Not Now I Have A Headache

Not Now I Have A Headache
Not Now I Have A Headache

Home Remedies – Facts or Quacks?

That’s what I recently asked myself. Myths and legends often have their basis in a grain of truth. Are home remedies based on truth too? A little research provided this unusual perspective on one of our most frequently-used medicines.

Are We Barking Up The Wrong Tree?

Not if it’s a willow tree! Chewing on willow bark to reduce fever and inflammation dates back to the time of Hippocrates (400 BC). Willow bark was used as a medicine in China and Europe for centuries because of its ability to relieve pain and lower fever. Early American settlers even found Native Americans gathering bark from willow trees to treat the same conditions.

What’s So Special About Willow Bark?

Willow trees, including the white, black, purple and violet species, contain a chemical called salicin. Chewing or pulping this bark releases the salicin. Once the bark is ingested, the body converts the salicin from the willow bark into salicylic acid. Salicylic acid is still used today to treat fevers, decrease inflammation, and even help heart disease.

There’s no need to gnaw on a tree like a beaver every time you have a headache. Nor is it necessary for drug companies to plant, grow, and harvest groves of willow trees and remove the bark. Today salicylic acid is produced synthetically in chemical factories as little white pills of acetylsalicylic acid. Perhaps you know it by its more common name…

Introducing The Miracle Drug – Aspirin!

That’s right – centuries of chewing on willow bark led to the creation of one of our most widely-used medicines: aspirin. Once the amazing curative abilities of the active ingredient in willow bark were recognized, ways were found to mass-produce it as a cheap yet effective product.

Originally hailed as a wonder drug, aspirin was found to have multiple medical uses. It serves as a pain reliever, fever reducer, reduces inflammation, and even acts to thin the blood to help prevent heart attacks. That’s a lot of power in seemingly ordinary willow tree bark.

Amazingly, this was not a discovery by a single person. As we had discussed above, many groups of people around the world were using this home remedy (or even cave remedy!) for thousands of years. This is definitely one home remedy I would classify as a fact, not a quack.

It makes me wonder though: how many trees did they have to chew on before they found the right one?

You can find free home remedies using the resources below. They might not be miracle drugs, but they can help you avoid the cost and embarrassment of common illnesses.

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How Dirty Dishes And Stale Bread Saved The World

How Dirty Dishes And Stale Bread Saved The World
How Dirty Dishes And Stale Bread Saved The World

Home Remedies – Facts or Quacks?

That’s what I recently asked myself. Myths and legends are often based on ancient truths. So I wondered if home remedies, alternative treatments, and folklore cures might also be based on some past grain of truth. Here’s what I found.

He Was No Martha Stewart

In fact, Alexander Fleming had no housekeeping skills whatsoever. During the early 1900s, Petri dishes, beakers, and test tubes were piled around his lab like dirty dishes in a bachelor’s sink. That may be appropriate, because he was studying the growth of bacteria and molds. I’m sure he had no trouble getting either of those to grow in his lab. I’m not sure how he kept his experiments separate.

Cashing In On Some Bread

Fortunately, there was at least one experiment that got contaminated. He discovered that a mold growth called Penicillium (because the cells are pencil-shaped) had killed the bacteria he was culturing in one of his test dishes. The Penicillium mold is often found on bread. He was able to isolate the chemicals in the mold which killed the bacteria, which are now known as penicillins.

A Miracle Cure Is Born

The antibiotic effects of penicillin, and its cousin cephalosporin, proved to be a great aid to the medical community in fighting bacterial illnesses and diseases. Over the years these molecules have been enhanced to help them fight bacteria which had become resistant. Penicillin is still saving lives today, simply because Al Fleming was a slob. Thankfully, he was smart enough to notice his mistake and understand what it meant.

Eating moldy bread isn’t going to cure your illness. Instead, you might need a shot of penicillin to fight the effects of your ill-advised snack! In this case, however, this home remedy discovery is definitely a fact.

You can find more free home remedies through the resources below. They are not the medical marvels described in this article, but they can save you medical costs and maybe some embarrassment.

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Methods That Aid In Eczema Relief

Methods That Aid In Eczema Relief
Methods That Aid In Eczema Relief

Eczema can be a burden. It is a skin condition that can range in severity from dry, red patches on your skin to cracked, weeping sores. Eczema is caused by many factors such as genetics and allergic reactions. No matter the cause of your eczema it is important to find eczema relief. Eczema relief can come in many forms such as home remedies to medications from your doctor.

Let’s first take a look at eczema relief through home remedies. Start by examining your bathing rituals. If you suffer from eczema you should avoid taking baths daily with typical soaps and cleansers. Theses soaps can be irritating to your skin and have harsh effects. It is important to bathe with hypoallergenic soap products that are color and fragrant free. It is vital to find cleansers that will moisturize and hydrate your skin.

Provide further home eczema relief by using strong moisturizers such as Eucerin lotion. This will help to seal in moisture which diminishes redness and helps against itching. You can stock up on Eucerin at your local pharmacy or grocery store.

Another area that affects eczema relief is your clothing. Take a look at the materials in the clothing you wear. You can develop contact dermatitis to certain fabrics as well as the detergent these fabrics were washed in. Your eczema may flare up when exposed to wool or even nickel in costume jewelry.

Find a detergent that is dye and fragrance free. These types of detergents will help your eczema relief to a great extent. This is a home remedy that you have great control over when you purchase clothing and detergent.

Another home remedy for eczema relief comes in the form of changing your diet. Many have found eczema relief through a dairy free and/or wheat free diets. Dairy and wheat are common causes of food allergies. These food allergies surface through skin conditions such as eczema. Eczema relief can begin by substituting soy or lactase free milk for cow milk.

If you have tried home remedies and they don’t provide eczema relief then see your family doctor or dermatologist. They can determine the intensity of your eczema and prescribe steroids and creams for eczema relief. The important thing to know is that you are not alone and there are many forms of eczema relief at your disposal.

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Home Remedies To Retain Teeth And Lip Color For Intense Smokers

Have years of smoking made your teeth yellow and darkened the color of your lips? Here are some home remedies that can help you retain teeth and lip color.

Whiter Teeth

These home remedies will lighten the stains caused by smoking with the use of natural products. All the ingredients used are inexpensive and will save you many expensive trips to the dentist.

Strawberries.

Take three to six ripe strawberries, two teaspoons of baking soda, one teaspoon of cream of tartar and a cup of water. Puree the strawberries and make a paste. Apply to your teeth overnight for a week and dazzle everybody with your bright new smile.

Sugarless Gum.

Munch on a piece of sugarless gum after you’ve had your coffee and cigarette. Doing so will produce more saliva to swish away the darkening liquids before they have a chance to stain your teeth.

Water.

Sip on water or rinse you mouth every time you eat or drink a stain-producing food or beverage and after you light up. This will help cleanse your teeth and prevent stains from accumulating.

Bicarbonate of Soda.

Brush your teeth with bicarbonate of soda and then brush with your normal toothpaste. Repeat this routine every 15 days.

Don’t rush when you brush.

Concentrate on brushing your teeth slowly with circular movements using a soft bristled toothbrush. Take your time and ensure that you get to those hard to reach areas.

Lighter Lips

Smokers have darker lips than normal due to nicotine stains. Here are some methods which you can use to lighten your lips a shade.

Vaseline.

Apply Vaseline to your lips regularly. This keeps lips moisturized and helps prevent staining of your lips.

Lemon and Glycerin.

Scrubbing your lips gently with lemon daily should help remove the discoloration, but this may be harsh on your lips, so make sure you apply glycerin to your lips first. Leave the lemon and glycerin on for at least ten minutes before washing off. You could also do the same at night, and sleep with lemon on your lips.

Almond Oil.

Apply almond oil with a dab of cream on your lips. This will ensure that your lips are moisturized and the layer of oil will help prevent build up of nicotine stains on your lips. You can also apply almond oil or cream of milk daily on the lips.

The most important remedy to reduce staining on your lips and teeth is to quit smoking. The efficiency of these home remedies is dramatically increased if you do not add to the nicotine staining every day.

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.

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