Wonder Cupboard

Many minor health ailments can be helped by everyday food and items found around the home, experts have revealed.

15:44 16 November 2016

Dr Rob Hicks, a London-based sexual health doctor and author of Old-Fashioned Remedies: From Arsenic To Gin, said that everyday food and items found around the home can be used to naturally and safely manage many minor health ailments. With his help and other experts, we look at the home remedies that could ease your particular ailment. 

 

Migraines: Try aloe vera

 

Aloe vera plant, which is found in many homes, contains sterols that have cholesterol-lowering properties that can be used to manage minor skin problems. However, Dr Fayyaz Ahmed, a consultant neurologist at Hull Royal Infirmary, said that it can also be used to manage migraine and headache. 

 

He explained: ‘It’s a muscle relaxant and many headaches and migraines are caused by muscle spasms around the head and neck.

 

‘The soothing smell of the aloe vera is enough to help relax those muscles down.’

 

‘You could also sniff aloe vera deodorant or use aloe vera soap on your hands and face. I use this myself when I get a migraine, and I recommend it to my patients and we find that it’s beneficial.’

 

Upset stomach: Try rice water 

 

If you’re experiencing diarrhoea or vomiting, drinking water after boiling rice mixed with salt is one way to keep the right balance of fluid in the body, says Christopher Hawkey, a professor of gastroenterology at Nottingham University and chairman of gut charity CORE. He added: ‘The rice provides carbohydrate, which is broken down in the body into sugar, and this sugar turns on absorption mechanisms in the gut — which act like pumps. 

 

‘It works on the same principle as the rehydration sachets that you get from the chemist. But if you don’t have those to hand, this is a good alternative.’

 

Prostate trouble: try pumpkin seeds

 

Many middle age men start to develop signs of benign prostate enlargement such as the feeling of not completely emptying the bladder and going to the loo much more often. Marc Laniado, a consultant urologist of Frimley Health NHS Trust, Surrey, and Nuada Medical in London, said that this could be helped by a daily handful of pumpkin seeds. He said: ‘Many of my patients swear by this, and there is some basic scientific evidence to support their use. It is thought to be the oils that interfere with hormonal receptors in cells and so slow down the growth of the prostate. That has been proven in experimental lab studies.’

 

Eczema: Try Oats

 

Dr Anthony Bewley, a consultant dermatologist at Barts Health NHS Trust, London, recommends bathing in oats to manage some skin problems. He explained: ‘Oats contain chemicals that have an anti-pruritic action — meaning they reduce itching— and they also contain oils that have an emollient action — meaning that they moisturise the skin,’ He suggested filling and hanging a pair of tights with oats around the tap water to produce “oat juices”. He said that sitting in an oat bath for 20 minutes a day could help especially if the skin is very dry and itchy. 

 

Urinary track infections: Try Bicarbonate of soda

 

Urinary track infections are typically caused by bacteria that cause inflammation and irritation both of the bladder and the urethra. When one urinates, the acidic urine further exacerbates the inflammation and cause stinging pain. 

 

‘Bicarbonate of soda is thought to neutralise the urine and make it less acidic and so it helps to alleviate that stinging pain,’ says Dr Laniado.

 

He suggested drinking water mixed with half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda at least twice a day. 

 

‘Even drinking lots of fluid will help, because it flushes out the bacteria that cause the infections — although sometimes antibiotics will be necessary to do this properly,’ he adds.

 

Snoring: Try a rolling pin or a tennis ball

 

Snoring tends to become worse when lying on the back where the airway and surrounding muscles sag. To get someone to change their position while sleeping, sew a tennis ball into their pyjama tops or place a rolling pin next to them to make them turn back on their side if they roll over onto it, Dr Hicks have suggested. 

 

Acne: Try lemon juice

 

Acne, the most common skin problem, is caused by excess oil production in the skin, allowing bacteria to flourish. ‘Lemon juice has an antibacterial action, so it can help to eliminate the bacteria that contribute to acne,’ says Dr Bewley.

 

‘It is also an astringent, so it will cleanse off the excess oils and help close the pores (which, in those with acne, are prone to block with dead skin and form blackheads).’

 

He suggested adding a few drops of lemon juice into a small cup of water and applying to the skin using a cotton wool ball. 

 

Acid reflux: Try bicarbonate of soda

 

Acid indigestion is when the contents of the stomach move up the oesophagus, causing burning pain. Bicarbonate of soda can neutralize the stomach acid because it is alkaline. Professor Hawkey said: ‘What it will do is temporarily help the symptoms — but if you have nothing else in the house and the chemist is closed, it will buy you some relief,’

 

Veruccas and warts: Try duct tape

 

Warts are growths caused by the human papilloma virus. Verrucas, on the other hand, are warts that develop on the base of the feet. One option to manage these is to stick a piece of duct tape to the warts for six days. Then, file away the dead skin using an emery board or pumice stone. ‘Actually, a lot of people swear by this, so there could well be something in it,’ says Dr Bewley. Why it works is not fully understood.

 

Bruising: Try Vinegar

 

Bruising occurs when tiny blood vessels leak blood. Vinegar can encourage blood flow to the skin’s surface and help dissipate the pooled blood that causes the bruising. 

 

‘Vinegar has a long history of use in medicine,’ says Dr Hicks.

 

‘Apply a dressing soaked in vinegar to the bruised area for ten to 20 minutes, and then repeat throughout the day.

 

 

Styes: Try tea bags

 

A stye is a painful lump on the eyelid that often develops into a pus-filled spot. ‘The idea of using a warm tea bag on the stye is that it acts as a compress and the warmth will help to draw out the pus,’ explains Dr Bewley.

 

Psoriasis: Try banana skin

 

Psoriasis is a skin condition that develops when the turnover of skin cells malfunctions leading to inflammation and itching. This could be managed using a banana skin, which contains salicylic acid. ‘You can use the inside of the skin to help remove the scale,’ says Dr Bewley.

‘It’s a really safe and effective way to do it, and it will help relieve the itching of mild psoriasis.’

 

Breast tenderness: Try cabbages

 

Mastitis, a term used to describe painful and inflamed breasts, can be managed with cabbages. 

 

‘Cabbage contains various chemicals that have anti-inflammatory actions,’ says Dr Hicks. These chemicals work together by opening up the ducts in the breast, dispersing the infection.