William Penn Life, 2012 (47. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2012-04-01 / 4. szám
Our Health Corner your pantry. Whether you have a head cold, an upset stomach or an itchy rash, fast, cheap relief may be sitting on your kitchen shelf. Some home remedies are simply old wives' tales, but others have been around for generations because they actually work. Try grabbing one of these healing ingredients to ease a minor ailment. Honey Use for minor cuts and bums, cough or sore throat. Most of us have tried honey to sooth a scratchy throat, but it has also been used to treat wounds for thousands of years. Last year, a review of research found that honey is helpful in healing minor to moderate burns, and a recent Dutch study has identified a protein in honey that gives the sweet goo its antibacterial action. Apply warm honey to a minor cut or mild burn, then put a bandage on top. Change the dressing daily. However, if you have a wound that's accompanied by swelling, fever or pain, or if the wound is deep, check with your doctor; it may require oral antibiotics or stitches. Salt Use it for sinus congestion or sore throat. When you mix salt into water at a stronger concentration than the salt water in our bodies, it helps draw fluids out of tissues. Dissolve half a teaspoon of non-iodized salt in an 8-ounce glass of water. Simply gargle the solution for a sore throat. To flush out your sinuses, fill a clean, dry squeeze bottle, bulb syringe or neti pot with the salt water, lean over a sink, and squeeze or pour it into your nostril. You should only use sterile bottled water or distilled water in your nose or tap water that has been boiled and then cooled. Peppermint Tea Use it for indigestion and stomach aches. The oil found in peppermint leaves and its stems calms the muscles of the digestive tract, allowing gas to pass more easily and relieving indigestion. Steer clear of peppermint tea if your pain is caused by reflux, since it can actually aggravate the problem by relaxing the lower esophageal sphincter, allowing stomach acids to flow back into the esophagus. But for occasional upset, brew a cup of peppermint-leaf tea and drink up. Heat Tenderizer Use it for bee stings and non-poisonous spider bites. Here in Florida, beach lifeguards treat jelly fish and man-a-war stings with this remedy. Meat tenderizer contains an enzyme that breaks down proteins, like the ones in your T-bone steak. But it can also break down toxins from bug bites and cut down on the itching. If you experience symptoms such as nausea, difficulty breathing or cramping in your belly or lower back, seek medical help immediately. Mix a small amount of meat tenderizer with water to make a paste and apply to the bite. Leave on for 10 to 15 minutes, then rinse with warm water. Oatmeal Use it for eczema, sunburn or hives. Oats are packed with anti-inflammatory properties that soothe itchy and inflamed skin. A study in the Archives of Dermatological Research shows most MDs recommend using the finely ground colloidal type sold in drugstores, but any unflavored oatmeal will help. If you're using regular oatmeal, grind it into a fine powder. Put a cup of oats through a food processor until they dissolve easily into a glass of water. Pour the solution into a bathtub full of warm water and soak for 15 minutes. If using colloid oats, sprinkle them into the tub and say AHHHHHHH....A great end to any day of spring cleaning. Till next month.... Be Healthy! Be Happy! stay Fit! J-J&lfeh Ui ite For more information and suggestions on how certain foods can help treat common medical problems, log onto: 3 http://www.prevention.com/food/food-remedies/16-simple-healing-foods (Prevention magazine’s list of 16 common foods that can provide remedies straight from your kitchen.) 3 http://www.myhomeremedies.com (This online archive offers plenty of home remedies submitted by readers, but be forewarned-check with your doctor before trying them.) William Penn Life April 2012 0 11
