Reader’s Digest Canada – September 2019

Most people have to experiment before
they hit upon a mix that brings them
adequate relief. One tool you could
add to your arsenal is peppermint oil,
a natural antispasmodic that has out-
performed placebos in several studies.
“It doesn’t work for everyone, but it’s
absolutely worth a try,” says Dr. James
Gray, a Vancouver-based gastroenter-
ologist. He suggests starting by taking
a 100-milligram capsule three times
each day and increasing the dosage
from there if you’re not getting an
effect. “And you’ve got to use them
regularly,” he says. “You can’t just save
them until you’re in the middle of a
cramping spell.”
The downside: peppermint oil may
give you heartburn. Try looking for
enteric-coated capsules, which are less
likely to cause this side effect.

COLLOIDAL OATMEAL

FOR ECZEMA

This substance is made from oats that

have been ground finely and dispersed

into a medium, such as water or oil.

This allows certain compounds to coat

and emolliate the skin and reduce the

itchiness that eczema sufferers know

all too well. You can buy creams and

lotions that contain colloidal oatmeal;

you’re likely to tolerate those with the

Eczema Society of Canada’s seal of

acceptance, as they are free of the ingre-

dients known to be irritating to more

sensitive skin.

You can also make colloidal oatmeal

at home by putting oats through a food

processor until they become a flour-like

powder. Add them to a warm bath that’s

comfortable but not scalding, and don’t

stay in it for more than 15 minutes

THREE HOME

REMEDIES YOU

SHOULDN’T TRY

Butter for a Burn

The idea that burns

should be sealed off

with oil, grease or but-

ter can be traced back

to the 19th century.

But doing this could

actually make matters

worse by trapping heat

in the skin for longer.

Ear Candling

The theory is that

lighting a hollow can-

dle and placing the

unlit end into your ear

will suction out excess

earwax. In reality, you

are running the risk of

a burn or even a punc-

tured eardrum.

Colloidal silver

The human body

requires certain trace

minerals to function

properly. However, sil-

ver isn’t one of them.

Although ingesting it is

a traditional remedy

for infections, there’s

no evidence it can do

anything useful for

your health. What

could happen: too

much of it can cause

widespread, perma-

nent, grey-blue skin

discoloration.

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