5 Home Remedies Doctors Swear By!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5Home Remedies Doctors Swear By from health.com

Honey.

Use it for: Minor cuts and burns, cough or sore throat How it works: Most of us have tried honey in tea to soothe a scratchy throat, but it’s also been used to treat wounds for thousands of years. Last year, a review of research found that honey helps heal minor to moderate burns, and a recent Dutch study identified a protein called defensin-1 that gives the goo its antibacterial action.

Salt.

Use it for:Sinus congestion, sore throat How it works: When you mix salt into water at a stronger concentration than the salt water in our bodies, it helps draw fluids out of tissues. You can use this “hypertonic” solution to clear up stuffy sinuses and ease a sore throat.

Peppermint Tea.

Use it for: Indigestion, stomachache How it works: The oil found in the peppermint leaf and its stems calms the muscles of the digestive tract, allowing gas to pass more easily and relieving indigestion. Steer clear of peppermint tea, though, if your pain is caused by reflux—you’ll know from the acidic, burning feeling in your chest.

Meat Tenderizer.

Use it for: Bee stings, nonpoisonous spider bites How it works: Meat tenderizer contains papain, an enzyme that breaks down proteins (like the ones in your T-bone steak). But papain can also break down toxins from bug bites and cut back on itching. Note: Use tenderizer only on mosquito bites, bee stings, and nonpoisonous spider bites. If you experience symptoms such as nausea, difficulty breathing, or cramping in your abs or lower back, seek medical help immediately.

Oatmeal.

Use it for: Eczema, sunburn, hives How it works: Oats pack phytochemicals with anti-inflammatory properties that soothe itchy and inflamed skin, a study in the Archives of Dermatological Research shows. Most MDs recommend using the finely ground colloidal type sold in drugstores, but any unflavored oatmeal will help.