Students suffering from dry skin, stomach aches and runny noses can seek relief in the form of home remedies sold at local shops such as the Happy Badger and Squeaker’s Cafe.

“We sell quite a few of them,” said Squeaker’s co-owner Heather Andre.

A popular remedy at the Happy Badger is homemade soap produced by chemist Carolyn Wuenstel, which is designed specifically to feed the skin with natural oils such as coconut and palm.

“It’s as much about what’s not in my soap as what’s in it,” Wuenstel said, stressing the absence of synthetic detergents that can be tough on the skin.

According to About.com’s Alternative Medicine page, dryness, redness, irritation and damage to protective skin layers are effects of synthetics, leaving the skin vulnerable to infection.

Other useful remedies sold at Happy Badger include the neti pot, which can be used for cleansing sinuses by pouring warm salt water into one nostril and flushing it out the other.

“If you have allergies, it cleanses everything,” said Wuenstel, but she cautioned that pouring water into the nose can be difficult for some to handle.

“You might use [it] to treat nasal allergies, sinus problems or colds,” said Dr. James T. Li of the Mayo Clinic on mayoclinic.com. “Some neti pot enthusiasts say that regular use of a neti pot is more effective for nasal allergy and sinus symptoms than are over-the-counter medications.”

Regular use is key to understanding several home remedies, according to nutrition and Chinese herbology expert Roger Drummer, a diplomat of the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

“Most natural remedies are designed to maintain homeostasis — an equilibrium in your body,” Drummer said.

He also said that many herbal supplements help the body make up for lost nutrients in an unbalanced diet, boosting the body’s existing functions, while many medicines are formulated to kill a disease without nourishing the body.

A common herbal supplement is ginger root, which is used to strengthen the digestive system by dissolving phlegm and balancing out stomach fluid, Drummer said. Happy Badger co-owner Donna Cohen said ginger is equally effective in treating nausea, as it is a tea ingredient.