I Didn't Know That - Sore Throat & Cough Remedies

Sore Throat and Cough Remedy - Best

Garbling with warm saltwater not only helps alleviate sore throat symptoms by drawing moisture out of swollen glands and bacteria, but it may also help prevent upper respiratory infections if done regularly, according to National Institute of Health.

To calm a cough, reach for the sweet stuff.  Honey soothes the back of the throat, contains free radical-fighting antioxidants, breaks up mucous and has even been shown to be more effective than over-the-counter cough suppressants, according to a study by the Penn State College of Medicine.  However, due to the risk of infant botulism, remember that honey should never be given to children under on year old.

Sore Throat and Cough Remedy - Worst

It might be hard to believe, but over-the-counter cough suppressants actually do very little to alleviate coughing due to a cold, according to The American College of Chest Physicians.  Essentially, the drugs previously thought to help reduce the severity of a cold-related cough - suppressants such as dextromethorphan or expectorants such as gualifensein - don't appear to effectively loosen mucous in the airways, according to multiple research studies.

If you're coughing up a cold-related storm, use a humidifier, take that spoonful of honey, and maybe add some of Grandma's chicken soup to your get-well regimen.

I Didn't Know That - Cold & Flue Remedies

Cold and Flu Remedy - Best

Why does chicken soup make us feel better when we're sick?  From the medicinal properties of vegetables to the antioxidants in chicken fat, each ingredient in chicken soup appears to have anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce mucous production, according to a study published in Chest Pain.  Also, hot liquids in general help break up mucous and relieve congestion.

Runner up to chicken soup is garlic.  If consumed regularly, garlic may also help prevent colds year-round thanks to the antibacterial properties of a compound called allicin, which can not only keep us from getting sick but also recover faster if infected, according to research published by the National Institute of Health.  To truly reap the benefits of fresh garlic, crush it at room temperature and let it sit for approximately 15 minutes before cooking.

Cold and Flu Remedy- Worst

While vitamin C has many wonderful health benefits, like helping the body hear wounds and preventing scurvy, unless it's taken regularly, no research has proven that vitamin C actually prevents or lessens the severity of a cold, according to National Institute of Health.

I Didn't Know That - Heartburn

For years we have listened to our parents, grandparents and friends as they give us remedies using items we normally keep in our kitchen to solve many of our annoying problems such as heartburn.  I've been told all my life to drink milk when I have heartburn.  And all my life I've drank milk with no relief.  Guess what.  That is the wrong thing to do.  Check out this remedy.

Heartburn Remedy—Best

Beat the burn with apple cider vinegar. It may seem counter-intuitive, but if we have too little acid in the stomach, the food digests too slowly, according to Kathy Gruver, PhD, LMT, and Reiki Master. “It sits in the stomach. Then we lay down to go to sleep or bend over, and the food gets burped up. By adding acid in the form of vinegar, we can help the digestive process,” she said.

Heartburn Remedy—Worst

While drinking milk soothes the stomach and temporarily combats heartburn, milk fat may actually stimulate acid production and cause a rebound effect later, according to the University of Nevada School of Medicine.

Pass the Banana

A professor at CCNY for a physiological psych class told his class about bananas. He said the expression 'going bananas' is from the effects of bananas on the brain. Read on:

Never, put your banana in the refrigerator!!!  This is interesting.  After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in the same way again.

Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.  Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.  But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.  PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.  Anemia : High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.  Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school ( England ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.  Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.  Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey.. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system. Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.  Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.  Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.  Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.  Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a 'cooling' fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. InThailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood Enhancer tryptophan.  Smoking &Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.  Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance... When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.  Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!  Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills.

When you compare it to an apple, it has four times

the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron,

and twice the other vitamins and minerals.

It is also rich in potassium and is one of the

best value foods around.

So maybe it's time to change that

well-known phrase so that we say,

'A banana a day keeps the doctor away!'