Natural Cures
TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH WEEK! Be Your Own Doctor…On Call 24 Hours A Day!
Battling a bout of nausea or a nagging cough? Don’t race off to the drugstore just yet – you may have the perfect cure at your fingertips already! Today, we’re talking about all-natural, expert-recommended ways to treat ailments quickly, safely, and effectively at home.
Quell nausea
Frozen ginger ice cubes
Try frozen ginger chips. First, infuse fresh ginger in hot water. Strain, then freeze the concoction in ice cube trays. Crush the cubes and suck the icy chips throughout the day to provide your tummy with a steady soothing dribble. Ginger's anti-nausea properties are particularly effective during pregnancy or after surgery.
Curb a cough
Organic dark chocolate
Indulge in a square or two of dark chocolate. Researchers found that chocolate's theobromine compound is more effective than codeine at suppressing persistent coughs without the side effects of drowsiness and constipation.
Fight bad breath
Lemons, cups of lemon juice for gargling; plain unsweetened yogurt in bowls with spoons
Gargle with a small cup of acidic lemon juice to kill odor-causing bacteria. Then eat a bit of plain unsweetened yogurt, which contains beneficial lactobacillus bacteria. These so-called probiotics compete with and replace the reeking bacteria. The lemon-yogurt combo instantly neutralizes odor and lasts 12 to 24 hours
Beat insomnia
Cherries and tart cherry juice, lavender-scented bath salts and bath oils
Before bedtime, eat a handful of cherries or drink tart cherry juice, which scientists discovered are jam-packed with melatonin, the same hormone created by your body to regulate sleep patterns. Then steep yourself in a hot bath to relax your muscles and your mind. For an extra boost, add in a lavender scent with some scented oil or bath salts--the fragrance induces sleepiness.
Ease a tension headache
Pencils
When you're stressed or anxious, you subconsciously clench your jaw and teeth; this strains the muscle that connects your jaw to your temples and can trigger a tension headache. A solution: Put a pencil between your teeth but don't bite. You automatically relax your jaw muscle to do this, which can prevent the pain.
Soothe a blister
Plain Listerine; Listerine in a small bowl; cotton balls
Listerine is a classic breath freshener, but the powerful antiseptic can also do a number on blisters. Moisten a cotton ball with Listerine and dab it on your blister 3 times a day until the area dries out and no longer hurts.
Q: Does it have to be Listerine? No, any plain antiseptic mouthwash!
Take the edge off
Cinnamon and peppermint gum and candies; assorted brands; organic/natural varieties
Pop a piece of cinnamon or peppermint gum to help ease the stress of your morning commute. In a NASA-funded study, scientists from Wheeling Jesuit University monitored the responses of 25 college students during simulated driving scenarios. The volunteers reported that peppermint lowered their feelings of fatigue or anxiety by 20%. Peppermint and cinnamon each decreased frustration by 25%, increased alertness by 30%, and made the ride seem 30% shorter.
Soothe a sore throat
Garlic cloves, garlic press, glass of warm water
Gargle twice daily with a solution of six pressed garlic cloves mixed into a glass of warm (not hot) water. Follow the regimen for 3 days. Research shows that fresh garlic juice has antimicrobial properties that fight pain-causing bacteria. The warm liquid soothes inflamed tissue.
Squash food poisoning
Black tea bags, prepared black tea in cups, burnt toast on plate
If you suspect food poisoning, couple black tea with a few pieces of burned toast. The tannic acid in tea and charcoal in the toast will neutralize the toxins and help you get much better very quickly.
