Natural Rx
By Blue Rose on Saturday, 15 of August , 2009 at 1:54 pm
Before raiding your medicine cabinet, look in your kitchen for natural ways to remedy that sour stomach or that skull-pounding headache. The following foods will provide instant relief-no prescription necessary.
Problem stinky breath; quick fix Parsley – all out of mints and gums? No worries. That spring of parsley on the side of your plate works just as well. According to James A. Duke, Ph.D., author of The Green Pharmacy, fresh parsley is rich in the plant pigment chlorophyll – a powerful breath freshener. He recommends chewing parsley after an onion-heavy burrito or a cup of coffee to cure malodorous breath.
Problem motion sickness; quick fix Ginger – don’t let your transpacific flight feel like an afternoon on a roller coaster. Take 500 milligrams of powdered or raw ginger 30 minutes before departure, then another 500 milligrams every 3 to 4 hours, advises Norman Farnsworth, Ph.D., director of the program for Collaborative Research in the Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Farnsworth believes ginger reduces motion sickness because it stimulates receptors in the digestive tract that helps release the soothing hormone serotonin.
Problem your new annual review; quick fix Chocolate – your Cadbury habit is a smart one – literally. Milk chocolate can help boost brain activity. According to a recent study at Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia, 15 minutes after eating about three ounces of chocolate, participants scored higher on a series of verbal and visual memory tests than those who ate none. Scientists believe that the nutrients released during chocolate consumption enhance cognitive performance. Pop a few Hershey’s Kisses before the big meeting and negotiate your way into a corner office.
Problem a hangover; quick fix Fruit Juice – pick up some OJ before cocktail hour. Fruit juice contains a natural form of sugar called fructose. “This helps you burn off the alcohol and get it out of your body faster,” says Merle Diamond, M.D., associate director of the Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago. After an evening on the town, down an 8-to 10-ounce glass of fruit juice before slipping under the sheets “so you’re not so unhappy in the morning,” says Diamond.
Problem Headache; quick fix A Hard Boiled Egg – eating protein can sometimes stop the pounding before it starts – or at least reduce its severity. “It’s important to eat protein, not carbs, because you don’t want to raise your blood sugar too quickly,” Dr. Diamond says. Carbs send your blood sugar soaring, and then crashing, which can trigger headaches. Protein takes longer to digest, so it raises sugar levels slowly. Not an egg fan? Try nuts, string cheese, or a protein bar. Avoid aged cheeses, like Camembert, which have been shown to cause headaches.
Woman’s Health
