7 Home Remedies That Actually Work

Olives for Motion Sickness

Nobody is naysaying the wonders of modern medicine—what would we do without a medication like penicillin to treat infections? But, as it turns out, everyday items have secret curing powers, too. Already popped two aspirin but can’t get rid of the headache? A pencil could do the trick. Below, get medical explanations behind a few bizarre—albeit brilliant—MacGyver-esque home remedies. 

According to the National Library of Medicine, there are a number of symptoms that present themselves as a result of motion sickness, including increased salivation, which is the body’s way of protecting the teeth from the high doses of acid accompanied by vomit. Enter olives, which contain tannins that, when released in the mouth, work to dry saliva—first eliminating the symptom and then the body’s instinct to follow suit. However, the treatment is only effective during the early stages of nausea, when the salivation changes first appear.

Vapor Rub to Cure Nail Fungus

While there are no studies to prove coating infected toenails with vapor rub once or twice a day is an effective treatment for nail fungus, a basic Internet search results in a number of personal testaments to the medicinal fungus-killing powers. "I've heard many patients say that vapor rub does help, but I’m not exactly sure why," Dr. Blum admits. While some argue it's the menthol in the balm that kills the fungus and others say it's the smothering effect of the thick gel, if used consistently, vapor rub has been shown to get rid of not just the fungus, but the infected toenail, too, which will turn black and eventually fall off. When the new nail grows in, it should be fungus-free.

Oatmeal to Soothe Eczema

"This is absolutely true, as oats have anti-inflammatory properties," Dr. Blum says. Whether it's used as a paste or poured into a bath, most experts recommend choosing colloidal (finely ground) oatmeal and soaking the affected area for at least 15 minutes. In addition to reducing inflammation, oats are thought to have an antihistamine effect, Dr. Blum says. By lowering levels of histamine, which triggers inflammation as part of the immune system’s recovery response, she explains, oats prevent or reduce the redness.

Yogurt to Cure Bad Breath

Bad breath comes from a number of places, the two most common being the mouth and the stomach. The neutralizing powers of yogurt and other probiotics treat the latter cause. "Yogurt shouldn’t have any effect at all on the bacteria that live on the tongue because it's not there long enough," says Robert Meltzer, MD, a New York City–based gastroenterologist and attending physician at Lenox Hill Hospital. However, it likely has a neutralizing effect on the acid that resides anywhere between the mouth and the stomach, including the back of the throat and the esophagus, he explains. "I think almost any milk product or food that contains live cultures would have the same effect." While yogurt can get rid of bad breath that results from gastrological conditions, like acid reflux, it won't have any real effect on bad breath that is the product of gum, liver or lung disease, says Ohio-based dentist Matthew Messina, DDS.

A Spoonful of Sugar to Cure Hiccups

In 1971, Edgar Engelman, MD, conducted a study to find out if a spoonful of sugar really is an effective cure for hiccups. He assembled a group of 20 patients who had been experiencing intractable hiccups for more than six hours, eight of whom had had them anywhere from a full day to six weeks. Each of the test subjects was given one teaspoon of white granulated sugar to swallow dry, and for 19 of the 20 hiccup patients, the cure was immediate. André Dubois, MD, a gastroenterologist in Bethesda, Maryland, noted in The Doctors Book of Home Remedies that "the sugar is probably acting in the mouth to modify the nervous impulses that would otherwise tell the muscles in the diaphragm to contract spasmodically.

Bite a Pencil to Cure a Headache

While doctors aren't sure why we do it, clenching our teeth is a common side effect of stress. According to Fred Sheftell, MD, director of the New England Center for Headache in Stamford, Connecticut, when we clench up, we strain the muscle that connects the jaw to the temples, which can trigger a tension headache. By placing a pencil between our teeth—but not biting down—we relax our jaw muscles, which eradicates tension and reduces pain. Just remember, the remedy really only applies to tension headaches—not migraines or headaches caused by sinus pressure, etc.

Gargle Salt Water for a Sore Throat

When you were a kid and had a sore throat, your mom likely made you gargle warm water with salt in it...and she was definitely on to something. According to Douglas Hoffman MD, PhD, author of the website The Medical Consumer's Advocate, a sore throat is an inflammatory response of the infected tissues, and the salt helps draw out the excess fluid to temporarily decrease swelling and the pain it causes. Most remedies call for a ratio of 1 tablespoon salt to 8 ounces of water, but it's always better to opt for more salt rather than less. Just keep in mind that you are treating the symptoms—not the illness. As Dr. Hoffman notes on his website: "The relief is very real, but also tends to be short-lived, since the gargle has done nothing to remove the cause of the sore throat."

Home Remedies for Hair Troubles

Everybody has some or the other hair troubles with their hair. Nobody can have totally trouble free hair. Some suffer from hair fall, some suffer from dandruff, some have the problem of lice or some have split ends, many of us have the premature graying problem.

Even if the hair look perfectly fine and healthy in appearance, they have some or the other problem with them. If taken some precaution and care one can prevent and get rid of these hair trouble easily. But if the problem is hereditary and genetic and is serious enough to tackle then one should seek medical help. As in the case of baldness, if it's hereditary then one needs to take medical help and treatment to prevent the problem.

There are certain other causes too for hair trouble as lack of cleanliness, lack of hygiene, ignorance, vitamin deficiency or carelessness.

Many people keep on trying wrong hair care products on their hair without any expert's advice and they spoil their hair in ignorance. Excessive usage of chemicals on hair too damages them in a long run. They are good only for occasional usage.

Common hair troubles and solutions-certain hair troubles are very common and are found in every other person as hair fall and dandruff. Here are some easy remedies for the common hair troubles.

Dandruff-dandruff is one of the main common hair troubles, which gives itching on the scalp and causes falling of hair. Dry dandruff when falls on clothes gives acne and pimples on face and back. It requires proper cleanliness of the head. One should apply medicated shampoo, which is specifically meant for the dandruff in the hair.

Scalp massage with warm hair oil especially coconut oil and menthol in it, or olive oil, relieves the dandruff problem because it improves the blood circulation on the scalp. Massage helps to grow the hair and give them life and shine. One should give massage at least twice a day in a week. Oil should be put in the scalp and hair in the night; leave it overnight and next day shampoo the hair.

If one wants to set the oil deep, one should wrap a hot towel soaked and squeezed in hot water on the head. Leave it on your head for at least 20 minutes. This way steam will penetrate your scalp and oil will enter deep into the roots of the hair. It will make the hair soft, supple, reduces dandruff and stops hair fall. Someone who has dandruff in the hair should not share his comb, hairbrush and towel with others otherwise others will get affected with the dandruff problem because it spreads this way.

One can take zinc supplement too because deficiency too causes dandruff in the hair.

Hair fall-deficiency of certain vitamins as zinc, calcium, vitamin E and iron causes major hair fall. You should eat healthy food; include fruits and green vegetables in your diet. Take dairy products as milk and curd to nourish your hair. You can take iron and zinc supplement too to reduce the hair fall. Keep on massaging your hair to improve the blood circulation. Do not tie hair too tied and never comb or brush them when they are wet because the roots of the hair are the weakest when the hairs are wet.

If the problem is very severe then seek medical help.

Split Ends-one of the main causes of split ends is not getting the hair cut at the right time. If you keep getting hair cut every month, the split end problem will be hardly there. Usually deficiency of minerals too gives split ends in the hair. Drink lots of water and fluids in a day to hydrate the body, skin and hair. A professional expert will give you a good hair cut by chopping those split ends. Once in a week while massaging the hair, soak those split ends of the hair in hot oil for few minutes, it reduces the spilt ends to some extent.

Lice-the problem of lice persist in those hair which are not cleaned properly. Lice and nits (their eggs) are blood-sucking insects, which develop in head and hair if dirty hands are out on the head. Lice spread from one head to another and cause extreme bad itching on the scalp, which looks awkward when you are out somewhere, or working. You cant even sleep properly if have lice in the hair.

So first thing keep the head and scalp regularly keen. Use the shampoo and oil following the instructions on them, which are meant for the lice in the hair. They are easily available at any chemist or general store. The lice problem is severe with kids as they put their dirty hands in hair and get this problem. Then they keep spreading lice to their other friends in school or their siblings get it at home. Be hygiene conscious. Give regularly hair wash to the kids with the shampoo for lice killing. Keep that kids towel, hairbrush and comb separate and wash them with medicated antiseptic solution alternate day.

Herbal Home Remedies for Hair Care

There are a variety of products available in the market for hair care. One can choose number of things to make one's hair look beautiful. Today even herbal products are very popular among people, which are not chemical based like most of the hairs care products available in the market. We usually search for everything outside home but we have a whole lot of variety available in our own home and kitchen to give a better care for our hair.

We can make them and use them to improve the quality, texture and color of our hair. Which are very cost effective and have no side affects. Here are a few receipts to make good hair care product at home with most of the ingredients available in our kitchen.

• Take coconut oil and boil bitter curry leaves in it for few minutes. When the oil gets cool strain the leaves from the oil, mix olive oil half amount of coconut oil to it. Keep this mixture in a bottle and use it to massage on your hair and scalp. Its very useful to those who get lice in their hair and those who get boils and itching on their scalp too get rid of that when apply this oil.
• Take coconut oil; mix mustard oil to it, which should be one fourth of the coconut oil. Add 2-3 menthol pieces to it and one lime's juice. This mixture helps to get rid of dandruff and makes the hair shiny.
• Take henna leaves and boil them in coconut oil. When it cools, strain the leaves from the oil and apply it on hair and scalp. This oil gives color to the hair.
• Mixture made from amla, reetha and shikakai too is very help to make hair silky smooth and prevent the hair fall. One can use this mixture to wash the hair or can use it as a hair pack.
• For dull hair boiled tealeaves water is useful. It adds shine to the hair.
• One can make a hair pack by taking henna powder, adding limejuice and curd to it. Leave it on hair for at least 30 minutes and wash it. It's a very good conditioner to the hair and gives them a nice color.
• Some good conditioning tips are, heat two tea spoonful butter in microwave, when it melts add a spoonful olive oil to it and message it on hair. Leave it on hair for at least 30 minutes and then wash it off using your shampoo. It will make your strands extremely silky.
• Soak fenugreek seeds in mustard oil overnight and then boil them in the same oil in the morning. Strain the seeds from the oil and fill it in a bottle. Using this oil helps prevent hair fall and premature graying of the hair.
• Rubbing lemon peel from the juicy side on the scalp is a very known and useful remedy for hair suffering from dandruff.
• Take 2-egg yolk and beat them. Add a spoon of henna to it and a spoon of curd. Apply this mixture on hair for at least 45 minutes and then wash it off with shampoo as it leaves smell on your hair. This hair pack can be used one a month and is extremely useful for most of the hair problems as dandruff, hair fall and premature graying of the hair.
• Just beaten eggs too can be applied on dry hair to make them smooth and silky.
• To give volume and life to dull, lifeless hair, apply two-spoonful vinegar on hair and scalp and wash it off after 15 minutes.
• Boil fenugreek and henna leaves in water. When it gets cool, add half lemon juice to it. After washing your hair, pour this water mixture on hair and get smooth and shiny hair for the day.
• Dried amla and used lemon peels boiled in coconut oil and then strained can be used for hair massage. It stops hair fall and helps hair to grow.
• Soak fenugreek leaves, henna leaves and bitter curry leaves overnight in little water or oil. Then boil them. Squeeze them and strain in a bottle. It can be applied directly on hair and scalp or can be added in any oil of your choice. It helps hair to tackle most of their problems and one who suffers from hair lice, gets rid of them if apply this oil frequently on hair.
• One can make oil the same way only with bitter curry leaves to get rid of the hair lice.

So there are plenty of home made variety available in our own kitchen to pamper our hair, to protect them, prevent them for further damage and make them look more beautiful.

Home Made Make Up Removers for Skin Care

Our home has an entire range of beauty products, which are extremely good and beneficial for the skin. They have no side effects and save lots of your time. They can be made easily at home with whatever is available in your kitchen. So make them, apply and use them and save your money.

• Take a tablespoonful of raw milk in a bowl; add a small pinch of turmeric powder and a few drops of lemon juice to it. Apply this mixture on the face and neck from the area where you want to remove the make up. Use a cotton ball for application. Leave it on the skin for few minutes and then wash the face with lukewarm water. It will cleanse your pores and remove the dirt and make up from the skin. The agents in turmeric and lemon also reduce the blemishes from the skin.
• Apply plain curd on your face; leave it on for few minutes and then rinse off. Curd has bleaching agents, which cleanses the skin and clears the complexion.
• Rub milk cream on the skin and then wash the face with Luke warm water. If your skin is oily then take a pinch of milk cream and add a few drops of lemon juice to it. It is very good to remove the dirt and make up.
• Take two spoonful of wheat flour and add raw milk to it. Make a thick paste and rub it on the skin on reverse direction as a scrubber. This paste makes the skin smooth and glowing. Makes it clean and clear by removing all the dirt from it. You can apply this mixture before going to a party or function as skin really glows after using it.
• If the skin is tanned and oily then you can apply honey on it by adding one spoonful of rose water into it. It removes the tan and cleanses the skin. This mixture is quite useful for oily skin.
• Wiping the skin with baby oil removes the make up traces, dirt and dust and has no side effects on the skin.
• Take two spoonful of gram flour; add few drops of lemon juice and a spoonful of curd to it. Make a paste and apply it on the skin. When half dried, remove it from the skin in adverse direction. It removes the make up traces, dirt and small facial hair from the skin.
• Mixture of olive oil and baby oil is good in removing eye make up.
• You can dip a cotton ball in the raw milk and wipe the face with it. It cleanses the facial dirt, dust and make up.
• Rubbing lemon peel on the oily skin is a very good cleaning procedure. It removes the grease and oil from the skin and makes it look fresh.
• Splashing or applying coconut water on the skin is a good way of cleaning.
• Rubbing oatmeal paste on the skin removes dead skin and dirt from it.
• Take a spoonful of tomato juice and add few drops of lemon juice to it. Apply this solution on the skin with a cotton ball and leave it on the skin for 5-10 minutes. It cleans the skin, enhances the complexion and reduces the size of open pores. If your skin pores are really large, you can use this solution daily on your skin. Tomato juice has bleaching agents in it so it clears the color of the skin and highlights the facial hair.
• Potato juice can be applied on the skin the same way as tomato juice. It reduces the blemishes and dark circles from the skin and removes the dirt from it.
• Cucumber juice can be taken on a cotton ball and applied on the skin to remove the dirt andmake up. You can add a few drops of baby oil in it for better results.
• Whenever you make and drink orange juice at home, apply a little of it on your skin to clean the complexion.
• Same way you can apply papaya pulp or watermelon on the skin to hydrate it and make it look clean, clear and supple.
  

All these things and methods are tested and are very old remedies for a healthy glowing and clean complexion. You can use them to enhance your skin's texture, complexion and elasticity. They can be used even just like that to improve the skin. It's not essential that you use them just to clean the make up. They have no side effects and can be used on all skin types. People with oily skin should avoid milk cream application. 

For oily skin its better to wash the skin with lukewarm water than cold water as it cleans the oil and grease from the skin. Cold water can be used after washing the face to block the pores so that they secrete less oil on the skin which make sit look grease and produces pimples.

Home Made Scrubbers and Creams for Healthy Skin

Home made creams and scrubs are easy to make and apply. They have lesser side effects on the skin and are very cost effective. You can make them anytime as per your convenience. Our kitchens are full of so many things, which can be applied to improve the skin texture and complexion. One can make the homemade creams and lotions keeping in mind the skin type.

• Milk cream can be taken out from the milk, which appears on the milk as a layer. You can separate it from the milk, whip it in a bowl and keep it in the refrigerator. You can apply this cream on your entire body before taking bath. It's extremely good for a dry skin and has no side effects.
• Add camphor in coconut oil and you can use this oil to massage on your body in winters. It even heals the itching on the skin caused by dryness.
• A mixture of glycerin and lemon oil is very good for dry skin if applied regularly in winters.
• Honey and milk powder mixture is very good to remove blemishes and tan from the skin. You can make a paste of milk powder and honey, fill it in a small glass bottle and keep it in the fridge for further usage. It is very beneficial in reducing dark circles if applied on them.
• Take almond oil, olive oil and tea tree oil in equal proportion. You can apply it on all over your skin. It reduces the dryness of the skin, makes it smooth and supple and adds glow to it. You can even add some vitamin E oil in it. This combination can be applied even on the nails to enhance them.
  

Home made Scrubbers-certain homemade scrubbers are very useful for a healthy problem free skin. Regular use of the homemade scrubbers can do wonders to a lifeless skin.

• Take two spoonful of gram flour oil; add a spoonful of curd to it, a pinch of turmeric powder and a few drops of lemon oil. Make a thick paste and apply it on the face and neck. You can even apply it on all over your body. Scrub it off when dry. It removes the dead skin cells, black heads and dryness from the skin. It clears the skin complexion and makes the skin tone even.
• Soak rice in the mil overnight. Grind them in the morning and make a paste. Use this scrubber on your face like any other readymade scrubber. You can make and keep this mixture in your refrigerator for few days.
• Dry orange and lemon peels in the sun. Make a powder of it. Now add some milk or rose water to this powder and apply it on the face. You can leave it on the face for ten minutes and scrub it off when half dried. It tones the skin, rejuvenates the skin and improves the complexion a lot where others can make out the difference in your skin.
• Soak 4 almonds in the night for overnight. Peel them in the morning and make a paste. Add some honey to this paste and apply it on your skin. Leave it for few minutes and then scrub it off. It does drastic difference to your skin. It enhances the skin complexion and is extremely helpful for dry skin.
• Mixture of sandalwood powder, calamine powder and rose water is very good for oily skin. Make a paste of it and apply on the skin. Wash it off when dries. It reduces oiliness from the skin and reduces the fine lines.
• Take wheat flour or gram flour, add the juice of a tomato to it, add some milk to it and apply on the skin. Remove it from the skin in adverse direction when half dried. It tones the skin as tomato has toning agents in it. Skin becomes clean and smooth.
• If your skin is problematic and is prone to acne and pimples then grind neem leaves and mix them in either sandalwood powder or calamine powder. Apply it on your skin and scrub it off when half dry. It helps in reducing blemishes and pimples from the skin.
• Make a paste of banana and papaya and rub it on the face. Apply it on the skin and remove when half dried.
• Gram flour power, sandalwood powder and calamine powders are the base for any home made scrubber or face pack. You can add cucumber juice, tomato juice, potato juice or orange juice in any of these bases to make a paste. They all have different agents to improve the skin. Scrubbing them off from the skin in reverse direction removes the dull, black skin and black heads.
  

So find out the stuff in the kitchen and use these beauty secrets to enhance your beauty and skin.