Odd Home Remedies Fact or Fiction
Whether you heard it from your great aunt Millie or from your grandma's neighbor, at some point in your life you have been told a home remedy or two that simply did not make any sense. While there are plenty of home remedies that are more folk lore than fact, there are others that do indeed work. Here are some home remedies that were put to the test to determine : fact or fiction?
Honey helps heal wounds, FACT.
Because of its antibacterial properties, honey is most effective as a wound healing agent. According to studies, honey has an inhibitory effect to more than 60 different species of bacteria. To heal a wound with honey, apply liberally and cover with a nonadherent dressing; change dressing once or twice a day.
A penny over a bee sting relieves pain and swelling, FICTION.
Unfortunately there is no medical evidence to show that putting a penny over your bee sting will relieve the pain and swelling. Instead you should use aloe vera gel and apply it liberally or until it is absorbed, about 4 times a day.
Licorice helps heal sore throats, FACT.
Don't run out and get a bag of candy though when you have your next sore throat because even though licorice helps heal sore throats, it is the active ingredient in the licorice root that actually has the healing power. You can find licorice tea bags in most drug stores that will help to heal sore throats if you drink them twice a day upon feeling your first symptoms. Two notes though, don't drink your tea after 6 p.m. as it may cause sleeplessness and do not take it if you have high blood pressure.
White flour on a small burn helps it to heal, FICTION.
White flour may not help a small burn to heal, but luckily the small burn category has a number of home remedies that do in fact work. One suggestion is to use diluted apple cider vinegar (diluted with equal parts water) to apply to the burn. You can also try honey, tea bags, oatmeal or milk. If you go the tea bag route, apply wet, cool tea bags to the burn or you can soak a cloth in milk and apply it to your burn for 15 minutes, repeating every few hours for pain relief.