How to Achieve Natural Headache Relief

June 26th, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Health Research

We all get headaches from time to time. If you are lucky, a headache rarely happens to you. Others are not so lucky and have headaches on a regular basis. We all know how difficult it can be to get through the day with a headache that you just can’t shake.

There are a lot of medications for headaches at your local drug or discount store including aspirin and NSAID drugs. People who have migraines and other serious headache issues often require prescription medication. The problem is that using medication to treat headaches regularly can be hazardous to your overall health.

You can get natural headache relief and avoid these medications. Here are some suggestions:

  • White Willow Bark - White willow bark is what aspirin is made of. In its natural form, it helps relieve your headache but is less likely to cause stomach upset. You should not combine white willow bark with aspirin or NSAID medications. You can get white willow bark at a health food store near you.
  • Apples - Eating an apple every day has always been said to keep the doctor away and it may keep headaches away as well. For best results, eat a whole apple when your stomach is empty once a day.
  • Lemon - You can use lemons in a variety of ways for headache relief. You can make lemon tea with lemon juice and regular tea. You can also make a lemon paste from the skin and put that on your forehead. If you are overheated and have a headache as a result, try pressing lemon peels to your forehead.
  • Sandlewood - When crushed and made into a paste, sandlewood applied to the forehead can help relieve headache pain.
  • Cayenne Pepper - The capsaicin in cayenne pepper is known for its ability to increase the size of blood vessels, which helps relieve headache pain. Cayenne pepper is available in capsules or in the spice form. You can add a tiny amount of the spice to water or tea and drink for headache relief.
  • Rosemary - Rosemary also helps increase the size of blood vessels to relieve pain. Rosemary tea made by mixing fresh rosemary with boiling water and steeping is good for headache relief. Other ways to use rosemary are to inhale the boiled rosemary water steam or to use rosemary oil on your forehead.
  • Cinnamon - Headaches caused by exposure to cold can be cured with cinnamon paste applied to the forehead.
  • Eucalyptus - This herb is said to help tension headaches. Eucalyptus oil applied to the forehead will help relieve headache pain. You can keep a piece of cloth with eucalyptus oil on it with you and inhale that when you feel a headache coming on.
  • Ginger - Ginger helps relieve swelling, upset stomach and migraine headaches. There are many forms you can use including whole ginger, ginger capsules and ginger tea.

No one wants to have a headache but if you get one, there are many ways to relieve the pain. Often you can get more relief from natural headache relief than from medication. Consider an herbal remedy next time you get a headache.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Home Remedies to Treat Your Sore Throat

February 1st, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Family Health

Sore throats can be a symptom of many different illnesses including the common cold, the flu or a more serious infection requiring antibiotic treatment. Usually, though, sore throats get better on their own when you start feeling better.

Even if your sore throat is nothing serious, it can still be unpleasant. It is hard to do anything, even eat or talk, when you have a sore throat. All you want to do is get under the covers and stay there until you are better.

The next time you have a sore throat, try any of the following home remedies below. It might just help you with sore throat pain.

Gargling with warm saltwater is great for relieving pain and minimizing the phlegm in your throat. It also can reduce your chances of getting an infection. Gargling with a warm saltwater mixture of 1/4 c. salt to 1/2 c. warm water will help ease your sore throat.

Gargling with an antiseptic mouthwash (e.g., Listerine) will also help reduce your chances of getting an infection because it will help kill germs.

Have a hot cup of tea. The best teas for a sore throat are honey and lemon tea and herbal teas made from chamomile and sage.

Garlic is known for its ability to strengthen the immune system and fight infection so eating some fresh garlic when you have a sore throat (or if you feel one is coming) may help end your suffering sooner.

Cold foods like ice cream or popsicles will temporarily relieve the pain in your throat.

Running a humidifier especially at night will reduce swelling in your throat and make your voice less hoarse. If you have a sore throat, avoid smoking and being in smoky places because smoking and cigarette smoke will only do nothing but irritate your throat.

Sucking on a lemon can help ease that sore throat. The vitamin C in lemon can fight the germs that are causing your sore throat. Make a mixture to gargle with out of 10 drops of mango bark extract and a full glass of water. Do this several times a day.

Make scallion tea by simmering scallions in hot water and drink the tea a few times a day to ease sore throat pain. We all get sore throats either from being sick or from yelling at a concert or other event. You don’t need store bought remedies for your sore throat when you can treat it with homemade remedies right from your kitchen.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,