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4 Natural Remedies You Already Have in Your Pantry

Leta Shy — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 03:06:33 PDT

Some ailments need the power of the medicine cabinet, but other times when you're not feeling that hot all you need to do is look toward the spice rack. Whether you're in a bad mood, can't stop coughing, nursing a hangover, or have post-workout soreness, here are four spices that can help you feel better - no medicine required!

What: Peppers
When to use: When you're feeling down.
Why: The hot feeling you get in your mouth is from the compound capsaicin. It triggers pain receptors in your mouth, which causes your brain to release feel-good endorphins to compensate.
How to eat: Spice up a cold, dreary day with this spicy-sweet chili recipe, or this recipe for a healthy version of spicy eggplant.

What: Ginger
When to use: When you're fighting a cold or feeling nauseous or achy.
Why: Remedy the sniffles, aches, and congestion of the season with ginger; ginger contains a chemical that helps reduce nausea and inflammation symptoms, and ginger tea has been a tried-and-true congestion remedy for years.
How to eat: Whip up this ginger tea recipe the next time you are feeling under the weather, or dress up your dinner with this ginger-garlic broccoli recipe.

Read on for more remedies you can make with what's already in your spice cabinet!

Amy Poehler's Onion Remedy For Child's Ear Infection

Heather Maddan — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 13:47:52 PST

Fry up an onion! That's what Amy Poehler's pediatrician told her to do when her son, Archie, 2, fell ill with an ear infection on New Year's Eve. The funny woman who is also mom to 5-month-old Abel, told Jay Leno about the home remedy last night. She said:

He woke up so we called the pediatrician and she told us an amazing thing. If his ear is hurting, fry up some onions in some olive oil and put it in a sock and hold it up to his ear and it will make his ear feel better. The warmth of the sock and the poultice and antioxidants in the onions - and it worked!

What type of home remedies do you use on your child?

How to Beat the Worst Pollen Season Ever

FitSugar — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 03:00:22 PDT

My allergies are horrible this year, probably the worse they've ever been. I am not alone either. According to the Associated Press, experts are saying pollen is at an all-time high, and the words "allergy" and "pollen" are constantly trending on Twitter:

"It's wicked bad this year," said Dr. Mona Mangat, an allergy specialist in St. Petersburg, FL., who can't recall a worse year in the six she's worked there. "We're just overwhelmed with patients right now. We're double- and triple-booked with new patients, trying to work people in because we know how much people are suffering."

If you suffer from allergies then you know how bad it can be: sneezing, itchy eyes, runny nose, and constant headaches are just some of the symptoms. And for many, taking a Claritin or something of the like just doesn't cut it. If you're having an especially bad time this year, my first piece of advice is to visit an allergist and find out what your specific allergies are, and the best way to treat them. There are however, some home remedies you can also try.

Local honey. Many folks I know take a tablespoon of honey a day to combat allergies. The belief is that ingesting the bit of local pollen from honey builds resistance to the surrounding fauna.
Heat therapy. Warmer temperature is a great way to relieve congestion. Try exercising more or investing in a humidifier.
Buy a neti pot. Neti pots are a natural way to get the same benefits as a Sudafed gives but without the side effects. It's a small container that you fill with warm salt water, and use to flush out your nasal passages. Caution: don't rely on a neti pot too much, it can cause problems if used for a prolonged period.

Food Cures For Common Ailments

FitSugar — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 04:30:29 PDT

I have friends who are all about popping pills to ease their ills. Advil for sore knees, Tylenol for headaches, and Prilosec for heartburn. I'm not dissing these medications because they definitely serve their purpose in making you feel better, but if you're more into the natural route, here are some foods that are proven to have medicinal powers.

Asparagus: As a natural diuretic, asparagus has been consumed for inflammation-related issues such as menstrual bloating and arthritis. It's in season now, so pick some up and enjoy it steamed or grilled.

Lemon balm: This lemon-scented member of the mint family is used to banish anxiety and stress, boost memory, and aid in sleep and digestion. To feel its calming effects, sip lemon balm tea.

Onion: Although they're known to cause bad breath, it's worth it when you find out this veggie reduces diabetes symptoms and protects against cardiovascular disease. Also prevents inflammation caused by allergies, protects against stomach ulcers, and colon, esophageal, and breast cancers. Add red or yellow onions to dishes, eating them raw or lightly cooked for the most benefit.

Grapes: If you're having issues with constipation, boil 10 grapes in six ounces of milk. Before bed, drink the milk separately and then eat the grapes.

Learn about three more medicinal foods when you

Cayenne: This spice contains capsacin, which eases muscle aches, postoperative discomfort, and arthritis. New research shows it may also aid in weight loss. Add fresh chili peppers or powdered cayenne to recipes to add a little kick and to reap the pain-relieving benefits.

Apple cider vinegar: If you suffer from sore muscles post-workout, give some vinegar a try. Saturate a cloth with apple cider vinegar and wrap it around the muscle for 20 minutes; the pain should disappear within a few hours. Reapply every three to four hours for continued relief until the pain is gone for good.

Parsley: If you have issues with recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs), parsley is proven to "increase urine output." If you have a UTI, try drinking three cups of parsley tea a day. When I was dealing with this issue in the past, I put parsley in my green tea with toasted rice and couldn't even taste the parsley.

Home Remedies: Sleep Issues

FitSugar — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 16:00:00 PST

Lack of sleep can cause so many problems from puffy eyes, to headaches, from heart disease, to weight gain, not to mention plain old crankiness. Sometimes you can't help it if your cat was attacking your feet all night, but Prevention has come up with some home remedies for some common sleep issues. Here are its tips.

Revive tired, puffy eyes: Even if you were up all night no one will know. Since black tea contains tannins - astringents that help tighten undereye puffiness - Prevention recommends: "activate the tannins in a tea bag by dipping in a cup of hot water for several minutes. Cool in the fridge, then apply the damp bag as a compress to the closed eye for 10 minutes."
Stop snoring: All you back sleepers who snore, "put a tennis ball in a shirt pocket cut from an old t-shirt and sew it to the midback of your tight pajama top. The discomfort forces you to roll over and sleep on your side - without waking you up." Sounds medieval but it works.
Conquer insomnia: "Before bedtime, eat a handful of cherries, which scientists discovered are jam-packed with melatonin, the same hormone created by your body to regulate sleep patterns." To add to the tranquility, "steep yourself in a hot bath to relax your muscles and your mind." Then when you slide into bed, "rest your head on a lavender-filled pillow - the fragrance induces sleepiness."

Source

Home Remedies: Digestive Issues

FitSugar — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 03:00:00 PST

If the four days of feasting over Thanksgiving weekend have taken a toll on your tummy, you might be interested in trying some home remedies. Prevention has created a list of tummy tamers and here are the highlights.

Ease nausea: Give frozen ginger chips a try. Make your own by infusing slices of fresh ginger in hot water. Strain the ginger and place them in an ice cube tray. When you're feeling queasy, crush the cubes and suck on the frozen pieces.

Curb flatulence: Three times a day, take two enteric-coated peppermint capsules (500 mg each). They must be coated so the peppermint can make it to your intestines. This herb will kill the bacteria in your digestive system that's causing your bloated feeling. It also has relaxing effects on your gastrointestinal muscles.

Constipation: Boil 10 grapes in six ounces of milk. Before bed, drink the milk separately and then eat the grapes.

Diarrhea: Mash bananas in white rice and eat in small amounts. The two have binding effects.

Source

Home Remedies: Cold and Flu

FitSugar — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:00:00 PST

The colors of Autumn might be lovely, but a few things about the season actually bring me down. I am talking about cold and flu season. If you're unlucky enough to have come down with some bug, you might be able to soothe some of your ailments with ingredients you have in your pantry. Prevention has listed some home remedies for common cold symptoms, and here are the highlights.

Soothe that sore throat: Mix six pressed garlic cloves with hot water, and gargle with this garlic tea twice a day, for three days. The warm liquid soothes inflamed tissues, while the garlic has antimicrobial properties that fight pain-causing bacteria.

Bring down a fever: Try drinking linden flower tea. It controls your body temperature by stimulating the hypothalamus, and also dilates your blood vessels and induces sweating. Pick up the dried herb at a health food store or herb shop. Steep one tablespoon of dried linden flower in a cup of hot water for 15 minutes. Stash makes a linden flower tea, too. Drink this tea three to four times a day. If your fever is over 102° F, take a tepid bath to cool off the body.

To see how you can dull your hacking cough with a few sweet things, just

Suppress a cough: Eating a bit of dark chocolate can help your cough. Theobromine, a compound found in chocolate, has been found to be even more effective than codeine for suppressing coughs, and it won't make you drowsy or constipated. You can also tame your cough with honey. Before bed take two teaspoons of honey and take 500 mg of Ester C 30 minutes prior to lying down to quiet your cough and give your immune system a little lift.

If you have any home remedies for cold symptoms, please share them in the comment section below.

Source

Home Remedies: Fact or Fiction

FitSugar — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 09:00:00 PDT

In a perfect world, we could heal all our wounds with ingredients found in our kitchen cabinets. In reality, there are some foods that help the healing process, and some that hinder it. Do you know which is which? Take this quiz and see.

Source

Take the Quiz

Cure It at Home: Poison Ivy

FitSugar — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 03:00:00 PDT

So you went hiking last weekend and you accidentally tromped through a patch of poison ivy. You've got a nasty, blistery rash all over your feet and you want it to go away pronto. I've only tried a few of these home remedies, so I can't vouch for all of them, but anything's worth one try when you're itching like crazy.

Jewelweed, a common weed found in damp areas, is often used to help treat the rash. Mash the weed and apply to your itchy skin.
For 20 minutes, take a bath in salt water, or swim in a chlorinated pool to dry out the rash.
Bathe in tomato juice.
To relieve the itch, cut a mango in half and smear the juice over the rashy area for 10 minutes.
Spray the rash with a deodorant containing aluminum.
Apply tea tree oil to the affected area to help dry it out and clear up the rash faster.

Fit's Tip: Of course, if you have a really aggressive case, I'd talk to your doctor about what over-the-counter or prescription meds he would recommend.

If you have any other home remedies for poison ivy, please share them in the comment section below.

Source

Link Time: The Versatile Glass Lamp, Eco Summer Vacations, and Pinterest-Friendly Design Quotes

Elka Karl — Tue, 22 May 2012 04:30:57 PDT

Need a neutral? These glass lamps are incredibly versatile. - Houzz
Love farmers markets? See if your favorite farmers market made this list of the best.- Country Living
Take a peek inside celebrity designer Jeff Andrews's gorgeous home. - Curbed
See why this Top Design alum loves to use Pinterest. - Stylelist Home
Tired of cliche cruises? These eco-oriented adventure vacations are the perfect remedy. - EcoSalon
These 35 designer secrets need their own Pinterest board! - House Beautiful