10 science-supported alternative remedies

by Jacki Donaldson (Subscribe to Jacki Donaldson's posts)
May 18th 2008 8:00AM

Categories: Diet & Weight Loss, Celebs & Entertainment, Alternative & Green Health

I'm skeptical of supplements, alternative remedies, herbal fixes, and the like. I'm holding back, in fact, on purchasing something called Bromelain, a mixture of enzymes found in the juice and stems of pineapples. Bromelain is believed to help with the digestion of protein and believed to help combat inflammation. But does it really? Will it perhaps help reduce the swelling of my post-tummy-tuck belly? I'm not sure. Science isn't sure either.

Science is sure about these 10 natural cures, according to this St. Petersburg Times newspaper article.

Tea tree oil for dandruff

Acupuncture for migraines

Yoga for insomnia

St. John's Wort for depression

Echinacea for the common cold

Aloe vera for sunburn

Chiropractic treatment for back pain

Peppermint for indigestion

Glucosamine and chondroitin for joint pain

Chasteberry for premenstrual syndrome

Take a tour of the following gallery for the lowdown on these tried-and-true treatments. And don't forget to consult your physician before embarking on any medical journey.

10 natural remedies(click thumbnails to view gallery)

Source

Comments (2)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Judy 5-18-2008 @ 11:56AM

When I was pregnant with my first son (second child) I had such unbelievable heartburn the entire time that I was miserable constantly. I tried everything - antacids, cutting certain foods (spicy foods, chocolate) out of my diet, eating tiny meals at a time, not drinking water with meals - but nothing helped. Seriously, drinking water gave me pain. Finally, I started sucking on peppermints, and as long as I had a peppermint IN MY MOUTH the pain went away. I went through bags of peppermints. I'm surprised I didn't rot out my teeth. And the old wive's tale about lots of heartburn meaning a hairy baby? FULL head of dark hair - he looked like Suri Cruise.

I am glad to see natural remedies getting some serious consideration. I hate the idea of turning to a pill before trying something more natural and with fewer potential negatives. (Not that there are no negatives because it's natural.)

gary 5-19-2008 @ 2:30PM

I too have been wary about the intake of too many prescriptions. I have been using medications to cure every little bit of infection that I acquire and sometimes even those that don't need antibiotics to begin with. Guess that the best way to fight infections is to keep the immune system strong. Certainly, constant use of medications can somehow impair the body's immune defenses so that when a condition is not life-threatening, it would be good to use herbal preparations or the standardized ones as alternative. A related reading below

http://www.herbalsupplementshealth.com/2008/03/the-integrative.html