Skeptics Stack Exchange
Skeptics Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [natural-remedies]

Use this tag for "natural" solutions to common problems such as healthcare conditions, but also everyday nuisances and problems. See also "folk remedies" or "home remedies".

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Do Ostrich Eggs repel Spiders?

After someone told me that Ostrich eggs repel Spiders I had to google it. I haven't been able to find a scientific explanation but throughout the Internet there are a lot of articles that mention it somewhere. Also the Wikipedia article about this…
Jutschge
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Is the hydrogen peroxide therapy harmful?

I'm receiving advertising (from my friends) about hydrogen peroxide therapy (oxygenated water, I think). They affirm that this treatment is a low-cost therapy based on a natural oxygenating substance that is easy and painless to use at home…
quantme
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Does green tea help with dental hygiene?

This Youtube video claims that green tea "is the best mouthwash", citing various medical studies that claim that green tea is more effective in reducing dental bacteria than various standard chemicals. Quick googling has found me this study of…
xLeitix
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Can coconut oil work as a natural sunscreen?

Documentary Lovers claims that coconut oil has a natural SPF factor in their Ditch those Toxic Sunscreens; Go Natural with Coconut Oil article: Coconut oil has an SPF of 10 which means 90% of beneficial vitamin D creating UB-V rays are…
Jesvin Jose
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Is there an herbal tea malaria cure that the World Health Organization is discouraging

There is a sensational article in slate that says there's an herbal tea containing Artemisia that will prevent malaria that is being discouraged by the establishment because it could cause resistance to future drugs. Does this tea actually work?
David Nehme
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Can bacon help to remove splinters?

Some claim that bacon can help to remove splinters. Is there any good evidence that this makes sense? For example, these splinter remedy lists both suggest that bandaging a piece of bacon (or bacon fat) over the splinter overnight will effectively…
Eric Wilson
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Does an Epsom salt bath provide relief from muscular pain?

The claim that Epsom salt (Magnesium sulphate) in a bath provides relief from muscle pain is common and is asserted by many sources, including the packages themselves: Wellness Mama Body Aches– Add 2 cups to a warm bath and soak for at least 20…
Morgoth
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Is vinegar an effective treatment for arthritis?

I've learned that some people take vinegar to treat arthritis. It's a well known folk cure. Natural News: http://www.naturalnews.com/026715_apple_pain_vinegar.html Learn How to Relieve Arthritis and Joint Pain with Apple Cider Vinegar The simplest…
Sam I Am
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Does honey and cinnamon cure any diseases?

While I know the answer is no, I was baffled to see this posted on a friends Facebook page and figured this would be the best place to find the facts, that and I suck at research. I feel fallacies like this need to be fought with facts. The claim…
Nick S
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Can blackheads be removed with egg white?

There is a home-remedy for blackheads, using egg white. Does this truly work to remove black heads? Is there any proof of this being a successful remedy? From crunchybetty.com: Use Egg Whites to Pull Out the Gunk Frankly, this is one of my least…
dishap
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Does drinking kombucha tea have a positive effect on your health?

There are several websites (e.g. http://www.kombuchakamp.com/ and http://kombu.de/english.htm) as well as books (e.g. search Amazon for "Kombucha") about kombucha tea and most of them claim that drinking it has a positive effect on health. The main…
Martin Scharrer
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Is there any benefit to placing a silver spoon in a water carafe?

A lot of people in USSR used to place silver spoons into containers with water. The exact benefit/mechanism was generally not defined other than "avoid contamination", but was frequently implied to be antibacterial. I don't have any references at…
user5341
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Remedies against stinky shoes

I have read claims suggesting that the following remedies, among others, are effective against stinky shoes: Sprinkle bicarbonate soda, baby powder or deodorant on your shoes Put tea bags in your shoes (some also suggest adding a few drops of…
Amelio Vazquez-Reina
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Does drinking hot tea (or hot drinks) help when you're sick?

Livestrong (as well as my mom) claims you should drink tea when you are feeling sick. They claim hot teas provide numerous benefits from various sicknesses: A cup of warm herbal tea can help relieve the symptoms of many illnesses, from an upset…
Matas Vaitkevicius
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Does garlic prevent the spread of colds?

I just heard that a friend plans to feed their toddler raw garlic because the toddler has a cold and they don't want it spreading to their infant. Is there evidence for or against the efficacy of this practice?
Stephen Collings
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