A doctor shares 10 natural remedies that have scientific evidence to back their effectiveness. These include:
1. Honey: recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics for nighttime coughs in children over one year old.
2. Melatonin supplements: helpful for jet lag and delayed sleep wake face syndrome.
3. Saline nasal sprays: effective for sinus infections, colds, and allergies.
4. Sugar: can help cure hiccups by stimulating the vagus nerve.
5. Oatmeal: specifically colloidal oatmeal, can help with eczema by preventing fluid loss from the skin.
6. Aloe vera: speeds up healing and decreases pain for burns, including sunburns.
7. Prunes: can aid in the treatment of constipation due to their fiber and sorbitol content.
8. Calamine lotion: works on burns, itches, and irritations, including poison ivy.
9. Probiotics: helpful in preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhea.
10. Duct tape: can help speed up the healing of warts through the "tape occlusion method".
The doctor also discusses the benefits of using tea bags as a warm compress for styeyes and debunks the myth that soda can help with an upset stomach, instead recommending true ginger tea.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends honey for a nighttime cough in children over the age of one.
2. Honey has been shown to perform as well or better than over-the-counter cough suppressants in scientific research.
3. Honey should not be given to children under the age of one due to the risk of Clostridium bacteria.
4. Melatonin is a hormone naturally secreted by the pineal gland that induces drowsiness and sleepiness.
5. Melatonin supplements can help with jet lag and delayed sleep wake phase syndrome.
6. The use of devices before bedtime can decrease melatonin secretion due to blue light emission.
7. Nasal saline sprays can help with sinus infections, colds, and allergies by washing out nasal passageways.
8. Colloidal oatmeal can be used as a skin protectant to prevent fluid loss from the skin and help with eczema.
9. Aloe vera contains anthraquinones, which can decrease pain and speed up healing in cases of burns and sunburns.
10. Sugar can help cure hiccups by stimulating the vagus nerve and relaxing the diaphragm.
11. Prunes can aid in the treatment of constipation due to their fiber and sorbitol content.
12. Prunes have been shown to work better than psyllium (a common ingredient in anti-constipation medications) in some studies.
13. Calamine lotion can help with burns, itches, and irritations, and is scientifically proven to work on minor skin irritations.
14. Probiotics can help prevent antibiotic-associated diarrhea by replenishing good bacteria in the gut.
15. Duct tape can potentially help speed up the healing of warts caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) through the tape occlusion method.
16. Tea bags can be used as a warm compress to help open up a blocked gland in the eye and facilitate drainage in cases of a stye.
17. Drinking soda does not help replenish electrolytes or hydrate sick kids, and can increase rates of obesity later in life.
18. Ginger ale has barely any natural ginger and is not an effective remedy for an upset stomach.
Note: These facts are based on the text and may not be universally true or up-to-date.