Thursday, September 30, 2010

BIZARRE HOME CURES THAT REALLY WORK

Welcome new readers and faithful followers,

I really think you will be glad to have these home cures - think of all the money you can save!!
This list is the first 10 - there are 11 more to come.
Keep watching for them. I'll post them as soon as I can.(maybe tomorrow).


from:  Prevention.com

Home cure: Vodka


Use it for: Foot odor
If your feet smell less than swell, wipe them down with a vodka-soaked washcloth to get rid of the stench. It’s the same principle as rubbing alcohol (which works equally well if you’d rather drink your Grey Goose). Vodka contains alcohol, which is antiseptic and drying, so it destroys odor-causing fungus and bacteria and dries out the moisture that lets these organisms grow.

Home cure: Pencil


Use it for: Headaches
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,” says Fred Sheftell, MD, director of the New England Center for Headache in Stamford, CT. You automatically relax your jaw muscle to do this, which can prevent the pain.

Home cure: Yogurt


Use it for: Bad breath
Preliminary research shows that the live bacteria in yogurt can suppress levels of bad breath–causing bacteria. “Good” bugs in yogurt may crowd out the “bad” stink-causing bacteria or create an unhealthy environment for it, says John C. Moon, DDS, a cosmetic and general dentist in Half Moon Bay, CA.

Home cure: Listerine


Use it for: Blisters
The classic breath freshener—and 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, says Janet Maccaro, PhD, CNC, a holistic nutritionist and certified nutrition consultant in Scottsdale, AZ.

Home cure: Lemon balm tea


Use it for: Cold sores
Lemon balm is a first-choice herbal treatment for cold sores, which are caused by a type of herpes virus (not the same kind that’s sexually transmitted). It has antiviral properties that work to tame herpes outbreaks, says James Duke, PhD, author of The Green Pharmacy. Prepare lemon balm tea by brewing 2 to 4 tablespoons of the herb per cup of boiling water. Let it cool, then dot with a cotton ball on the cold sore several times a day.

Home cure: Licorice


Use it for: Calluses and corns
“Licorice contains estrogen-like substances that soften the hard skin of calluses and corns,” says Georgianna Donadio, PhD, director of the National Institute of Whole Health. Make this homemade licorice paste: Grind up a few licorice sticks, mix them with ½ teaspoon of petroleum jelly, and rub the mixture into the rough areas of your feet.

Home cure: Tennis ball


Use it for: Achy feet
For an easy, free mini massage that stretches and soothes your arches, slip off your shoes and roll each foot over a tennis ball, golf ball, or soup can for a minute or two. To cool throbbing feet, roll them over a bottle of frozen water.

Home cure: Olive oil


Use it for: Eczema
Soothe flareups by applying olive oil directly to the irritated area, says Christopher Dannaker, MD, assistant professor of dermatology at the University of California San Francisco. Packed with antioxidants that can reduce the inflammation associated with eczema, olive oil is the basis for many moisturizers; when used alone, it lacks chemical irritants you may find in store-bought creams. As a bonus, olive oil’s antioxidants help prevent and repair damage that can lead to wrinkles and brown spots.
Rub 1 teaspoon per square inch of skin, which creates a seal that prevents skin from drying out. For serious cases, cover oil-slathered skin with plastic wrap overnight to lock moisture in.


Home cure: Sugar


Use it for: Hiccups
A teaspoon of sugar swallowed dry can stop hiccups in minutes, says Andre Dubois, MD, PhD, a professor of medicine in the emerging infectious diseases graduate program at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, MD. The sugar is believed to modify the nerve muscles that would otherwise tell the muscles in the diaphragm to contract spasmodically and contribute to hiccups.

Home cure: iPod


Use it for: High blood pressure
Thirty minutes of the right tunes every day can help lower BP, according to research from the University of Florence in Italy. Researchers found that people on a medication for hypertension further lowered their blood pressure after they listened to music while breathing slowly. Systolic readings (the first number) decreased an average of 3.2 points in a week; a month later, readings were down 4.4 points.

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