An ER Doctor's 5 Fast Home Remedies

photo credit: monkeybusinessimages/thinkstock "What whiskey will not cure, there is no cure for," goes an old proverb. Sore throat? Whiskey and honey. Arthritis acting up? Whiskey and raisins. To some, it's the original multi-tasking remedy. In my own home, I don't raid the bar (well, at least I don't raid the bar for medical treatments) -- but that doesn't mean I don't occasionally turn to my pantry for home remedies. Of course, being a physician, I'm more than a little skeptical of some home remedies -- so here are five that I can truly say are supported by medical evidence... or Grandma. 1. Honey -- Parents everywhere panicked when the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended against cough and cold medications in children under six years of age. Here's an alternative: Try one teaspoon of honey the next time your child has a cough. It's been shown to decrease coughing as effectively as standard over-the-counter cough suppressants. (Caution: Honey should not be given to children under 1 year old due to risk of botulism). While honey hasn't been studied as much in adults, it's a timeworn remedy, so go ahead and try one to two teaspoons the next time you have a cough. 2. Magic Mouthwash (MM) -- We come up with some strange names in medicine. This is one of them. (So are GI Cocktail and GoLYTELY... but those are for another day). MM is great for mouth ulcers, sore throats and other mouth pains. Doctors sometimes prescribe it (usually including lidocaine), but you ca...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news