With today's economy and the rising costs of over-the-counter medications, more and more people are giving old home remedies a try. As many are discovering, not only do natural remedies save money, they're gentler on the body and far better for the environment. From acne treatment to home constipation remedies -- here are a few natural curatives straight from grandma's herbal medicine chest.
When acne symptoms appear, the first thing to consider is lifestyle and dietary habits, because imbalances in over-all health can show up on the skin. But in the meantime, washing your face with a paste made of oatmeal and water can be very beneficial. As a gentle exfoliant, it can draw out oil and other impurities, and lead to clearer skin. It also helps to pay attention to your diet. Reduce intake of sugar, corn, wheat and dairy products to start. They are frequent triggers of low immune system and acne. Also do not forget that stress is an important contributor to acne. Adrenal breathing exercises can be very helpful.
Got foot fungus? Here are a few things you can try. Air your feet out and then soak them in a salt-bath for ten minutes. Or try washing them with garlic juice or soaking them in diluted white or apple cider vinegar. While all these pantry items are known to inhibit fungi, the ideal formula is: persistence, consistency, and diligence. No matter which treatment you choose, do it several times a day and stick with it for at least a week after you think the symptoms are gone, Fungi excels at hiding in nooks and crannies and reappearing when you least expect! Alkalizing your body internally will also deter fungus growth. The easiest way is simply to drink water with a slice of lemon.
Although you might think it would burn, a sprinkle of cayenne pepper on a cut will actually stop the bleeding and quickly relieve the pain. Cayenne is also very effective in stopping the pain of bee stings, fire ant, mosquito, and other insect bites.
So you burned yourself on the stove again? The first thing to do is rinse it under cold water, then immediately apply Aloe Vera gel to the burn. No aloe gel in the house? Well, try the next best thing: slice a potato and rub its cool, soothing juices over the burn area. And as recent scientific studies have proven—but grandma already knew—honey has exceptional antibacterial properties that make it a great topical ointment. Also, if you can treat the burn immediately, mustard is another good salve to try; a few applications of lavender oil will help the skin heal faster—without blistering. Burns that are infected or fail to heal can be treated with ozone therapy non invasively.
When constipation strikes, the first thing to do is begin these home constipation remedies. Start by increasing your water intake and eat more roughage: fruits, vegetables, and salads. Most often, constipation is a dietary issue and taking over-the-counter laxatives is seldom the solution. Sometimes, calorie restriction or avoidance of healthy fats like those found in fish, nuts, and avocados can add to the problem—so make sure you're getting enough.Another one of the great home constipation remedies is taking a few teaspoons of olive oil mixed with orange or diluted lemon juice can help start things moving again, or 1/4 teaspoon of Epsom salts dissolved in 1/2 glass of water may do the trick. Magnesium is an excellent agent as well. Take anywhere from 5000-2000 mg until diarrhea is reached and you can then back off. Adding some malic acid also helps. Digestive enzymes works wonderfully for those with mild constipation. If these home constipation remedies fail, you may want to consider causes of constipation such as stress, depression, and inactivity. And if your constipation is chronic, it may be a sign of a more serious health problem, so seek professional medical advice.
If you've ever looked at the ingredients in dandruff shampoos, most contain almost everything on the Toxic-Ingredients-to-Avoid list. So before resorting to harmful artificial chemicals, try a few natural remedies. Many people swear by Aloe Vera gel rubbed onto the scalp (left on for 20 minutes than rinsed out). If not a complete cure, this will certainly help improve dry, itchy scalp. Another long-standing remedy is to rinse the hair with apple cider vinegar. But keep in mind, even commercial dandruff shampoos require repeated use to produce results, so before deciding if they work for you, give these alternative remedies a few tries.
© Copyright 2013 Michael Lam, M.D. All Rights Reserved.
The magnesium in Epsom salt relax the muscles, the sulfur component of sulfate salts binds to toxins, helping their elimination from the body. Advanced AFS sufferers may get a paradoxical reaction and unable to tolerate this.
