Italian Nonna Remedies

My Nonna seemed to always have the solution to everything. She possessed the right remedies for every occurrence: she knew the healing power of plants and the benefits of certain foods, she was a terrific cook, she always had a tin box of candies in her purse or in her “beauty case” (an elegant toiletries accessory that modern travel has sadly made obsolete). She knew how to mend clothes, her appearance was always impeccable, she smelled good, and had very healthy teeth. How did she do it? In time I learned to deal with certain circumstances by putting in practice her tips. Here are my favorite (and most used) foolproof Italian Nonna remedies.

Vinegar

Long before TikTok, Nonna used wine vinegar for descaling lime deposits in our sink, cleaning greasy surfaces and as mouthwash when my baby teeth fell out. Pesky sweat stains on white T-shirts? Nonna soaked them in hot water and vinegar before a regular laundry cycle. She used to also rinse my hair with vinegar to make it glossy. For acne-prone skin, Nonna snubbed over-the-counter, aggressive and chemical-laden products in favor of apple cider vinegar. Try this Nonna nighttime skincare routine: a few drops of apple cider vinegar on a cotton ball, dab gently on clean skin, then rinse thoroughly after 10 minutes. Moisturize as usual.

Baking Soda

Oh the wonders of baking soda! A small open jar of baking soda in the refrigerator will absorb funky smells. Mixed with vinegar, it becomes a potent cleaning paste. Brushing teeth with a dry toothbrush dusted with sodium bicarbonate works better than any whitening strip. For swollen feet and ankles Nonna believed in a pediluvio (foot bath) with ice cold water, 1 tablespoon each of coarse sea salt and baking soda stirred in until completely melted. This also works to heal fungus and athlete’s foot. Nonna taught me that besides helping her ciambellone cake rise to perfection, baking soda also extinguishes small kitchen fires; and 2 tablespoons dissolved in a bowl of water removes residual chemicals from the surface of fruit and vegetables.

Flax seeds

Having been a theater actor most of her life, Nonna knew a thing or two about hair and make-up. She used to boil flax seeds to make a natural hair gel that also worked as a regenerating conditioner. When I was going through painful breastfeeding, I remembered her telling me years before that a compress with flax seeds relieves pain and reduces inflammation. It worked.

Fresh sage leaves

Whenever Nonna and I walked in the garden, or chanced upon a sage bush, she would always pick off a leaf and rub it on her gums. She made me and my mother do it too, she knew that sage prevents gum swelling and naturally freshens breath. Nonna died at 76, and my mom at 83, both with all their own teeth, and not one cavity.

Lemon juice

Freshly squeezed lemon juice, mixed with baking soda (see above) is a fresher smelling alternative to vinegar (see above) for cleaning surfaces. Nonnas were the ultimate eco-friendly no food waste advocates, long before it was trendy. After using it for a recipe, Nonna used to rub squeezed out half lemons on elbows and other rough areas for perfectly smooth skin. After that she would clean her dirty sponges and brushes by soaking them in hot water, a squirt of dish soap and the used half lemons.

Olive oil

Despite being a homemaker, Nonna always had perfectly manicured hands. Her secret was soaking her fingertips in a small bowl of extra virgin olive oil, which kept her nail beds healthy and her skin nourished. Never a cuticle! She soothed an earache by lodging a small cotton ball soaked with warm olive oil in the outer ear cavity. Olive oil is also a great remedy to remove sticky pine resin from clothes and hands after picking pignoli nuts.

Talcum powder

Nonna removed greasy stains on fabric by piling on little mounds of talcum powder and leaving it to absorb the grease for at least an hour. Then she’d throw it in the washing machine. No stain in sight. This is a common stain remover solution in Italian restaurants.

Sea salt

Instead of polluting our seas and oceans with micro-plastics, to remove dead cells, make Nonna-style salt-based scrubs instead. Mix coarse sea salt or Kosher salt with some olive oil or sweet almond oil, and use it in the shower, massaging the mixture all over your body for soft supple, satiny skin. And a lighter footprint.

Steak

For Italian nonnas this is a given: black eyes, sores or bruises should be immediately treated by pressing a cold raw steak on the affected area. No if, no buts. It works

Potato

Nonna taught me that raw potatoes are great for treating minor skin burns. To relieve the pain and discomfort of a minor skin burn, thinly slice or grate one or more raw potatoes and apply to the affected area. Apply 4-5 times a day, refreshing with new potatoes (the secret is in their starch, so don’t rinse them off!)

Leaves

Detox, Nonna-style: boil chicory leaves (which you can then sauté in a pan with garlic and olive oil) and save the cooking water: drinking it will alleviate a bloated stomach. Tea made with artichoke leaves also works to that effect.

Egg whites

To relieve the pain of a sprained limb, Nonna used to whip a couple of egg whites until stiff, she’d dip a rag in it and gently brush it over the swelling. With the yolks she’d make zabaglione. Win win.

Horse chestnuts

Bordering on superstition and magic, this legendary natural autumn remedy is known to most who have or have had an Italian nonna: putting a castagna matta, a “crazy” chestnut in our pockets to avoid catching a cold. It is a belief that many Italians still swear by: I always carry a horse chestnut* in a jacket or coat pocket, to keep cold viruses away. It can’t hurt!

*These are shiny and round chestnuts that are the fruit (non-edible and toxic) of the horse chestnut tree, not regular chestnuts! These trees are everywhere in Italy, their fruits can be found on the ground in parks and other green areas where the ippocastano trees grow.

What Nonna remedy do you swear by?