Nontraditional, Maybe Even Weird, Treatments for What Ails You
The treatments we're going to talk about aren't quite as weird as the picture shows (in fact, nowhere near that weird), but they're kind of unusual. Thing is, they work. At least they work for some people and who's to say they won't work for you.
Reports of success with alternative uses of products such as Preparation H and duct tape are anecdotal, but we think they may be worth a try. In fact, we've tried some of these ourselves and have been surprisingly pleased with the results.
So, read on and maybe you'll find a rather nontraditional, if not weird, "cure" for something that ails you. If so, or if you know of other weird remedies, I hope you'll leave us a message in our guestbook near the bottom of the page.
Disclaimer: The information presented here is for informational purposes only. Consult your physician before doing anything really crazy to yourself. And never, EVER stick an ice pick in your eye or anyone else's!
Rid Yourself of Those Puffy Circles Below Your Eyes
. . . with Preparation H
Okay, we'll get this one over with first.You've probably heard the commercials, "Shrinks swelling of inflamed tissue." Well, apparently the tissue doesn't have to be located in the hind quarters for this product to work its magic. When used sparingly on puffy skin below the eyes, Preparation H cream quickly reduces the swelling and puffiness. Beauty pageant contestants reportedly swear by it.
Other suggested uses of Preparation H include fresh tattoo aftercare. You might find the ointment version, rather than the cream, to be more effective. The ingredients in the ointment help constrict blood vesssels, which helps reduce the amount of bleeding from the new tattoo. Apparently some plastic surgeons recommend the product to relieve itching on skin as it heals after surgery. We suggest you check with your doctor - or your tattoo artist - before you utilize the product in these ways.
Note that the Canadian version of Preparation H contains a yeast extract. Apparently many people prefer this version to use as a wrinkle remover and to help heal dry, chapped skin. We don't know; we've grown rather fond of our wrinkles as they are.
Hemorrhoid Cream for Reducing Undereye Puffiness
There's nothing like a personal testimonial.
Order Preparation H Cream Here
In case you don't want your neighbors to see you buying it at your local store.
Preparation H Hemorrhoidal Cream, Smooth Cream Formula with Aloe, 1.8-Ounce Tubes (Pack of 2)
Of course, it's okay to use this for its intended purpose as well. If you use it underneath the eyes, use it sparingly and be sure not to get any in your eyes.
Note that gift wrapping is not available for this item, but we think giving it as a gift might not be a really good idea anyway.
P.S. If you don't like your wrinkles and want to give it a try, here's the Canadian version of Preparation H
So, tell us . . .
Have you tried Preparation H for puffy, baggy circles under you eyes?
Wart Removal - A Sticky Situation
Especially when you use this rather weird remedy - that works!
Ever have one of those nasty little warts pop up on your hand? How about on the bottom of your foot? If not on you, how about on your kids?Warts spring from viruses and are very common in children but can affect anyone of any age. Until now, wart removal has been a lengthy and sometimes painful process, and freezing, burning, acid, cutting and paring are often just temporary solutions, if they work at all. In fact, if your doctor is honest, he will tell you that the wart he just froze will likely be back in a couple of weeks, so plan on coming back for more treatments until the virus just finally goes away.
Yuck! What's a person to do? Well, you likely have the solution in your kitchen or workshop already. It's duct (or duck) tape, that gray roll of sticky stuff that is a staple for anyone who has ever needed to repair, pack, or anchor something so that it stays. I'm not sure who tried it first, but the duct tape wart removal cure is becoming well known and widespread - and that's because it works.
Many doctors now recognize the simplicity and effectiveness of using duct tape for warts, and the Duct Tape Guys, who you will hear more from below, also tout their favorite product as an effective wart remover. The procedure goes something like this: Cut a piece of duct tape just bigger than the wart. Apply tape to wart. Wait six days. (If the tape comes off, replace it.) Remove tape. Use an emery board or pumice stone to gently (and painlessly, kids) rub down the spot. Repeat the process. Often the next time the tape is removed, the wart will come off with it. If not, repeat again. While it's not guaranteed, reports of success are staggering.
The benefits of the duct tape treatment are obvious. First, it's non-painful, an important point for all of us but especially for kids. Second, it's cheap, even free if you have a roll of the tape on hand. Third, it does tend to work better than conventional treatments and without expensive trips to the doctor's office, and without side effects or scarring.
I just wish I would have known about this treatment years ago when I was a child and had pesky warts on my hands and even more recently when my son had warts on his hand (which he has now apparently outgrown).
Oh, and there's one more advantage. It's fun! Use colorful duct tape cut into star or moon shapes and your kids won't even be embarrased and hide their hands while they're being treated. Try it! You'll like it! (And let us know in a comment in our guest book if it worked for you.)
Here's a link to the Duct Tape Guys' page about wart removal.
Duct (or is it Duck?) Tape for Wart Removal and Everything Else
If you don't have any on hand (no pun intended), you can find it here.
Henkel Duck 1.88-Inch-by-20-Yard Colored Duck Tape, Black #00-03052
This is the Duck version of duct tape. This one is black, but it comes in red, blue, neon pink, purple, camo, and other colors. Great for decorating skin while healing warts, or for repairing anything and everything.
Or, you can find typical Gray Duct Tape here
Gotta Love The Duct Tape Guys, Tim and Jim
(or is it Jim and Tim?)
Duct tape is good for almost everything. If you can't think of everything, that's okay. The Duct Tape Guys have got you covered with these books and calendars.
The Jumbo Duct Tape Book by Jim Berg, Tim Nyberg
Did you know that duct tape can turn any item of c more...0 points
Duct Tape Book: The Ultimate Duct Tape Book by Tim Nyberg, Jim Berg
When duct tape lovers throughout the world cried o more...0 points
Stump the Duct Tape Guys by Jim Berg, Tim Nyberg, Jim & Tim The Duct Tape Guys
According to Jim and Tim, "If duct tape isn't more...0 points
According to Jim and Tim, "If duct tape isn't the answer, then you must be asking the wrong question!" To prove it, they have collected the best and funniest questions and answers from the popular Stump the Duct Tape Guys section of their massive Web site (www.ducttapeguys.com), where real people submit problems that you wouldn't think could be fixed with duct tape. The Duct Tape Guys put on their thinking caps (made entirely out of duct tape, of course) and come up with solutions that never fai...
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Duct Tape Book Two: Real Stories by Jim Berg, Tim Nyberg
Duct Tape Book Two features real hints from real p more...0 points
365 Days of Duct Tape Page-A-Day Calendar 2009 (Original Page a Day Calendars) by Jim Berg, Tim Nyberg
Passionate and ever devoted to their mission of sp more...0 points
The Original Duct Tape Halloween Book by Jim Berg, Tim Nyberg
WORKMAN PUBLISHING-Duct Tape Halloween. This book more...0 points
Duct Shui by Jim Berg, Tim Nyberg
East meets West meets Duct Tape. Stumbling headfir more...0 points
The Duct Tape Guys
They've made a career with duct (or is it duck?) tape.
Duct Tape Guys on the History Channel
We did a History of Hardware Show segment about the History of Duct Tape. This is the edit that has been shown repeatedly for the past eight+ years on the History Channel.
Runtime: 3:27
814 views
2 Comments:
So, tell us . . .
Have you used duct tape for wart removal?
Say it five times fast:
Weird Remedies
Really Work!
At Last! Relief from Leg Cramps!
The cure is in the soap.
No, you don't wash with the soap. Instead, you unwrap a bar of soap and place it beneath the bottom sheet on your bed, in the area where your legs rest. Then go to sleep as usual. But, this time perhaps you won't wake up during the night with those awful, horrible leg cramps!Now, this is a subject I know something about. I used to have a big problem with leg cramps, having to get up and hobble around, rubbing my calf, thigh, or even toes trying to get rid of the cramp. My husband first told me about the soap "cure" when he read about it in Dr. Gott's column in the newspaper, then my mother shared the same cure with me. It worked for her and for many of Dr. Gott's readers, so why not for me?
I tried the Ivory and, whadya know, it worked. On rare occasions I'll still get a cramp, but it's far less frequent than before. When I went through a few nights in a row recently of having cramps again, I moved the bar of soap from the bed to the bathtub and opened a fresh bar for the bed and I've been cramp-free since then.
No one seems to know why it works. My personal theory is that my brain subconsconciously knows the soap is there, keeping me from doing a big stretch that might trigger a cramp. That might be right, might be wrong, but I don't really care as long as the soap cure keeps on working for me.
Another treatment for leg cramps, one that used to be prescribed by doctors, is quinine. Since quinine is no longer available, I sometimes drink tonic water, which contains a small amount of quinine. Add a twist of lime to the tonic water and you have a nice, refreshing, cooling drink. Add a splash of tonic and drink a few and you might just sleep through the cramps, but you might wake up with a hangover, too, or a damaged liver, so I don't recommend that. Since you probably won't drink a glass of tonic water every night and the bar of soap will always be there, I vote for the soap.
The Soap Cure (and more) for Leg Cramps
Hey, don't knock it 'til you've tried it.
Like what he has to say? Check out his book, Best Choices From the People's Pharmacy
.Leg Cramps: Home Remedies and Treatments
Learn home remedies to treat nighttime leg cramps from Pharmacologist Joe Graedon of the popular public radio show, The People's Pharmacy.
Runtime: 2:10
2233 views
5 Comments:
Bar Soap for Relief of Leg Cramps
Try it!
![Ivory Bar Soap, Lavender, 12 - 4.5 oz (127 g) bars [54 oz (3.37 lb) 1.53 kg] (Pack of 3)](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ZN16KZN2L._SL160_.jpg)
Ivory Bar Soap, Lavender, 12 - 4.5 oz (127 g) bars [54 oz (3.37 lb) 1.53 kg] (Pack of 3)
If it's soap, it must be Ivory. And while you're at it, might as well make the sheets smell pretty. This is the Lavender version.
If you prefer the traditional Ivory bar soap, that'll work, too. You can find it here
So, tell us . . .
Have you tried the bar soap cure for leg cramps?
Embarrassing Toenail Fungus
Weird treatments for weird-looking nails.
I was going to put a picture here of nails with fungus but, let's face it, nail fungus is pretty ugly. Unfortunately, traditional cures can be pretty ugly, too, when you look at the bill and the potential side effects.The standard treatment for nail fungus is an oral medication such as Sporanox or Lamisil. Those medications must be taken for several weeks and can have potentially serious side effects. Specifically, they can damage the liver, so monitoring of liver functions by blood test is required when those drugs are prescribed. This is a case where the treatment may be worse than the disease!
This is where nontraditional treatments come in, topical treatments that should be safe for just about anyone. One such treatment, now recommended often even by medical doctors, is Vicks VapoRub applied liberally to the nails. If Vicks can be applied to a child's chest when he has a cold or stuffy nose, chances are it's going to be just fine on an adult's toes or fingers.
Another treatment that I happen to know is effective, or it was for me, is grapefruit seed extract. I woke up one night with a horrible pain in my big toe and a nail that was black with fungus. After suffering through a few sleepless nights and doing some research, I found GSE and started using it. I just diluted the GSE as indicated in the instructions, applied regularly with a cotton ball, and in no time I was back to normal. I did lose the damaged nail, but below it the new, healthy nail grew in quickly and I haven't had a problem since then.
My case may not be typical, but even for thickened, yellowed nails, I would recommend trying GSE, applying it regularly to saturate the nail as much as possible, in order to kill the fungus. If you prefer, try the Vicks treatment. All it costs is a few dollars and some time as, of course, it takes time for a complete new nail to grow.
There are other suggested alternative treatments, including those recommended on the video below (tea tree oil, oregano oil, vinegar, Listerine, and corn meal). Have you suffered with nail fungus? Have you been treated with oral medication or tried alternatives? Let us know in our guestbook below what worked for you.
Fixing Fungus
Curious cures from the People's Pharmacy guy, Joe Graedon.
Fungus Fix: How to Treat Nail Fungus
Learn how to treat nail fungus from Pharmacologist Joe Graedon of the popular public radio show, The People's Pharmacy.
Runtime: 2:26
11198 views
10 Comments:
Grapefruit Seed Extract for Treating Nail Fungus
Comes with my personal recommendation.
Nutribiotic - Gse Liquid Concentrate, 4 fl oz
This is the identical product that I used and it worked quickly and worked well for my nail fungus. It is potent, so follow the directions, dilute as indicated when using on the nails or skin and, as with all medicinal products, keep out of the reach of children.
To learn about how GSE can be used to treat other ailments, check out The Authoritative Guide to Grapefruit Seed Extract : Stay Healthy Naturally : A Natural Alternative for Treating Colds, Infections, Herpes, Candida and Many Other Ailments
Or, Try the Vicks
Doctor recommended.
Vicks Vaporub Ointment - 50Gm
I know doctors who actually recommend Vicks VapoRub to their patients who have nail fungus. Just apply liberally and often - and don't worry about your liver, just watch your toenails return to normal as they grow out.
So, tell us . . .
Have you had to treat nail fungus?
Books about Home Remedies
Some of them might even be weird!
The Doctors Book of Home Remedies Revised Edition by Prevention Magazine Editors
What do doctors do when they get sick? The editors more...0 points
1801 Home Remedies by Reader's Digest Editors
Here is a plethora of ordinary household remedies more...0 points
The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Dogs and Cats: Over 1,000 Solutions to Your Pet's Problems - From Top Vets, Trainers, Breeders, and Other Animal Experts by Prevention Magazine Editors
In this practical and entertaining guide, the top more...0 points
The Herbal Home Remedy Book: Simple Recipes for Tinctures, Teas, Salves, Tonics, and Syrups (Herbal Body) by Joyce A. Wardwell
Use 25 common herbs to make simple herbal remedies more...0 points
Homeopathy: An A to Z Home Handbook by Alan Schmukler
Effective, safe, affordable, and free of chemical more...0 points
Alternative Cures: The Most Effective Natural Home Remedies for 160 Health Problems by Bill Gottlieb
As the editor-in-chief of Prevention Magazine Heal more...0 points
Folk Medicine: A New England Almanac of Natural Health Care from a Noted Vermont Country Doctor by D.C. Md Jarvis
"A fascinating book by a distinguished Vermon more...0 points
Oddball Ointments, Powerful Potions & Fabulous Folk Remedies That'll Cure Almost Anything That Ails You (Jerry Baker's Good Health series) by Jean Karen Thomas
Recipes for homemade tonics, salves, and poultices more...0 points
Best Choices from the People's Pharmacy by Joe Graedon, Teresa Graedon
From the trusted authors of the "People's Pha more...0 points
The People's Pharmacy, Completely New and Revised (The People's Pharmacy Guides) by Joe Graedon
This book could save your life or the life of a lo more...0 points
The People's Pharmacy Guide to Home and Herbal Remedies (The People's Pharmacy Guides) by Joe Graedon, Teresa Graedon
*44% of adults take prescription medication.
*1 in more...0 points
What do you think about Weird Remedies?
Do they work for you?
Stay tuned and return for more weird remedies for common ailments, coming soon, but in the meantime . . .
Have you tried any of these weird remedies? Did they work? Do you know another remedy that might be considered weird? Leave us a message and tell us all about it! Just like our lens or want to say hello? This is the place!
Thanks for visiting our lens!
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OrganicGiftsByDiana
I too look for alternative remedies - although I use herbs/flowers/spices... usually. Posted September 05, 2008 |
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health_advisor
Very informative. Posted August 06, 2008 |
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alexkazam
Great lens- both informative and entertaining! I heard somewhere that the inside of banana skin could removed warts, too- anyone tried this? Posted May 30, 2008 |
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