Favorite Home Remedies: Dozens of amazing treatments for over 45 common health conditions. With drug costs through the roof, why not give a home remedy a try? Only $12.95 +s/h
Guide to Home Remedies: Learn to make your own low-cost remedies at home for only $2
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Q. You recently had a letter from someone with frequent sinus infections. For many years, I too struggled with sinus infections every few months. I’d feel bad and usually have bad breath.
To deal with them, I went to a doctor who would prescribe antibiotics and strong decongestants. Then four years ago, I read in the Mayo Clinic newsletter about using saline solution for clearing out mucus. So every morning after my shower and every evening before bed, I tilt my head back and squirt saline solution in each nostril and "snort" it up into my sinuses. I then blow my nose.
Doing this twice daily prevents mucus buildup that invites bacterial growth. This solution is cheap and natural. The saline spray costs about $3 and lasts a week.
Occasionally during allergy season I still have to take an OTC decongestant, but I have not been to the doctor for this problem in 4 years. This has made life so much better.
A. Using saline nasal spray as you do is a variant of the ancient Indian practice of using a neti pot with saline solution to rinse the nasal passages and sinuses. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin (Madison) have found that many patients with chronic sinus problems report dramatic improvement when they start using saline solution regularly (Annals of Family Medicine, Jul-Aug. 2006).
Q. I’d like to share how your applesauce/bran/prune juice recipe worked for our family.
When our mother had a stroke and came to live with me for a while we learned things about her that none of us knew--personal stuff we would have preferred not to know!
She became obsessive about having a daily bowel movement. She fretted about this all the time. When I mentioned Mom's fear of constipation to one of her visiting nurses, the nurse told us that "Power Pudding" would take care of it.
What a revelation! It worked like clockwork. We are so thankful that applesauce, bran and prune juice restored Mom's regularity and her peace of mind.
A. Nurses around the country seem to know about this simple remedy for constipation. It calls for 1 cup bran, 1 cup applesauce and ¾ cup prune juice. One or two tablespoons per day should be washed down with plenty of water. We have included more details on this recipe and several others in our Guide to Constipation. Anyone who would like a copy, please send $2 in check or money order with a long (no. 10) stamped (63 cents), self-addressed envelope: Graedons' People's Pharmacy, No. GG-30, P. O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027. It can also be downloaded for $2 from the Website: www.peoplespharmacy.com.
Q. What can you tell me about melatonin as a sleep aid?
A. A number of studies have shown that taking melatonin can help people with jet lag fall asleep more easily (Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2002). It seems to be a reasonable option for occasional use. People with epilepsy and those on the anticoagulant Coumadin (warfarin) should not take this hormone.
Q. The skin on my heels was cracked and painful. After reading your column, I started using Vicks VapoRub. After just a week, my skin was without any cracks, just great. Vicks worked better than Lamisil and is much cheaper!
A. We’re glad it worked. The herbal oils in Vicks VapoRub have antifungal activity and seem to be helpful in soothing cracked heels and fingertips.
I did use Vicks for about 3 months 2-3 times a day on my fingernails, nailbeds and fingertips. My nails are now great. They are strong and grow well without the splitting I used to despise. However, my fingertips on my thumbs, index and middle fingers still peel. Winter or summer makes no difference. Could it be some type of infection, considering it is where one can bring the three fingers together?