Home Remedies for Embarrassing Ailments
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Some topics seem too personal to discuss with a stranger -- even if the stranger happens to be wearing a
white coat and stethoscope.
Many of us suffer from embarrasing health problems because we don't get the information to resolve them.
Good news: Many problems can be managed easily with simple home care.
FOOT ODOR
Blame it on heat and moisture. Feet are loaded with sweat glands, which are especially active when you
wear shoes all day. It's an ideal environment for odor-causing bacteria and yeast.
Quick fixes: Change socks twice a day. This will keep your feet dry, making them less hospitable to germs.
Also let shoes air out for at least 24 hours between wearings. If you can't wait that long, dry the insides with a
hair dryer.
Helpful: Rub your feet with a pumice stone twice a week to remove dead skin, which absorbs moisture and
provides a favorable environment for germs. This is easiest to do in the shower. Pumice stones are sold in
drugstores.
BELCHING
In some cultures, it is polite to belch. In the US, of course, it is a major faux pas. You can't eliminate belches
entirely. They are essential for eventing excess gas from the digestive tract. Those who belch a lot, however,
may be swallowing too much air -- called aerophagia.
Quick fixes...
Give up chewing gum. It is one of the main reasons we swallow air.
Avoid carbonated beverages.
Don't drink anything with a straw, which mixes a lot of air in with the liquid.
Also: People tent to gulp air when they're under stress. I've found that once they realize that they're doing it, it's
easier for them to stop.
Caution: Sudden excessive, belching may be due to a gastroesophageal reflux disease or an ulcer. These
require medication or surgery in severe cases.
HEMORRHOIDS
These distended blood vessels in and/or around the rectum can cause severe itching and intense pain.
Quick fixes: Over-the-counter topical remedies containing cortisone, such as Anusol and Preparation H, may
help shrink hemorrhoids. To relieve itching and burning, moisten a washcloth with witch hazel and apply it to
the area twice a day. Also eliminate spicy foods.
Long-term: High-fiber foods help form stools and reduce straining. Eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains
and beans.
Flaxseed powder is a particularly healthful form of fiber. Start with one-quarter teaspoon daily in food or water.
Increase gradually to one teaspoon daily.
Also consider taking 2,000 mg of rutin daily for two weeks. This antioxidant seems to help strengthen blood
vessels, including those in the rectum. It is sold in pharmacies and health food stores.
Cautions: Fiber may increase irritation -- so add it to your diet gradually. And any rectal bleeding should be
checked by a physician.
EARWAX
This waxy, yellowish substance is created during the ear's self-cleaning process. Occassionally it builds up
in the outer ear, causing pain or hearing loss. It can also cause unsightly deposits.
Quick fix: Mix equal amounts of hydrogen peroxide and warm water. Use a dropper to put a few drops of the
mixture in the ear. Hold your head sideways and wait a few minutes. This will help loosen wax and float it out
of the ear canal.
Important: Don't use a cotton swab to clean the ear canal -- the delicate eardrum is easily damaged.
Check for food sensitivities and allergies: People tend to produce more earwax when they eat certain foods
or are exposed to certain allergens. Avoid meat, dairy products and fatty snacks foods for three weeks. That
may be all that is needed to diminish earwax. If this works, you may want to avoid these foods permamently. If
in doubt, keep a food diary.
FLATULENCE
Passing gas is the equivalent of a belch -- except air and gases go in the other direction.
The average adult passess gas eight to 20 times a day. Some people, however, produce excessive
amounts. This occurs when they have trouble digesting certain foods -- particularly beans or dairy products.
Undigested food in the intestine is eaten by bacteria, which then produce excess gas.
Quick fix: Once a day, eat a container of yogurt containing live Lactobacillus acidophilus. These bacteria acid
digestion. Or take acidophilus supplements (follow label instructions). This is helpful for everyone -- even
those without a flatulence problem.
Also helpful: Beano, an over-the-counter enzyme product, breaks down gas-causing carbohydrates in the
intestine.
About 70% of adults don't produce enough lactase, an enzyme needed to digest lactose (a sugar in dairy
foods). You can take lactase supplements or buy dairy foods with added lactase.
Hint: If you've been eating more fiber in order to improve digestion or lower cholesterol, you may have a
temporary increase in gas. To prevent this, increase your fiber intake gradually over several weeks.
DANDRUFF
Those little white specks are simply skin cells that are shedding more quickly than they should.
Quick fix: Apply an antidandruff shampoo at the beginning of your shower. Leave the lather on your hair until
you're almost done. Then rinse it out. Antidandruff shampoo works best when the lather is allowed to soak
into the scalp.
Dietary solutions: Eating too little fatty acids -- the types of fats found in fish -- can cause dandruff. Therefore,
take 3g of fish oil daily... or eat fish four times a week.
OILY SKIN
Those slick spots on the forehead and around the nose are caused by sebum, the oily substance produced
by sebaceous glands in the skin.
Some people have an inherited tendency toward oily skin. Dietary factors may be involved as well.
Quick fixes: Wash your face several times a day with a mild soap. If you have dry patches, use a soap that
includes a moisturizer. Don't use alcohol to remove the oils -- it will make the skin too dry.
Skin reflects what is happening in the body. One of the first things I recommend for mildly oily skin is a
change of diet. Avoid eating fatty foods for two to three weeks... and pare down your diet to the basics -- fish,
raw vegetables, grains, etc.
If your skin becomes less oily, start adding foods back into your diet, just one at a time. This will help you
identify which foods may be contributing to the problem.
