Simple Natural Remedies

Apple Cider Vinegar Remedies

Apple cider vinegar remedies have been used for many years to help with all kinds of problems that people may have. In fact, its use has even been extended to cover pets.

Apple cider vinegar is a 100% natural product. Traditionally it was made by fermenting apples to produce cider, then letting the cider ferment again into vinegar. Vinegar is produced using what is called a ‘vinegar mother’, which is a live, natural substance.

Most modern vinegars are produced using other methods often involving chemicals. Even if vinegar mother is used, the resulting vinegar is normally pasteurized before bottling, which kills the live substance. In order to benefit from apple cider vinegar remedies, it is crucial to always be sure to buy a brand of ACV that is live and includes the mother. Usually these brands will be 100% organic. You can find live apple cider vinegar in health food stores or online.

Apple Cider Vinegar And Weight Loss

People who use ACV to help with weight loss take 1-3 teaspoons before each meal. You can mix it with water or even add a little raw honey.

The link with weight loss is not entirely clear but it may help to increase the metabolism, reduce water retention or suppress appetite. However, it may be more likely that vinegar’s part in the process of smoothing out blood sugar spikes after meals is what helps the metabolism, resulting in weight loss.

If you want fast weight loss, it is important to understand that you must also make some changes in your diet and include some exercise in your day. ACV alone will not result in quick weight loss.

Apple Cider Vinegar And Diabetes

Research at Arizona State University found that taking around 4 teaspoons of ACV in water before a high carbohydrate meal would slow down the rise in blood sugar after the meal. This was tested in people with type 2 diabetes and prediabetes (insulin resistance).

Apple Cider Vinegar Remedies For Warts

Many people on the internet have testified how ACV has helped them to get rid of warts when nothing else seemed to work. All you need to do for this completely natural remedy is to soak a little cotton ball in ACV each evening, press it onto the wart and apply a band-aid to hold it in place. You can leave it on all night and even for 24 hours if you want, but do change it the next evening.

Warts should initially swell, then begin to turn black. Within about 10 days the wart should be gone. Older warts may be stubborn and take longer.

The only downside to this is that it can be painful when the vinegar is applied, at least in the first few days. You can take an ordinary painkiller for this. However, the skin around the wart is not affected as much as with other wart remedies. Some people have no pain at all.

Apple Cider Vinegar Remedies For Acid Reflux

Acid reflux or heartburn is another problem that causes much discomfort to a very large number of people but can be easily treated with ACV in many cases. Simply take 2-3 teaspoons in a glass of water when you have symptoms, or for prevention, take the ACV in water right before a meal.

Remember, you must use the unpasteurized vinegar with mother, not regular commercial vinegar even if it is made from apples. Apple cider vinegar remedies like these have made life easier and happier for many people.

Effective Home Remedy For Cold Sore Cold sores can be a nightmare, but here you will find examples of an effective remedy for cold sore outbreaks (also known as fever blisters). Cold sores can often be prevented, and they can be healed if they still occur.

What Is A Cold Sore?

A cold sore or fever blister appears around the outside of the mouth in people who have contracted the herpes simplex virus. This is related to but not exactly the same as the virus that causes genital herpes. There is currently no cure for the virus. If you have it, you will have it for the rest of your life, unless medical research comes up with a cure in the future. It is highly contagious and you should not kiss anybody, share toothbrushes or pass somebody a cup that you have drunk from if you have a cold sore.

The first sign of a cold sore is usually a tingling, itching or burning sensation. Once formed, the sore is painful and unsightly. It may weep a clear liquid. After a few days a scab will form and it will slowly heal. Cold sores should not be confused with impetigo which forms between the nose and lips and contains a cloudy, honey-colored liquid, rather than clear. Cause A cold sore will usually appear when your immune system is low. That’s why they are associated with colds and fevers.

 They are more likely during any type of illness, including chronic conditions and cancer, or if you are run down, or have a poor diet. A cold sore may also occur at other times, especially after exposure to the sun, during menstruation or when you are stressed. Sometimes it is hard to pinpoint the reason.

 Healing The Sore

One of the best remedies for cold sores is gel from the aloe vera plant. You can buy this, or even better, keep aloe vera plants and simply take a leaf when you need it. Break the leaf open and rub the gel onto the sore. If you use aloe gel as soon as you feel the tingling sensation, you may be able to stop the cold sore from appearing. If not, keep using the gel. It can keep the sore small and help it to heal fast, often without forming a full blister. If the blister still forms, you can pop it so that it will drain and begin to heal. Use a tissue to absorb the liquid, and always wash your hands after touching the sore.

Zinc is also an effective treatment. Apply zinc cream to the sore to help it to heal more quickly. It can also help if you change your toothbrush as soon as you feel the first tingling signs of an approaching cold sore. Change it again after the blister pops, and again when the sore is gone. Native Americans used a herb called Chapparal to treat viruses and cold sores. There is now a commercial product called Larreastat based on this herb which can be taken as capsules or used as a spray. The spray is very good for relieving the pain of a cold sore.

Prevention Diet is often a factor in cold sore outbreaks. Sufferers are often low in zinc, calcium or vitamin B. The balance of these vitamins and minerals is important, so before going ahead with supplementation you may want to take a test to check which supplements you need. Eat a little natural live yogurt every day. Be sure to buy yogurt that is marked live or bioactive. This contains acidophilus which appears to be very effective in stimulating the immune system and preventing cold sores. Foods high in arginine should be reduced or eliminated from the diet where possible. This includes chocolate, nuts, seeds, peas, wheat and other grains. If you are vegan, or cannot reduce these foods for other reasons, you can take a L-lysine supplement to counterbalance the arginine as a short term measure. Amino acids should not be taken for long periods, or if you are pregnant. When exposed to the sun, use sun protection factor 15 or higher all over and around your lips.

Consult a qualified health practitioner before using any home remedy for cold sore outbreaks, to check that it is suitable for you.

 

To find an effective acne home remedy you may first need to consider what is the cause of the acne since there are several types of acne.

Hormonal Acne

Most acne begins in adolescence, when the sexual organs develop and sex hormones begin to be produced in greater numbers. It is very often hormone related.

Girls and women suffering from hormone-related acne are likely to get many more pimples around their menstruation time. Try the herbal remedy Agnus Castus (good for other menstrual problems too) with Echinacea, which is a herb used to treat all types of acne and many other skin conditions.

Diet-Related Acne

Most acne also appears to be related to diet. Research has shown that while over 80% of American teenagers will develop acne, it is almost unknown in undeveloped countries. However, if a developing country starts to adopt a Western diet with a high intake of dairy products, processed foods, white bread, sugar, saturated fats, etc, acne quickly appears in that society.

It is hard to know how much of the damage is done during childhood, but eating plenty of raw fruits and vegetables and cutting down on sugar and fatty foods is recommended for all acne sufferers.

Rosacea

Rosacea is an inherited skin condition common among Caucasians with celtic roots (Irish, Scottish etc). The skin flushes red easily and as the person grows older, small red thread veins will appear on the face. A certain type of acne is often associated with this skin type.

Try to avoid anything that tends to make the skin flush (red wine and other alcohol, hot spicy food, extremes of heat and cold, etc). Treat pimples with care and do not use strong commercial acne preparations which are very drying or acidic. These could permanently damage your very sensitive skin.

Home Remedies For All Acne Types

Aloe Vera gel can be very effective in healing pimples. Aloe Vera is a common indoor plant, easy to find and to grow. Break open a leaf of the plant and rub the gel onto the pimples.

Tea Tree is an antiseptic often included in natural acne remedies. It can be found in creams and lotions, or you can buy it as an essential oil. The oil should be diluted before use. Use Tea Tree on pimples and at the same time, use Echinacea internally as a tea or in supplement form, for maximum acne control.

Supplements

Consider supplementing vitamin C for antioxidants, vitamin E to promote fast healing and reduce scarring, and zinc to boost the body’s immune system, if needed.

Note: zinc supplements should not be taken in excess. Take a simple zinc taste test to check that you are deficient before supplementing, or choose food sources of zinc instead, such as red meat, peanuts and legumes (peas and beans).

Consult with your doctor before using any acne home remedy, to check that it is suitable for you.