Home Remedies
Beating Back Garlic Breath with Parsley or a Spo…
Garlic breath can be a real social disadvantage. As delicious and healthful as garlic may be, the consequence can really put others off and even cause trouble within families. What can you do? Taming …
Zinc for the Common Cold…Just NOT in the N…
People have been searching for a cure for the common cold for centuries. To date, we have seen nothing that actually overcomes cold viruses the way antibiotics conquer bacteria. (By the way, antibioti…
Is There Anything to the Pycnogenol Hype?
Dietary supplements can go through fads. One year, there is a lot of enthusiasm for the supplement du jour. The next year, you hear nothing about it. Part of that is driven by the research–or lack t…
How Can a Man Tell if He Needs More Testosterone…
Historically, the FDA has been quite clear that it does not approve routine prescribing of testosterone, even if men have low levels of this hormone. Here was the official word from the feds: "None of…
Fresh Onion Juice for Kitchen Burns
If you have ever reached into the oven without a potholder in place, you know why first aid remedies for burns are popular. Let's start with the official first aid advice: Get the burned skin under co…
Can Vicks VapoRub on Your Soles Calm Your Cough?
Sometimes a cough can linger on long after the respiratory infection that triggered it has vanished. What do you do for such a cough? We have heard from a surprising number of people that smearing Vic…
Can Vitamin B3 (Nicotinamide) Really Help Preven…
Skin cancer is the most common type of malignancy in the US. Between 40 and 50 percent of Americans will be diagnosed with either basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma by the age of 65. That…
Soap Under the Sheet Can Prevent Nocturnal Leg C…
Nocturnal leg cramps really get in the way of a good night's sleep. You might be sound asleep, possibly even dreaming, and bam! You wake up with a horrible charlie horse or, even worse, an iron-hard m…
How to Harness the Healing Power of Garlic
Certain time-honored remedies have had such a reputation in folk medicine that it can be difficult to determine how much of the reputation is hype and how much could be supported by science. Garlic is…
How to Use Soap in Bed for Nighttime Leg Cramps
If you suffer from leg cramps that wake you up at night, you've no doubt sought some way to prevent them. Some people find that taking minerals such as magnesium or potassium may help to ward off leg …
Dermatologists Are Unhappy with PediatricianR…
Many parents become so frustrated dealing with lice infestations that they are tempted to pull their own hair out. Some parents are concerned about having to use insecticides repeatedly. As lice devel…
Milk of Magnesia for Odd Underarm Odor
Have you ever heard of using the laxative Milk of Magnesia (MoM) as a topical application for the armpits? Many readers have tried it and told us that they have found this an innovative way to manage …
Can You Manage Your Blood Sugar Naturally?
Metformin is a first-line medication for people with type 2 diabetes. Although doctors also prescribe it for different disorders, from polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) to prostate cancer, the majori…
Acupuncture for Low Back Pain, Even Pain During …
Chronic low back pain can be agony to endure as well as challenging to treat. Humans appear to be especially vulnerable to low back pain. On any given day, roughly one-fourth of American adults have b…
What Are the Health Benefits of Cocoa Flavanols?
Do you think of chocolate as a sinful snack or a healthy bite? Chocolate candy itself probably should be considered sinful. It usually contains too much sugar to count as health food. The cocoa flavan…
Will a Mediterranean Diet Help Your Psoriasis?
Following a Mediterranean style diet with lots of vegetables, extra-virgin olive oil, whole grains and fish is good for your heart and your metabolism. Several studies suggest this way of eating might…
Can Beet Juice Really Lower High Blood Pressure?
If you have hypertension, your doctor has probably prescribed medicine to lower high blood pressure. You may have gone through quite an extensive period of trial and error to find a drug that works wi…
Is a Green Mediterranean Diet Healthy for Head a…
Many previous studies have shown that following a Mediterranean diet has cardiovascular benefits. Such an eating pattern leans heavily on vegetables, fruits and whole grains and is light on meat and s…
Will Onion Cough Remedy Help Your Cold?
Every fall or winter, we hear from people who'd like to share their favorite family remedies for coughs, colds and flu. We haven't conducted research on any of these, but one that keeps cropping up ye…
High Doses of Vitamin B6 Could Cause Nerve Damag…
What happens when you take high doses of vitamin B6? A deficiency of this crucial nutrient has been linked to nerve damage, particularly nerve pain. But scientists are unsure if supplements help. More…
Can You Control Cholesterol Naturally?
Let's not arm wrestle about the cholesterol theory of heart disease. Most cardiologists believe LDL cholesterol is the culprit behind clogged coronary arteries. That's why they are very quick to presc…
What Are the Health Benefits of Coffee and Choco…
Americans have a puritanical streak. This way of thinking suggests that if something hurts or tastes bad, it must be good for you. Conversely, if it tastes good, you might conclude it's bad for you. T…
Cherry Juice Eases Arthritis Pain
Whoever said "Growing older isn't for sissies!" probably had arthritis. Although it sometimes strikes younger people, the constant ache in knees and hips can make it hard for older adults to keep movi…
Dandruff: Why Yeast Feast and How to Control the…
Dandruff may be difficult, but in general, it is not a serious medical condition. Though people who have it may be frustrated by it, or even desperate for relief, dermatologists don't get too excited …
Do Raisins Really Control Nighttime Urination &#…
For years now, we have been hearing from readers that munching a small handful of raisins before brushing the teeth at bedtime can help limit nocturia. That's the fancy medical term for having to get …
Home Remedies for Hemorrhoids – Skip Smart…
Over the last few decades we have collected an amazing array of remedies for hemorrhoids, from blackstrap molasses and rutabaga to banana peel and green tea. They keep coming in like the tide. We have…
Should You Be Taking Vitamin Supplements?
Vitamins were among the most exciting discoveries of the early 20th century. Since then, however, doctors have been expressing a lot of skepticism about the value of taking vitamin supplements. A pron…
Beet Juice Was Better Than a Drug for Lowering B…
Some natural products have an impressive ability to affect human physiology. Among these are vegetables naturally high in nitrate, particularly beets (referred to in England as beetroot). Scientists h…
Too Little or TOO MUCH Potassium Poses Major Dan…
We refer to potassium as the "Goldilocks" mineral. That's because too much potassium or too little potassium can cause serious health problems. Potassium needs to be "just right." Normally, the body h…
How to Treat Blepharitis Eyelid Irritation
Blepharitis, inflamed eyelids, can be annoying as well as painful. It is frequently quite difficult to treat. The usual recommendation is to use hot compresses on the affected eyelid. If that does not…
Gin-Soaked Raisins Offer Relief for Arthritic Pa…
Millions of people have stiff, sore joints. Some rely on NSAIDs such as ibuprofen (Advil, MotrinIB) or naproxen (Aleve) to get relief for arthritic pain. However, while these medications can be helpfu…
The Complete Guide to Castor Oil: Ancient Remedy…
Introduction: The Amazing World of Castor Oil Castor oil has been making headlines in our mailbag for decades, and frankly, we're still amazed by the creative ways readers discover to use this ancient…
What Should You Eat to Reduce Your Risk of Demen…
Do you know how to keep your brain healthy as you grow older? Often, people want to know what you should eat to reduce your risk of dementia. The Framingham Offspring Study offered some answers to tha…
Curcumin from Turmeric Helps People Manage Their…
With all the excitement about prescription drugs to promote weight loss, people have been looking for natural approaches that could be used for that purpose. A few years ago, scientists in Thailand co…
Is Melatonin Safe for Night Shift Nurse?
People who do shift work put their bodies through a lot of stress. Most of us adapt to getting up in the morning and going to bed at night. If we are reasonably regular about the times, our body clock…
Will Tart Cherry Juice Really Soothe Gout Pain?
People who have had one episode of gout are usually anxious to learn how they can avoid another attack. The pain is so intense that even the light touch of a sheet on the affected joint may be unbear…
Sore Throat Remedy Is Hot Stuff
A sore throat is a common symptom of a respiratory infection. Colds, flu, COVID-19–any of them could make it uncomfortable to swallow or sometimes even to speak. Readers have shared a number of reme…
Will Olive Oil Protect Your Brain?
Scientists have found plenty of evidence that extra-virgin olive oil can fight inflammation. Now they believe that it might help protect your brain against cognitive decline or even Alzheimer disease.…
Should You Try Yogurt to Combat Constipation?
Anyone who has suffered from constipation would be grateful for advice on preventing this troublesome problem. Avoiding medications such as opioid pain relievers or even supplements like calcium that …
Can You Use Cinnamon to Reduce Your Cholesterol?
Most people want to keep their cholesterol under control, but some would prefer to do so without medication. It is possible to use your diet to lower your cholesterol levels. Some people report that e…