Surprising & Unique Remedies
Unorthodox uses of many common household staples can solve an amazing range of simple health problems. Share your own discoveries.
Old-Fashioned Thyroid Drug Best for Some
Q. You once had an article about some people needing Armour Thyroid because Synthroid doesn't contain T3. I want to thank you for saving my sanity and life.Since 1993, I have been on Synthroid and…
Take Tape to Trap Ticks
Q. I live near a national park and walk my dogs in the woods. There are ticks everywhere. I stop and pull ticks off myself every few minutes, but I hate to just throw them back in the bushes where the…
Natural Alternatives to Ambien
Q. My husband has had a terrible time with the sleeping pill Ambien. One night he got up and wandered out of the house. A stranger had to bring him home. Another time he poured coffee on the computer …
Natural Treatments for Doggy Diarrhea
Q. Can I use coconut milk and rice milk or coconut macaroon cookies for my boxer dog's diarrhea? Would it be harmful to her?A. Many years ago we heard from a reader that coconut macaroon cookies c…
Certo and Grape Juice Ease Joint Pain
Q. I have been using Certo in purple grape juice for arthritis pain and it really works. But I wonder if there are any side effects. For example, since Certo is a thickening agent, does it thicken the…
Listerine Used to Fight Head Lice
Q. Both of my boys were sent home from school with head lice. The checklist given to me by the school nurse said that in order for them to return to school, I must treat their scalps with an insectici…
Duct Tape for Treating Warts
Q. I had a wart near my ankle and decided to try the duct tape treatment. I cut a small piece of duct tape each morning and after my shower, stuck it over the wart. I did this every day for three week…
Low-Tech Hiccup Remedy
Q. Here is a cure for hiccups. The person with hiccups plugs up both ears with her fingers and drinks water. This is easiest with the help of another person holding the ears, but by using a bottle of …
Restless Legs Respond to Soap in Bed
Q. I have suffered from restless leg syndrome all of my life, and I am over 50! My mother always told me I had "growing pains" when I was a kid, but that was clearly ridiculous by the time I reached m…
Many Options for Treating Nail Fungus
Q. I think I remember reading about some simple remedies for nail fungus in your column. At the time I didn’t need the information but now my toenails are discolored and ugly. They want to remov…
Solutions for Smelly Gas
Q. What is the best thing to do for daily, frustrating, embarrassing gas? I eat high-fiber foods during the week, but I eat various things on the weekends and it doesn't seem to make a difference. I h…
Brazil Nut Warning Causes Worry
Q. You wrote recently about selenium and said three or four Brazil nuts daily supplied enough selenium to cause toxicity. I'm taking 100 micrograms of selenium daily to ward off prostate cancer. Is th…
Home Remedies Collected in One Place
Q. Is there a book that has all of your home remedies in it? I really would like to have something as a reference to all of these great ideas. A. We have included many of our favorite home remedies in…
Remedies May Ease Arthritis Pain
Q. I have arthritis in my fingers and I'm sure using the computer has compounded the pain. I can't take anti-inflammatory medication due to an ulcer, so I am hoping you could suggest other sup…
Quinine Ban Worries Leg Cramp Victims
Q. Now that quinine sulfate will no longer be available to control leg cramps, what do you suggest? A. The FDA has determined that quinine is too dangerous for treating leg cramps. The drug can cause …
Aloe and Licorice for Canker Sores?
Q. When I get a canker sore I use the gel from an aloe vera leaf directly on the sore. I keep a plant all the time because it's so helpful.A. Aloe vera gel has a long history for healing cuts and …
Bitters for Flatulence
Q. I would like to know the formula you once printed about using bitters for flatulence.A. The Angostura bitters label suggests taking one to four teaspoonfuls after meals for flatulence. Some readers…
Liquid Bandage for Skin Tags
Q. Do you know of any ointment, poultice or herb that will get rid of skin tags? I had a dermatologist examine me. He told me this skin tag was not dangerous, but the cost of removing a small skin tag…
Remedy for Cracked Heels
Q. I have dry cracked heels. What can I do to make them nice and smooth again? A. There are expensive foot creams on the market, but we like affordable products like Bag Balm and Udderly Smooth Foot C…
Bag Balm for Dry Hands
Q. I have always had a problem with dry hands in the winter. The skin on my hands dries out, splits and peels off time and again. Ten years ago a co-worker told me about Bag Balm. (I later read in a m…
Probiotics for Diverticulitis
Q. My husband was diagnosed with diverticulitis. He was treated with antibiotics, but the doctor said he could have another attack at any time. My husband now avoids seeds and nuts, but a different do…
Filters for Flatulence
Q. I am interested in purchasing flatulence filters. My mom has severe gas problems and is taking charcoal tablets along with other things. The problem is still noticeable. I would like to try the f…
Instant Glue for Cuts
Q. Like some of your readers, I get cracked fingers when it's cold. This year I decided to try something different. I had a place split open at the end of my thumb. I put Super Glue on it, held it…
Preventing Cold Sores
Q. You had an article about drugs to heal cold sores faster. Why not prevent them? I take L-lysine before meals every day and it prevents cold sores from developing into full-blown blisters. I think p…
Can Preparation H Reverse Wrinkles?
Q. Is it true that Preparation H helps wrinkles on the face? A. Decades ago Hollywood starlets were reputed to use the hemorrhoid cream Preparation H on their faces to smooth out wrinkles. The shark l…
Acupressure for Nausea and Insomnia
Q. I read with great interest about your readers who have had good results using acupressure bands as a sleep aid. I too have had great results from acupressure bands, but as a cure for nausea. When I…
Cod Liver Oil Controls Cholesterol
Q. I was saddened to read about people suffering the side effects of cholesterol-lowering statin drugs. In less than a year, I have lowered my cholesterol 30 points by doing nothing but take fish oil.…
No Foods to Dampen Sex Drive
Q. My husband has a really high sex drive, but after working all week and keeping the house tidy and cooking, I cannot be bothered. On the weekend when we take care of our baby grandson, I don’t…
Kill Lice by Shrink-Wrapping the Scalp
Q. I heard a radio program about an over the counter product that can be put on the hair then dried with a hair dryer. The result is a sort of shrink wrap effect that kills head lice. Do you know what…
No Science Behind Soap Remedy
Sometimes a remedy defies logic. Usually there's no science to support it either. That's has been the case when it comes to putting a bar of soap under the bottom sheet to stop leg cramps or restless …
Microwave Sponges to Kill Germs
Q. I read that there is a way to sterilize sponges in the microwave, but I didn't get all the instructions. How long do they stay in the microwave? This technique would be a lot easier for us. Current…
Trap Gas with Carbonized Undies
Q. For the past several months I have been suffering with flatulence. It is extremely embarrassing. I worry every time I go out in public that I will pass very smelly gas. I have tried over-the-counte…
Listerine and Vinegar Fight Nail Fungus
Q. You receive many letters about nail fungus and I wanted to share my experience. Our daughter contracted a foot fungus while swimming at a local club when she was six. We've tried a lot of different…
Can Soap Ease Arthritis Pain?
Q. A man told my daughter that a bar of soap at the foot of the bed between the sheets would help arthritis. I have arthritis, so I tried it. After about four weeks my arthritis seems to be much bette…
Spray Foils Christmas Tree Allergy
Q. My son and I have suffered yearly from allergies when we bring our freshly cut Christmas tree into the house. We have tried rinsing off the tree at home and letting it dry in the closed garage befo…
Snorting Saline Saves Sinuses
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…
Will Listerine Solve Woman’s Jock Itch?
Q. I live in a very tropical, hot and humid place. For the past year, I have had recurring yeast infections. My problem is not so much the yeast infection (which I think I now have under control, havi…
Smelly Solution for Stubborn Warts
Q. I've had good luck getting rid of warts with minced garlic. Apply it directly to the wart and cover it with a bandage. Change the garlic and the bandage at least once a day. The wart should be peel…
Listerine Fights Underarm Odor
Q. My daughter is entering puberty and dealing with the usual underarm body odors. We tried many different deodorants and antiperspirants to no avail. I figured if Listerine killed the germs that caus…
Don’t Eat Poison Ivy Leaves
Q. I heard a radio show caller say that an old-timer had told him to pick two small, new, reddish poison ivy leaves each spring and roll them inside a dough ball and swallow them to be immune from poi…