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.
Can Earl Grey Tea Cause Muscle Cramps?
Q. I have a colostomy and was advised to get plenty of fluids. I began drinking quantities of Earl Grey tea, my favorite. Since I started drinking this tea, I’ve suffered many painful finger and…
Kiwi Fruit Conquers Canker Sores
Q. I've always been susceptible to getting canker sores in my mouth so when I heard that kiwi fruit could make them go away quickly, I had to try. Wow! It was gone in 2 days. I had another one abo…
Honey For Healing Wounds
Q. I did an internship in OB/GYN in 1973 at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn. When a wound would start to open rather than healing, we would have the patient come to the hospital a few times a week a…
Cinnamon, Lime Juice and Vinegar For Weight Loss
Q. I would like to try the cinnamon, lime juice, vinegar combo mentioned in your column for weight loss. What is the recipe? My husband is diabetic, so we just started using cinnamon extract made in t…
Olive Oil Safe As A Personal Lubricant?
Q. I read about the woman who uses olive oil as a personal lubricant. Is it safe to apply the olive oil directly inside the vagina? A. Some women may have allergic reactions, so it would be prudent to…
Probiotic Yogurt Helps Ease Digestive Woes
Q. I had chronic diarrhea for several years, so I was interested in the coconut macaroon cookie remedy when I read about it in your column. I ate two each morning and got good benefit for a while, but…
Curcumin And Pineapple Juice Ease Pain
Q. After listening to your radio show and reading about the anti-inflammatory effects of turmeric, I called a local health food store to get some. I had been having lower back pain and hip pain chroni…
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…
Sugar Cure Helps Stubborn Wound
Q. I want to thank you for the "sugar cure" column. I had a toe amputated in March, 2006, and here it is November, 2007, and it still is not healed. I read your column about using sugar for wound heal…
Borage Seed Oil For Hot Flashes
Q. You recently had a question from a woman suffering hot flashes due to menopause. I am a cancer patient and avoid soy because it acts like estrogen. I have found borage seed oil nearly eliminates my…
Determining Cinnamon Dose For Reducing Blood Sug…
Q. I tried making a cinnamon extract with hot water to help with blood sugar as described in your column. I ended up with a gooey glob. Please provide exact proportions of spice to water so I don'…
Tasty Tea May Trigger Muscle Cramps
Q. Is it Earl Grey or English breakfast tea that can cause sore muscles? A. There is one case report of a man who developed significant muscle pain and cramping in reaction to Earl Grey tea (The Lance…
Rooibos Tea For Allergies?
Q. While in Africa I started drinking rooibos tea every day. Now that I am back home in Houston, my usual fall allergies have not appeared. Have you heard of this before? A. We have heard of rooibos t…
Benefits Of Turmeric
Q. I have arthritis and some patches of psoriasis on my skin. I would like to try turmeric, but want to know if this would be worthwhile and if there are any interactions with prescription drugs. A. T…
Benefits Of Resveratrol Without Overdoing It On …
Q. I’ve read that resveratrol is good for us, but I don’t know the right dose. I know it is found in red wine, but more than one glass a day is over my limit. Are there any other sources t…
Don’t Give Kids Bourbon For Cough
Q. I think you do your readers a disservice by failing to mention a very old but effective cough suppressant. The pediatrician told my mother about it in 1960, and I have used it on myself and for my …
Curry Spice Clears Skin Condition
Q. I want to thank you for writing about turmeric. I had psoriasis on my feet and my hands so bad that I lost all my nails on my fingers. I went to doctor after doctor to heal my psoriasis, but nothin…
Applying Vinegar To Warts
Q. My daughter is 23 and has had warts on her thighs all the way to her knees for five years. She couldn't wear shorts or bathing suits because of this condition. She had over 50 warts at all times. I…
Cherries For Joint Pain
Q. I have been told to take cherry juice for joint pain. Where can I find it? A. Cherries have anti-inflammatory activity, and one study found that 280 grams (about 10 ounces) of cherries a day reduce…
Cause For Cornstarch Cravings?
Q. What are the health implications of consuming large quantities of cornstarch? A. A person who craves cornstarch might have pica. This condition is frequently triggered by iron or zinc deficiency. W…
Raisin Remedy Led To Miraculous Recovery
One of the most popular remedies people write about is the one involving gin-soaked raisins for sore, stiff joints. This raisin remedy is so simple and improbable that it holds real fascination for ma…
Turmeric To Ease Leg Cramps
Q. Mustard works for leg cramps. But I really don't like mustard straight up, especially at night. Turmeric is the "active" ingredient in mustard. When I get leg cramps, I mix 1/4 tsp tu…
Ginger To Treat Vertigo
Vertigo is an extremely disruptive sensation. Having the world seem to spin around you makes it difficult to walk without fear of falling. On the other hand, sometimes doctors are challenged to figur…
Red Yeast Rice And Muscle Pain
Q. I took red yeast rice to control my cholesterol. It worked wonders for me. My doctors couldn't believe my perfect readings. After taking the red yeast rice for eight months, I started having an…
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 …
Pineapple Juice Postpones Joint Pain
Q. Years ago, you wrote about an enzyme in pineapple juice that helps with arthritis pain. At that time I was in my early 40s and already having pain in my hands and feet from arthritis. I started dri…
Cayenne Pepper Powder To Stop Bleeding Fast
Q. A freak razor blade accident sliced the edges of my nose. The bleeding wouldn't stop. Before going to the emergency room I checked "Stop Bleeding" on the computer. I read that one can…
Gin-Soaked Raisins Not Right Remedy For Alcoholi…
Q. I am a recovering alcoholic and do not want to do anything to jeopardize my sobriety (since 2001). Is there any way you can find out the alcoholic content of the raisins after they're soaked fo…
Sugar Speeds Wound Healing
Q. My father developed a bedsore on his back around the beginning of the year. It became infected months ago and has healed somewhat. My dad is on hospice care. They were using a "wives'-tale" remedy …
Do Gin-Soaked Raisins Really Help Arthritis Pain…
Q. My mother read somewhere that vodka-soaked white raisins might be good for arthritis. She is now eating nine a day. Mom has taken quite a bit of ribbing from the family. What is the benefit from th…
Can Coconut Ease Digestive Woes?
Q. Your Web site mentions that eating two Archway Coconut Macaroon cookies daily can control chronic diarrhea. While this tip might be helpful for some, it may carry too high a health cost for others.…
Vodka Works For Sweaty Armpits
Q. I used to work backstage for the wardrobe department in a theatre. Actors sweat, and clothes that are not machine-washable are dry cleaned only once a week. Clothes get sweaty and smell.The solutio…
Soften Hair And Skin With Olive Oil
Q. Years ago my dermatologist suggested I stop using all topical creams and lotions since I am allergic to them all. Twice a day I rub olive oil on my skin instead. On the weekends I also use it as a …
Cinnamon Helps Control Blood Sugar
Q. When my daughter learned that I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, she did some research on the Internet. She found out that cinnamon capsules would be helpful. I have used cinnamon for about thre…
Desert Rangers Treat Sting with Tenderizer
Q. I was in the high desert of Oregon several years ago, looking for arrowheads. I saw an arrowhead lying beneath some sagebrush and picked it up. I felt a sharp prick on the back of my hand. Later th…
Vinegar and Water Fight Swimmers Ear
Q. Many years ago, I used vinegar and water to treat my son's swimmers ear. I cannot remember the correct vinegar and water ratio and I hope you can help. A. Doctors sometimes recommend using ear …
Vinegar Helps Save Nails
Q. My sister has been going through chemotherapy and radiation for breast cancer this past year. She started losing her toenails due to fungus and was shocked at the cost of the medication for this. I…
Nutritional Approaches May Help Preserve Vision
Q. I have been diagnosed with the onset of macular degeneration. The eye doctor said there is no cure.Are there any vitamins or other nutritional supplements that might slow the process down? I’…
Potato Against Wart
Q. I had a wart on my finger for 15 years. A few doctors said they could cut if off, but I don't like the idea of surgery. My mother told me of an old gypsy remedy, but I would never try it. It was to…
Cherries May Help Ease Joint Pain
Q. I would like some info about cherries for a friend who suffers from arthritis and gout. A. A small study in the Journal of Nutrition (June, 2003) suggested that sweet cherries could lower uric acid…