Cure Urinary Tract Infections with Baking Soda

Most urinary tract infections are caused by E. coli bacteria, which are normally found in the rectum. A urinary tract infection can also be caused by an infection of the bladder or urethra. Symptoms of a UTI include frequent and urgent needs to urinate, painful urination, cloudy urine, lower back or abdominal pain, and blood in the urine. A good way to cure a UTI is to use baking soda. Baking soda makes the bladder more alkaline, which prevents bacteria from multiplying. Mix 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda with 8 ounces of water at the first sign of symptoms of a UTI and drink once or twice a day until you see a doctor and start taking antibiotics.

Health Benefits of Thyme

Thyme is a herb that is native southern Europe and western Asia. It has many benefits and has been used for thousands of years to preserve food. It is now cultivated commercially in many parts of the world. Thyme contains an essential oil that is rich in thymol, which is a powerful antiseptic, antibacterial, and strong antioxidant.

Thyme is good at treating colds and it is commonly used in cough drops. It is also used in mouthwashes to treat inflammation in the mouth and throat infections. It has expectorant and bronchial antispasmodic properties that make it good at treating acute and chronic bronchitis, whooping cough, and inflammation of the upper respiratory tract.

Thyme is also good at easing menstrual cramps and PMS symptoms. It is effective at treating wounds, ulcers, and abscesses. It can help digestion and remove mucus from the intestinal tract. Thyme teat can be made by adding one teaspoon of crushed thyme to a half cup of boiling water, letting it steep for 10 minutes, and then straining it. It can be sweetened by adding honey.

How to Relieve Mosquito Bites

Mosquito and other insect bites can be itchy and very annoying but there are simple methods that can be used to relieve the itching. Good ways to relieve an itchy mosquito bite include rubbing a wet bar of soap over the area or placing an ice cube or very cold water over the area. Taking a cold shower can help by reducing the swelling of the welts that can be caused by mosquito bites and it helps to reduce swelling by the constricting the capillaries near the surface of the skin and causing fewer antigens and antibodies to cause a reaction. You can also use common household items to relieve the itch, such as nail polish, toothpaste, mouthwash, vinegar, honey, underarm deodorant, rubbing alcohol, ammonia, bleach, or a hot tea bag placed on the area.

How to Stop Onions From Making You Cry

There are simple ways that you can stop from tearing up when you are around onions. The tearing up mechanism happens because when you cut into an onion, its cells rupture and releases enzymes that produce a gas called propanethial sulfoxide. When the gas reaches your eyes, it reacts with tears to produce a mild sulfuric acid. The brain signals the eyes' tear glands to produce more liquid to flush it out. The more that onions are chopped, the more your eyes tear up.

It is a good idea to chill an onion in the freezer before cutting it because cold temperatures can slow down the release of enzymes. You can also pour a tablespoon of vinegar onto the cutting board. The acid in the vinegar stops the chemical reaction of the sulfur in the onion and causes a reduction in tears. It is another good idea to put an onion under water before chopping it. The water would absorb the onion's gas.

Whiten Teeth with Strawberries

Strawberries have an astringent called malic acid that can remove discoloration from teeth. You can use strawberries to whiten teeth by crushing a few fresh strawberries into a pulp. You would then add a pinch of baking soda and enough water to mix it into a paste. Apply the paste to a toothbrush and spread the mixture onto your teeth. Let it set for five minutes. Brush your teeth for a few minutes with the paste and then rinse with water. This can only be done every 3 or 4 months because using it more than that can have a negative effect by eroding tooth enamel due to the acid in strawberries.

Cotton Candy Used to Grow Tissue

It is found that the sweet treat cotton candy can be used to help scientists grow replacement tissues for people who need it. It can also be used in creating networks of blood vessels in laboratory-grown bone, skin, muscles, or fat for breast reconstruction.

The process would work by first putting a thick liquid chemical over a wad of cotton candy. The liquid would then solidify into a chunk. The chunk would be placed into warm water to dissolve the candy. Tiny channels will then be left where the strands of candy used to be. These channels would be lined with cells to make artificial blood vessels. The solid chunk would be seeded with immature cells of whatever tissue that is meant to be made. The block would be biodegradable and would eventually be replaced by growing tissue as it disappears. In the end you would get a piece of tissue permeated with tiny blood vessels.

Researchers are testing this method and have used rat blood to run through the channels to test it. Eventually, they plan to use something other than cotton candy as the research progresses.

ThermoSuit for Cardiac Arrest Patients

When a person has been revived after cardiac arrest but is still unconscious, cooling the body is the first thing done by emergency staff. Reducing the body temperature would improve the patient's chance for a full recovery. Blowing cold air over the body or using ice packs can take hours to work effectively.

Now, there is a product called a ThermoSuit that can reduce a person's body temperature in about 30 minutes. The product is a plastic suit that is filled with cold water. There are medical centers that are currently using it and say that the survival rate of their cardiac arrest patients has risen from 35 percent to 60 to 70 percent.

Use Choline to Decrease Breast Cancer Risk

Choline is an organic compound that is classified as a water-soluble essential nutrient and is usually grouped within the Vitamin B complex family. It is found that getting enough choline can reduce the chances of getting breast cancer by 24 percent. It also reduces the risk of heart disease and improves memory. Choline can be found in eggs, fish, lean meat, collard greens, and beans. It is recommended that women get 425 mg of choline each day.

Nightly Face Washing Helps Skin

It is found that if a person doesn’t wash their face at night it can make them look older. Leaving dirt, excess oil, and makeup on the skin during the night can cause pores to get larger and can irritate dry skin. It is recommended to rub facial cleanser onto damp skin for 2 minutes and rinse 10 times with lukewarm water.

Diet Soda Not Good For Diet

Drinking diet soda to lose weight is not as good as it seems. Diet soda can increase the risk of having high amounts of belly fat, high blood sugar levels, and high cholesterol. A person that drinks one diet soda each day have a 34 percent higher risk of having these things than people who don’t drink diet soda. To have a healthier and tasty drink, it is a good idea to mix freshly cut fruit such as berries and citrus fruits, with seltzer water.

Hot Tap Water is Bad Tap Water

It is found that whether you are drinking tap water or using it to prepare a meal, it is best to get water from the cold tap. The EPA says that hot tap water contains higher levels of lead, because it dissolves the toxic metal in plumbing faster than cold water. It is a good idea to let the water run cold for at least a full minute if the faucet hasn’t been used for at least 6 hours.

Natural Remedies for Dry Eye Syndrome

Dry Eye Syndrome is one of the most common reasons that people to go an ophthalmologist. The condition causes stinging red eyes, blurred vision, and sensitivity to light. There are natural treatments available that can give long-term help.

A person can help symptoms of dry eye syndrome by eating more Omega-3s. Omega-3s are fatty acids that would reduce inflammation. It is advised to eat about 2,350 mg of this weekly.

Make sure you get enough sleep. During sleep a thin layer of mucous, oil, and water coats the eye and provides moisture and protection. Getting enough sleep gives the eye enough time to replenish the film.

An ophthalmologist can insert punctual plugs. The plugs are sesame seed-sized and are placed into the tear drainage ducts to keep tears from escaping and retain moisture.

Cure Sinus Infections Without Antibiotics

There are natural remedies that can help clear up sinus infections. The remedies can ease painful congestion, decrease healing time, and prevent new infections from happening.

Sinuses can be helped by vaporization. The steam and hot water can help sinuses to drain and relieve pressure. You can do this by boiling a pot of water on the stove, removing the pot from the stove, and then inhaling the vapor for 10 minutes while covering your head with a towel. It can also help to put hot, wet compresses on the face several times a day, irrigate nasal passages with warm salt water twice a day, and drink lots of fluid to keep the body hydrated and to help break up mucus.

Avoiding dairy foods can help sinus problems. Cow’s milk and other dairy products can thicken nasal secretions and block sinuses.

Eating more garlic can help sinuses. Garlic has antibacterial properties that could help fight off infections. A person could also try using astragalus. Astragalus is an herb that boosts the immune system and could help prevent infections.

Acupuncture could help sinuses. It is an effective treatment for an acute sinus infection and could ease congestion and pain very fast.

How to Pick and Store Fruit

Have you ever been in a grocery store and was a little confused on what to look for when selecting the perfect fruit? I’ll tell you some things to look for.

When it comes to bananas you should pick ones that are yellow and have no brown spotting. They can be a little bit green as long as they are not completely green. Do not put bananas in the refrigerator because it makes them rot and darken quicker. You should lay them on their side on a counter. Laying a banana on its back can bruise it and laying it on its side helps it to ripen better.

When it comes to cantaloupe the best time to buy them is between June and August. When picking one you should make sure that it is free of dents and bruises. Minor dents and bruises will not spoil the fruit inside. To check if it’s ripe, gently press your thumb on its stem at the end of the fruit to see if it is soft. You should also sniff it to see if it smells sweet.

When it comes to peaches the best time to buy them is between August and September. To check its ripeness, you should look for golden undertones with a slight reddish color. Sniff the fruit to see if it smells sweet. If it doesn’t have a sweet odor it has been picked too early. It should also be firm and not hard. Do not store peaches in the refrigerator or they will become mushy instead of ripe. You should place them in a paper bag for a day or two so that they ripen correctly.

Strawberries are good to buy any time of the summer. You should check to make sure they are firm, have a vibrant color, and free of bruises. You should also sniff them to see if they smell fresh. Make sure you rinse them thoroughly and store them in an airtight drawer in the refrigerator to keep them fresh longer.

When buying a watermelon you should look for one with a dark green outer shell and that is slightly yellow or lighter green stripes. A watermelon that is too ripe will be sugary and hollow. Make sure it doesn’t have cracks, bruises, or soft spots. Storing a watermelon whole without cutting it makes it last longer.

To check the ripeness of a fruit if helps to flick the fruit with your finger on its side. You should be listening for a ping sound and not a thud sound. A fruit tastes best when you eat it within a few days of buying it.