock makes a good spinal column or a warmer for your shoulder, mid or lower back.
For a neck wrap you will need an ankle high cotton sock and 1 ½ cups of barley.
For a longer wrap, you will need a long calf length cotton sock, a rubber band or ribbon, and 2 to 3 cups of barley. (White rice or dried corn kernels also work. Barley however has good pain relieving properties too and some of those are emitted through the vapors that come through the sock when it is warmed up.)
Next, fill the sock with the barley. Secure the top of the sock about an inch down with a rubber band or a tie. Distribute the barley evenly throughout the sock. Warm up the sock for two minutes on a low heat setting in an iron pan. Alternatively place the sock in an iron skillet on top of your wood burning stove for a couple of minutes.
Or – You can microwave it for 1 ½ minutes to 2 minutes maximum. Wrap the sock around the desired area for ten to fifteen minutes.
Take a look at the following pictures to understand how the spinal treatment works. After you prepare your sock, choose your heating method. Do not heat the sock for more than 2 minutes or it will create too much moisture and your grains will sprout. That’s right – you will end up with a living sock if you apply too much heat!
Related: Why You Should Put Peppers In Your Socks
1. Start with a long wool sock.
2. Stuff it with 2-3 cups of barley, rice or dried corn kernels.
3. Place your tailbone at the tip of the stuffed sock and lower the spine down on it until the spine rests completely on the hot sock. You will feel the warmth and compression from the sock. Rest there for 10 minutes. Then, roll over to the side and use your arms to push back up.
How remarkable it is that you can create a small home pharmacy for so many conditions just with a couple of pairs of socks, hot and cold water, vinegar and a tub!
Are there other remedies that you think we should have included in this list? Have you made one of these before? Let us know in the comments below.
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Mostly harmless to healthy people “remedies”.
Morbidly obese and diabetics might want to ask their Dr. about the rest. My chiropractor would sigh if they saw someone suggesting they hyperextend their spine on a warm barley sock like the photo. A hyper flexed back *might* earn you a trip to the ER for a nerve impingement and a series of expensive tests and steroids. What is your insurance co-pay?
Some people with poor circulation and skin breakdown might find themselves getting 1st degree burns easily and skin irritations from Apple Cider and Onion juice. Again, mostly harmless for reasonably healthy people.
Thank you for telling me how to make a rice pack out of a sock. Also useful for chilling as a reduction of swelling. I’d NOT lay on top of it to put pressure on my spine as suggested by the author. Sitting erect in my office chair with it behind me for ice pack or heat pack therapy, yes.
The lymph system is the secondary circulation system of the human body. Author is correct unlike the circularity system’s Heart as a pump, the lymph system operates as WE MOVE around. PROPER Hydration and Movement is something a lot of us fail to do.
Something about a few cups of coffee (not hydrating, a diuretic extracting as much or more water than you take in) and sitting in a chair (Barcalounger) far too many hours a day.
Most of the issues the author is speaking about is easily resolved by proper hydration and moderate exercise like brisk walking an hour+ a day (even in 5–10-minute bits about the house as it -12 Before windchill right now). Not slumping in your chair (I’m often guilty about this) also helps. Proper body mechanics and setting up the office ergonomics is actually worthwhile.
You’d be Amazed what I see with folks on the “Smart Phones”. No wonder their necks and backs HURT…
The Human Body is an Amazing self-repairing machine. Constantly fighting off various bugs and viruses by the Immune System (Partly Lymphatic system, a lot in the gut biome) and repairing small injuries from daily wear and tear.
We only notice when our own actions (mostly) overpower the self-repair systems. Smoking, overweight, immobile in a chair too much, lack of proper hydration (required for immune system, waste elimination, energy production and more as we are what 60% water?).
My Headache jokes is about IF it’s the Tylenol OR the Glass of Water than resolved that headache as dehydration’s early warning signs is a Headache.
Take good care of your body, God only issues you One of them.
Will be interesting to see how many chairborne “Rangers” obese, dehydrated and smoking will DOWN VOTE or snark comment this posting.
Lol.
Everytime someone complains of a headache here, myself included, I’m always like how much water are you drinking.
Now Michael what’s worse in your opinion, chair-borne rangers, or FOBbits?
Not sure what a FOBbits is?
i think whats worse is people who walk around calling people pogs. Like it really matters if you served or not. We haven’t won any damn wars in 80 years. We been the worlds police and suckered everyone into fighting for OIl and freedom…..
anyways nice article i think it can be useful and helpful.. . .you would hate to see what the our “deployment sock” was for
German butterball potatoes.
For the building back better garden…
Fobbit \’fä-bit\, noun. Definition: A U.S. soldier stationed at a Forward Operating Base who avoids combat by remaining at the base, esp. during Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003-2011). Pejorative.
Chairborne Ranger
Derogatory term for military personnel who work at the Pentagon. Typically overweight officers who have forgotten what it’s like to be a “Joe” or a “Grunt” and try to influence affairs that they know little about or are misinformed of.
Look at that damn Chairborne Ranger trying to tell us what rifle is best for our soldiers. He wasn’t even in the infantry!
Lol both seem useless. 🙂
Is that PC enough?
In OTHER NEWS its warming up here. -2 before wind chill.
Planning the Building Back Better (need a Sarcasm tag here?) Garden expansion.
Any suggestions for a Aweshit Garden? I’m thinking potatoes, cabbage, carrots, winter squash, tomatoes, peppers (gotta have salsa) and as much dent corn as I can get.
Thoughts?
We used to call them commanders of LGSD. Large Grey Steel Desk.
Exodus: Command Center Hindquarters.
niio
I would add that it is important to watch for skin irritation with apple cider vinegar and onion, but for some of us walking is very painful, helping with bone spurs in the feet would be helpful with the sock treatment. I understand that whether it hurts or not, movement is important.
We can move without actually standing or walking to help circulation and lymph system by doing foot flexion and certain leg and arm lifts in chair or bed.
Glad you pointed out the risk to injure back with laying on sock for lower spine, I’ve tried that very uncomfortable, but does help my neck and upper back.
Michael, Rainbow Swiss Chard is a good addition to any northern garden. Easy to grow, versatile in the kitchen and a real superfood.
Sherry thanks., 1/3 cup of vinegar in a tub of water is a very mild solution. In the majority of cases it would be too mild to cause skin irritation. However you are right, for some it might.
The onion may be too strong a remedy for people who have autoimmune conditions that have lead to skin outbreaks or for anyone who has broken skin on the foot.
Thanks again
Amy: If using an onion it should be fried first. It’s still great, but mild on the skin.
If a person has access to peat water, bathe in that. It’s mildly acidic and has a lot of things that benefit the skin. I’m allergic to mold and mildew, and when heading up to Penna to visit kin, always go swimming in the Lehigh River, which is fed by peat bogs. niio
Are you talking Statin drugs, such as Lipitor, can cause inflammation particularly in heal bone spurs. I know this from personal experience.
Not me! A good pair of socks is worth a million bucks when you really end them. These remedies not so much! Frankly, I much rather use old socks to make dog toys for the local shelter and I’d much rather eat the barley, corn, rice and onions too!
Spot on!
Michael you can plant Nan cabbage which is a great one in many dishes. You can cut it up and stir fry it, dice it up as an extra crunchy in salads or add chili paste to it for Kimchi. A very versatile vegetable. 🙂
We’ve been using the rice sock for years. Never knew barley was better, will have to check that out. Thanks.
Garden thread 🙂
Judge why German butter ball potatoes?
Taste? Production? Storage ( pretty important)?
Small to medium potato, good producer, great flavor and creaminess. Good storage potato, but they’re small plants so I squeeze a few in and dig and eat them, growing larger varieties for storage. Again, this is a really tasty spud.
Thank you Judge, where do you source your seed potatoes from?
I would like to see more support for the remedies. What information do you have that they work?
On the vinegar soak, do you use wet or dry cotton socks? The steps say put on dry socks, then say the wet socks will be dry in the morning.
Also, the heated grain can become a danger – after several warmings, the grain can catch fire. It has occurred with commercially made products, causing mattress and house fires.
Joyce,
I have put dishtowels in the microwave for a quick short term heating pad but I have learned to not heat it over about 50 seconds. The dishtowel that was in for a full minute has a big burned patch.
make sure to add a cup of water to the microwave while heating the rice/barley etc…it adds just enough moisture to reduce fire risk. And I really like flax see in place of other grains.
I use a sock full of grains when I cook up a batch of beer. Instead of wearing the sock I just grind the brew that it produces.
If you have a cold with coughing, put Vicks vapor rub on the bottoms of your feet, put socks over your feet, and you will sleep without waking up having a coughing spell/ This sounds weird but it works.
Joyce McCauley Asked what I and everything else should have asked… you contradicted your remedy about wet & dry cotton socks.. please correct it.. it sounds like a good remedy.
I noticed that too. I wanted to confirm that it was a wet sock also, used with the ASV.
Linda thanks, you out the damp socks on first and then a dry pair over the first damp pair. By the morning both will be dry. The vinegar solution pulls toxins out of the skin and then the socks absorb the toxins.
Apple cider vinegar is also good for getting rid of toe fungus. Cut the finger off of a latex glove then put in a piece of paper towel. Wet it with the vinegar and slip over the toe before putting on the sock. Repeat daily until the fungus is gone.
Cuz VERY True, Vinegar of any sort is good to clear foot fungus in general. I use it now and then. Soak in a dilute mixture though, as to avoid skin irritations.
We used to call them commanders of LGSD. Large Grey Steel Desk.
I have used vinegar to kill mold on cheese. I have been doing that as long as I can remember. Hasn’t killed me yet. To my knowledge eating vinegar washed cheese has never given me untoward bowel symptoms either.
Dont know where I learned that. Probably from my mother who probably learned it from her mother, an Irish farm girl.
I have never tried it on a soft cheese like cream cheese nor cottage cheese.
Linda as I read Amy’s article, you put on the damp (not really wet) socks on and place dry socks OVER the wet ones.
By MORNING they will be dry.
Personally, as I am very sensitive to mold, I cannot see ANY reason I’d be putting wet socks even with dry socks over in my sheets and mattress. Too easy to get mold into a very expensive mattress and need a new one.
Really nothing she said about wet socks and onions, and such could be done better in a foot basin sitting in a chair. It’s the hot (DO use common sense and not scald yourself, OK?) and such that increases circulation, not the wearing of socks.
Proper Hydration and getting some brisk walking in will increase circulation pretty well. Seems God designed that system well for PRE-Sock Eras also 🙂
ALSO, some socks will actually give you that light tourniquet effect thus causing even more issues with circulation. Ever see a ring around your legs after you take off socks?
Aside from homemade rice hot-cold packs I am not going to do Amy’s suggestions.
Michael,
The tourniquet effect is something that I have seen too often when caring for those wheelchair bound. Even the so-called compression knee socks prescribed by their physicians, too often are designed with a too tight band at the top.
One day, I made a couple of caregivers angry at me because I walked in to see my 90 plus year old friend sitting with her nice diabetic style socks on but the caregivers covered them with super tight circulation stopping socks and I immediately bent down to take off the socks. They thought they were doing a good thing by putting on something more colorful over the practical diabetic socks. When I took off the socks, the 90 plus year old’s lower legs looked like a perfect hourglass as the outer socks had been so extremely tight.
One needs to be very careful about anything restrictive on the lower legs in anyone with diabetes or an elderly person who may have impaired circulation in their lower limbs. For a diabetic, lesions in the feet or lower legs are frequently hard to heal and can lead to amputations.
In an EOTW situation you really want to avoid having to hacksaw off a leg at the knee on the kitchen table with the hacksaw from the garage.
Here’s a technical question. Which is better for hacksawing a bone, 32 tpi, 24 tpi, or 16 tpi? I favor 32 tpi. Although it takes longer to complete the cut, it gives a smoother finish to the bone and leaves fewer jagged edges. I am not talking about butchering an animal, I am talking about removing a human limb with some hope of recovering from the amputation and serviceable use of the limb after recovery.
LLC not an option to be done due to lack of infection control, blood losses and pain control.
Prevention is best. Civil War surgery is nasty and brutish without Chloroform and such.
Centerfire rifle rounds tend to shatter bone so staying out of line of fire is best option, unless you have a Medivac Chopper available.
But to answer your question Bone Saws generally have pretty fine teeth and a rasp is used to smooth over the cut bone edge for the sewing over the muscle and skin flap over it.
Many years ago, I sprained my ankle. Before bed, I soaked a washcloth in vinegar and placed it on the sprain. I then wrapped the washcloth and ankle in saran wrap. In the morning, there was no evidence of the sprain.
I wonder if the process that many Estonian enjoy in their saunas also triggers the lymphatic system. They will sit in a hot sauna, trigger the blood circulation by swatting themselves with birch tree branches. Once nice and toasty, go outside into the snow, sans very much clothing.
Heat salt inside a sock and hold against the side of head to relieve earache pain until you can see the doc. Don’t make it really hot.
Tilt your head so the affected ear is up and pour a teaspoon of Listerine gold colored mouthwash into the canal, let it sit for half a minute then point the ear down and let it drain out. The extracts of thyme and geranium in the gold Listerine kill the bacteria that commonly cause earache. I swam daily for years in my earlier life and was prone to ear infection, this is a good remedy. Plus, floss daily and swish with the gold and you’ll never have a problem with plaque. I’ve been to the dentist three times since 1972 and still have all my teeth, and most of my hair.
Michael,
I would add beets and parsnips to the Awesh/t garden.
Both keep well in sand overwinter, along with the carrots.
Peace,
MadFab
PS,
Last year ordered German butterball from Guernseys. Never showed up . Seed stock issues. Get em ordered early, as with everything!!
Thanks MadFab, sand storage is a useful way to keep all root crops 🙂
And as a side note to the chronically late (something about a day late and a dollar short folks), not that it would apply to anybody here (unless your ordered items are AH, Backordered).
Store potatoes if they sprout are good enough to plant as seed potatoes, we already spoke of planting the 1/2 + thick skins of sprouted potatoes as to eat them and plant them earlier article threads. Please allow the cut-peeled section time to dry overnight before planting.
Dry WHOLE beans can be planted as seeds, split lentils and split peas well, good for soup, eh?
Bok Choy from the grocery store can be used leaving the but end plus a bit, placed in water, change daily or so to prevent pink rot from occurring often grow roots and can be transplanted into potting soil and cared for a garden panting for SEEDS.
Some whole fresh beets can also be planted for seeds (Beets are biannual so make seed on their 2nd year after being planted by seed, planting the grown beet covers that 1st year).
So you can secure emergency seeds for potatoes, beans, beets and Bok Choy (Chinese Cabbage) along with sometimes useful seeds from various tomatoes, melons and such.
Real Seeds ™ often have additions like anti-fugus and such sprayed on them so going OLD School Famer means you have to watch them and use good care on them. Seeds and plants in general like MOIST Soil with good drainage, don’t swamp them.
Food it’s a weapon, don’t be disarmed.
My grandmother NEVER saw a doctor until she was in her 80s and got hit by a car. The only reason she ended up seeing a doctor was because she was unconscious and the EMTs took her to the hospital. The point is, we used home remedies always. I recall a very severe ear infection was I was 5. Oma kept basil and garlic in apple cider vinegar. When she heard I had and ear infection, she took me (my grandparents often took us from our mother because mom could not take care of us) and started treating my infection. She gave me some juice (which was laced with homemade liquor) and it knocked me out. Then she poured the garlic-basil-apple cider tincture in my ear. When I woke later that night, the pain had significantly decreased. I drank more laced juice and did not wake up until the next morning. She put the tincture in my ear about six times over that night I was told. In less than 24 hours my brother said I was back to my old self. After 48 hours of intoxication and tincture in the ear, I was cured. I wish I had the recipe for that liquor.
Michael: I got a pound of small red potatoes and soaked them overnight several times. That helps wash off the chemicals used to keep them from sprouting. Some, of course, only shriveled, and will be picked over. Bok choi, like anything in the cabbage fam, will more than likely only go to seed, but the buds, flowers, and green seed pods are good. Seeds are good sprouted. niio
@ Tee
Apple Cider Vinegar/Garlic/Basil – Ear infection: Some folks swear by apple cider vinegar (ACV). For years, this common kitchen staple has been used to treat a variety of ailments. Studies have shown that ACV can, in fact, help kill harmful bacteria, fungus and viral infections; it contains acetic acid, which has been used to treat warts, lice, nail fungus and more.
Throughout history the antiseptic nature of vinegar has been used to clean and disinfect soldiers wounds and thus speed up wound healing. Apple cider vinegar was used to this effect during the Roman Legions, American civil war and as late as world war one.
Create a mixture using equal parts ACV and warm water; don’t ever use full strength ACV, as this could damage the sensitive skin of your ear.
Instructions:
* Add 8 oz ACV to a pint size mason jar.
* Add 1 teaspoon Basil herb and 2 minced garlic cloves to ACV in pint jar.
* Pour in 8 oz boiling HOT water to pint jar. Cap and steep like a tea.
* Allow to cool to room temperture.
Apply the mixture
Tilt your head to the affected ear is facing the ceiling, and squeeze 4-5 drops (kid’s dose) into your ear using a dropper. 15-20 (adult dose).
Wait a few minutes to give the mixture time to reach your ear canal and then tilt your head in the opposite direction to drain it. Or, place cottonball over ear for overnite.
If you experience any irritation, discontinue use.
Socks are good for wiping your backside when you’re fishing or hunting and you forgot the butt tape. The rest of this is funny. Old wives tails.
I use a similar but different method taught to me by German and Russian herbalist.
I mince one garlic clove into the cold wet and make a tea out of it. Add apple cider vinegar 10% by volume to the cold tea that you soak the cotton socks in.
Also, I use recycled bread bags over the wet soaks, then put on the wool socks to keep everything in place.
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There is something to putting things on the soles of your feet and covering them. My son’s girlfriend told me about putting vick’s vapor rub on the soles of my granddaughter’s feet when she was younger to help with her severe congestion and cough that cold medicine from tge doctor or over the counter just wasn’t helping. I was about to take her to tge hospital until i remembered that that was what we did when she was a baby, but for a different reason
When a baby has it on their feet they.kick their feet closer to their noses, so it is also helping them breathe, or so it was believed. When they get older they ewww about it, but she was so miserable she agreed quickly and within 15 to 20 minutes she quieted down, no coughing and her breathing opened where she could finally get some sleep. Putting socks on over the salve besides keeping it on the foot, keeps it from getting on the carpet or sliding on tge floor. Never heard about wet sock dry sock though, but in some of the books i’ve been reading they use the warm foot soak when they return home, but dry their feet after and put slippers on. So , there must be some truths behind the ideas.