That's Fit

I've been considering taking the supplement Bromelain for the swelling that's settled in my lower tummy region -- a temporary side effect of my recent tummy tuck surgery. Bromelain, made right from the pineapple -- maybe I should just down a bunch of the actual fruit -- is known for aiding in the digestion of protein. It's also believed to have anti-inflammatory properties, which is why I bought a small bottle of pills at the health food store the other day. The pills cost me $10. I took one.

I've never been a fan of supplements. Desperation, I guess, is what motivated my purchase, which clearly was a waste of money. Because I don't plan on swallowing any more pills. Here's why.

• How will I know if the remedy really works? In good time, my swelling will subside, says my surgeon. If I'm taking Bromelain at the same time as my tummy deflates, what will I credit for the result: nature or the supplement? This is how people get roped into supplements, says my oncologist. They have success and attribute it to the supplement when it may have been nothing more than good old fashioned healing.
  
  

• Bromelain has not been scientifically tested for use with inflammation. It's not even its primary function. Nope, digestion is its number one task and that hasn't been tested either. I have no idea what this stuff will do to my body. I took a bunch of echinacea at one point in my life for the common cold. An eventual skin reaction made me realize that while maybe my cold symptoms got better, a skin condition was not a great trade-off.
  
  

Science does support a few natural fixes for what might ail you -- see gallery below. But Bromelain is not one of them, which makes it so not for me. If you think it might be for you, you ought to consult this article before popping any pills.

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.

If your wrists tend to hurt, it may be for one of several reasons. Leaving out arthritis and other conditions that require specialized medical treatment, wrist pain is frequently attributable to weakness in the forearm muscles and wrist joints themselves. To help remedy this discomfort, regularly perform an exercise known as wrist curls.

Start by sitting on a bench or any stable surface and hold a barbell in your hands (two dumbbells would also work) with your palms facing the ceiling. Place your elbows on your thighs, which should be spread just about shoulder-width apart, and allow your hands to hang freely as they hold the bar. Next, curl up your wrists and hold at the top of the movement for one to two seconds before slowly lowering the weight. That completes one full repetition. Shoot for at least 12 reps, using a weight you can manage comfortably.

If you're unsure as to whether or not you should perform wrist curls to help ease your wrist pain, it may be wise to first check with your physician and/or specialist.

Need help sleeping? Mother Nature may be all you need, say the Ladies Home Journal folks. Try these recommended remedies.

• Soak up the sunshine, preferably between 6:00 and 8:00 AM. Sunlight has a potent effect on your body's internal clock and this can help reset your sleep cycles. The goal: Stay awake all day; sleep all night. Letting the sun in will help you land success.

• Dim the lights, preferably between 7:00 and 8:00 PM. This will help prime your body for sleep. Do dine by candlelight. Don't use your computer at night -- the glare will stimulate your brain instead of calming it.

• Exercise in the evening. Some studies say exercising close to bedtime will leave you wired. But a new one says three workouts a week between 5:00 and 7:00 PM can help improve sleep. Perhaps exercise during these hours creates a pleasant tiredness. Maybe it helps us unwind after hectic days. Regardless, it seems to work.

• Cover your clock. Or at least move it away from your bed. The more you look at your clock during sleepless nights, the more anxiety you'll feel about not sleeping.

• Perfume your pillow. Call it aroma-sleep-therapy. Some fragrances can lead you into slumber. Try lavender or myrrh -- just put a few drops of the oils on a handkerchief and tuck in your pillowcase.

• Relax in the tub. Warm water can ease your body into sound sleep. It relaxes tired muscles and triggers a shift in body temperature -- a cue it's time to doze off.

When it comes to home remedies and old wives tales warts seem to have more than their fair share of crazy cures. And although most folk remedy ideas (like rubbing a penny on the wart to make it disappear) don't have real results there's one bizarre sounding one that often does: duct tape. Duct tape doesn't appear to be a total wart cure-all for everybody (there are cases pointing both ways on its effectiveness) but enough people have seen enough positive results (80% in one study) that it might be worth a try.

So what's the trick? Simply put a piece of duct tape over your wart and leave it there for 6 days (if it falls off replace it with a new piece). After the 6 days soak the wart until it's soft and file it down with an emery board. Repeat the 6 day cycle as many times as you need to until the wart is gone.

Whether you're fit or not, everyone gets muscle aches from time to time. But instead of running to you doctor every time you feel a twinge of pain, Everyday Health advises you to try this plan of action to treat it first:

• Right after the injury, apply ice frequently for the next three days
• After these three days, apply heat to the area
• Ease pain with a gentle over-the-counter pain killer
• Gently massage the muscle and stretch it.
  
• Once it feels like its healing, start doing some gentle exercises like walking, swimming and yoga

If you still have pain, consult your doctor.

How do you treat minor injuries?

Straight white teeth: a universal sign of beauty and good health. And thankfully both can be come by fairly easily if you aren't lucky enough to have them naturally, or if you've ruined them somehow in the process of living (smokers!). Of course you'll have to see your dentist to straighten out crooked teeth, and although you can go there for whitening too there are fairly effective ways to do it yourself at home. From cheap to expensive there quite a few options out there, like whitening toothpaste, whitening strips, and whitening gels -- and then of course the professional options available in the spa or dental office. What works for you? eDiets gives their opinions here, share yours in the comments!

Ah the hangover. Nature and your body's way of telling you you've gone way overboard. Unfortunately for some of us, it's a lesson we just can't seem to learn. I spent 8 hours driving home from a long weekend getaway yesterday and every one of my friends and I were feeling pretty rough in the car. I'm not naming names, but some had to pull over for a speedy emergency roadside pit-stop (I will say that it wasn't me!).

If you've known the pain of too much drinking and want help for similar situations in the future, or are currently suffering and need aid now, take a look at this article on natural remedies for the dreaded hangover. Sleep and gentle exercise are two easy suggestions, but if that won't cut it the piece also suggests trying B vitamins (B6 and B12) as they help flush out your overworked liver. For a few more ideas, you can see the article here. Of course, the best plan is moderation (but we all know that sometimes even the best of intentions can be ruined by a party that turns into a runaway).

Have you got any great hangover cures that you swear by?

Here's some good news in the wake of the frustrating stuff we just heard about Vitamin C: Echinacea does help prevent and limit colds. Over the years it seems the data has gone both ways, with people saying first it was great for colds and then later saying it was worthless. But now, as the result of researchers reviewing over 700 separate studies from years past they've determined that yes, echinacea does indeed have a substantial effect on preventing colds and limiting their duration (once they've already been caught).

Of course there are still those out there who argue against this current research's methods and flaws, but since echinacea is a fairly safe supplement to take anyway I'm going to be positive and assume the best!

Well it seems the old standby Vitamin C isn't all it's cracked up to be when it comes to curing the sniffles and misery caused by the common cold. A 60 year study concluded recently in Australia (that's one long study) that found taking high doses of Vitamin C on a daily basis only slightly reduces the risk of getting a cold in the first place (8% for adults and 13.8% for kids) and doesn't shorten the length of colds at all once they've been caught. So is it worth it to take a big Vitamin C pill every single day just to average 11 days of illness a year instead of 12? That extra day of wellness is pretty special (I hate colds!) but I also hate taking pills -- decisions decisions!

Ugh, summertime is the worst for me when it comes to taking care of my hair. In theory, winter should be rougher because of the dry air, but the constant indoors/outdoors of summer activities combined with sun exposure and humidity makes it practically impossible to figure out a good haircare routine and get through the season without some kind of hair damage or issue to deal with. Common summer hair problems include sun scorching, for which leave in conditioners or hair SPF products are best. Another mistake people often make is having chemical texturizing treatments done in summer, which when combined with chlorine and sun damage can leave you with locks like wheat sticks! Sadly, often the only remedy for this is a haircut and lesson learned.

We all have skin issues, and we all spend a lot of money and use a lot of chemicals trying to get rid of them. Summertime is especially hard on the skin with sunburns and bug bites on top of year round issues like breakouts and eczema, leaving your medicine cabinet full of tubes and ointments for everything you can think of. But did you know you might be able to do away with many of them just by heading to the kitchen when you need something? By combining simple ingredients you might already have you can not only treat issues like cold sores and blisters successfully, but in an all natural way.

Read this article for home remedy ideas you probably would have never thought of on your own, like using apple-cider vinegar on a sunburn or taking digestive enzyme pills to help heal eczema.

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?

I was buying glucosamine tablets for my dog to cut down on arthritis inflammation. Then saw some in the drug store for people and thought I would give them a try for the pain in my joints from arthritis. I did not notice much change for either of us. Then I read an article today that glucosamine trials show little benefit against arthritis. The results of 15 trials of over the counter glucosamine vary so widely that industry bias may be a factor influencing the more positive outcomes, concludes a team writing in the July issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.

Click here to read the MSN health news article and you be the judge.

Native Americans have used cayenne pepper as both food and medicine for at least 9,000 years. It has also been used as a topical remedy for arthritis and muscle pain. So I think I will pull one of my favorite spices out of the cabinet and give it a try to remedy the knee joint pain the natural way. The University of Maryland Medical Center has an article on the healing powers of cayenne pepper. Click here to read their report.

1 out of every 5 people suffer from arthritis in some form, and that number is so high (it works out to 46 million Americans) in part because the term "arthritis" technically includes any number of diseases and conditions that cause pain, swelling, and inflammation of joints and other body parts. When it comes to reducing your arthritis symptoms treating the inflammation is key, as that's what really causes much of the discomfort and swelling. As many as half of Americans have given up on trying to beat the pain and have resigned themselves to living with it miserably, but there are things you can do to minimize symptoms that have good results for most people:

• Exercise and lose weight. Less weight equals less stress on joints.
• Adjust your diet to include plenty of veggies, fruits, and whole grains. Limit sugar, fat, and salt.
• Get enough rest. Joints will be at their best when you've got a good daily balance between rest and exercise.
• Be wary of medications. While some can be very helpful, others only mask symptoms and don't attack the true root of the problem, the inflammation.
• Try taking some natural anti-inflammatory supplements, after speaking with your doctor of course.