Health, Women's Health

10 Home Remedies to Relieve Menstrual Cramps

1. Try Some Yoga Poses to Ease Menstrual Pain

Whether it’s the stretching of your muscles or the relaxing effect of the poses, a regular yoga practice can indeed help your cramps.

2. Curl Up With a Heating Pad to Ease Period Cramps

The uterus is a muscle, so anything that helps relax muscles, like applying heat, can be beneficial.

3. Pop a Safe Painkiller to Cut the Inflammation

Moderate use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medication like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or  naproxen (Aleve) is one of the best ways to curb period pain, Thielen says. This is because NSAIDs reduce the amount of prostaglandins in the body. For this reason, taking a pill just before you get your period can keep the level of pain-causing prostaglandins from rising, she says.

As with any medicine, you should first check with your doctor to be sure NSAIDs are a good choice for you, especially if you have a history of bleeding or stomach or kidney issues.

4. Acupuncture May Help by Relaxing the Nervous System

Acupuncture can help relieve cramps.

5. Some Herbal Tea Varieties Can Calm Cramping

Certain teas may help relieve menstrual cramps.

Research on herbal teas for menstrual pain relief is scarce, but teas have been used by menstruating women in numerous cultures for centuries.

Chamomile and peppermint teas are often recommended for menstrual pain because they are calming to the body. Other teas associated with dysmenorrhea are those made from cramp bark, ginger, or fennel.

6. Up the Magnesium in Your Diet

Dietary magnesium seems to help ease the pain of cramps.

7. Massage With Essential Oils for Pain Relief

Women in both groups reported less pain, but the essential oils group did better. Based on the women’s reports, researchers found that the duration of pain was reduced by almost a half a day after self-massaging with the essential oils.

Some oils thought to be helpful include lavender essential oil, clary sage essential oil, and marjoram essential oil.

Just be sure you’re using essential oils safely. Buy high-quality oils that are tested for purity. The National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy suggests diluting pure essential oils in an unscented cream, lotion, or carrier oil before placing it on your skin to avoid irritation.

8. Boost Those Feel-Good Endorphins With Exercise (or Orgasm)

The body’s natural endorphins are known to boost your mood. But they also have a pain-relieving effect. A well-known way to boost endorphins is aerobic exercise. Having an orgasm is another.

9. Improving Your Diet May Alleviate Period Cramps 

Start by swapping out less healthy fats like the saturated fats found in animal products for healthier ones like unsaturated fats found in olive oil, suggests the American Heart Association. Overall, try to make the fats you eat better quality, such as those found in fish or nuts, the organization suggests.

10. Birth Control Pills May Lessen Painful Cramping, Too

While not exactly a home remedy, birth control pills and hormonal intrauterine devices are potential tools in your anticramping arsenal and should not be overlooked, Thielen says.

Consider cramp relief a benefit to some types of contraception. Many women find relief from painful cramps when they start the pill

Health, Uncategorized

10 At-Home Sore Throat Remedies For Adults

  1. Soup broth – traditional soups might be hard on a sore throat, but a warm (not hot) broth can soothe the throat and go down easy.
  2. Throat lozenges or cough drops – these stimulate saliva production which coats the throat and keeps it moist, easing sore throat pain on contact.
  3. Saltwater gargle – mix one teaspoon of table salt with 8 ounces of warm water. Gargle the mixture for 15 to 30 seconds, then spit it out. Add one half-teaspoon baking soda with the saltwater to kill bacteria as well.
  4. Tea with honey – combine the soothing capabilities of honey with the warmness of tea to ease your throat discomfort. Chamomile tea is preferred – one, for taste, and two, for its astringent and anti-inflammatory properties. Add some lemon juice to your tea for an extra kick of vitamin C.
  5. Ibuprofen or acetaminophen – these over-the-counter medications can reduce throat pain. Ask your doctor about these medications first if you have high blood pressure or any heart condition
  6. Essential oils – certain natural oils, like those of nutmeg, bergamot, and cypress, all contain camphene, which has a cooling, refreshing effect.
  7. Cayenne pepper – Just mix a teaspoon with 8 ounces of water. While it sounds counterintuitive, cayenne peppers are packed with vitamin C and is a natural analgesic (pain reliever) as it coats and soothe your throat (after the initial burn). Along with treating sore throats, it can also help with a stuffy nose, helping to break up the mucous in your nose and throat.
  8. Popsicles – the coldness of a popsicle may temporarily numb the throat.
  9. Throat spray – temporarily numbs the throat
  10. Humidifier – the best way to soothe a sore throat is to keep it moist. Having a humidifier keeps the air from becoming too dry and helps keep your throat and mucous membranes moist.
Health

Twelve Toothache Remedies You Can Try at Home

1. Ice

Applying ice to the area of the painful tooth can help to numb the pain. You can try different versions of this technique. Wrap some ice in a towel and apply it to the affected area. Keep the compress in place for 15 minutes at a time. Also, you could try holding ice water in your mouth for several seconds at a time. Don’t bite the ice, however, as it could break your teeth.

2. Elevate Your Head

Although it may be difficult to get to sleep when you have a toothache, lying down can exacerbate your pain because blood pressure to your head increases when you are in a flat position. When going to sleep, try propping your head up with pillows or sleep upright in a chair, if possible.

3. Over the Counter Medications

Medicines like aspirin and ibuprofen target inflammation and can thereby give you some pain relief. Alternating acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil) can give better pain relief. Certain gels can also be applied directly to your teeth and gums to ease your pain.

4. Salt Water Rinse

Rinsing your mouth with salt water can serve two purposes. The rinsing action can help to dislodge substances stuck between your teeth. And because salt is a natural disinfectant, it can help deal with any infection by reducing inflammation. Mix a ½ teaspoon of salt with warm water and gargle like a mouthwash.

5. Hydrogen Peroxide Rinse

Hydrogen peroxide is also useful for attacking inflammation and bacteria. When using a hydrogen peroxide rinse, mix 1 part three percent hydrogen peroxide with 2 parts water. Do not swallow the solution. Use it as a mouthwash.

6. Tea Bags

You can apply either a cold or warm tea bag to your tooth. If applying a used tea bag, make sure that it has cooled down so that it is not hot but is still warm. If you prefer the cold option, try placing a used tea bag in the freezer for a few minutes, then apply it to your tooth.

Peppermint tea may be especially good for toothaches due to its bacteria-fighting properties. However, tea can stain your teeth, so don’t use this method often.

7. Garlic

In addition to combating bacteria, garlic is also a pain reliever. You can make a paste out of crushed garlic that you can apply to your tooth. You can also chew on a piece of fresh garlic clove or soak a cotton ball in garlic oil and place it on your tooth.

8. Vanilla Extract

Another natural anti-inflammatory, vanilla, can also help to numb the pain caused by a toothache. Try putting a small amount on your finger or a cotton swab and applying it to the affected area a few times a day.

9. Clove

There are several ways you can use this spice to treat your toothache. Since clove is an antiseptic, it is useful for reducing inflammation and pain. You can put clove oil on a cotton ball and apply it to the painful area or place a drop of the oil directly on your tooth. Alternatively, you can also put a drop of clove oil into a glass of water and use it as a mouthwash.

10. Guava Leaves

Guava leaves have anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties that can help to soothe your aching tooth. You can use the leaves to make a tea that you allow to cool and use as a rinse or simply chew on the leaves to get some relief.

11. Wheatgrass

There are many benefits of wheatgrass that make it a useful means of treating your toothache. Like many of the other methods mentioned, it is great for addressing infections caused by bacteria. So, simply get some wheatgrass juice and rinse it in your mouth a few times a day.

12. Thyme

Thyme oil can be used as a rinse or applied directly to your tooth. To rinse, add a drop of oil to a glass of water and use it as a mouthwash. To apply to your tooth, dilute some oil with water, place a few drops on a cotton ball, and put on your tooth.

Health, Skincare

Home remedies for sunburn

  • Cold compresses. Apply a clean, lint-free cold towel or washcloth several times a day for 10-15 minutes.
  • Vinegar. Cider vinegar can promote healing and restore pH balance. To use this, add one cup of cider vinegar to a bath.
  • Essential oils. Peppermint, lavender, chamomile and tea tree oil can all reduce inflammation and cool your skin—but make sure to dilute the essential oils with a “carrier” oil such as almond oil, or add the essential oils to a moisturizer such as aloe vera.
  • Oatmeal. Oatmeal is a natural anti-inflammatory. You can make a paste of oatmeal and cold milk and apply it to your skin, or add oatmeal to a cool bath and soak in it.
  • Coconut oil. This multipurpose oil is rich in natural fats like linoleic and lauric acids, which have moisturizing and antimicrobial properties. It’s best for later in the healing process to keep skin hydrated.
  • Aloe vera. Aloe contains chemicals that have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Make sure you use 100% aloe products to soothe your sunburn.
  • Witch hazel. Witch hazel applied to the skin can provide anti-inflammatory relief.
  • Cucumbers. These cool veggies are a natural antioxidant and analgesic (pain reliever). You can chill cucumbers, mash them in a blender and apply the paste to your skin.
  • Shaving cream. Shaving cream with menthol can soothe mild sunburn. Apply a thin layer to the affected area, let dry for 30 minutes and rinse