That's Fit

It's that time of year again. When my son plays outside until the very last minute I'll allow. Then, later, as he's lying in bed he starts to complain of this spot or that spot. Invariably, I don't see anything in the spots he's pointing to. It seems odd because when I get a bug bite I flare up terribly. But flare-up or no flare-up, itchy bug bites drive my son just insane.

I prefer to use home remedies on my son's insect bites more often than not. My old stand-by is mixing baking soda with a bit of warm water and creating a paste. It's soothing and seems to take the sting away quite quickly. I've used it on both mosquito bites and bee stings.

Health911 has some more ideas on home remedies for insect bites. Some of their recommendations include rubbing apple cider vinegar on the skin as an insect repellent, dabbing dissolved Epsom salts on insect bites, using ice packs to reduce swelling, and using a paste of meat tenderizer to reduce the sting of bites.

Parents who are heeding the FDA warnings not to give cold medications or antihistamines to young children may find themselves scrambling for other ways to relieve their child's cough. They may be glad to hear that an old home remedy -- honey -- is getting a closer look as a cough reliever.

New research suggests that a dose of honey at bedtime may soothe nighttime cough as well as over-the-counter cough suppressants. More research needs to be done to find out if this study holds water, but health experts say that the benefit may come from honey's antioxidants and microbe-fighting characteristics.

I've treated sore throats with lemon juice and honey before, as did my mother before me and her mother before her. It'll be interesting to see if science can prove this home remedy really works.

Note: Children under the age of 1 should never be given honey, because it can cause botulism in young children.

For years, I've popped Cold-Eeze zinc drops whenever I get that telltale tickle in the back of my throat that tells me a cold is coming. Sometimes, my cold is mild, and sometimes it's not. I couldn't really tell you if zinc works or not based on my own very unscientific observations, but I always felt like it was doing something.

That something may have been a placebo effect...or maybe not. A recent exhaustive review of studies involving zinc vs. the common cold produced mixed results. At best, zinc gluconate lozenges may have a moderate effect on a cold bug, but zinc acetate lozenges were deemed worthless.

I ran out of Cold-Eeze before my last virus and it was really, really bad. Was it because I didn't have my zinc? Or would it have been a bad cold anyway? The jury continues to be out on zinc. What do you think?

Cold sores are painful and ugly, and if you get one you can't get rid of it fast enough. There are all kinds of over-the-counter and prescription treatment options, but if you're interested in more natural remedies there are several worth trying -- many of which you probably already have around the house.

Aloe, zinc oxide ointment, lemon-balm ointment, Super Lysine Plus, and sage & rhubarb cream have all been shown to speed healing, relieve pain, or both. Any of these work for you?

If you've got kids, this is the time of year for more bumps and bruises than you can count. When Owen konks himself playing outside in this beautiful early summer weather, we reach for the homeopathic remedy arnica or the Hyland's Bumps and Bruises Ointment (as long as there is no broken skin.

It works like a charm and my little guy heals quickly, but Dr. Mercola has some ideas for healing bruises naturally that I have never thought of.

Some are making salves and poultices from common herbs, others use vegetables or other kitchen staples as healers. I can't say I know many people who have put raw onion on a bruise, but stranger things have worked, I'm sure.

What do you use for speedy bruise healing?

Headaches happen for a number of reasons -- stress, hormones, even unusually high levels of anxiety. As anyone who suffers from migraines can attest, they make it incredibly difficult to get through even the most basic daily tasks. While you could take any number of drugs to reduce the pain (and no one would judge you), here's a few natural solutions that might do the trick:

Get a massage. Full body massage and aromatherapy can calm your nerves, and rubbing the base of your skull and behind your ears will immediately reduce the tension in those areas.

Exercise regularly. When you workout, your body produces endorphins, which act as natural painkillers.

Use a hot compress. Placing a hot pack on the back of your neck will reduce will reduce tension in a part of the body known to trigger migraines.

Take a break from caffeine. This is tricky, because caffeine can both cause, and help headaches. If you don't want to cut it out completely, try switching to a healthy source, like green tea.

For even more suggestions, check out Sabah Karimi's article on Associated Content.

With herbs becoming more and more mainstream, it stands to reason that more people will use them. That's good, right? Well, yes and no.

On the one hand, I think it is a huge step for anyone to seek and try an alternative remedy before choosing drugs or surgery. I love that my generation is beginning to question doctors, listen to their bodies and to try and do what works best for themselves. Here's to self-empowerment!

However, self-empowerment also comes with great responsibility. The reason many doctors aren't more herb-savvy or don't recommend many alternative treatments may be because they simply don't know enough to do so. Perhaps they haven't been trained in alternative remedies, and maybe the studies they read aren't geared toward natural healing. So when it is up to us (or of course your local and preferred natural practitioner) to decide what herb to take to help ourselves, we really need to know what we are doing.

Surgery without anesthesia? You'd be hard-pressed to convince me to try it, that's for sure! But this article does a great job of outlining other natural remedies for every day aches and pains. Including:

• Treating heartburn with gum: The saliva created will wash those pesky acids back into your stomach where they belong. Save your teeth and chew sugar-free.
• Using music to reduce body aches: Use earphones or ear buds to block out environmental sounds. The type of music isn't important, so pop in or download your favorites.
• Getting hypnotized for just about anything! This deep relaxation technique also appears to help those with asthma and irritable bowel disorder.
• Treating menstrual cramps with fish oil: Take 1800 mg per day for relief.

I'm intrigued...has anyone ever used hypnotism to relieve pain? Do you have another natural remedy that works? Fill me in!

Many women are now turning away from hormone replacement therapy to treat their symptoms of menopause, but did you know there are alternative therapies that may relieve certain symptoms? I don't know about you, but a trip down the supplement aisle at the health food or grocery store can leave my head spinning, and if you are unsure about what a product does, you may be unlikely to use it (or use it incorrectly).

If this sounds like you, then look no farther than Cleveland Clinic, who has done much of the work for you. In this article, they outline different places you can look for relief. The first is botanicals that are high in phytoestrogens, like Black Cohash, which is recommended by the North American Menopause Society. The article recommends getting plenty of calcium and omega-3s to prevent bone loss and heart disease. Finally, they provide a list of foods (such as tofu and miso soup) that are high in isoflavones, which may lower cholesterol and reduce hot flashes.

Because natural does not always equal safe, you must be a knowledgeable consumer. High quantities of soy, for instance, should not be eaten by women with a history of estrogen-dependent breast cancer. Other botanicals and supplements should only be used in moderation and for the use they were intended. Look out for alternative therapies that claim to "cure" you or who have a "secret formula."

Read the article, then come back and tell me if you've had any luck with the suggestions there, or share some other ideas for women at this stage of life.