Q. I am a family physician who does not dismiss home remedies out of hand. I take care of a wide diversity of patients of different ages and ethnicities. I also see patients in retirement communities and nursing homes. Every year I travel outside the U.S. to provide medical relief in countries that don’t have adequate resources.
I appreciate your pragmatic philosophy and wonder whether you could suggest a book with some scientific support for home remedies. Many of my patients appreciate affordable nondrug approaches for treating common medical conditions.
A. There is actually support in medical journals for many home remedies, from sugar for hiccups and wound healing to Vicks VapoRub for nail fungus.
Our book, Quick & Handy Home Remedies, offers the references behind many of our favorite treatments. It is available online at www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.
Criteria for Home Remedies
Thank you for your open-minded approach. Home remedies are often more affordable than drugs.
We are always pleased when we can find research support for the remedies people suggest, but we also like to pay attention to the experience our visitors report. Since so many simple remedies are not studied, we must rely on pragmatic considerations. If it won’t hurt, might help and doesn’t cost much, we like to consider a remedy.
