Bee stings, bad breath, common cold, and sleeplessness are just some of the most familiar health problems that occur every now and then. Unknowingly, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to treat them. All you have to do is use those everyday items found in your home.
With bee stings, you get tender relief with meat tenderizer that contains papain. “Make a paste with meat tenderizer and water and apply it to the sting,” says Dr. Philip Koehler, an entomologist at the US Department of Agriculture Laboratory at the University of Florida in Gainesville. “The reason meat tenderizer works is because insect bites and stings are made up of protein—and meat tenderizer breaks down the protein.”
If you hate insect bites, then eat a lot of onions or garlic. “Eat a couple of raw onions daily, or use a lot of garlic in your garlic,” says Dr. Jerome Z. Litt, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio. “If you do so, mosquitoes and other insects will usually avoid you.” That’s because, like thiamine, both these heart-healthy foods give off an unpleasant odor to insects when you perspire.
Even with regular brushing and flossing, there are times when you experience having a bad breath. If that happens, eat an orange. “Some cases of bad breath—particularly those caused by stress and taking drugs—are the result of your mouth being too dry,” says Dr. Joseph Tonzetich, professor of oral biology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. “Citrus fruits and other foods high in citric acid are very good at stimulating saliva. The acid also helps suppress the activity of some odor-causing enzymes, while the ‘tangy’’ taste of lemons and oranges helps fresh your mouth.”
Orange, tomato and pineapple juice can help you get over a common cold—but you need to drink at least five glasses a day. “Studies show it takes that much Vitamin C (about 500 milligrams) to reduce sneezes and coughs in cold sufferers,” says Dr. Jeffrey Jahre, chief of the Infectious Diseases Section at Saint Luke’s Medical Center in Pennsylvania. Just a warning though: don’t take too much vitamin C. To some people, larger doses of Vitamin C can cause stomach upset.
A longtime folk remedy is now a proven fact: A cup of hot chicken soup can help unclog your nasal passages. Researchers at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach found that hot chicken soup, either because of its aroma or its taste, “appears to possess an additional substance for increasing the flow of nasal mucus.” These secretions—what comes out when you blow your nose or sneeze—serve a first line of defense in removing germs from your system, researchers say.
Having a hard time going to sleep? Try hitting the fridge. “A light bedtime snack with protein and sugar increases brain neurotransmitters to induce sleep,” says Dr. Henry Lahmeyer, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago. “The classic bedtime snack of glass of milk with some cookies is perfect.” But doctors advice to go easy on your noshing, because a heavy meal will disrupt your sleep.
Leg cramps are an equal opportunity annoyer—they can strike when you’re running, walking, riding a bike, or even while sleeping. Drinking a cup of water (about eight ounces) every 20 minutes before, during and after exercise will help keep your system from dehydrating. And when you prevent dehydration, you prevent cramping, too, according to sport injuries specialist Dr. Craig Hersh.
The day after drinking too much in a party or just a night out, you feel you cannot stand up anymore. Your head is sort of breaking. Well, you are having a hangover. The solution: hit the honey. “You can help a hangover by eating a slice of bread or some crackers spread with honey—or any other food that’s high in fructose,” says Dr. Seymour Diamond, executive director of US National Headache Foundation.
“That’s because fructose [a natural sugar] helps the body burn off alcohol faster, and honey is the sweetener with the highest concentration of fructose.” Other good sources of fructose are apples, cherries, and grapes.
If you or your partner snores, try asking him or her to snooze on the side or stomach. It’s no coincidence that most problem snorers sleep on their backs. “Basically, when you’re on your back, your tongue falls back like a wet rag into your throat,” explains Dr. Bernard DeBerry, a surgeon who specializes in procedures related to snoring and sleep apnea. “That’s not exactly helpful in maintaining a clear airway.” That’s why all experts say sleeping in another position—preferably on your stomach—usually helps decrease both the volume and incidence of snoring.
If there’s one pain that can test a person’s patience is toothache. It’s the kind of pain that makes you want to shout and howl. To ease the pain, rinse your toothache away with warm salt water. Hot or cold water will only aggravate an already sensitive tooth, but swishing some warm salt water will relieve a lot of pain, says Dr. William P. Maher, assistant professor of endodontics at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry.
Here’s how to do it: Mix two to three teaspoons of salt in a glass of water. The salt water draws out some of the fluids causing the swelling and has a general soothing effect. The saltwater rinse also cleans the area around the infected tooth. Even unsalted lukewarm water (about body temperature) can flush out an irritating piece of rotting food and provide some relief.
Is your hair too dry? Try using beer! Yes, you read it right! “Beer is a wonderful setting lotion. It gives a crisp, healthy, shiny look, even to dry hair,” says Steven Docherty, senior art director at New York City’s Vidal Sassoon Salon. The trick is to spray the brew onto your hair using a pump bottle after you’ve shampooed and towel-dried but before you blow-dry or style. And don’t worry about smelling like a lush—the odor of the beer quickly disappears.
(Most of the information mentioned here come from the sequel of The Doctors Book of Home Remedies.)