Alternative Remedies, alternative health options

As you know, this is something that has always been of interest to me.

I know that a lot of alterrnative remedy advice is a load of unproven nonsense designed to sell a silly book or to get consumers to spend £££ on rubbish.

However, there are many alternative therapies that, at the very least, can make a difference or, at best, can work wonders.

I just wanted to start a thread for items of interest.

Drinking eight teas a day 'cuts blood pressure and heart disease'

New research.

Article here, Telegraph, 27/01/12.

Three cups of tea a day ‘protects against heart problems and diabetes’

Drinking just three cups of tea a day may protect against heart attacks and type 2 diabetes, claim researchers.

A review shows regular drinking of black tea, with or without milk, can reduce the risk of heart problems by cutting levels of bad cholesterol and blood sugar.

Experts say the benefits of tea are largely due to the flavonoid content – antioxidant ingredients that counteract cardiovascular disease ...

Full article, Mail Online, 18/02/12.



This really is not new info. There is little doubt that tea is beneficial.

The reason I'm posting this is that the comments made by the Mail Online readers are amusing (find them below the article).

Ancient rainforest remedy could replace anaesthetics to cure toothache

An uncommon red and yellow plant from the Amazonian rainforest could help alleviate dental pain more effectively than existing drugs and treatments, researchers say.

The ancient herbal remedy is so potent that it might even replace uncomfortable anaesthetic injections for certain procedures and provide a natural remedy for teething babies, the Daily Mail reported.

Cambridge University anthropologist Dr Francoise Barbira Freedman came across the budded plant more than 30 years ago when residing with a mysterious Peruvian tribe known for practising shamanism.

During her tour, she suffered severe pain in her wisdom teeth. She was given the medication by the tribe’s medicine men and the ache ‘went away immediately’ ...

Full article, Daily News, 23/03/12.

I think a lot of modern medicine came originally from old fashoined remedies, eg aspirin came from willow bark and digoxin from fox gloves, but I don't have much time for other forms of complementary medicine, apart from acupuncture and acupressure.

How garlic can prevent a dicky tummy: Ingredient '100 times more powerful at fighting food poisoning than antibiotics'

A garlic ingredient is 100 times more powerful than two popular antibiotics at fighting one of the leading causes of food poisoning, say scientists.

The compound, diallyl sulphide, is able to pierce a protective 'biofilm' employed by the food bug that makes it hard to destroy.

Tests showed diallyl sulphide was as effective as 100 times bigger doses of the antibiotics erythromycin and ciprofloxacin.

It was also able to work in a fraction of the time taken by the drugs.
The discovery is said to open the door to new treatments for raw and processed meats, and food preparation surfaces ...

Full article, Mail Online, 01/05/12.

Found this interesting. Garlic ... the super food.

I wonder if maybe the smell would be rather, er, intense though?

I think the smell would be very intense but it may be a price worth paying, especially if it works quickly.

Have a cherry good night's sleep: The natural remedies that can beat insomnia without the side effects of medicines


Britain has become a nation of sleeping-pill-poppers. Stress-related insomnia has been blamed for a sharp increase in the number of people prescribed powerful drugs to help them sleep, with 15.3million prescriptions handed out for sleeping pills last year, costing the NHS almost £50 million ...

Alternative suggestions made here, Mail, 16/06/12.



I love the idea of the cherry juice.

PS - an evening banana also helps as do a few pretzels.

Yes the Cherry juice sounds good ..

Echinacea 'can prevent colds'

Echinacea can prevent colds, particularly in people who are especially prone to them, according to the largest ever clinical study of the herbal medicine.

Tests on 750 patients found that taking three daily doses of the common remedy for four months reduced the number of colds and duration of the illness by an average of 26 per cent.

The treatment also cut the number of recurrent colds suffered by people with weak immune systems or a history of catching several bouts each year by 60 per cent.

Several previous studies, including an overview of evidence by the highly respected Cochrane Library, had suggested that Echinacea could soothe symptoms and cut colds short, but there was only limited evidence it could prevent the illness from ever taking hold ...

Full article, Telegraph, 09/10/12.



I've tried this before. Will give it another go.

Eddy, I'm sure I read somewhere that Echinacea can be harmful in certain circumstances..... A lot of these alternative "cures" can mix very badly with prescribed medicine.

I'm going to ask my chemist whether or not it's compatible with the cocktail of prescription medicines that I take.

Flu jab tomorrow.

Good luck eddy!!

Nature's medicine chest: peppermint

With its distinctive scent, this fragrant herb has been used to sweeten breath for generations. But making an infusion of the fresh leaves can do much more for your health. The menthol they contain is thought to ease upset stomachs and irritable bowels, while gently massaging diluted peppermint oil into the temples brings a sense of calm as you inhale its fresh and invigorating aroma.

All About You.



So true. I've been using fresh mint and peppermint oil, as described above, since I was a boy. A tip from one of my grandmothers.

Mint tea is also good for the relief of tension headaches and for lifting your spirits when feeling a little down.