Feel tired A piece of peppermint or cinnamon could cheer you up. A study from Wheeling Jesuit University found that chewing any of the flavored gums increased participants’ attention by 30 percent. This is just one example of a simple, all-natural health solution that doesn’t require a prescription or a lot of money. Check out our full list of 10 simple remedies that might surprise you – and of course we included duct tape and Listerine. Find out why.
Adhesive tape for removing warts
Photo: Kathleen Conklin / Flickr
Tape removes warts better than liquid nitrogen, according to a study in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.If youIf you have a wart, cut off a piece of tape that is slightly larger than the wart and apply it to the area that has been cleaned. Every few days, remove the tape and exfoliate the wart with a pumice stone or nail file. Repeat until the wart is gone.
Scientists aren’t sure why tape is so effective, but they do suggest that a chemical in the tape may be causing it. It could also be that duct tape is irritating the area and stimulating the body’s immune system to attack the wart.
Bite a pencil for headache relief
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When you’re stressed, you often clench your teeth, which puts strain on the muscle that connects the jaw to the temples and can trigger tension headaches. By placing a pencil between your teeth – but not biting hard – you relax your muscles, which will ease the pain.
However, this remedy only applies to tension headaches and does not relieve pain caused by other types of headache.
Listerine to dry out blisters
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Mouthwash like Listerine is a powerful antiseptic. There is a lot of talk by home food lovers about how this simple mouthwash can easily dry out blisters. Try dabbing Listerine on blisters with cotton balls three times a day until they heal.
If it doesn’t work, at least smell fresh mint.
Oatmeal for eczema relief
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If you suffer from eczema or just have dry, irritated skin, try an oatmeal bath. Add two to three cups of colloidal or finely ground oatmeal to warm water and let it soak for 15 minutes. The oatmeal reduces inflammation and is said to have an antihistamine effect.
You can also make the oatmeal into a paste and apply it to your skin if it’s extremely dry or irritated, says the National Eczema Association.
Olives against motion sickness
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Motion sickness is associated with increased salivation. In this way, the body protects the teeth from stomach acid when vomiting.If youOlives contain tannins that dry out the mouth. So if you eat a few of these, you can get rid of the excess saliva. Treating this symptom can reduce nausea and keep the body from vomiting.
The key is to eat the olives as soon as the first waves of motion sickness hit.
Sugar against hiccups
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It seems that a spoonful of sugar does more than just make the medicine sink. Taking a teaspoon will eliminate hiccups by stimulating the vagus nerve, causing the body to forget about the hiccups. The vagus nerve is a cranial nerve that transmits sensory information about the organs to the brain.If youWhen it is distracted by something else – like swallowing sugar – it tells the brain that something more important than hiccups has occurred, so the diaphragmatic cramps stop.
VapoRub against nail fungus
diane555 / iStockphoto.
While there is no scientific evidence that Vick’s VapoRub kills nail fungus, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that the treatment can be effective. Some people believe that it is the menthol that kills fungi, while others think that it could be the choking effects of the balm. To treat nail fungus, simply smear VapoRub over the affected area twice a day until, hopefully, it is gone.
Vegetable oil for dry nails
Photo: Cottonseed Oil / Flickr
If you have dry, brittle nails, consider a solution in your pantry. Apply vegetable oil to your hands and cover them with plastic gloves overnight. That should work for a deeply moisturizing treatment.
Some home remedy fans also recommend soaking your hands in warm olive oil for 15 to 30 minutes to moisturize your nails. Massage olive oil into your nails and cuticles daily to keep them from going extinct
Vodka for foot odor
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Alcohol is an antiseptic that can destroy odor-causing bacteria and fungi and dry out the moisture that allows these organisms to thrive. Simply dip a washcloth in the liquid and wipe your feet at the end of the day. It should dry odorless, promises Business Insider, so no one should know that you’re stealing medicines from the liquor cabinet.
Of course, rubbing alcohol works just as well if you’d rather save that vodka for a martini.
Yogurt against bad breath
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Bad breath can appear in several places, but one of the most common sources is the stomach. Eating yogurt and other foods that contain probiotics can neutralize acidity and help add smell.
Recent studies say the active bacteria in yogurt, particularly Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus, may have beneficial effects on odor-causing bacteria in the mouth.
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Dean R. Focht et al. “The Effectiveness of Cryotherapy Tape in Treating Verruca Vulgaris (the Common Wart).” Archives for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, vol. 156, no.10, Oct. 2002, pp. 971-74., Doi: 10.1001 / archpedi.156.10.971
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Lackner, James R. “Motion Sickness: More Than Nausea and Vomiting.” Experimental Brain Research, vol. 232, no. 8, Aug. 2014, pp. 2493-510., Doi: 10.1007 / s00221-014-4008-8
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“Right or Wrong: Some Hiccup Remedies Actually Work.” Winchester Hospital.
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