Food & Drink Remedies
Thousands of years ago, Hippocrates said Let food be your medicine. Foods and beverages provide relief from an amazing number of common ailments.
Coconut Macaroon Cookies Are a Favorite Home Rem…
We love it when readers share home remedies that work for common health concerns. One of our all-time favorites is coconut for the runs. A reader recently wrote that the effects of a colonoscopy prepa…
Will a Potassium Salt Substitute Lower Your Bloo…
When epidemiologists and cardiologists give advice about hypertension, they often recommend that we cut back on salt (Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Oct. 11, 2016). Strict salt restric…
Does Red Yeast Rice for Lowering Cholesterol Hav…
Has your doctor told you that your blood pressure is rising or your cholesterol is too high? Many people prefer to treat such conditions naturally if possible. But just because a treatment is natural …
Pickle Relish Will Do in a Pinch Against Leg Cra…
Over the years, we have collected quite a number of home remedies for sudden painful muscle cramps. Often these are leg cramps, but occasionally muscles in the hands or arms cramp as well. One favorit…
You Can Make Your Own Natural Cough Syrup with T…
Wouldn't it be great to know how to make your own simple medicines? You could easily make a natural cough syrup. Some readers are as enthusiastic as we are about using thyme for a respiratory infectio…
How Can You Remove Warts With Duct Tape?
If you've ever tried to remove warts from your own skin or from a child's, you know that they can be capricious. Sometimes they will disappear quickly after you apply salicylic acid. That's the standa…
Embrace Cocoa Flavanols for National Nutrition M…
March is National Nutrition Month! By now, you may have heard the prominent news around the benefits of flavanols. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), the world's largest organization of nut…
What Are Pros and Cons of Cinnamon for Blood Sug…
Millions of American adults have prediabetes. The CDC defines this as having fasting blood sugar over 100 but less than 126 mg/dL, the cut-off for a diagnosis of diabetes. Learning that you have predi…
Sauerkraut Juice Heals Canker Sores
If you have ever been troubled with canker sores, you know how miserable they can make you. Doctors rarely have much to offer, although some may prescribe "magic mouthwash." What if sauerkraut juice w…
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…
Salt Substitute Can Cut the Risk of High Blood P…
Americans love salt (and we are not the only ones who do). However, doctors warn us sternly that sodium chloride (aka salt) raises blood pressure. Public health officials frequently advise cutting sal…
Will You Make a Condiment to Fend Off Colds?
Every so often, a reader shares a remedy that gets a lot of attention. Last month, we heard from a person whose special sauce helps her family fend off colds. Wendi wrote: “I have been making a hot …
Can You Lower Your Blood Pressure with Food?
When the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association collaborated on new blood pressure guidelines in 2017, the cut-off numbers for hypertension got lower. That means a lot more …
Onion & Garlic Remedies for Colds & Fl…
When you come down with a cold or the flu, you just want to feel better. What do you do to take care of yourself? If your doctor diagnoses influenza, he or she might prescribe an antiviral like Tamifl…
Will Coconut Macaroons Overcome Bad Diarrhea?
We rarely know the source of home remedies, but we have tracked one carefully. The late Donald Agar wrote to us from Pittsfield, Massachusetts, in 1998 to report a serendipitous discovery. He had foun…
What Should You Eat for a Healthy Heart?
How important is diet in the prevention of heart disease? And what exactly should you eat for a healthy heart? Cardiologists have long emphasized the importance of avoiding cholesterol and saturated f…
What Immunity-Boosting Nutrients Are You Missing…
Are you getting the nutrients you need to stay healthy and keep your immune system functioning optimally? Frequently health care professionals dismiss the need for supplemental vitamins or minerals. T…
Unusual Remedies for Hiccups
We have been collecting hiccup remedies for 40 years. We thought we had heard of all of them, from swallowing a teaspoon of granulated sugar to breathing into a paper bag. But recently we heard about …
What Is the Best Time to Eat?
A small study shows that the timing of meals can have a profound impact on blood sugar, insulin secretion and blood pressure. But what is the best time to eat? A reader is concerned that her late-nigh…
How to Make Onion Syrup for a Cough
In the midst of cold and flu season, many people are troubled with lingering coughs. Are you barking like a seal? Is your cough keeping you awake at night? Luckily, there are a number of remedies that…
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…
Picking a Diet That Lowers Blood Pressure
Are you looking for a diet that lowers blood pressure? Most healthcare practitioners would recommend the DASH diet. The acronym stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. Many studies have sh…
Healthy Eating Can Help Prevent Heart Disease
We have heard for years that eating a well-balanced diet will have positive health benefits. Three decades of data demonstrate that healthy eating patterns reduce heart disease (JAMA Internal Medicine…
Does Grape Juice Have Heart Healthy Benefits?
Over the years, readers have told us about using grape juice to manage a range of conditions. Some people mix it with plant pectin (Certo) to ease the pain of arthritic joints. Others report it soothe…
Taking Garlic at the First Sign of a Cold
During cold season, it can be difficult to follow all the rules that are supposed to protect us from cold viruses. We can certainly wash our hands many times a day and refrain from touching our faces.…
What Do You Eat to Reduce Your Risk for Diabetes…
Type 2 diabetes is among the most common chronic diseases in the US. Researchers believe that three fourths of the cases of type 2 diabetes could be prevented with lifestyle modifications. An analysis…
Americans Get Too Little Fresh Produce in their …
Most of us are not eating enough fruits and vegetables, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (MMWR, online July 10, 2015). How Much Fresh Produce Should You Eat? The recom…
Is Cooked Oatmeal Better for You Than Instant Oa…
Oats have been a dietary staple for many centuries, and they have a reputation as a healthy whole grain. Eating cooked oatmeal on a regular basis (daily or several times a week) can help control chole…
Why You Should Eat the Mediterranean Way
The Mediterranean diet has been associated with a number of health benefits. We have written previously about studies showing that a Mediterranean-style eating plan can protect the brain, reduce arthr…
Can a Mediterranean-Style Diet Protect Your Brai…
How can you protect cognitive function as you age? In countries like Spain and Greece, people who follow a traditional Mediterranean diet appear less likely to develop dementia. New research from Euro…
Research Supports Coconut Remedy to Stop Diarrhe…
Have you heard of eating coconut cookies to control a bout of diarrhea? Here's the story behind this coconut remedy. Coconut Remedy for Chronic Diarrhea: Q. My husband suffered with diarrhea for many …
Healthy Lifestyle Can Overcome a Genetic Tendenc…
Belly fat is more than a cosmetic problem. Packing on fat in the mid-section can increase a person's chance of developing heart disease and its many complications. But is there anything you can do if …
When Drugs Are Dangerous, Natural Remedies Ease …
People with arthritis often face a terrible dilemma because the medications that are most commonly used to ease stiffness and discomfort in the joints can have nasty side effects. NSAIDs such as diclo…
Can Restricting Eating Time Help Control Blood S…
People at risk of developing type 2 diabetes may be able to reverse this process by restricting eating time to a nine-hour period every day. One reader embraced this approach and was thrilled with the…
Can You Lower Blood Sugar with Cinnamon?
You've no doubt heard that type 2 diabetes has reached epidemic levels in this country and many others. That means that millions more people have pre-diabetes. That means their blood sugar is headed i…
Sweet Dreams with Tart Cherry Juice at Bedtime
If you, like so many people, suffer from insomnia, you may be feeling frustrated. The disadvantages of relying on sleeping pills, either prescription or over-the-counter, are becoming clearer. At the …
Will Apple Cider Vinegar Cure Your Heartburn?
Do you get uncomfortable after a big meal? A burning sensation under the breastbone after eating is common. If you have ever suffered from this type of indigestion, you may want to know how to cure yo…
How to Eat for Better Blood Glucose Control
When public health experts point out that nearly one-third of American adults have prediabetes, we figure that we could all benefit from an appropriate diet for better blood glucose control. One reade…
Eating Prunes Can Reduce Inflammation and Improv…
In the 1970s the California Prune Advisory Board promoted its product as the “FUNNY FRUIT.” These days, prunes are advertised as dried plums. Researchers at Penn State investigated how eating prun…
Science Supports Home & Herbal Remedies Des…
A surprising number of people hate home & herbal remedies. We have lost count of the number of visitors to this website who complain bitterly that such treatments lack credibility and are unproven…