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Home Remedies Anyone Can Try
Many simple and cheap home remedies work just as well or better than
their overpriced drugstore counterparts. Plus home remedies rarely have
toxic side effects like store-brought treatments often do. So, unless you
have severe or prolonged symptoms--in which case you should consult
your doctor right away--try the cheaper, home-brewed alternative first.
Common Cold
Spicy foods containing cayenne, chili peppers, Tabasco and horse
radish trigger the flow of mucus. Try popping a hot tamale (remove the
cheese) in your mouth instead of pseudoephedrine.
Garlic has a natural antibiotic affect. Take a clove of fresh garlic and
place it in your mouth between your gums and cheek. Keep it there all
day, biting into it occasionally.
For a similar but less pungent cure, make a blend of crushed clove of
garlic, half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper, a teaspoon of honey, and a
crushed 1000 mg tablet of vitamin C. Take three times daily with meals.
Make your own nasal spray using one-third teaspoon of non-iodized salt
and a pinch of baking soda to an eight-ounce cup of warm water and
then dispense it from a spray bottle.
Sinus Infection
Start with the same saline mixture as for nasal spray. Pour a little of the
solution into an eye cup or the palm of your hand and sniff it up your
nose one nostril at a time. Allow the solution to drain out of your nose
or mouth. Blow your nose very gently after irrigating. Use a half-cup per
nostril. (Do be careful though when it comes to sinus infections for they
can get very nasty, if symptoms persist for more than a few days
consult your doctor).
Anti-Infection Diet
For several days, restrict your diet to a thick broth made mostly of leafy
greens (chard, kale, collards) plus lots of carrots, onions and garlic. You
can also add a little rice, tofu or chicken if desired. Avoid all dairy
products, wheat products and sugars. All produce mucus.
Sinus Herbs
Get a mixture of golden seal and echinacea in liquid form. These herbs
fight respiratory infection.
Constipation
Eat two small apples first thing in the morning followed by a glass or two
of boiled water with a teaspoon of honey mixed in. And of course,
regularly drinking prune juice and eating a diet high in fiber keeps you
regular.
Itchy Skin Irritation
Apply a paste of baking soda mixed with water to blistering skin or soak
gauze in ice-cold milk and apply to the itchy area for three minutes
repeat for 15 minutes. An oatmeal bath also helps.
Hay Fever
Mince the peels and inner rinds of grapefruit and lemons and simmer
with a bit of water for about 10 minutes. Add honey and take one
teaspoon three times daily.
Cough
Use two tablespoons of diced onion with a half-cup of honey and cook
over a double boiler for a few hours. Strain through a coffee filter before
using and then take a few tablespoons every four hours.
You can get many of these types of tips in such magazines as
Prevention or Natural Health.
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