6 Amazing Health Hacks That Actually Work
[Photo: Lynne Hand via Flickr]
Everyone has a few home remedies they swear by, the hot toddy when you’ve got a cold, or an ice-cold, flat coke for a hangover, for instance. And occassionally, nature’s medicines are just what you need. We’ve had a look at the home remedies backed by actual science to help you back to health with stuff around the house.
Press a used chamomile teabag on a sore
Chamomile is a natural anti-inflammatory, and there has been a good deal of research done into its health benefits. A 2009 study by scientists in Ohio found that chamomile had the same anti-inflammatory effects on the body as non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs.
Angry-looking red spot? Or perhaps a new piercing that’s a bit swollen? Try applying a chamomile teabag and leaving it for a few minutes. The anti-inflammatory properties of the chamomile should help reduce swelling and redness.
[Photo: Rebecca Anne via Flickr]
… Or give a little chamomile tea to your baby with colic
A double blind, placebo controlled study showed that chamomile tea improved the symptoms of babies aged 2-8 weeks with colic. The babies were given 150ml of chamomile tea mixed with other anti-inflammatory herbs like liquorice and fennel, up to three times a day for a week.
The colic symptoms were reduced in 57% of the babies who’d had the tea, but in only 26% of the babies who’d had the placebo (a sugar water). Another similar study showed chamomile tea and apple pectin improved the symptoms of diarrhoea in babies.
Use milk to get rid of blackheads
You know the story of Cleopatra bathing in ass’s milk to keep her complexion glowing? That’s basically the earliest example of an alpha-hydroxy acid skin treatment. AHAs are used in skincare all the time now, as chemical exfoliators that help to dissolve dead skin cells and debris, stimulate cell turnover and leave you looking brighter.
Lactic acid, which you’ll find in milk, is one of the more gentle skincare acids – it’s great for acne-prone skins to help get rid of the debris and bacteria that can cause breakouts without being too aggressive. Try applying milk to your nose, or other areas where you get stubborn blackheads, every day or two to see how the lactic acid can help get rid of the dirt and leave you looking fresh.
[Photo: Carol Mitchell via Flickr]
Turmeric for your PMS
Well actually it’s a compound of turmeric called curcumin that’s been found to help ease behavioural and mood symptoms of PMS. A placebo-controlled study done last year asked 70 women to record their mood, physical symptoms and behavioural characteristics before and during their monthly period, and score them based on severity over three months.
Half the women took a 100mg curcumin supplement every 12 hours for a week before their period and for three days into it; the other half took a placebo. The behavioural, physical and mood scores of the women taking the curcumin all decreased by more than half.
There was a slight decrease in the physical scores of the control group, but no change in their mood or behavioural scores, so the research suggests that curcumin can help reduce the unwanted symptoms of PMS. Curcumin supplements can be bought online, or try making a tea with fresh turmeric root.
[Photo: Artizone via Flickr]
Ginger for travel sickness
Ginger is pretty great for an upset stomach in general. Like chamomile, it’s also a natural anti-inflammatory and is thought to work in a similar way to ibuprofen or aspirin.
Extracts of ginger called gingerols and shogoals are the power players when it comes to treating an upset stomach; they help to relax the intestinal tract, which relieves the symptoms of stomach problems. A 1982 study published in medical journal The Lancet found that ginger was “very effective” at treating motion sickness, more effective in fact than dimenhydrinate (also know as Dramamine), and also recommended it for pregnant women suffering with morning sickness.
Pick up some fresh ginger root at any supermarket, and drop a few slices in hot water for a simple, stomach-settling tea.
[Photo: Mario Tama for Getty Images]
Feeling anxious? Try St John’s Wort
St John’s Wort has been used as a traditional medicine for generations, and there has been a lot of research into its effectiveness as an anti-depressant. A 2008 review of the studies into St John’s Wort said that it was “similarly effective as standard antidepressants”.
Mental health charity Mind recommends taking it for mild anxiety and depression, saying, “In addition to hypericin and hyperforin, the plant contains many other substances that may contribute to its antidepressant activity in ways that are not yet understood.”
There are reports that it could interfere with the contraceptive pill and some other medications, so do consult your doctor if you plan to start taking it regularly.
Do you have any killer health hacks? Tweet us @YahooStyleUK
Why Hangovers In Your 20s Are So Much Worse Than In Your 30s
