Surprising & Unique Remedies
Unorthodox uses of many common household staples can solve an amazing range of simple health problems. Share your own discoveries.
Don’t Overdose on Black Licorice!
The FDA has a warning for anyone whose Halloween trick-or-treat bag is brimming with black licorice. According to the agency, eating too much black licorice, about two ounces a day, can disrupt heart…
Will Milk of Magnesia Help Rosacea?
Rosacea is a skin condition that causes easy flushing of the face and then lasting redness on the cheeks, chin, nose or forehead. There may be bumps that resemble pimples-although they aren't actually…
What Is Blackseed Oil Good For?
As Americans grow disenchanted with pharmaceuticals, they have become interested in botanical medicines. Many of these come from different medical traditions. Scientists may not have devoted much time…
Rub on Heat from Peppers to Ease Pain in Hands
People have been suffering with arthritis since the dawn of humankind. Painful joints and stiffness can slow a person down considerably. And arthritis pain in hands makes it difficult to accomplish ev…
Licorice Oil Calms the Heat of Fire Ant Stings
What do you do for fire ant stings? As fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) push further north, many more people will have occasion to treat the pain of their stings. Some readers are enthusiastic about vin…
Are You Crazy to Keep Soap Under the Sheets?
If you found a bar of soap under the sheets on your bed, you might be startled. Of course, if you've been reading The People's Pharmacy, you'll know immediately what that soap is doing there. Many peo…
How to Lift Worry Along with Weights
Lifting weights makes your muscles stronger; it may also make you feel less anxious. Can you really lift worry off your shoulders as you do your weight-lifting routine? Studies Show Weight-Lifting Hel…
When Should You Worry About Hiccups?
Have you ever had hiccups? Almost everyone has. They can be annoying, embarrassing and uncomfortable, but hiccups generally go away on their own. When hiccups last for more than two days, though, they…
Can Acupressure Arm Bands Help with Sleep Proble…
Many individuals who have sleep problems from time to time would rather solve them without resorting to sleeping pills. After all, prescription sleeping pills can be habit-forming. Even OTC sleep aids…
Will You Fail a Drug Test If You Take CBD Oil?
More than half of the states in the US now have some provision for the medical use of marijuana. In addition, 18 states have specific legislation about cannabidiol oil (CBD oil). In most cases, these …
Should You Smear Chili Oil on Your Psoriasis?
Every once in a while, a reader comes up with a home remedy that surprises us. Although we have often written about capsaicin, the essence of hot chili peppers, we've never imagined using chili oil an…
Why Was Aleve Better Than Tylenol for Bed-Wettin…
Bed-wetting is not just a child's problem. Enuresis, as it is known medically, can also affect older people. Doctors sometimes prescribe anticholinergic drugs such as oxybutynin (Ditropan, Oxytrol) an…
Veterans Find Yoga Improves Their Moods
Many people think yoga appeals primarily to women. But a new study from the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center should put that myth to rest. A group of veterans discovered that yoga improve…
Will Acupressure Bands Help You Fall Asleep?
When job stresses or money worries get to you, what do you do to fall asleep? Many people try taking a sleep aid, whether it's an OTC product like Tylenol PM or a prescription medication like zolpidem…
Will Herbal Oils Ease Arthritis Pain?
Many people have a very difficult time managing their arthritis pain. Perhaps they take NSAID drugs such as ibuprofen or naproxen. Although these medicines can help temporarily with pain relief, they …
What Can Prolotherapy Do for Sore Knees?
As Americans get older and grayer, we also have to cope with more joint pain. We swallow large quantities of anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs such as ibuprofen or naproxen). Many of us take supplements…
Soothing Dry Eyes with Warm Compresses
Dry eyes are an extremely common condition, and they can also be quite distressing. The eyes may feel constantly irritated, as though they had something in them. People with dry eyes don't seem to mak…
Can Acupuncture Help Urinary Incontinence?
Urinary incontinence is an embarrassing problem. No one wants to leak urine and wet their underwear, whether the problem is stress incontinence or urge incontinence. In stress incontinence, women may…
Is It True That Cannabidiol Oil Eases Pain?
Could people in pain use a component of cannabis as an unexpected remedy? Anything related to marijuana is often regarded with suspicion because of widespread recreational use of the plant. Nonetheles…
How Can You Make Plantar Warts Disappear?
Most warts don't hurt. However, a person with plantar warts, those that develop on the soles of the feet, may find walking painful. A dermatologist could perform surgery or cryotherapy (freezing), but…
Will Yoga Help Back Pain?
Lower back pain is common and debilitating. It is frequently treated with medications, but the American College of Physicians has issued new guidelines emphasizing nondrug approaches for acute lower b…
What Are the Natural Remedies for Gout?
Gout is a miserable condition. It causes intense, excruciating pain, redness and swelling in one or more joints. Often, the pain may start at the base of the big toe, but other joints frequently hurt…
What Will Ease Painful Hemorrhoids After Giving …
Women have to make a lot of adjustments right after giving birth. Their bodies change dramatically in that process. While many of the alterations are nature's way of helping a mother nurture the infa…
What Are the Best Remedies for Under-Breast Rash…
Women rarely talk about one delicate problem that many of them experience. It is especially common at this time of year because of warm, humid weather. These conditions favor the growth of fungus unde…
Will Acupuncture Relieve Your Arthritic Knee Pai…
People with chronic arthritis are faced with a terrible choice: do they suffer from pain every day, or do they take pain relievers with scary side effects? Unfortunately, the pain medications used …
How to Use Lavender Oil to Calm Restless Legs
Restless legs don't sound particularly serious, but the overwhelming urge to move the legs every few minutes or so can prevent a good night's sleep. The sensation can be extremely unpleasant. Usually,…
Could Tai Chi Help You Overcome Insomnia?
Up to 30 percent of women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer have trouble sleeping. They may be understandably worried about their condition and unable to sleep for that reason. Lying awake ca…
Will Chlorophyll Capsules Make Underarms Smell S…
In the ongoing search for ways to control body odor, people have invented some creative solutions. One of the most unusual is swallowing supplemental chlorophyll every day. Is this a good idea? Chlor…
Is Clever Home Remedy for Insomnia Hurting Your …
We love simple approaches to common problems, so when we heard about a clever home remedy for insomnia we were intrigued. The approach takes advantage of an acupressure point that is supposed to help …
Will Simple Remedies Get Rid of Your Ugly Toenai…
Nail fungus is an extremely common complaint. It makes toenails thick, yellow and ugly. Infected nails may be so thick that trimming them is a chore. Dermatologists assure us that for most people nai…
Will a Whiff of Orange Erase Trauma?
Mouse research suggests a possible innovation for treating post-traumatic stress disorder-at least in mice. For them, aromatherapy with a whiff of orange seems to make a difference. How Did a Whiff of…
How Does Vicks on the Feet Calm a Cough?
After abdominal surgery, coughing or laughing can cause excruciating pain. Although few people can laugh in such a situation, many will need to cough. How can you calm a cough to avoid the pain? Putt…
Join Us April 27 to Learn about Favorite Remedie…
People who listen to The People's Pharmacy radio show or read the newspaper columns find home remedies fascinating. Most people want to know whether a specific remedy or dietary supplement works or no…
How to Soothe Allergy Symptoms Without Serious S…
Allergy season takes a terrible toll on people who are susceptible to pollen. This is the time of year when invisible particles in the air trigger sneezing, sniffling, itching and congestion. Allergy …
How Does Acupuncture Work?
Scientists have long wondered: how does acupuncture work? Now an international research team with more than 40 members has evidence that a neurological mechanism may be key. What Did the Scientists Do…
How Did Teens Find Something Better Than Sleepin…
Sleep is precious, but it can be elusive. Many Americans are chronically sleep-deprived, and the problem may be even worse for adolescents. They still need more sleep than adults, but their daily slee…
A Treasure Trove of Old-Time Home Remedies
We love hearing about old-time home remedies from our readers. Many of the most popular ones come up again and again. There are always some surprises, though. One older reader remembered a lot about t…
How to Make Angular Cheilitis Disappear with Hyd…
Angular cheilitis, also known as perlèche, is a very unpleasant condition in which the corners of the mouth crack open. They are usually red and sore. Sometimes this is caused by leaking saliva, whic…
What Are the Health Benefits of Asafoetida?
As North Americans embrace herbs and practices from other healing systems, they will inevitably encounter some that are unfamiliar. Most people know little at all about asafoetida, although it was us…
How Probiotics Could Ease Your Seasonal Allergie…
When people start sniffling and sneezing because of seasonal allergies, they usually rely on antihistamines and nasal sprays. A new study suggests that they might also want to consider modifying the …