Food & Drink Remedies
Thousands of years ago, Hippocrates said Let food be your medicine. Foods and beverages provide relief from an amazing number of common ailments.
Why Not Juniper Berries And Raisins?
Q. I’ve read many stories about the benefits of raisins in gin. Since gin presumably works because it's made with juniper berries, why not just eat juniper berries and raisins? A. Juniper be…
Chinese Food Coloring Protects Heart
Q. I heard on the news that red yeast rice can help lower cholesterol, but I’d like to know more about the pros and cons. Are there dangerous side effects? Someone told me red yeast rice can cau…
Tea For Stinky Feet
Q. I have found a home remedy for stinky feet. Brew 8 to 10 tea bags in a foot tub. Allow the tea to cool slightly, then soak the feet until the tea cools. Do this as often as necessary. The tannins i…
Honey for Wounds
Q. I have been using honey as an ointment to prevent and treat skin infections for years. Not only does it work for cuts and scrapes, but it also works on herpes cold sores, cutting down on the length…
Cherry Juice Eases Foot Pain
Q. I was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis by one of the best foot doctors in my city. I was given pain medicines, many anti-inflammatory drugs and foot splints with no success. As a last resort, he re…
DASH Diet For High Blood Pressure
Q. I have high blood pressure (about 180/80) and my doctor has prescribed nearly everything he can think of. We have tried over a dozen different medicines, with unacceptable results or side effects. …
Natural Remedies For Migraine
Q. One of your readers requested natural recommendations for migraines. I had tried many migraine treatments. Then I developed wheat intolerance, and since quitting grains (wheat, rye, barley, oats), …
How Much Certo For Getting Rid Of Joint Pain?
Q. My husband swears by golden raisins soaked in gin for arthritis pain. I don't like the taste and read about pomegranate juice with Certo in your column. How much Certo should I use to a glass (8 ou…
Alternatives to Blood Pressure Control
Q. I have high blood pressure and would like a natural way to lower it. I have tried the herb hawthorn but it doesn't seem to do much. I would really appreciate any information you can send me. A. Haw…
Coconut Oil For Personal Lubrication
Q. You had a reader who wanted to know what to do for vaginal dryness. I'd like to respond. From my experience, coconut oil is best. It is inexpensive and widely available at health food stores. It co…
Getting Rid Of Leg Cramps
Q. I have tried just about everything for leg cramps and have found nothing that helps. My doctor has me on Lyrica and potassium, hoping that might help. It hasn't. I was awakened three times last nig…
Coconut Macaroons For Pet Indigestion
Q. Last summer we visited my brother with Mocha, my Pekingese. The day we were supposed to leave, he had diarrhea. We were not looking forward to a 200-mile trip with a sick dog! My sister-in-law said…
Baking Soda Banishes Pain From Sting
Q. A wasp stung me today on the inside of my thumb. I called NHS Direct for advice. Then I logged onto your website and found the method of bicarbonated soda and vinegar. It worked really well! Ten mi…
Turmeric For Getting Rid Of Warts
Q. My son developed a wart on the bottom of his foot. He didn’t take care of it as I told him to, so it grew and multiplied until it caused considerable pain when walking. By then nothing he tri…
Fennel For Halting Heartburn
Q. I have been bothered with heartburn for 50 years. I got it after every meal, but it was immediately relieved with Tums. I was cleaning out the herbs in my kitchen cupboard and found some fennel see…
Back In Fighting Form With Pomegranate Juice and…
Q. I’ve read your columns about grape juice and Certo for easing joint pain but I don't like grape juice. I tried pomegranate juice with Certo instead. It's much lower in calories and it tastes real…
Are Sugar Substitutes A Culprit For Gas?
Q. You recently had a question about gas from a type 2 diabetes patient. I don't have diabetes, but I have had a similar problem. I have found that sugar substitutes (sucralose and fructose) cause me …
Yams–Anti-Menopause Food
Q. I am 52. At age 49 I began to have menopausal symptoms--irregular periods, hot flashes, night sweats, depression (not wanting to get out of bed in the morning), vaginal dryness that made for painfu…
Ginger Cures Land-Sick Feeling
Q. After a cruise, I was upset to find that solid ground felt like it was moving. This was very annoying, though it did not make me sick. A friend said ginger worked great for seasickness, so I sliced…
Low-Sodium V-8 Juice Chases Leg Cramps Away
Q. I awoke one night with the muscles and nerves in my legs feeling like fireworks (little explosions-big explosions-the grand finale!). They were so active that they started twisting into cramps. Thi…
Raisins in Gin Alleviate Arthritis
Q. As an active senior, I was more than dismayed with increasing arthritis that caused pain when I attempted simple activities. Aspirin and exercise helped a bit. I tried deleting the "reds" from my d…
Ginger Beats Back Migraine Headaches
Q. You recently offered a list of natural migraine remedies people have tried. I've had migraines since before I was in kindergarten, and I'm 58 now. The best thing I've found is ginger: Jamaican-styl…
Pineapple Juice As Hiccup Cure
Q. I am surprised that I have never seen pineapple juice mentioned in your column as a cure for hiccups. It works with one sip! A. Thanks for mentioning it. We've heard that pineapple juice can reduce…
Coconut For Chronic Diarrhea
Q. My brother-in-law has had diarrhea since radiation treatment on his prostate burned his colon. He has suffered demoralizing daily diarrhea. I told him to try coconut macaroons to battle the diarrhe…
Natural Approaches May Ease Migraines
Q. I am 29 and have been suffering from migraine headaches since I was 12 years old. I have seen countless neurologists who have prescribed every drug under the sun. Nothing has worked to keep them fr…
Yerba Mate Contains Caffeine
Q. I have high blood pressure and must avoid caffeine. Is yerba mate a caffeinated beverage? I don’t want to drink it if it would affect my blood pressure.A. Yerba mate is a favorite drink in Ar…
Take Tart Cherries To Kiss Pain Goodbye
Q. I have spinal cerebellar ataxia and fibromyalgia. Tart cherry concentrate is the greatest thing for easing my discomfort. I don't even take pain pills any more. A. Others have told us that tart che…
Coconut Oil For Getting Rid Of Lice
Q. I am a kindergarten teacher and on occasion pick up lice from my students. The best home remedy I've ever used to kill lice and easily remove nits is coconut oil. I completely saturate my hair with…
Keeping Blood Sugar Under Control With Cinnamon
Q. I hate cinnamon, whether it is in cookies, cakes or anything else. I always avoided cinnamon until I heard it was helpful for controlling blood sugar. I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in April …
Special Recipe For Getting Rid of Constipation
Q. Thanks for publishing the mixture of applesauce, bran and prune juice to counteract constipation. I never knew the exact quantities required. We used it in the nursing home where I worked as a nurs…
Can Earl Grey Tea Cause Leg Cramps?
Q. You briefly mentioned Earl Grey tea causing leg cramps. You suggested oil of bergamot used for flavoring can interfere with potassium absorption. Eliminating the tea was an instant cure for a persi…
Banana Beats Back Heartburn
Q. I have suffered with GERD (acid reflux) for several years. One night when dealing with a bad session, I ate a banana. I have no idea why; I certainly didn't expect any result. Within 30 minutes I w…
Are Gin-Soaked Raisins Really Helpful?
Q. A friend told me about gin soaked raisins for arthritis and I am curious whether it really works. Also, how much alcohol is in nine raisins? A. Once the gin evaporates there should only be about on…
Beat High Blood Pressure With Beet Juice
Q. Is there anything in the way of vitamins or herbs that a person can take instead of a prescription drug for high blood pressure? I’ve heard about garlic, but I don’t like it much. Is th…
Turmeric Overcame Plantar Warts
Q. My daughter had three stubborn warts on the bottom of her foot that hurt her terribly. We tried salicylic acid tape from the pharmacy. It always burned off all the good skin and left the wart intac…
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…
Coconut Macaroons For IBS
Q. Thank you so much for writing about IBS and coconut macaroon cookies. IT WORKS. I suffered with chronic diarrhea for years and have been healed for the last two years. A. We're always pleased to he…
Don’t Glue Your Mouth Shut With Gelatin
Q. I've had some arthritis in my left index finger. The treatments I tried helped a little, but didn't resolve it. I’ve heard that a packet of Knox unflavored gelatin twice a day dissolv…
Yellow Mustard Eases Leg Cramps
Q. We tried a treatment from your column for nighttime leg cramps. My husband used to get them frequently and would have to walk them off while in pain. He read that taking mustard would alleviate the…
Turmeric Eases Itchy Psoriasis
Q. My stepdad has had a horrible case of psoriasis for over 10 years. The rash was all over his body, caked on his scalp and itched constantly. The dermatologist he saw prescribed Dovonex and Capex an…