Quick & Handy Home Remedies: Find practical, affordable ways to deal with some of life's most common ailments, proving that getting back to the basics has its reward. Only $16.95 +s/h
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Q. I have been plagued with nummular eczema for years. It does not respond to Benadryl, prednisone or any kind of topical cortisone ointment.
I read in your column about some doctors in Japan who had people with eczema drink oolong tea to help their symptoms. So the last time I had an outbreak, I tried oolong tea and the results were amazing.
Within twenty-four hours, the itching and inflammation were gone. It took a couple of days, but the lesions disappeared and didn't leave scars.
Why does oolong tea work so well? It is the best treatment for this awful skin condition I've ever seen!
A. Nummular eczema consists of coin-shaped itchy red patches on the skin. Nobody knows what causes it, but the condition is aggravated by dry skin, stress, detergent and cold weather.
A study (Arch. Dermatol. Jan. 2001) of more than 100 patients with a different kind of eczema (atopic dermatitis) showed that drinking a liter of oolong tea daily could markedly improve inflammation and itching. The researchers speculated that antioxidant polyphenols in tea have anti-allergic properties and calm the overactive immune response.
Some people have reported that their eczema improved when they took borage or flax seed oil orally. These dietary supplements are high in omega-3 fatty acids which also have anti-inflammatory activity.
Q. I'm only 38, but have had a lot of pain in my knees lately that I assume is arthritis. Sometimes at night in bed my knees really ache. I walk three to five miles every day. I'd like to try some natural remedies to see if they help if you can recommend anything.
A. Glucosamine and chondroitin help some people, but monitor your cholesterol closely. Many readers tell us their levels go up on this combination.
Natural anti-inflammatory compounds can be found in herbs such as turmeric and boswellia. Fish oil may also be helpful in reducing inflammation.
Some people find home remedies ease arthritis pain and stiffness. Readers have told us that a mixture of the fruit pectin Certo in purple grape juice can relieve joint pain. Grape juice also figures in a popular combination with apple juice and vinegar, said to originate with Sam Houston. Gin-soaked raisins work for some people but not for others.
We're sending you our Guide to Home Remedies, with instructions on these low-cost approaches as well as a decades-old recipe purportedly from the Mayo Clinic. Anyone who would like a copy, please send $2 in check or money order with a long (no. 10) stamped (60 cents), self-addressed envelope: Graedons' People's Pharmacy, No. R-1, P. O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027.
Q. Did you know that feverfew acts as an anticoagulant? I had been taking this herb for a month before donating blood. When I was finished, it took the staff 10 to 15 minutes to stop me bleeding.
A week later, I had blood drawn for routine tests at my doctor's office, and the nurse was concerned because the site took so long to stop bleeding. My doctor sent me to a specialist who asked if I had started any new medicines. I mentioned I was taking feverfew to prevent migraines, and he told me to stop taking it immediately. In two weeks I was back to normal.
A. Feverfew can slow blood clotting. People facing surgery and those taking anticoagulants like Coumadin or Plavix should not take it.
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