Cheap cures for budget blues

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I spite of a state law requiring most residents to carry health insurance, many are avoiding doctor s visits - and the painful poking and prodding of high costs.

But with the price of a bottle of cold medicine leaving many ill, age-old home remedies may be just what the doctor ordered.

Good, old-fashioned chicken soup has to be the best remedy of all, said Dr. Martin Solomon, director of primary care at Brigham and Women s Hospital in Brookline. He said high doses of vitamin C can slightly reduce the length of a cold or flu.

If you would rather shop your home cupboards than the drugstore or health shop for a remedy, there is evidence that kitchen cure-alls have merit, Solomon said.

Putting warmed oil - olive or any other cooking oil will do - in a child s ear to ease earache suffering is probably one of the best fixes. The generations-old remedy helps ease discomfort and equalize ear pressure, and Solomon said it may be better than antibiotics.

Chronic problems come with their own home cures, too. But not always successful ones. Scanning WebMD.com and other medical Web sites can procure an abundance of wrong moves.

Solomon said some remedies, such as claims that chewing gum can help reduce heartburn, may in fact make symptoms worse. That actually doesn t make sense, he said. I expect that would make it worse. That would stimulate the production of gastric acid.

Others, such as downing caffeine rather than taking medication for attention-deficit disorder or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, may offer some benefit. But he is not aware of studies to back up the claim. He said caffiene may accomplish the same goals as ADD meds to a mild degree.

Solomon said customers have turned to calling and e-mailing him rather than scheduling visits. But if the symptoms persist, a one-on-one visit is the true prescription.

At some point, you need to say to people, No, you really need to come in and take care of this, he said. He urges his patients to use so-called natural cures with care, no matter the ailment.

A lot of people feel if something is natural, it is therefore safe. That is a great fallacy and a great trap, he said. Some of the drugs we use for chemotherapy are natural. Arsenic is natural, he said. Be as discriminating about taking natural remedies as you would about prescription remedies.

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Additional information:

From news.bostonherald.com:
Natural cold remedies! An overall view on home healing and dealing with the common cold in an herbal.
We are an online magazine for national, international, state, local, entertainment, sports, and government news. We also provide opinion.
It also contains the natural antibiotic berberine, which can help prevent bacterial infections that often follow colds. One of the Best Cold Remedy.
How to Create a Natural Cold Remedy. The common cold can disrupt a busy lifestyle, but you can find relief by making a natural cold remedy.
Chicken and Miso soup are excellent natural cold remedies. Free recipes and cold home remedies.
Natural cold and flu assistance. The key is to boost your immune system. Find out how.
Discover the benefits of tea tree oil as natural health remedy. Therapeutic grade essential oils like eucalyptus offer natural.
Information on How to Prevent the Common Cold Symptoms. Natural Common Cold Remedy to Speed up Recovery.

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