Some do-it-yourself tricks are backed by good science

The Post and Courier

Remember your Aunt Martha's magical cough and cold elixir? The one she'd whip up for you with hot tea and brandy and a tiny dash of "something special" that she'd never reveal? It soothed your fiery throat and ferried your stuffy head off to Dream Land like nothing else. Years later, as you gulp down NyQuil and remind yourself to get a flu shot next year, you might wish you had the recipe for that prized remedy.

There are plenty of dubious, and even dangerous, home remedies and cures floating around on the Web and in thick titles at the bookstore, so we went straight to a group of health experts to pluck fact from a pack of fiction. We've compiled their best tried-and-true home remedies here, along with interesting tidbits on the science behind the fix. They're mostly cheap, easy and fast. As always, though, it's best to check with your doctor before tackling any aches and pains with a do-it-yourself approach.

Itchy scratchy

David Hendriks, director of food and nutrition at Trident Medical Center, picks nutrient-packed remedies for skin maladies:

--Speed healing of chapped lips by rubbing them with a slice of fresh tomato and a bit of olive oil. This vitamin C-packed moisturizing treatment will soothe on the spot, plus encourage healing.

--Help send scars packing by rubbing vitamin E (available in liquid form or gel capsules that can be punctured) on scars and cuts. Its moisturizing and antioxidant properties help skin heal.

--Use a paste of wet tobacco, baking soda or meat tenderizer on bee stings. These compounds can neutralize the acids from stings.

From Dr. Amy Forren, a physician with Goose Creek Medical and Urgent Care:

--Head to the kitchen cabinet to banish itchy, dry skin by using olive oil just as you would a moisturizer.

--Although most people need prescription medication to get rid of toenail fungus, Vicks VapoRub can help keep it at bay during and after treatment.

Tummy troubles

PJ Johnson, chief executive officer of Summerville Medical Center, offers these tips:

--If you've had a stomach upset after taking antibiotics, spoon up some yogurt. It gets the healthy digestive flora rolling again after being knocked out by the medication.

--Suck on ice chips when you have diarrhea. Their coolness slows motility in the intestinal tract.

Trident's Hendriks suggests the following:

--Outsmart seasickness and airsickness by swallowing ginger capsules (according to package instructions).

--Save the parsley garnish on the edge of your dinner plate in restaurants and chew it after eating. The herb beats bad breath.

From Amy Mendez, registered dietitian for the Roper Heart and Vascular Center:

--Feeling a bit ... irregular? You don't always have to turn to laxatives to end constipation. Warm prune juice might get things moving, but so does any food containing soluble fiber, from coffee to pears, bran cereals and lima beans.

This type of fiber draws water into the digestive tract to help loosen stools.

Head cases

Forren recommends:

--If you're prone to ear wax impactions, try putting a Colace stool softener gel capsule in your ear. It will dissolve on its own and

take the wax away with it.

-- Caffeine is an age-old headache remedy. Sip some coffee or caffeinated soda, or even try a piece of chocolate candy, to give a boost to your over-the-counter pain medication (some of which, such as Excedrin, are formulated with caffeine already).

--When you feel cold or flu symptoms coming on, get moving. Exercise gets your lymphatic system flowing and helps push the bugs out of your body. Drink lots of fluids, too.

From Laura Perdue, emergency room director at Summerville Medical Center:

--Beat bleeding after ouchie dental procedures by wetting a tea bag and holding it in your mouth against the site of the dental work. Ingredients in the tea help close capillaries in the gum bed, which slows the bleeding.

From Lynn Singleton, associate chief nursing officer at Summerville Medical Center:

--If a child has an earache or swimmer's ear, pouring in a bit of hydrogen peroxide, mineral oil or sweet oil can help speed the drying of the fluid in the ear and soothe the eardrum in the process. (This technique shouldn't be used on people with ear tubes or a perforated eardrum, however.)

From Dr. Helen Bertrand, a physician with Stono Pediatrics:

--The best nasal decongestant is plain water: Drink lots of it. You also could try a saline nasal rinse. Combine 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a cup of water with a pinch of baking soda to prevent stinging. Pour into the nose while holding the head back, or use an over-the-counter nasal rinse bottle with the head tilted forward. The strength can be doubled or tripled for extra decongestant effect.

Baby soothers

Rebecca Shehane, patient-care coordinator and longtime obstetrics nurse at St. Francis Hospital, offers this easy, all-natural advice for new parents with cranky or colicky babies:

--Position the baby on your chest so his ear is over your heart and gently rock back and forth. The thump-thump sound and rocking motion simulates the baby's cushy life back inside the womb.

--Try a warm bath and pour the water slowly over the baby's belly like a waterfall. It can ease fussiness and help baby pass gas.

--Does your bundle of joy squawk when you put her down? Babies love motion, so try some hands-free techniques such as placing them in a vibrating swing or strapping them into their car seat and putting it on top of the clothes dryer set on low. Do not leave the baby unattended.