Home remedies

Here is some great information I found while browsing around health issues on msn.com. I thought these were great. . . and might just work! To health and happiness!!


Dry, Tired Eyes

Infuse a bag of chamomile tea in 4 to 6 ounces hot water, cool in the fridge for at least 20 minutes, then apply as a compress on eyes for 10 minutes, until it comes to room temp. Chamomile has a mild anti-inflammatory effect.

The Expert: Paul S. Anderson, ND, associate professor of naturopathic medicine at Bastyr University

Bad Breath

Drink up to ¼ cup pure aloe vera gel dissolved in about half a cup of water or apple juice. Aloe vera contains an anti-inflammatory compound called B-sitosterol that soothes acid indigestion, a common cause of bad breath. But go easy; in large doses, aloe vera can work like a laxative.

The Expert: New York-based herbalist Letha Hadady, DAc, author of Healthy Beauty

Nasal Congestion

Irrigate the nose with contact lens saline solution, using a Neti Pot. Or try: putting a few drops of eucalyptus oil on the floor of a hot, running shower and inhaling the steam that accumulates. (Note: The room may be too hot for children.)

The Expert: Benjamin Kligler, MD, MPH, research director at the Continuum Center for Health and Healing in New York City

Less-than-White Teeth

Combine ½ teaspoon baking soda with 1 or 2 drops of peroxide. Brush on, let sit for a few minutes, then rinse (don't swallow) and ta-da—enjoy your once-again pearly whites. Baking soda serves as a safe, light bleach. A baking soda and salt mixture can also restore the shine of dingy teeth (dip a wet toothbrush into 1 4 teaspoon soda and sprinkle with up to 1 8 teaspoon salt) as effectively as it polishes your pots and pans. However, the peroxide recipe is safer for people on no-salt diets.

The Expert: Letha Hadady, DAc

Mild Heartburn

Combine 1 teaspoon powdered glutamine, an amino acid, to fuel gastrointestinal tract cells and cool inflammation; 1 capsule to introduce good bacteria to the gut; and 1 teaspoon herbal marshmallow or slippery elm powder to coat and soothe the digestive system. (The ingredients are available at health food stores.) Mix with 6 to 8 ounces yogurt or applesauce (to get everything down) and take one or two times a day for 8 to 10 weeks.

The Expert: Paul S. Anderson, ND

Mosquito Bites

Rub liquid laundry detergent on the spot and let dry. The liquid soothes the skin, dries the bite to reduce irritation, and seals the area from outside irritants.

The Expert: Paul Lyons, MD, associate professor of family and community medicine at Temple University School of Medicine

Headaches

Try do-it-yourself acupressure. Feel along your trapezius, the large muscle that runs from the high point of both shoulders and joins your neck. Use your thumbs and index and middle fingers to squeeze the muscle just below where it attaches to both sides of your neck. You'll be releasing "trigger points," tiny muscle spasms that can cause neck tension and are a common cause of headaches. Hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute—or have a friend do it for you. Or try: massaging one or two drops of peppermint (Mentha piperita) oil into the same trigger points and the lower neck. "Peppermint oil relaxes muscles in spasm."

The Expert: Benjamin Kligler, MD, MPH

Sore Throat

Mix together a clove bud, which is antiseptic and fights infection, with 1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger (or 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger) and 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon—the latter two because of their anti-inflammatory properties. Infuse the tea in 2 cups boiling water, and for every cup, stir in 2 teaspoons soothing and sweet raw honey. Sip throughout the day until your throat settles down.

The Expert: Paul S. Anderson, ND

Dandruff

Douse it with a cup of antioxidant-packed green tea, which will naturally exfoliate dry flakes without dehydrating skin. Steep two bags of green tea in 1 cup hot water for 20 minutes to overnight. Once it has cooled, massage the strong tea into your scalp.

The Expert: Letha Hadady, DAc

Pimples

Treat them with tea tree oil and witch hazel, both of which have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. As soon as you feel a pimple forming, dot either tonic on the area twice a day for 2 or 3 days. "Never use rubbing alcohol because that only dries out and irritates skin without having any effect on the bacteria that cause acne."

The Expert: Doris Day, MD

Sunburn

Take a lukewarm bath with 1 cup added ground oatmeal (grind it with a mortar and pestle; instant oatmeal works fine), 1 cup whole milk, 2 tablespoons honey, and 2 tablespoons aloe vera gel. Oatmeal is anti-inflammatory, honey is antiseptic, milk's proteins and fats soothe skin, and aloe numbs pain. "Afterward, moisturize with a cream containing hydrating shea butter and aloe."

The Expert: Doris Day, MD

Diarrhea

Drink a cup of chamomile tea. The herb has an antispasmodic effect that stops contractions in the lower intestine.

The Expert: Evangeline Lausier, MD, assistant clinical professor in medicine at Duke Integrative Medicine in Durham, NC

Flatulence

Sip 1 cup hot water steeped with 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, which stifle the enzymatic action that causes gas.

The Expert: Evangeline Lausier, MD


Enjoy!! Let me know if they work!