Surprising & Unique Remedies
Unorthodox uses of many common household staples can solve an amazing range of simple health problems. Share your own discoveries.
Solutions For Vaginal Dryness
Q. I am a 55-year-old female suffering from hot flashes, vaginal dryness and loss of libido. Sexual intercourse is uncomfortable. I used to look forward to making love with my husband, but it is hard …
Natural Alternatives To Getting Rid Of Roaches
Q. In the next few days I will be moving into a new house. The current resident tells me roaches are a problem. He offered to "bomb" the place with insecticide, but that will not work for me. What are…
Mouthwash Turned Feet Blue
Q. When I needed treatment for toenail fungus, my doctor suggested I soak my toes in Listerine for 30 minutes a night for thirty days. I sent my husband to Costco for a giant jug of Listerine. He retu…
Castor Oil For Bruises
Q. My mother-in-law uses castor oil for bruises. At Christmas, my sister-in-law sat down in a very heavy old rocker-recliner chair. It went crashing to the floor, and one corner landed right on top of…
Using A Neti Pot To Clear Out Sinuses
Q. When I was a child, my mother encouraged me to gargle with salt water when I had a sore throat. I just heard Dr. Oz on Oprah recommend salt water in a neti pot for improving sinus conditions. Are n…
Can Cholesterol Get Too Low?
Q. I'm 66, 6 feet tall, weigh 220 pounds and am in good health. A year ago, my labs showed a total cholesterol of 188 while using Vytorin. This is close to my average cholesterol reading for five year…
Milk of Magnesia Worked For Donut Face
Q. My face looked like a dry glazed donut for eight years, until I read your column about using milk of magnesia on the face and scalp. My dermatologist had been treating my scalp but I got nowhere. B…
WD-40 For Stiff Joints?
Q. Why do you not recommend WD-40 for arthritis? I know a couple of older gentlemen who have used it and say it works. A. We too have heard from folks who have used WD-40, the mechanics’ lubrica…
Hydrogen Peroxide For Lovely Toenails
Many people would like a simple, inexpensive way to treat toenail fungus. Fortunately, there are many home remedies that can prove helpful. So far as we know, there is not a single treatment that work…
Simple Solution For Doggy Hot Spots
Q. I read somewhere of a solution for "hot spots" on dogs: 1/3 Listerine, 1/3 baby oil and 1/3 water. Shake these up in a spray bottle and spray it on the dog, rubbing it into the spot. If y…
Bar-Of-Soap Trick Just Superstition?
Q. I read again in today's column about the bar of soap cure for leg cramps. I think there is a huge psychological component to these cramps. If the soap cure works, it is just superstition. Anyon…
Liquid Bandage Banishes Skin Tags
Q. I'm wondering if you have any suggestions for removing skin tags. The dermatologist has lopped off some of them, but I’m hoping for a less expensive solution. A. Several readers have repo…
Treating Flakes With Milk Of Magnesia
Q. I have been using milk of magnesia on my face for the past two months since reading it in your column. My face flakes are gone! I pour it in my hand and massage it on my face--forehead, eyebrows, a…
Natural Solutions For Arthritis Pain
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 per day, every day. I'd lik…
Pycnogenol For Hot Flashes
Q. I have to admit I was skeptical about Pycnogenol, but after about only four days of use, my severe hot flashes have completely disappeared. I take 50 mg in the morning and 50 mg in the evening. I u…
Tricks For Banishing Bad Foot Odor
Q. My 17-year-old daughter has very smelly feet. I convinced her to try the urine trick, and IT WORKED! Her foot odor is completely gone! A. We have heard from veterans that urinating on smelly feet c…
Vinegar And Listerine For Nice Nails
Q. I've had toenail fungus on all my toes for a number of years and would like to know the most effective treatment. A. There are no studies to show effectiveness of home remedies, so it is very hard …
Getting Rid Of Toenail Fungus
Q. My husband's toenail fungus was terrible. I read your article about using vinegar and water to heal the fungus. My husband started this treatment a few months ago, soaking his feet almost every nig…
Solutions For Split Fingertips
Q. When the skin on my fingertips cracks open, the splits are painful and take a long time to heal. I went to a dermatologist for a series of different pills and lotions but nothing has worked. This p…
Laxative Fights Underarm Odor
Q. I have had a problem with underarm odor for the past several months. It occurs even when I am not active. I use an antibacterial soap and have increased the strength of my antiperspirants. First I …
Treating Stinky Feet
Q. Is there any home remedy or over-the-counter product that will permanently eliminate the strong odor of my husband's smelly feet? Bathing them daily does not help. A. Smelly feet may not be a s…
Military Secret For Stinky Feet
Q. I read that if you had really bad foot odor that all you had to do was urinate on your feet to make it go away. I tried this and not only did the odor go away, but the bad painful peeling of the sk…
Soap Remedy Is Ridiculed
Q. You folks are ridiculous, superstitious and ignorant. How can you recommend a bar of soap under the bottom sheet for leg cramps? It's just plain dumb. Please spare us such silliness. A. We agree th…
Quick Tips For Hiccups
Q. When I was in college a fellow student gave me this silly remedy for hiccups. Place a paper napkin over the top of a glass of water. Have the hiccupper take sips of water through the napkin. It wor…
Cobwebs Help Dog’s Ear Stop Bleeding
Q. While cutting a mat from my dog's ear I cut a little chunk off the tip of her ear accidentally. I lost it, and held her and screamed for my husband. He went outside and got some spider web. He …
Natural Remedies For Hot Flashes
Q. Help! My menopausal hot flashes are becoming unbearable and debilitating. I have tried many remedies. Some helped a little (like cutting down on caffeine), but others, like soy, did nothing. I work…
Old-Time Wound Treatment Helps Pets
Q. You recently wrote about using sugar for slow-healing wounds and bedsores. As a nurse, I learned years ago that the best way to use this home remedy is to make a thick paste of antibiotic ointment …
Surprising Solutions For Muscle Cramps
Q. My mother suffers a lot with cramps, not only in her legs. She had been on quinine but now her doctors won’t prescribe it and she has nothing to help with her daily pain. The doctors don&rsqu…
Keeping High Blood Pressure Under Control
Q. I am desperate for non-drug ways to lower blood pressure. The medications my doctor has prescribed have way too many side effects. Do you have any information about this problem? A. High blood pres…
Solutions for Stinky Feet
Q. I have read many questions about toenail fungus but not much about our issue. My daughter has hot sweaty feet that smell. She hates wearing socks because she says they make her feet too hot. What c…
Fighting Inflammation Naturally
Q. I have had patches of itchy dermatitis for years. More recently I developed "mildly inflammatory arthritis." Then I came down with carpal tunnel syndrome. In my dealings with doctors, these have al…
Soap Works for Card Player’s Cramps
Q. I read your column about using soap in the bed for leg cramps. It really works. My husband had leg cramps for years since he is a fisherman and on his feet 18 hours a day. They brought tears to his…
Listerine Eases Nasty Skin Condition
Q. I had a bout with folliculitis, an infection that causes inflammation of the hair follicles. My dermatologist prescribed an antibiotic ointment that was messy and hard to use. I decided that if Lis…
Soap Is Strange Remedy for Restless Legs
Q. I finally fell asleep last night but woke back up an hour and a half later. I had started getting cramps and a creepy-crawly feeling in my legs.I know some people who have RLS (restless leg syndrom…
Bee Sting Against Arthritis Pain
Q. I'm a nurse in a rural hospital. Some of the mountain folk I care for tell me that a bee sting every two years or so will significantly decrease arthritis inflammation and pain. They attribute this…
Supermarket Remedy Fights Arthritis
Q. I have read about combining something called Certo with grape juice for arthritis pain. I suffer something awful and have never heard of Certo. My pharmacist was no help. Is it an herb, a home reme…
Antiperspirant Banishes Jock Itch
Q. My husband suffered with jock itch for a long time. He would use medicine to clear it up but it always returned. Then he tried applying antiperspirant daily to the affected areas, and this solved t…
Listerine Fights Blemishes
Q. Several years ago I noticed that gum irritations healed more quickly after I used Listerine. I decided to try it on facial blemishes. If it is applied as soon as a blemish begins, the spot fades qu…
Hormone Research Creates Confusion
Q. I am totally confused about hormone therapy. I used to take Premarin to keep my bones stronger and reduce the risk of a heart attack. Then a friend who is a nurse pleaded with me to stop taking hor…
Colon Cleansing Not Recommended
Q. I am looking for a home recipe for colon cleansing without having to use expensive over-the-counter detox programs. I've seen your recipes for constipation, but I'm specifically looki…