Americans spend billions of dollars for over-the-counter health remedies for everything from nighttime coughs to poison ivy. In many cases, there is no need to spend tons of money to find relief. If you check your cupboard, you may find some surprising home remedies.
Honey
One spoonful can help quiet a nighttime cough better than over-the-counter cough syrups or suppressants. Honey coats and soothes an irritated throat. Doctors say that using honey is generally safe and can be used repeatedly as needed. Honey does have a high sugar content, “which may be inappropriate for older adults with diabetes.”
Liquid dish soap
Tart cherry juice
Drinking tart cherry juice can help prevent gout attacks, relieve muscle soreness after exercise, and possibly help with arthritis pain because of its natural anti-inflammatory properties. The juice seems to reduce the joint inflammation that gout causes. A study found that patients who took a tablespoon of tart cherry juice concentrate twice a day for four months cut the frequency of their gout attacks in half. More than a third remained gout attack-free. Other studies have shown that drinking tart cherry juice daily helps runners reduce muscle soreness and reduces inflammation in over-weight patients.
Baby Shampoo
A half-and-half solution of baby shampoo and warm water is a simple, effective way to clean eyelids that are itchy, red or crusty. The condition could be blepharitis, a common eye problem in older adults. It can cause scaling and crustiness along the base of the eyelashes. Gently cleaning the eyelid with a baby shampoo wash helps get rid of oil and bacteria but won’t ting your eyes. Remember that baby shampoo should only be used on the lid, and never on the surface of the eye.
Witch Hazel
Derived from leaves and twigs of a flowering shrub, witch hazel can be used as an astringent to help tighten the skin and relieve inflammation. It’s the main ingredient in commercial hemorrhoid pads, used to relieve mild itching and irriation. You can do the same at home with pads you moisten with witch hazel. For even more relief, use chilled witch hazel.
Ginger can help reduce nausea and relieve motion sickness. In addition, a large National Cancer Institute-funded study found that people undergoing chemotherapy can cut their nausea by 40 percent by taking one-quarter of a teaspoon of ginger daily for three days before chemo. Taking ginger with anti-vomiting drugs worked better to control nausea than just the drugs alone. Eating one or two pieces of crystallized ginger before traveling reduces motion sickness.
Milk of Magnesia
Dabbing this milky liquid on canker sores can temporarily soothe their pain. First dab the sore with a mixture of half water and half hydrogen peroxide, then dab on the milk of magnesia to get relief from the symptoms of the canker sores. Milk of magnesia can also be mixed with an equal amount of liquid Benadryl to make a mouth rinse to help coat tissues and relieve pain. Swish the mixture in the mouth for a minute and then spit it out.
If you’re prone to bladder infections, drinking cranberry juice daily won’t cure them, but it can help prevent them. Taking a 500 mg cranberry extract pill twice a day is also effective at preventing urinary tract infections. Be careful if you are taking blood thinning medication like warfarin (Coumadin), Plavix or aspirin. Possible interactions between cranberry juice and warfarin may lead to bleeding. While antibiotics are somewhat more effective, they cause more antibiotic resistance in the bloodstream. Unlike antibiotics, which kill bacteria, cranberries keep bacteria from attaching to the bladder walls.
Menthol rub
Applying mentholated ointments such as strong smelling Vicks VapoRub has been shown to be a safe, cost-effective treatment for toenail fungus, often more effective than over-the-counter products. Vicks is easy to apply and worth trying before turning to more costly alternatives. Wipe the affected nails with a cotton ball soaked in white vinegar, then applying the VapoRub.
Water
Gargling with plain tap water can help cut the number of colds and respiratory infections you get, as well as relieve symptoms if you’re already sick. A 2005 study found that those who gargled three times a day with tap water had nearly 40 percent fewer respiratory infections during cold and flu season than did the control group. When the subjects did get sick, gargling reduced bronchial irritation, researchers reported.Other studies also support gargling, whether with salt water or water with lemon and honey, as a safe, effective way to soothe and cleanse a sore throat. The salt in the water also draws out excess fluid from the throat’s inflamed tissues, and warm water may help cleanse them a bit better.
While many home remedies work, they can interact with prescription medications, so check with your doctor before trying something new.
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