DIY Life

I've had a sore throat all week, so I set out to do a bit of research on some home remedies that may fit the bill. Luckily, I stumbled on this article from HowStuffWorks, as I consider it the wellness jackpot. There are many ways listed to combat a sore throat, but here are ten of my favorite:

1. Keep Your Nasal Passages Clear
According to HowStuffWorks, two of the most common causes of sore-throat pain are postnasal drip and a dry throat that results from sleeping with your mouth open when your nasal passages are blocked. Stop the flow with an over-the-counter decongestant and you'll wake up feeling ten times better.

2. Take it Easy
If your sore throat doesn't require the medical attention of a doctor, rest will help get you back on the road to recovery.

3. Gargle
I can't stomach gargling with salt water, so rasberry tea is a great alternative. (HowStuffWorks offers a great recipe for rasberry tea: to make, pour 1 cup boiling water over 2 teaspoons dried leaves. Steep for 10 minutes, then strain. Allow to cool.) If you have a fever as well, the gargle can be used as a fever-reducing drink, too. Bonus!

4. Drink Citrus
Mix 1 tablespoon each of honey and lemon juice in 1 cup of warm water and sip throughout the day.

5. Take an Analgesic
Plain old aspirin, acetaminophen or ibuprofen is a wonderful (and surprising!) remedy for a sore throat. Be sure to take with a full glass of water to avoid a sore throat and stomach ache.

6. Eat a Popsicle or Juice Bar
Not only is a popsicle soothing on the throat, but it will provide the fluid necessary to get you back on your feet.

7. Enjoy Hot Drinks
Coating the tissue in your throat with warm or hot liquids provide a benefit similar to applying hot packs to infected skin.

8. Consume Hard Candy
Some doctors admit that sugar can help soothe a sore throat and the ticklish cough that may come with it. If nothing else, sucking on hard candy will help keep your throat moist, which will make you feel more comfortable.

Tis the season to be jolly... and cook like a maniac. I find myself spending more and more kitchen as the weather drops a few more degrees, and although I don't necessarily enjoy cooking, I do love the smell of homemade dinner on the oven! What I don't love is the amount of finger burns I've accumulated from my hot cookie sheets, scalding tea kettles and fireside marshmallows. No worries; in my adventures, I've learned a secret tip to keeping those digits pain-free after a burn! Hint: It's in your pantry!

Curious? I'll give you another hint: You put it on a hot dog and it rhymes with custard. Yep --- mustard! But not just any mustard will do the trick; you want to rub spicy mustard on the burn directly. Works like a charm, and I have a funny feeling it heals the wound just as fast as the leading drugstore brand.

First aid from the condiment aisle? Sure!

Oh, the weather outside is frightful. And, as it turns out, we're not faring well indoors, either. With an increasingly contagious flu on the loose, we need take important measure to keep our families healthy. Of course, in my home, flu has already taken over our lives and we're currently nursing four runny noses with eighteen tissue boxes. Because we don't like to pop pills every four hours, I thought it may be nice to research a few household remedies for our autumn aches. Want to join along? I've got eight surefire ways to beat the flu -- one herb at a time.*

1. Take Vitamin C to boost immune system and increase the number of white blood cells. However, be sure to get your Vitamin C straight from the source, rather than vitamins. Because the flu reduces your appetite, you're at risk for burning your stomach lining with a vitamin. (I actually burnt my stomach lining this weekend, and trust me, it's not an enjoyable sensation!).
2. Take Zinc lozenges to boost the immune system as soon as your symptoms develop.
3. Take garlic capsules to decrease the growth of the virus.
4. Make a homemade tea with the following ingredients:

* 1 tsp. bayberry bark
* 1 tsp. grated ginger root
* ½ tsp. cayenne powder
* 1 cup of boiling water

Let sit for 20 minutes, then enjoy.

5. If you experience a cough, throat and chest pain, dry mouth/lips and are thirsty, try Bryonia Alba.
6. Try Gelsemium if you have symptoms of chills, aches and/or fevers.
7. Nux Vomica is often used when a simple cold has develop into influenza.
8. Cat's Claw has been known to shorten the duration of the flu.

In addition, drink plenty of water, orange juice and hot tea. Avoid milk and dairy products, as they speed mucus production. And lastly, get plenty of rest! You'll be back to your healthy self in no time.

*IMPORTANT NOTE: Of course, it's always best to consult a doctor if you're feeling any of the above symptoms. Call your physician prior to self-medicating with herbs, as they could interact with your current medication.

With the swine flu in full swing and some sort of horrid cold roaming around my household, cleanliness is on the forefront of my mind this week. And after reading this article re: the transmission of bacteria on your shower head, I'd hope it's on the forefront of yours, as well. Luckily, our friends at ShelterPop have the scoop on how to get the cleanest showers in town.

A quick tip from the article? You can make a fantastic homemade shower cleaner with 1 cup of vinegar, 1/2 cup baking soda, 1 cup ammonia and 1.5 gallons of hot water. Be sure to use rubber gloves, scrub well (use an old toothbrush for those tough tiles!) and rinse with hot water. Wipe dry. Also, tackle your glass shower door with white vinegar to prevent streaks and mildew at the same time. Bonus!

After all, cleanliness is next to awesomeness, right?

...and make your own deodorant. Yeah, I realize it sounds gross, but it's very do-able and I can vouch for the the antiperspirant powers it holds. With just a few items from your kitchen, you can save serious dough and gain some DIY brownie points:

Here's how:

1. In a reusable/ resealable container, mix one part baking soda with six parts cornstarch.
   
2. Close the container and shake vigorously for a minute.
   
3. Then, test the mix by dusting a small amount to the skin of your armpits with a soft cotton ball,or cosmetic applicator. Apply as if you were lightly applying baby or cosmetic powder.

That's it! The best part? Your new deodorant won't leave white spots or streaks on that little black dress you wear everywhere! You can even store your new deodorant glamorously with an antique or vintage make-up container like Melinda's done.

With this handy recipe, you'll be smelling fresh in no time... minus the harsh toxins of most over-the-counter deodorants. I'll sniff to that!

In a world of larks, I have the misfortune of being an extreme owl; if it were really true that the early bird catches the worm, I would probably have starved a long time ago. So on days when I have to get up at the crack of dawn, I usually find myself needing a nap... even if I've had a full night's sleep.

With the recent news that a 20-minute nap appears to help people stay alert for the rest of the day better than caffeine or extra sleep at night, it seems I'm not alone. So it stands to reason that an article that was in the Boston Globe this week, "How to nap," has been making the blog rounds for the last few days -- it explains all the most vital information on the topic in a small, visually-appealing package.

For example, it tells us that there are certain lengths of time that are better for napping than others; morning people (the aforementioned larks) will probably need a nap earlier than night people might; a light blanket and an eye shade can be extremely helpful in getting the most restful sleep, and so on.

While the Boston Globe article lays out all the basic details you should know about napping in a handy info-graphic format, you may also be interested to read a similar great post that Francesca wrote here last year: Power Napping Made Simple.

[via both BoingBoing and Lifehacker.]

Researchers at Harvard Medical School recently discovered what may become the next tool against jet lag -- hunger.

Though our natural circadian rhythms typically dictate when we sleep and eat, when mice in the study were withheld food, a "secondary" rhythm took over, allowing the mice to wake up when they would normally be sleeping so that they could eat. Researchers aren't sure if these findings apply to humans or not, but they believe that if people fast before a long flight -- at least 16 hours -- they'll adjust to the time difference more quickly.

If 16 hours seems like far too long to go without a meal to you (for a method that's never been tested on humans), here are some other tips from AskMen.com to compensate for the drastic change in schedule that takes place when you cross multiple time zones. Check them out, after the break.

Dandelions can be eaten in many ways, from leafy greens to fried flowers to drinking wine; I almost imagine them as lettuce gone wild. Making coffee from dandelions isn't new, but trying this unusual drink is an interesting way to spend a few hours -- and, if you haven't sprayed them with herbicide in the past, an organic way to get rid of those dandelions in the yard.

Tools and supplies include: a weed popper, knife, cookie sheet, oven, coffee grinder, and of course a coffee machine. Follow along in the gallery to get a better idea. Instructions are after the break!

Grab your hip, new reusable shopping tote and let's grab some groceries. But, wait! First, check out the Reader's Digest 10 tips for smart food shopping. It's a quick and easy-to-read guide for staying on track once you step inside the store. Stay on track how? Answer: in every way -- in terms of your budget and your health goals.

Here are my three faves -- all ideas that have worked for me lately:
1. Limit your trips. I try to pick up extra bread and milk when I shop so as to avoid extra runs to the store. The less I go to the supermarket, the less I spend each month.
2. Avoid shopping on an empty stomach. An oldie but a goodie. This is probably the best shopping advice out there!
3. Follow the walls. The less processed stuff you buy, the less money you'll spend and the healthier you'll be eating. Try it. This tip really works!

Enjoy these ideas? Check out Francesca's tips on how to be a grocery super shopper!

OK, so that title might be a bit misleading. If you have stretch marks, you know, they simply cannot be banished completely. You'll probably have those little war wounds for the rest of your life. The good news is that they don't have to be as noticeable as they are now.

As soon as something is branded as a stretch mark remedy, the price tag goes up. It just kills me that our insecurities can be so exploited as to have us pay considerably more for something in search of a magical cure.

What's the solution? Shea butter. It is a common remedy for stretch marks. While it won't give you the same results as dramatic dermatological procedures, with a bit more time, it will come awfully close. So, walk right past that expensive stretch mark cream and make your own organic Shea butter soap.

These soaps can be used daily in the shower to improve the health and elasticity of your skin. I'll share the ingredients after the break.

Do-it-yourself healthy hair? What do you mean, you thought hair had to do with genetics?

To an extent, it does. You can't change your hair's thickness, for instance. But with the right diet you can have do-it-yourself healthy hair.

Web MD has published a list of the top ten foods to eat for healthy hair. If you are health-conscious, the good news is that you are probably already eating many of these foods. So have you looked in the mirror lately? If your hair has great body and shine, your diet may be to thank.

For example, if you eat lots of salmon or other sources of omega-3 fatty acids, you will combat dry scalp and hair. Dark green veggies contain vitamins that help make sebum, you body's natural hair conditioner.

Check the Web MD article for all ten foods and you'll be on your way to healthy, beautiful hair.

All the trendy spas offer health detox and body cleansing packages. If you're somebody who indulges in these little luxuries, good for you. I'm sure you're happy, healthy, thin, and energetic. You may not be one of the lucky ones, jet-setting off to a private island for your renewal, but that doesn't mean you can't get the same benefits at home (minus the pretentious attitude and sky-high price tag).

Home detox 101: 4 easy tips for detoxing at home lets us in on 4 simple secrets for purging those damaging elements and renewing our bodies the DIY way. I was shocked to learn that starting your day with lemon water, then keeping a bottle of water boiled with ginger and black pepper can alleviate fatigue and cure chronic headaches. It will also cleanse your liver.

This is just the beginning, the benefit of skin and tongue scraping will regulate digestion and cleanse toxins. Stressing the importance of a brisk walk, they recommend taking a 20 minute walk to improve circulation, cleanse the colon and give your lungs a healthy dose of fresh air. The article closes with suggestions on detoxifying food and drinks.

If you want to spoil yourself even further, check out Debra's Scentual Life series.

We've heard our fair share of warnings about Coke and the health issues that accompany too much consumption of any cola product. Some of them are pretty shocking. We know that one can of Cola has 100% of your daily recommended sugar intake, causing a urinary excretion of calcium and other necessary vitamins and minerals. I get emails about twice a year, telling me that coke is strong enough to clean the toilet or dissolve corrosion from car batteries. I'm disgusted for a few days but eventually make my way back to that tempting can of Coke, despite all the warnings.

So how do they make that distinct recipe that so many of us love? Store brand imitations pale in comparison. I never would have guessed that a home brew would be possible, but it is. The brewing process takes months, and is far too intensive to do with any regularity, but it would be a neat experiment. Check out the full instructions if you're interested in becoming a cola-chemist on your own. Just think about how impressed your friends will be when you offer some home-brewed cola. Hold a blind taste test and see how good you are.

Drugstores, supermarkets, and convenience stores have aisles dedicated to products that will attempt to cure all your aches, pains, stained teeth, headaches, diarrhea, cold and flu symptoms, upset stomach...well, you get the point. Every single sick part of our body, it would seem, has a drug remedy attempting to aid in our feeling better in no time.

If you look around your home, you can probably find a cure for your aches and pains in your laundry room, kitchen cabinets, and refrigerator. Prevention has 17 simple solutions for us, using everyday household items to cure our aches and pains, and the remedies are brought to us by MSNBC.com. Some of the remedies include: Drinking aloe vera gel dissolved in apple juice or water will help to get rid of bad breath; irrigating your nose with contact lens solution to relieve nasal congestion; rubbing liquid laundry detergent on a mosquito bite to help reduce irritation; massaging green tea into your scalp to help eliminate dandruff; using duct tape to get rid of a wart; and the essential 8 supplements that doctors trust to naturally fix us.

Home remedies can work just as effectively as a pill, but I think that the majority of people have turned away from home remedies, simply because it is easier to pop a pill or drink some liquid medicine than it is to actually fix themselves a cup of chamomile tea. I have had much success with acidophilus, chamomile tea, oatmeal, honey, and green tea. The next time you get a headache or a pimple, try the items you have in your home first before you spending your money on products that may not work, because the cure may be in your spice rack.

Stress, to some degree we all have it. Most of us have far more than we'd like to have but we learn how to deal with it in our own special ways. One way that I deal with my own stress load is by visiting my chiropractor once a month. He puts my frame back in alignment and that simply makes everything I face on a daily basis a little bit easier.

The last time I had an appointment with my chiropractor I found a list of stress reducing techniques which actually made me realize that I do a lot more to relieve my own stress than I thought. Stress reduction mentally compounds, which means the less stress you think you have, the less stress you'll actually experience and accordingly, the less stress you'll think you have. The idea feeds on itself.

After the jump, get an idea about how well you might be doing in the ways of managing your own stress.