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
Q. I have had toenail fungus for many years and have tried all the remedies you've written about without success until now. For over 21 days, at the same time of day, I soaked my toes and feet in a... (Read More)
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Home Remedy Q&A
Q. For the record, one kiwi is a marvelous thing for me. A single kiwi reverses a mouth sore and a couple send it into oblivion! Thanks for offering that tip some time ago. A. We first heard about the... (Read More)
Q. I have been a pharmacist since 1978 and began reading your column only because patients came in asking for peculiar products after reading your articles. Many times they would get the names wrong or would just ask, "do you... (Read More)
Q. After 30 years of atrial fibrillation (A-fib), I started taking magnesium, fish oil and vitamin D daily. I think this regimen keeps my A-fib spells down to one every few months, usually triggered by caffeine. A. Atrial fibrillation requires... (Read More)
Q. After eating prepared mangos over the holidays, I bought some to peel and slice myself. I even chewed on the seed. Bad mistake! By the next day, I was itching under my chin. This became swelling around my mouth... (Read More)
Q. My aging parents belong to a generation that never questions anything a doctor says. They both take so many medications they can barely keep track of everything. Here is just a partial list: amlodipine, diclofenac, pravastatin, furosemide, atenolol, amiodarone,... (Read More)
Q. I used to have heartburn and took drugs to treat it for several years. I later learned that hot peppers could help, so I purchased a bottle of cayenne pepper capsules. I take just one a day with food.... (Read More)
Q. I read in one of your columns that yellow mustard might help relieve heartburn. That article caught my attention. I have found that eating more than one hard-boiled egg produces bloating and gas with an unpleasant sulphurous odor. Adding... (Read More)
Q. I have a question about natural herbal supplements to help me sleep. I am in law enforcement and work shifts, so I don't have a regular pattern of sleep. Is there anything that can help me get better sleep... (Read More)
Q. I am 70 years old and have been taking lecithin for over 35 years. When the doctor viewed images of my arteries, he was amazed to find no plaque or calcification deposits of any kind. He said I had... (Read More)
Q. My niece has Crohn's disease and has suffered from unremitting diarrhea for months. She started eating homemade macaroon cookies (1 per day, 12.5 grams of dried coconut per macaroon). As a result, she had a dramatic improvement in her... (Read More)
Q. I have had irritable bowel syndrome for more than 25 years. I've tried all sorts of remedies including coconut macaroon cookies. I ate so many I can't stand even looking at them! Then I remembered you had mentioned special... (Read More)
Q. I've read about people using yellow mustard to get rid of leg cramps, and my theory is that the cure is walking to the kitchen. Stretching the cramp out relieves it within a minute or two. To test the... (Read More)
Q. I develop muscle soreness on prescription statins, so my cardiologist recommended red yeast rice. He said it works like lovastatin and advised me to avoid grapefruit. Why? A. Grapefruit affects many medications including statins such as lovastatin, simvastatin and... (Read More)
Q. Celery seeds work to prevent gout! I am 43 and have been fighting high uric acid since my first attack eight years ago. All the things I've tried (from apple cider vinegar to tart cherries and green tea) are... (Read More)
Q. I'm in 8th grade and have a very small chest size. This wouldn't bother me, except that lots of other girls in my grade have large B and C cup sizes. I have heard that eating lots of chicken... (Read More)
Q. I have been amused to read about the use of Vicks VapoRub to fight toenail fungus. My elbows were very scaly and getting uncomfortable to lean on. Since scaly skin might be a sign of fungus and I had... (Read More)
Q. You wrote that people should not give their dogs garlic to control fleas because it could cause anemia. I gave my dog fresh garlic for years. She had a horrible flea allergy and nothing else helped at all. Without... (Read More)
Q. I have just learned that I have high cholesterol and that I need to treat it with diet and exercise. The problem is that I already exercise and eat a very healthy diet. I doubt I can improve on... (Read More)
Q. I had such painful heartburn and reflux that it would wake me up in the middle of the night. I read somewhere that coconut water helps with heartburn. I have been drinking about two cups of coconut water for... (Read More)
Q. I had a terrible scare last week. After a bowel movement I looked in the toilet and saw a huge amount of what I assumed was blood. It was bright red and colored the entire bowl. I immediately called... (Read More)
Q. I have been suffering with chronic gastritis for a long time. I began eating a small portion of grated Japanese daikon after every meal and it seems to be helping my digestive problems a lot. What more can you... (Read More)
Q. After dancing up a storm in high heels at a very fun wedding reception, I awoke with a terrible leg cramp in my calf. It was so intense I could barely move. After trying to grab my toe to... (Read More)
Q. I've suffered from chronic constipation most of my life. My doctor prescribed Amitiza, and it has been a lifesaver. However, the medicine is now costing me hundreds of dollars a months and I can't afford it. Is there another... (Read More)
Q. I am amazed at all the uses for milk of magnesia that I have read about in your newspaper column. I know people use it as a deodorant. I have eczema. When I read your article on how it... (Read More)
Q. I enjoy your column when I read my local paper online. Sometimes I want to keep a column and share it with family, but I find it difficult to get back to the specific remedy I remember. I wonder... (Read More)
Q. At Thanksgiving my son-in-law sharpened my knives, but he cut his thumb and finger badly in the process. I quickly said, "Let's put pepper on it." His thumb could probably have used a suture, but I live on top... (Read More)
Q. I am 68 years old and have a lot of trouble with gas. You suggested using fennel seed tea. I have had success with that, but fennel tastes a lot like licorice. I have heard that licorice is not... (Read More)
Q. I've been using a small bar of hotel soap under the sheet near my feet for three months to counteract leg cramps. It works great and they never wake me in the middle of the night any more. Today... (Read More)
Q. I want to thank you for helping me out of a medical emergency. I was flying across country and had packed my asthma medicine in my carry-on luggage. The flight was too full and there was not enough room... (Read More)