Joan Juliet Buck | 06/18/2009 1:30 pm

One Dozen Home Remedies, by Joan Juliet Buck

From fat to fatigue, here are the remedies for what ails you.

In response to: Cucumbers on your eyes, oatmeal in your bath … What old-fashioned beauty rituals do you still follow?

I only use old-fashioned remedies.
Witch hazel as a skin tonic.
Cucumber slices on the eyes. The astringent effect tightens the skin.
A few drops of essential oil of lavender in the evening bathwater to get very, very sleepy.
A few drops of Rosemary essence in the morning bath has the same effect as five cans of Red Bull.
(Or something called Early to Rise, which is less radical.)
Vicks Vapo Rub on the chest and feet when I have a cold. Or Tiger Balm, even better.
A good stiff skin brush all over the body just before or during a bath. (Hurts more before, when the bursh is dry.)
Egg yolks as a mask on the hair. Disgusting but potent.
A very, very cold rinse after each shampoo. Best done in a salon, because I mean cold. Good for the hair shaft.
Tea: Camomile to sleep, mint for an upset stomach, maté to wake up, Earl Grey or Lapsang Souchoung to keep going all day without coffee nerves, green tea for extra stamina.
When in doubt, steamed zucchini for dinner.
When fat, Bieler Broth for a few days.
At all times, 85% chocolate, food of the Aztec Gods.

Read more about: Beauty, Chocolate, Coffee, Hairstyles, Health, Home Remedies, Red Bull, Tea

28 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Ok, I’m not sure about specific treatments for IBS - what does your doctor say? My sister-in-law recommends two holistic health practitioners, a Dr. Susan Lark, and a Dr. Julian Whitaker. They both have websites, and supposedly, you can look up different ailments on their websites, and there will be recommendations for herbal remedies for anything. She then writes down which herbs are recommended, and which amounts, etc., and then goes to the health food store and buys and tries the products. Both of these doctors also sell their own formulations - which can also be convenient.

By Anne Senk on 06/19/2009 11:11 am

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Thank you Anne for the names, I’ll look them up, The docs say there’s nothing more they can do to help me, that the meds are what they are and to avoid all stress, like that’s going to happen, and to watch what I eat. Sometimes I feel like a litte kid who can’t eat what the big folks eat, lol, I appreciate the names, that’s what I was looking for, alternates to meds, they make me dizy, and dry mouth like you wouldn’t believe, so then you up the water intake and then your running to the little girls room all day, can’t win for losing, thanks again :)

By Deniseann Taylor on 06/19/2009 12:27 pm

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Deniseann,

Here is a link to an online support forum comprised of people with IBD [ulcerative colitis, etc.]. There’s often comfort in exchanging info and problems with people who are further along.

http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/index.php?showforum=24

I’d like to caution you against introducing any foods or herbs or whatever without your Gastroenterologist’s permission. [And notice I said GI-doc, not an internist.] You have undergone a number of surgeries and very, very few of the herbs and supplements are FDA checked or approved. As such, many doctors have found that some of them cause problems during surgeries. I know I’m anticipating too much, but you need to be informed.

I’m always cautious about recommending research of medical information on the internet. However, if you google the specific terms of the things you need answers to, and ONLY SELECT references from medical schools or physicians, then you should be ok. References from such major medical org’s dealing with IBD should also be ok.

By Andrea Brandon on 06/19/2009 1:16 pm

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Amdrea. thank you for your help and concern, I appreciate the information and will go to the website and see what’s up there. It’s because of the illness’s and surgeries that I have IBS, my body just couldn’t deal with anymore stress and over the yrs has gotten so bad that I’ve extremely limited as to what I can eat. Thank you again. :)

By Deniseann Taylor on 06/19/2009 5:15 pm

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Perhaps it’s too much to ask, but does the VA have a nutritionist on staff?

http://www.webmd.com/ibs/guide/controlling-irritable-bowel-syndrome-with-diet

You’ve been through a lot, but in spite of that, it’s really important to handle stress well. There are plenty of excellent books in the library about stress management. YOur local librarian will be happy to help.

By Andrea Brandon on 06/19/2009 6:03 pm

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Look in to Garden of Life

Primal Defense®
HSO Probiotic Formula

Fabulous stuff, you can read about it at GardenOfLife.com, you can get it at a discount at iherb.com

By Eileen Duke on 06/19/2009 11:19 pm

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so sorry denise… i have heard aloe vera juice helps.. yes acidophilus and yogurt…look in to slippery elm also. good luck hun

By Lucy Baty on 06/21/2009 12:50 am

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Hi, Deniseann, I have had similar problems. Fiber didn’t work for me. Try Viactiv (yogurt) — you’ll notice the difference for the better after a few days. When I got tired of eating yogurt every day, I switched to the health food supplement Acai. The problem seems to have disappeared. Good luck to you!

By Linda Champa on 06/22/2009 11:41 am

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Joan thanks for all of the great advice. I forgot about many of these and I think I am going to try them. When I am in doubt it is steamed asparagus for dinner - it cleanses the digestive tract and prevents the big c of the colon.

By Frannie Em on 06/18/2009 10:46 pm

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Omie, I’ve had IBS for 26 years, it came on when I was pregnant and had uterin cancer. I’ve been told by doctors at Bethisda, NIH, and three different VA hospitals, that i have the worse case they’ve ever seen, there is no lining in my intestine anymore

I’ve had colon cancer twice, and when I’m stressed I get so sick that I can’t get off the pot, because it’s a non stop journey.

I know that most of the food I grew up on I can no longer eat because it upsets the bowl. I don’t drink any kind of booze, but I do drink three to four glass’s of water a day.

Its either nonstop on the pot, or so constipated It hurts like hell.

I drink miralax every nite (doesn’t seem to help), have Milk of Magnesua on hand at all times.

I take Bental for the cramps, and Atropine to stop the runs. I can’t use any of those things you see on TV to purge your bowl, it just makes me sicker.

I’m look for a non drug way to get normal. The doctors are at a standstill, they’ve sent me to Duke Hospital in Durham NC. I’ve had colonospies, swolled a camera so they could see what’s happening in there.

I’m very limited to what can and can’t eat. My stomach gets so bloated at times I look about six month pregnant.

When I’m stressed it makes the IBS ten times worse. I have to lay out where bathrooms are when going on a trip, and I never eat out anymore because It’s just too hard and embarassing to up and leave the table and not to come back for 20 or 30 minutes. But my kids are use to this because I’ve had it all their lives.

By Deniseann Taylor on 06/19/2009 4:26 am

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Thanks, Joan Juliet and others. I’ve got some good ones from you to try now.

I, too, swear by essential oils in the bath and the wonderful, smelly Tiger Balm. (A good friend of mine says the Tiger Balm smell works as an aphrodisiac on her husband too, so there’s also that!) And staying on the Chinese tip, also try Zheng Gu Shui for joint pains or minor sprains and injuries. It’s a Chinese topical liquid and it boggles the mind how well it works. If you don’t have a Chinese shop or Chinese apothecary nearby, you can also buy it online.

Finally, one for dogs that I’ve found effective. If your dog gets itchy hot spots in the summer, put into a spray bottle equal amounts of water, baby oil, and original flavor Listerine mouthwash. Shake it up and spray onto the hot spots, being sure to avoid Fido’s eyes. Massage in or don’t, as you like.

By Beth S on 06/21/2009 2:55 am