Strange but true – These unusual cures work

If your medicine cabinet is looking a little sparse or you’ve run out effective ideas to treat some lingering ailments, consider looking in other areas of your home. Many seemingly non-medical items can successfully treat common aches and pains. Some of these unusual tips might sound mad when you first hear them, but they really do work once you try them.

1. Vodka removes foot odor

If there’s an unpleasant odor emanating from your feet, soak a washcloth in vodka and wipe your soles. The principle behind this trick is the same as with rubbing alcohol: Alcohol is antiseptic and drying, which prevents bacteria and fungi from growing.

2. Pencils eliminate throbbing tension headaches

In moments of stress and anxiety, you often clench your jaw and teeth without realizing, which strains the muscle connecting your jaw to your temples. This habit can cause unnecessary tension headaches. Placing a pencil between your teeth without biting forces you to relax your jaw muscle, preventing the headache.

3. Yogurt cures bad breath

If you ever feel your breath turning sour and unpleasant, try a cup of yogurt. Yogurt is filled with probiotics, good bacteria, which can overpower the bad breath causing bacteria, leaving you with a nice tasting and smelling breath.

4. Listerine soothes painful blisters

While Listerine is primarily known for giving you fresh breath, it’s also a powerful antiseptic which can remedy blister pain. Soak a cotton ball with Listerine, dabbing it on the blister three times a day. The Listerine should effectively dry out the blister in a few days.

5. Sugar stops hiccups

Mary Poppins claimed a spoonful of sugar helped the medicine go down, but she didn’t realize it could also be the medicine. When it comes to hiccups, sugar can help stop them, because it modifies nerve muscles that would usually cause the muscles in the diaphragm to spasm, which can lead to hiccups. Swallow a teaspoon of sugar when you find yourself hiccupping uncontrollably.

6. Tennis balls help with aching feet

Give your aching feet a massage that both stretches and soothes the arches. Without shoes, roll your foot over the tennis ball. If you want to cool down, your throbbing feet use a bottle of frozen water instead. A soup can or golf ball can also work if you don’t have tennis balls.

7. Vegetable oil helps with brittle nails

Dry nails are caused by lack of moisture. In addition to applying hand lotion regularly try this dermatologist endorsed trick: Apply vegetable oil to your hands followed by wrapping your hands in vinyl gloves. This keeps the oil from rubbing off onto your bed and forces your skin to absorb the oil. Your hands and nails will stop being dry and brittle.

8. Olives and lemons lessen motion sickness

When you’re seasick or motion sick, you often produce excess saliva, leading to nausea. Tannins in olives can dry out your mouth, easing any queasiness. Similarly, lemons also can help dry out your mouth. When you feel a bout of nausea, pop a few olives or suck on a lemon.

9. Peppermint and cinnamon gum soothe road rage

Traffic-laden commutes cause unnecessary stress, frustration, and anger. You can significantly reduce the feeling of anxiety and fatigue by chewing peppermint and cinnamon gum, which have natural calming qualities. For those who don’t enjoy chewing gum, you can purchase an aromatherapy car diffuser.

10. Apples can whiten teeth

Everyone wants pearly white teeth, but you don’t usually think of foods as the means to do so. Apples contain gentle malic acids that can help dissolve stains. Other crunchy fruits and vegetables serve as micro-toothbrushes when you chew them as they naturally cleanse the tooth enamel, removing stains. It’s another good reason to bite into an apple.

11. Ease symptoms associated with arthritis with raisins

Soak the golden raisins overnight and add a couple of spoonfuls of gin. The vitamins from the raisins paired with the anti-inflammatory effects of the juniper berries that are used to make gin will help reduce swelling and ease your pain.

12. Combat bad breath with celery

Rather than chewing away at gum, celery has long been deemed to be a cure all for bad breath. So be sure to keep a few sticks at hand instead.

13. Cure an earache with lemons

While using lemons to alleviate an earache may seem unordinary, this age old remedy is known to reap results. Squeeze some lemon juice onto an ear bud, cleaning the inside of your ear (gently) for a minute or so. The lemon juice will stabilize pH levels in your ears, alleviating the pain.

14. Banish hair loss with nettle

Nettle leaf contains high levels of protein, calcium, phosphorous, iron, magnesium, and beta-carotene. It also contains high amounts of vitamin A,C,D and B complex. Many of these vitamins and minerals promote hair growth and maintenance, keeping it strong and luxurious. Simply boil 4 to 6 nettle leaves in a mug and rinse your hair with the nettle mix.

Caution: Nettle leaves are high in silica which can be harmful at high doses.

15. Control symptoms associated with menopause with yams

Yams – which tend to have a thicker, rougher skin and are darker in color than sweet potatoes, are nutritionally high in vitamin C, and they also contain some vitamin A which will help balance your hormones. Yams are also rich in dietary fiber and can help lower cholesterol.

16. Consume olives to prevent motion sickness

While this may sound like an old wives tale, there are facts contributing to olives as a remedy for motion sickness. Olives are high in tannins, which can help stop the production of too much saliva.

17. Use baking soda for a urinary tract infection

Add a pinch of baking soda to a glass of water to alleviate UTI symptoms. Baking soda is high in alkaline, preventing harmful bacteria from multiplying.

18. Prevent indigestion with dried apricots

Here’s a remedy my grandfather always insists on. After his dinner he eats five apricots, helping him to digest his food better. Dried apricots are high in dietary fiber, helping your stomach to digest food and prevent bloating. If you’re feeling unwell after your meal, take a handful of apricots.

19. Use raw potatoes over a spider bite

Raw potatoes contain anti-inflammatory properties, alleviating symptoms associated with a spider bite. Wrap a raw, sliced potato in a bandage or thin cloth and gently rub it over the affected area for a couple of minutes.

20. Rub your ears to boost energy:

Instead of reaching for another cup of coffee, give your ears a gentle self-massage. According to Chinese medicine, stimulating the pressure points in the ears increases blood circulation to all parts of the body, giving you an instant energy boost

21. Cure hiccups with peanut butter:

Chewing and swallowing the sticky spread will interrupt your breathing pattern and force your diaphragm to relax.

22. Use honey to soothe a sore throat:

A natural antibacterial and antifungal agent, honey can help coat and soothe sore throats and alleviate minor coughs.

23. Blow-dry waterlogged ears:

Put a hair dryer on the gentlest setting and hold it a few inches away from your ear.

The increased airflow will help to evaporate the water in your ear.

24. Make warts disappear with garlic:

Garlic — which has been shown to have antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties — is thought to be an effective home remedy for warts.

Apply a freshly cut garlic clove to the wart, place a bandage over it, and leave the bandage on overnight.

Repeat every night until the wart disappears.

25. Blow on your thumb to calm jangled nerves:

The thumb has its own pulse, and blowing on the thumb will cool down the thumb and thus calm the heart rate, as cold air can slow down your pulse.

This trick might also help simply because the act of blowing forces you to deepen your breathing, which calms the heart.

26. Sniff peppermint to quell a craving:

Chew mint gum, sip peppermint tea or take a whiff of peppermint oil.

Studies suggest that the scent of peppermint stimulates the brain to release appetite-suppressing hormones and promotes a feeling of fullness.

27. Curl your toes to fall asleep faster:

The next time you find yourself tossing and turning, try a progressive muscle relaxation technique.

Begin by slowly curling and uncurling your toes.

Then, work your way up the entire body, from your toes to your neck, tightening a certain muscle group before releasing it.

28. Smile to make yourself happier:

Scientists have found that the simple act of smiling can lower blood pressure and release stress, giving you an instant mood boost (yes, even forced smiles count!).

29. Press your tongue against the roof of your mouth to beat brain freeze:

Also referred to as “ice cream headaches,” brain freezes are caused by a rapid increase in blood flow to the brain. After you down a frozen treat, try thrusting your tongue against the roof of your mouth — this will warm up the palate and ease the flow of blood to the brain.

30. Rub Vicks Vaporub on feet for congestion:

To temporarily relieve a cough, try applying the mentholated topical cream on the soles of your feet and immediately covering with a pair of socks.

There is no scientific explanation for why this old wives’ trick works, but many stuffy nose-sufferers (and even nurses and doctors) swear by it.

31. Use ginger to prevent motion sickness:

Twenty minutes before travel, take two capsules of powdered ginger to ease an upset stomach caused by motion sickness.

32. Shake your head to wake up sleepy feet:

It happens to all of us — you’re sitting in an awkward position when all of a sudden your foot, hand or other body part falls asleep.

To quickly eliminate that uncomfortable tingling sensation, move your head side to side.

The movement helps relieve nerve tension.

33. Alleviate nausea by massaging wrist:

Relieve nausea by lightly massaging the pressure point on the inside of your wrist, about three finger widths below the base of your palm.

34. Squeeze lemon to erase pimples:

Banish breakouts by dabbing a little lemon juice on problem areas — its antibacterial properties will help kill excess bacteria and reduce acne.

35. Dab on clove oil to alleviate toothache pain:

Apply a very small amount of clove oil to a cotton swab and gently dab onto the affected tooth area. The essential oil has been shown in studies to have analgesic and antibacterial properties, making it a useful tool in treating bacteria-caused toothaches.

36. Inhale onion vapors for sinus relief:

Chop up an onion, put it in a bowl and inhale the onion fumes.

The vapors help open sinus passageways, providing relief from sinus pressure.

37. Stop mouth bleeds with tea bags:

To stop mouth bleeds after oral surgery or injuries, apply a moistened tea bag to the affected area;

the tannins in tea help the blood coagulate faster.

38. Steam to relieve nasal congestion:

Steam helps to loosen mucus and clear out the sinus cavities, providing relief from nasal congestion.

A hot bath works, too.

39. Sleep on your left side to prevent acid reflux:

Researchers have determined that left side sleeping helps with digestion and eases heart burn pain.

Source: Internet and other

The views expressed in this article should not be considered as a substitute for a physician’s advice. Always make sure to seek a doctor or a professional’s advice before proceeding with the home treatment plan.