Thread: Readers' Best Home Remedies

Readers' Best Home Remedies

First we shared our favorite home remedies, then we asked for yours. We pored over all your responses and chose the best home cures for everything from cold sores to dry feet. Continue reading to find out readers' favorite home health tips.

*Body Editors' Note: These are tips from our readers. We always recommend calling a doctor before trying any of these cures at home.


For a Fever

Kristy said: When a child has a high fever, chop up onions, put them on the child's feet and then cover with socks. Kinda smelly, yes, but it works. My grandmother swore by it, and when my 9 year old daughter recently ran a fever of 103, I did this, and her fever broke in an hour, and did not return.

Dry Feet Remedy

Desiree said: Cover your feet with a lot of lotion, whichever kind you prefer, then cover with a pair of thick socks overnight. When you wake up your feet will be softer.


Cold Sore Cure

Maggie said: Apply an ice cube at the first sign of a cold sore or fever blister. Stops it in its track! The outbreak is minimal and they seem to be less frequent over time. Apply off and on for about 15 minutes, for a few minutes each time. The trick is to get the ice to it quickly when you first notice it coming on.

Calm Constipation

Desiree said: When I was younger I suffered from severe constipation my pediatrician told my mom to put a teaspoon of Karo syrup (white not brown) in a bottle of warm milk. Relieved the constipation every time.


Curb Cramps

Ashlee said: For those monthly cramps, I've found that sucking on a ginger candy (the ones made with real ginger) can help reduce the pains. Safe, easy, and legal. Added plus if you like ginger candies.

Susan said: The best natural remedy I found that worked is to drink a glass of milk. You will get immediate results. The calcium in the milk is the cure all.

Desiree said: Take some ibuprofen, lay in bed on your side and pull your knees up to your chest as tight as you can. Makes the cramps go away.


Make Gas Go Away

estella2977 said: For indigestion or gas, a tablespoon of baking soda in a glass of lukewarm water works better than any antacid I've ever tried. It's gross, but it's worth the wincing at the taste.


Help Hiccups

fallen5729 said: Try a spoonful of vinegar or lemon juice. It works for me every time!!

Jeanetta said: Simply swallow about a half teaspoon of sugar, It stops them every time.


For Bee Sting Pains

Cheryl said: Take the sting out of a bee sting with a dab of toothpaste on the area. Works instantly, but keep the tube of toothpaste handy, so you can apply another dab if it starts to hurt again.


Cut Coughing

Tracey said: I have no idea why this works, but everyone I know swears by this: Whenever you have a persistent cough, rub generous amount of Vick's VapoRub on your feet, then cover with socks. The cough is gone almost immediately. This works especially well at night. I just got over pneumonia about a week ago, and this worked for my cough better than the cough medicine I was taking.


Stop Sinus Pain

Bonnie said: When sinus pain won't go away, try a teaspoon of regular table salt in 6 ounces of warm water. Breathe it in through your nostrils. The salt dissolves any mucous build-up. (Ever put salt on a slug? Same thing happens with built up mucous in your nasal passages.)


Banish Headaches

solomeeeo said: To relieve a headache, soak your feet in a basin of warm water at the same time apply a cold compress to your head. It really works!

Robb said: Gatorade has electrolytes magnesium and potassium and are necessary for the control of blood pressure which is effected by headaches and vice versa. I have kept both in my kitchen for when I have minor headaches due to weather changes and every day stress factors.


Beat Breakouts

Scripty said: Plagued by boils and acne, I found eating broccoli helps get rid of it almost overnight (especially if you do this right away after a break out occurs!). Also vitamins with lots of "B" does the trick too!

Laurie L. said: For my rare acne outbreaks I resort to hemorrhoid cream (new tube, mind you). It relieves the irritation/soreness and the blemish is gone within a couple days (sometimes overnight).

miamialexis said: Honey works wonders on acne, put a little dab on the pimple and cover overnight with a bandage, wake up the next day pimple free.

Paula Sanders said: If you have a pimple or a boil that needs to come to a head try this. Crack open a raw egg and gently remove the membrane from the shell. Quickly (before it dries out) lay it over the top of the boil or pimple and the next morning it will be ready to open (sometimes it is already open) with much less pain.


Stop Ears from Popping

Ryan said: Here's a tip for when your ears are popping:

Pinch your nose and exhale against it. The air will be unable to go out, and the pressure will push against the pressure in your ears.

Scuba divers use this trick to keep pressurized as they go deeper and deeper underwater.

It takes a little bit of practice-- do it too hard and you'll over-pressurize the ears, which is just as annoying but harder to fix.


Soothe Rash Pains

Frances said: When I was really itching from poison ivy, for some reason (don't remember why now), I turned on the hot water and let it run over my itchy spots as hot as I could stand it and the itching eased for an hour or longer. I was so surprised, but it really works!!

Jay said: For poison oak my remedy is to soak in a warm bath laced with apple vinegar.


For Baby's Comfort

Lori Bartley said: My family uses Bag Balm for diaper rash. Any Tractor Supply will have it and it wipes off easily and moisturizes. Works great for cuts and scrapes and is great for dry skin.


For Pain Down There

Margaret said: To relieve hemorrhoid pain apply a generous amount of "Vicks" salve. (Menthol salve of any brand will work but I like Vicks) It feels great. It may burn a little at first but in seconds you begin to feel cool RELIEF. My mother told me to do this. I was reluctant, but desperation won! I am so glad I listened.


Home Cures for Burns

Donna M. Lambert said: In the good old days just plain tea bags would and still do to soothe a sunburn. make a cup of tea, drink the tea and use the tea bag on the burn.

John said: Try soy sauce. Yes, no scars and a quick heal, also, fast pain relief!

Solaida said: I burned my thumb taking something out of the oven and my grandmom scraped a peeled potato and placed it where the burn was. No blister no redness no pain after a while.

Marilyn Fonken said: So you can handle the pain from a burn, such as hot oil while frying, put some white regular colgate tooth paste. This help your pain after a few seconds. It always works for me.

Jay Said: For sunburns, put honey on the burned area. As it pulls the fever from the skin it will turn to water. Keep applying until it stops turning to water. It prevents blistering.

Suzette said: Use vanilla extract on it a couple of times a day and it will soothe and keep from scaring. Keep doing this until you don't see the scar anymore. Use this for any kind of burn.


Soothe Sore Throat

Desiree said: Drink about a 1/4 cup of pickle juice. Takes the sore throat away immediately. If it is a severe sore throat you may need to repeat this once or twice.

Ruth Bomhan said: for sore throat, I gargle about every 45 minutes or so with one tablespoon of clear Karo corn syrup dissolved in glass of warm tap water....works for me

Jay said: Soak a tea towel in very hot water. Ring it dry and wrap it about the neck. Cover it with a bath towel. When the towel gets noticeably cool resoak the tea towel.

Suzette said: Use a tablespoon of 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 honey. The vinegar will kill the infection and the honey will soothe your throat.


Best Decongestant

mom said: When your nose is really stuffed, try dropping a glob of vapor rub into a hot shower just before you get into it. the rub melts and turns to steam and opens up that nose.

http://body.aol.com/health/home-remedies-real-people

Have you tried any of them AirborneSapper?

Sent then to friends e-mail..

just the sinus one .. worked pretty good