July 25, 2009 4:04 PM
- Text
Natural Treatments for Common Ailments
(CBS)
Before you reach into your medicine cabinet to take care of a headache, stuffy nose, or upset stomach, you might want to consider treating your everyday ailments with natural remedies.
They take a little longer to work than their conventional counterparts, but may prove more effective, according to Body + Soul magazine Senior Editor Terri Trespicio.
She looked into Mother Nature's medicine cabinet on "The Early Show Saturday Edition," noting the surprising healing power of herbal remedies. They could be just what the doctor ordered.
PAIN RELIEF
Mild headaches: Tiger balm. Chinese ointment contains menthol and can ease pain when rubbed into neck or temples.
Arthritis pain: Turmeric, fish oil. All show promise in helping ease pain. Talk to your healthcare professional for dosage.
COLD CURES
Elderberry syrup: Research suggests it can fight the flu and may ease symptoms of cold.
Garlic: What you eat matters! Get plenty of raw or lightly cooked garlic, which contains antiviral compounds. Add thyme to soups and salad dressing.
COUGH
Eucalyptus oil in a pot of boiling water can help loosen phlegm. Just tent a towel over your head and breathe deeply.
Licorice root and marshmallow root can also help calm a cough - look for teas containing these herbs and sip throughout the day. For example, a tea called Organic Throat Coat combines several herbs.
CONSTIPATION
High fiber foods: Eat plenty of fruits, veggies, whole grains and beans. Sprinkle some ground flaxseed on cereal or in smoothies. Also, drink plenty of room-temperature water.
Triphala: Herbal supplement from the Ayurvedic tradition that can get things moving. Take supplement as noted on bottle.
ALLERGY
Quercetin: This flavonoid compound, found in apples and onions, can also help fight allergy symptoms. It's preventive, though, so allow 6-8 weeks to build it up in your system. Typical dose: 400 mg twice a day between meals.
Stinging nettle: In tincture, teas or freeze-dried capsules. Consume half teaspoon of tincture three times a day, a month before allergy season. Drink 2-3 cups of nettle tea, or follow directions on capsule bottle.
MORE FROM BODY + SOUL MAGAZINE
Here's the lowdown on how to treat five common ailments with natural approaches.
Pain Relief
For mild headaches, consider Tiger Balm, says Andrew Weil, M.D., author of the upcoming "Why Our Health Matters." This Chinese ointment contains menthol, which creates a warm, tingling feeling that eases pain when rubbed into your neck or temples.
Massaging a few drops of lavender essential oil onto your temples may also help for headaches triggered by stress, says herbalist Deb Soule, author of "A Woman's Book of Herbs." Indeed, past research has shown that lavender can promote relaxation. Or try plant remedies with a long history of traditional use and supporting scientific evidence: "Willow bark and meadowsweet both have anti-inflammatory properties that may help relieve headaches," Soule explains.
Take 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of tincture as needed at the first sign of symptoms. For arthritis pain, turn to turmeric, boswellia, or fish oil, which all show promise in recent research; talk to a health-care practitioner about the best form and dosage.
Cold Cures
Take a dropperful of echinacea tincture in water four times a day at the first sign of symptoms, until they subside. Some studies have shown it can shorten colds, though results are mixed. Soule has found that elderberry syrup, which research suggests can fight flu, may also ease symptoms of a common cold. Take according to directions until a few days after symptoms have disappeared.
Diet matters, too; eat plenty of raw or lightly cooked garlic, which contains antiviral compounds, and add thyme to soups or salad dressings. You also might try a neti pot, an Aladdin's lamp-shaped vessel that you fill with warm salt water and use to irrigate congested nasal passages.
For more turn to page 2.
They take a little longer to work than their conventional counterparts, but may prove more effective, according to Body + Soul magazine Senior Editor Terri Trespicio.
She looked into Mother Nature's medicine cabinet on "The Early Show Saturday Edition," noting the surprising healing power of herbal remedies. They could be just what the doctor ordered.
PAIN RELIEF
Mild headaches: Tiger balm. Chinese ointment contains menthol and can ease pain when rubbed into neck or temples.
Arthritis pain: Turmeric, fish oil. All show promise in helping ease pain. Talk to your healthcare professional for dosage.
COLD CURES
Elderberry syrup: Research suggests it can fight the flu and may ease symptoms of cold.
Garlic: What you eat matters! Get plenty of raw or lightly cooked garlic, which contains antiviral compounds. Add thyme to soups and salad dressing.
COUGH
Eucalyptus oil in a pot of boiling water can help loosen phlegm. Just tent a towel over your head and breathe deeply.
Licorice root and marshmallow root can also help calm a cough - look for teas containing these herbs and sip throughout the day. For example, a tea called Organic Throat Coat combines several herbs.
CONSTIPATION
High fiber foods: Eat plenty of fruits, veggies, whole grains and beans. Sprinkle some ground flaxseed on cereal or in smoothies. Also, drink plenty of room-temperature water.
Triphala: Herbal supplement from the Ayurvedic tradition that can get things moving. Take supplement as noted on bottle.
ALLERGY
Quercetin: This flavonoid compound, found in apples and onions, can also help fight allergy symptoms. It's preventive, though, so allow 6-8 weeks to build it up in your system. Typical dose: 400 mg twice a day between meals.
Stinging nettle: In tincture, teas or freeze-dried capsules. Consume half teaspoon of tincture three times a day, a month before allergy season. Drink 2-3 cups of nettle tea, or follow directions on capsule bottle.
MORE FROM BODY + SOUL MAGAZINE
Here's the lowdown on how to treat five common ailments with natural approaches.
Pain Relief
For mild headaches, consider Tiger Balm, says Andrew Weil, M.D., author of the upcoming "Why Our Health Matters." This Chinese ointment contains menthol, which creates a warm, tingling feeling that eases pain when rubbed into your neck or temples.
Massaging a few drops of lavender essential oil onto your temples may also help for headaches triggered by stress, says herbalist Deb Soule, author of "A Woman's Book of Herbs." Indeed, past research has shown that lavender can promote relaxation. Or try plant remedies with a long history of traditional use and supporting scientific evidence: "Willow bark and meadowsweet both have anti-inflammatory properties that may help relieve headaches," Soule explains.
Take 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of tincture as needed at the first sign of symptoms. For arthritis pain, turn to turmeric, boswellia, or fish oil, which all show promise in recent research; talk to a health-care practitioner about the best form and dosage.
Cold Cures
Take a dropperful of echinacea tincture in water four times a day at the first sign of symptoms, until they subside. Some studies have shown it can shorten colds, though results are mixed. Soule has found that elderberry syrup, which research suggests can fight flu, may also ease symptoms of a common cold. Take according to directions until a few days after symptoms have disappeared.
Diet matters, too; eat plenty of raw or lightly cooked garlic, which contains antiviral compounds, and add thyme to soups or salad dressings. You also might try a neti pot, an Aladdin's lamp-shaped vessel that you fill with warm salt water and use to irrigate congested nasal passages.
For more turn to page 2.
- 1
- 2
- Next Page »
Popular Now in CBS News
- Teen's Facebook Sex Scam
- The Best Pregnancy Tests
- Cyberbullying Continued After Teen's Death
- Eight Delicious Foods That Help Fight Belly Fat
- Which Yogurts Are Healthiest?
- How Long Foods Stay Fresh In Fridge
- Perks of Five-Hour Energy Put to Test
- "Designer Babies" Ethical?
- Could Protein Shakes Harm Your Health?
- Five Hidden Dangers of Facebook
- Ten Healthiest Fast Food Chains
- Best Low-Tech Cell Phones Suitable for Seniors
- Best Sleep Positions To Rid Aches, Pains
- Can Exercise Make You Gain Weight?
- How to Stop a Cold Before It Takes Hold
- Electronic Cigarettes: Are They Safe?
- Countertop Makeover In A Paint Can
Latest CBS News Headlines
on Facebook
on CBS News
- Packers raise prices between $3 and $5 per ticket
- With Lin's emergence, Knicks games added in Asia
- Early Glance: Specialty Retail companies
- Early Glance: Telecom companies
on Facebook
- Tenn. father charged with murdering couple who"unfriended" daughter on Facebook
- Adele opens up about vocal cord surgery
on CBS News
