by Abdulsalam Yunusa | Mar 2, 2022 | Health & Wellness
Your face is usually the first thing most people notice about you, and this can result in them having bad perceptions of you when the first thing they see is a face full of acne. Acne can negatively affect one’s chances of employment, especially for jobs where physical appearance is considered important. Asides from these, the general quality of life is usually affected as well.
Acne vulgaris, commonly called acne, is a chronic skin condition that occurs when sebum, a thick oily substance secreted by the sebaceous glands of the skin and dead skin cells accumulate and clog hair follicles. The block inflow of this oily secretion will provide a good breeding place for some bacteria, eventually causing some of the features of acne (redness, pain).
There are several possible causes of acne. This includes Smoking, diets with high-glycemic-load such as white bread, cakes, doughnuts, and candies; hormones, and heredity. While there are several studies done and ongoing on the above causes, hormones and heredity are considered to be the major causes of acne.
A lot of times, acne is wrongly called pimples, but pimples are just one of the features of acne — others are whiteheads, blackheads, and oily skin.
Since it is formed by the accumulation of secretions of oily glands, it most commonly affects the skin in parts of the body with high numbers of oil glands. This includes the back, face, and chest.
Generally, acne in itself does not have any significant effect on your health but in many people, it can lead to reduced self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and even suicidal thoughts in some cases. So, if this is your concern, or all you want to do is to get a spotless and smooth face, you are at the right place. Now, let’s dive right into it.
How to Get Rid of Acne on the Face
If you have acne, it is very likely that you will be getting a lot of treatment suggestions from people you come across. In fact, this is usually the next thing said to you after greetings. Well, our aim in this article is to provide you with tested practical ways how to get rid of acne on the face. And the good news is that most of the things we mentioned here are easily accessible to you.
READ ALSO: 15 Foods That Will Boost Your Immune System
1. Stop Popping Pimples
As simple as it sounds, this can go a long way in ensuring you get faster treatment for acne. It is always tempting to squeeze or pop the pimples on your face whenever you look into the mirror but don’t. While your dermatologist can safely do this for you, doing it yourself would likely result in redder and bumpier pimples. The chances of infection should not be taken lightly as well.
2. Toothpaste Can Treat Your Acne Too
Toothpaste has been used for some time to treat acne. Rubbing some amount of it on your pimples and allowing it to stay overnight can help to clear them, especially when continued for some days. Nevertheless, it is not recommended to use toothpaste that contains gels for this purpose.
3. Apply Tea Tree Oil on the Spots
Tea tree oil has been reported to be effective in fighting bacteria on the skin as well as reducing skin inflammation. If you have used some pharmaceutical creams and suffered from their unwanted side effects of irritation and dry skin, you should probably try tea tree oil.
To use tea tree oil, mix it with water, and use a cotton ball or swab to apply it on the affected spots. Repeat as necessary.
4. Apply Green Tea to Your Face
Apparently, the green tea you take in the morning before you begin the day’s work or later in the day after a hard day’s work has other uses apart from relieving you of stress. Green tea is rich in antioxidants as well as other ingredients that help fight bacteria.
Applying green tea extract, or skincare products containing it on your skin will help to reduce inflammation and inhibit the growth of bacteria that can cause or worsen your acne. Additionally, drinking green tea is said to be important in reducing sebum production and general body fat.
5. Use Aloe Vera to Moisturize Your Face
Aloe vera is a plant that grows in tropical parts of the world e.g Africa. A clear gel is produced from the leaves of the plant which is used as an important ingredient in many skincare products. This includes body ointments, creams, lotions, and soaps.
Aloe vera comes in handy to treat your acne because it contains sulphur and salicylic acid. Both are important ingredients in many over-the-counter lotions and creams used to treat acne.
When you apply it to your skin, it will encourage wound healing, treat rashes, abrasions, burns, redness, itching, and pain. Interestingly, it is also used to treat stomach aches.
For best results, you should combine it with tea tree oil.
Using it is easy, just take some leaves from the plant and scrape the gel out into a clean container. Use it as a moisturiser once or twice daily. You can also buy pure aloe vera gel from a pharmacy or beauty products store.
6. Take Fish Oil Supplement
Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids which have several health benefits, including acne treatment. It might not be very effective when used alone, but people who have used it have attested to its effectiveness in reducing inflammatory symptoms of acne such as redness and pain as well as general risk for developing acne.
The omega-3 fatty acids mentioned above can be obtained from a balanced diet containing foods like sardines, salmon, chia seeds, flax seeds, and walnuts, nevertheless, supplements are available in pharmacies for those whose diet is poor in fatty acids.
7. Exercise Regularly
The benefits of exercise are diverse. This includes the prevention and treatment of a lot of diseases. Since exercise improves blood circulation and hormonal regulation, frequenting it also helps to treat acne by providing adequate nourishment for the skin cells.
In addition, exercise helps to relieve stress, which is suspected to be among the causes of acne. Research is still ongoing to find out how exactly stress causes acne and how exercise helps in treatment.
There are several options available; you can start with light exercises like walking, and then eventually move to other ones if you are considered fit.
How to Prevent Pimples
Knowing how to get rid of acne on the face is not as important as knowing how to prevent it from occurring or reoccurring after treatment. Good thing is that you won’t have to spend a dime to do most of them.
- Keep your face clean but avoid harsh scrubbing, as this can cause and worsen acne.
- Avoid or reduce intake of foods linked with acne such as high-glycemic foods like whitebread and donuts
- Wear sunscreen when going outdoors
- Apply topical treatments for mild skin conditions before they get severe
- Be mindful of the skincare products you use. Always consult with a dermatologist or a skin care expert before you buy new products.
- Reduce stress
- Exercise regularly
- Maintain a healthy weight, as being overweight is sometimes linked to acne.
- Avoid excessive skin exfoliation
- Discuss with a dermatologist on other preventive measures you should take especially if you are at risk of developing acne.
Conclusion
Acne has a variety of causes and thus the treatments might differ accordingly too. The methods of how to get rid of acne on the face mentioned in this article, in no way represent an exhaustive list, there is several other methods available and ongoing research on them.
Have you tried any of the methods above or other ones not mentioned in this article, we would love to hear about your experience. Thanks for reading through.
FAQs
How can I clear up acne fast?
You can use over-the-counter treatments containing salicylate and benzoyl peroxide.
How can I clear my acne naturally?
There are several options available; this includes spot-treating with tea tree oil, aloe vera, and adopting a good diet control habit.
What causes acne on the face?
Acne is linked to several causes. Two of the most important are genetics and hormonal imbalance. Others are personal hygiene, poor skin care, and diet.
What kills acne on the face?
To kill acne on the face, you can apply some gel-free toothpaste, or paste of crushed aspirin and allow it overnight. You can also use the several natural methods available.
Should I see a doctor for acne treatment?
You can easily treat mild to moderate acne with natural home remedies or over-the-counter drugs. However, a dermatologist is in the best position to evaluate and treat you, especially in recurring or severe cases.
Two of my older siblings currently have acne on their faces; my mum said she suffered from it as a teenager, does it mean acne can be inherited?
Yes. According to a study, acne is highly heritable, so if you are not affected by it, at the moment, it is very important for you to observe the preventive measures mentioned in this article
Can I buy over-the-counter drugs for my acne?
There are several over-the-counter ointments, gels, and lotions available for acne treatment. Some are highly affected but might be associated with unwanted effects such as irritation, redness, and dryness. To avoid or at least, minimise this, meet a dermatologist to recommend the most suitable one(s) for you.
by Abdulsalam Yunusa | Feb 9, 2022 | Health & Wellness
The use of toothpaste for maintaining the fresh breath, preventing tooth decay, tooth stains, and gum disease (gingivitis) has been practised for a very long time now.
It will interest you to know that apart from the above uses, there are several other amazing facts about toothpaste that you have probably never heard of before. Are you ready to know those facts? Strap on your seatbelts and we will journey with you all through.
11 Surprising Facts About Toothpaste
1. Do Colour Codes On The Tube of Toothpastes Mean Anything?
For quite some time, there has been a false claim about toothpaste colour codes in circulation. According to the claim, consumers can decide on which toothpaste to buy by studying the colour code to know which ingredients were used to make the toothpaste.
The colour code is a small coloured square at the bottom of your toothpaste. It is usually green, blue, red, or black – some of the most common colours used by toothpaste brands. The colours are used to claim that the formulation of the toothpaste is as follows:
Green: Contains only natural ingredients
Blue: Natural ingredients with some additional medicine
Red: natural ingredients and chemicals
Black: purely made of chemicals
This is entirely false! The colours are nothing but marks deliberately put on the toothpaste tubes during production to show light beam sensors the exact place to cut, seal or fold during the automated process.
To know the formulation of the toothpaste you intend to buy, just read through the pack and you will see the ingredients it contains.
2. Toothpaste Contain Seaweed!
Do you know that most toothpaste contains seaweeds?
Seaweeds are a group of plants and algae that survive on water bodies. Most toothpaste brands use seaweeds as part of their ingredients.
Also, seaweed is a thickening agent, so it stabilizes toothpaste, thereby making it consistent on your toothbrush whenever you squeeze it out of the tube.
The toothpaste we know today was not always like this. Before it was turned into a paste, the evolution began from the Egyptian toothpowder made from powdered ashes of Ox hooves and burnt eggshells; and the Greek toothpowder containing crushed bones and oyster shells.
This continued to the 19th century with additional ingredients like chalk, salt, and charcoal.
4. Most Toothpastes Contain the Same Set of Active Ingredients
While there are a lot of different toothpaste brands today, each advertising to try and convince you to buy their product, it will interest you to know that most toothpaste contains the same set of ingredients.
The ingredients in most toothpaste are as follows:
Abrasives e.g. hydrated silica, calcium carbonate
Detergents e.g. sodium lauryl sulfate
Fluoride compound e.g. sodium fluoride, stannous fluoride
Preservatives
Binders
Abrasives help to remove stains and deposits on the surfaces of teeth; detergents break up and wash the stains; fluoride helps in tooth decay prevention; preservatives increase the lifespan of the toothpaste while binders increase consistency.
Specially formulated toothpaste contain additional ingredients. Your dentist will recommend one for you if you have sensitive teeth or tartar on your teeth.
5. Toothpastes Can Clean Surfaces Other Than Your Mouth
These are some of the most interesting facts about toothpaste. After reading this, you will realize how useful toothpaste can be in your house and even at work.
You can clean glass surfaces, wooden items and more with your toothpaste.
6. Toothpastes Can Relieve You from Skin Irritation and Acne
Rubbing a small amount of toothpaste on your skin after an insect bite or sting can bring you immediate relief from the irritation before you can get a definitive treatment – if needed.
Toothpaste has been used for some time to treat acne. Some amount of it dabbed on your pimples and allowed overnight can help clear your pimples, especially when you continue for some days. For this purpose, it is recommended to use toothpaste that does not contain gels.
Dirty fingernails can also be cleaned using toothpaste. There are reports that it is effective for this purpose.
7. Toothpastes Can Remove Offensive Odors from Your Skin
Sometimes, coming in contact with fish, garlic, and onions in the kitchen can leave your hands with an offensive smell that is difficult to remove by just washing with soap.
Here is what you can do.
Wash your hands first with soap or detergent, then rub some toothpaste on your hands, allow it for some time, and then rinse. You can also try it for other offensive smells on your skin.
8. Toothpaste Can Make Your Jewellery to Sparkle
It is a Saturday or Sunday morning, you have an important event to attend and you are already running late, then you realise that your jewellery has lost its sparkle but there is no time to take it to the jeweller for cleaning. Well, toothpaste to the rescue.
When you add some toothpaste to a soft-bristled brush or cloth and use it to polish your silver or even diamond jewellery, in no time, you will have sparkling clean jewellery right in front of you. Amazing right?
However, you should exercise caution while polishing your pearls, as this might scratch or even damage them.
In addition to polishing your jewellery, you can also polish your silver kitchen utensils and ornaments, using the same procedure above.
9. Toothpaste Can Polish Your Bathroom Too
Just as you can use toothpaste to clean your kitchen utensils, jewellery, and ornaments, you can do the same to the items in your bathroom.
It does an amazing job cleaning your bathroom sinks, mirrors, glass doors, faucets, etc. giving them the sparkling look.
Whenever any of the above is stained, you can squeeze some amount of toothpaste on the area, allow it for some time and scrub it off.
Toothpaste has the added advantage of deodorising your drain as well.
10. What Toothpaste Can Do To Your Fabric
When your clothes are stained with ‘tough’ stains from soup, coffee, juice, or other food and household items, you might no longer need to use expensive stain removers for that.
To do this, apply some toothpaste to the stained area, allow for some time and rub vigorously. By the time you wash the cloth, the stain is likely to disappear or at least, reduce by a large extent.
11. Toothpaste Can Help Clean You Walls
Regardless of the number of books you buy for your kids, some might still choose to use the walls of the house for their crayon arts. Toothpaste, therefore, serves to keep your walls clean.
To clean the crayon markings – as well as other stains, apply some amount of toothpaste (preferably white) using a wet cloth and then wash off the residue.
You can also use it to fill small holes on your walls, and as an adhesive to stick your posters to the wall. And when used for this, it has no damaging effect on your wall.
FAQ
Q: How effective is herbal toothpaste?
A: A lot of the ingredients of herbal toothpaste are yet to be scientifically declared as effective in teeth cleaning, nevertheless, it has been used for quite a while, and people have attested to its effectiveness.
Q: Which toothpaste brand is the best for me?
A: Toothpaste basically contain the same active ingredients; also, there are different toothpaste formulations for different conditions (e.g whitening, tartar, tooth decay). Your dentist should help you choose the best one for you.
Conclusion
Now that you have read up to this point, we believe that you have learned amazing facts about toothpaste, and have realised that they can be used for several other purposes apart from teeth cleaning.
Do you know more of such facts about toothpaste? Please do not hesitate to share with us in the comments section below.
We would love to hear from you.
by Abdulsalam Yunusa | Feb 2, 2022 | Health & Wellness
Posture simply means the position of your body when standing, sitting, or lying down. Many people tend to develop bad body postures as they grow up; and while a bad posture is barely noticeable at first, it can eventually become disturbing. A bad posture can affect your general physical appearance, reduce your confidence in public and even cause you health problems like back pain, respiratory difficulty, etc. The good news is that bad posture can be prevented before it happens, and be corrected after it happens. So if you fear that your posture is bad, I will be sharing with you, important tips and exercises for body posture that will help you regain your erect physique. Grab your sporting gear let’s begin!
Is Your Posture Bad? Quickly Do a Posture Check
If you are not sure whether you have a good posture or not, you can stand in front of a large mirror or ask a friend to help you out with a thorough look from head to toe. If after the above check, you find out that there is a straight (imaginary) line from your ear to your shoulder up to your hip, and you look balanced and upright, your posture is okay, and you only need to maintain it; but if after checking, you realize that you have rounded shoulders, slouching (drooping) head, bent knees, and a potbelly, these are red flags alerting you that your posture needs immediate attention.
Exercises for Body Posture
There are several exercises you can try at home to improve your posture. I will be sharing some with you along with detailed steps on how to put them into practice:
1. Plank Pose
The plank pose helps you to maintain a good posture by aligning your spine properly. Also, it strengthens your muscles in the back, shoulders, buttocks, and posterior thigh.
To get in the Plank Pose:
Remember that you aim to form a straight line with your body. To do this, get down on both hands and knees while making sure that your hands align with your shoulders; and your knees, with your hips.
Now, lift your heels and straighten your legs. If you do this correctly, your body should be in a straight line.
Remain in this position for 30 seconds to 1 minute while leaving your chest open and your shoulders back.
2. Child’s Pose
The child’s pose is one of the several exercises for body posture. It is used as a resting or restorative position during yoga or even routinely as a stretching exercise. This pose helps to open the hips and lengthen the lower part of the back.
How to do the Child’s Pose:
Get a yoga mat or any soft material and spread it on the floor. Go down on both hands and knees, lean your body backward while maintaining your hands in the same position. Lean back further until your forehead comes in contact with the floor.
Ensure that your arms make a straight line and your glutes (buttocks) rest on your heels. Your shoulders should be relaxed.
Stay in this position for a while.
3. Mountain Pose
Like the Child’s Pose explained above, the Mountain Pose is also a yoga position that you can easily do to improve your posture. It focuses on the upright alignment of the body as well. To achieve this, several aspects of good body posture are involved.
How to Do the Mountain Pose:
Stand erect with both feet and hip wide apart while ensuring an even distribution of your weight on both feet. Move back and forth gently to feel how the variations in weight distribution affect your posture.
Slightly bend your knees, squeeze your thighs and tilt your tailbone down. Push your chest forward by dropping your shoulders down and back.
Now, keep your shoulders relaxed while allowing your arms to fall to the sides of your body and your palms facing forward. Breath in and out a few times and maintain the position for a few seconds.
4. Arch Up
This exercise consists of three important movements that require you to tuck your chin and rotate your arms externally with your thumbs facing upward.
The three movements are shoulder flexion, shoulder extension, and horizontal abduction. You can do them as follows:
- Shoulder Flexion: Push both arms and shoulder blades upwards and raise your hands as high as you can without bending them.
- Horizontal Abduction: Raise both arms as high as you can to the side and bring your shoulder blades together.
- Shoulder Extension: Push your arms upwards and lift them as high as you can
5. Forward Fold
The forward fold is a stretch exercise that helps to release tension in your spine, posterior thigh muscles, and buttocks. Also, it stretches your hips and legs. The interesting thing about this exercise is that you will feel the backside of your body lengthening and opening up.
How to Do the Forward Fold Stretch:
Stand erect with your big toes touching and your heels kept slightly apart. Now, bring your hands to your hips and fold forward towards them.
Place your hands on a block or release them towards the floor as far as you can.
Slightly bend your knees, soften your hip joints, and allow your spine to lengthen. Then tuck your chin into your chest and allow your head to fall to the floor.
Maintain this pose for a minute.
READ ALSO: 10 Signs You Are Not Getting Enough Sleep
Other Ways to Improve Your Body Posture
It is noteworthy that apart from the exercises for body posture which you can do periodically, there are several day-to-day activities that when done correctly will speed up your journey towards achieving your desired posture.
Standing Correctly
- Stand erect and allow your arms to relax by your sides
- Keep your shoulder back and wide apart
- Push your chest a little bit forward and pull your belly button towards your spine
- Your chin should be parallel to the floor
- Keep your feet flat on the floor
The correct way of sitting at a desk
- Keep your back straight
- Your feet should be flat on the floor
- Do not cross your legs
- Keep your ears aligned with your collar bone
- Just like in standing, your chin should also be parallel to the floor
Using your phone or laptop
- Apply similar posture rules as in standing and sitting depending on your current position
- Your laptop should be placed on a desk such that it will be at the level of your eyes without necessitating you to bend your neck down or lookup.
- While using your phone, do not hold it below or above your line of sight while sitting or standing erect
While lying down
- Keep your spine aligned
- Avoid sleeping on your stomach, as this can cause your neck to twist
- Avoid twisting of your waist
Summary
A good posture says a lot about you; from the level of confidence to health status. It is among the first things that your prospective employers, spouse use to make a first impression about you. Maintaining a good posture helps you not just to appear confident but also protects you from several unwanted health conditions.
Have you tried any of the exercises above? Please share your experience with us in the comments section below.
FAQs
Q: Which exercise is best for good posture?
A: There is no single best exercise for body posture, you will get better results by combining several exercises.
Q: How long will it take me to get a good posture?
A: This depends on your current posture, body weight, and how dedicated you are to the course. The more effort you put in, the quicker you see results.
Q: Do I need a fitness coach?
A: Getting a fitness coach will make your journey easier, but if you cannot afford one, this article is a good place to start.
Q: Am I expected to continue the exercise for life?
A: This might not be necessary; once you can achieve a good posture, your next step will be to maintain it, and this can simply be done by avoiding bad standing, sitting, and lying postures.
Q: Is weight loss necessary?
A: Yes, weight loss is necessary if you are obese or overweight. Excess weight will weaken your abdominal muscles and add additional stress to your joints thus affecting your posture.
by Abdulsalam Yunusa | Feb 2, 2022 | Health & Wellness
Stomach ache is a very common misnomer for abdominal pain; it is just one of the several causes of abdominal pain. Your abdomen comprises all the organs between the front part of your thorax (chest) and the pelvis, therefore, pain from any of these organs is termed abdominal pain. Nevertheless, we will still refer to it as stomach ache for the purpose of this article.
Stomachache is very common, and everyone must have experienced it at some point in time. While severe stomachache is a medical emergency that needs to be treated by your doctor, you can easily treat mild aches by just making good use of the things available in your kitchen.
Are you ready to explore the several options of home remedies for stomach pain available for you? Let’s ride on!
Home Remedies for Stomach Pain
When you are busy with some projects in the office or lying down peacefully at home, you might start to feel some uneasiness in your stomach.
This could be because there has been an accumulation of excess gas in your stomach, heartburn from peptic ulcer or gastroesophageal disease, cramping from diarrhoea, constipation, or just a bad reaction from the food you ate a few minutes or hours ago.
Whichever one it is, there are several home remedies for stomach pain that you can try to get immediate relief before going to the hospital for appropriate evaluation and treatment. Thus:
1. Give It Some Time
Stomach aches are sometimes mild and all you need to do is to give it time. A good example is a diarrhoea from mild food poisoning or from eating food that your stomach is not used to. In such situations, by allowing your body to flush itself of the offending food, you will be okay in no time.
2. Drink Enough Water
Water is necessary for a lot of functions in the body. This includes digestion and absorption of food. In cases of stomach pain due to diarrhoea or constipation, it is imperative to take enough fluids. Adequate water intake helps in preventing and relieving constipation.
Furthermore, dehydration due to diarrhoea or vomiting could be very dangerous if body water is continuously lost without being replaced. Taking adequate water in such situations, therefore, comes in very handy.
Apart from the water lost to vomiting and diarrhoea, some important substances in your body, known as electrolytes are lost as well, therefore doctors recommend taking Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) in such situations since they also contain glucose, salt, and other electrolytes needed by the body.
Here is a quick guide on how to prepare ORS at home.
3. Take a Warm Bath or Use a Heating Pad
The use of heat as a natural remedy comes in handy especially when the pain is a result of muscle cramps. In this case, taking a warm bath or applying a heating pad or bag to the aching area will relax the tense muscles and ease your symptoms. Heat therapy can also be used for indigestion.
Be careful not to use excessive heat to avoid causing harm to yourself.
READ ALSO: 7 Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Menstrual Cramps
4. Add Some Ginger to Your Tea and Cooking
Ginger has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiviral properties that make it a good natural remedy for a lot of diseases.
Adding ginger to your tea and cooking can be very helpful for treating your upset stomach. It helps with nausea, indigestion, and other symptoms as well.
5. Increase Your Fiber Intake
Constipation, as earlier mentioned, is an important cause of stomachache. This can be prevented, as well as treated, by incorporating a good amount of fibre-containing foods into your diet. There are several options available. These includes:
- Fruits like apple, banana, citrus, strawberries
- Potatoes
- Barley
- Oats
- Dried beans
- Whole grains
- Most vegetables etc.
6. Potash Used to Be a Wonder Drug
The popular kanwa (potash) in Northern Nigeria has been used for ages to ease symptoms of stomach aches, especially if it is due to acid reflux, constipation, or spasm.
According to research, potash has many other uses e.g. in fertilizer production, toothache treatment, as a preservative, fire extinguishing, cleaning purposes, etc.
Nevertheless, medical experts have warned that its excessive use could result in decreased sperm production, kidney failure, and heart diseases (arrhythmia), so it is best to use safer alternatives.
7. Peppermint Helps to Relax Your Tense Muscles
The menthol content in peppermint helps to ease your symptoms of a stomachache. It has also been shown to relax muscles when a person is having abdominal cramps.
However, it is not recommended for you if you are suffering from a peptic ulcer or any acid reflux disease.
8. Aloe Vera Juice Can Ease Several Symptoms of Stomachache
The juice from the Aloe Vera plant contains substances that may ease your symptoms by reducing inflammation, encouraging bowel movements to treat constipation, improving digestion of proteins, reducing excessive stomach acid, removing toxins, etc.
9. You Can Use Over-the-Counter Medication
There are several over-the-counter medications available, depending on the symptoms you are having. This includes laxatives for constipation, loperamide for diarrhoea and cramps, antacids for reflux disease, and pain relievers like paracetamol.
Nevertheless, you should always consult with your doctor before you buy and take any medication.
Things You Should Avoid When You Have a Stomach Ache
- Avoid lying down too quickly after a meal: this is especially important for people experiencing acid reflux. Lying down immediately after a meal will push the acidic contents of your stomach upwards, eventually causing heartburn.
- Avoid carbonated drinks: carbonated drinks can easily cause an increase of gas in your system, resulting in burping and flatulence. Excessive amounts of gas will likely cause stomachache, so it is preferable to reduce your intake of such drinks and swap them with water, fruit juice, or the likes
- Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol
- Avoid foods that are difficult to digest
- Avoid improperly cooked food
When Should You Seek Medical Care?
Using the above home remedies for stomach pain might be all that you need for a mild ache, but sometimes it can be severe or be associated with some symptoms that will necessitate you to see a doctor as soon as possible for specialized evaluation and treatment. These include:
- Blood in stool
- Bleeding from the anus or rectum
- Severe pain
- Effortless weight loss
- Yellowing of the eyes
- Severe vomiting and/or diarrhea
- Difficulty swallowing
- Stomachache during pregnancy
- Heartburn that does not get better after taking over-the-counter antacids
FAQ
Q: Should I take antibiotics for a stomach ache?
A: There are several causes of stomach ache and each is treated differently. Antibiotics should only be used when it is evident that harmful microorganisms are responsible for causing the ache. This will be confirmed by your physician.
Q: Should I be worried if I experience recurrent stomachache?
A: Recurrent stomach aches could mean that you have an underlying problem that needs to be treated. You should consult your doctor for immediate and appropriate investigations and treatment.
Conclusion
We believe that by reading up to this point, you are now enlightened on several home remedies for stomach pain that you can easily try at home. However, this should not stop you from going to the doctor for professional treatment if your symptoms persist.
Have you tried any of these methods before? Please share your experience with us in the comments section below.
by Abdulsalam Yunusa | Dec 15, 2021 | Health & Wellness
The harmattan season is here again; the cold and dry season is known to be associated with an increase in a lot of infections, including the common cold. Common cold, also known as ‘cold’ is an infection that affects the nose and throat. Sneezing, cough, nasal congestion, sore throat, runny nose and fever, are among the symptoms that you will have when infected with the common cold. It can be caused by several different viruses, nevertheless, it is generally harmless and resolves within two weeks with or without treatment.
Fasten your seatbelts and journey with me as I share with you a list of natural remedies for cold.
Should You Always Treat a Cold?
The big answer here is NO! you need not take antibiotics for colds like many people wrongly do. Medical doctors refer to the common cold as a self-limiting disease, meaning, it will resolve on its own whether you treat it or not. It will amaze you to know that some of the symptoms that you experience when you have a cold are actually an indication that your body is actively fighting the infection; shocking, right? Yes, I know.
Coughing, for example, helps to clear your airway of thick mucus that is blocking the passage of air as well as transferring the infection to your lungs. Fever is sometimes protective too; your body raises the temperature higher than normal, to make the environment uncomfortable for the germs that are causing you trouble.
Read: Food Every Asthma Patient Should Avoid
How Do You Treat a Cold?
While it is true that the common cold does not require treatment, the symptoms that accompany it can be very uncomfortable and can even affect your daily productivity. This will require you to take some active steps of getting relief.
The good news is that there are several natural remedies for cold that you can try at home all by yourself.
Natural Remedies to Common Cold
1. You Need to Rest
This sounds simple yet it is very important. Your body is always busy with a lot of activities, some of which you know and some you do not.
By giving your body some rest, it will be able to focus its energy towards fighting the infection.
2. Take Enough Fluids
Regular drinking of warm water, tea or even juice will prevent you from getting dehydrated and can help to loosen the congestion too. Avoid anything that can worsen dehydration; this includes caffeinated soda, coffee and alcoholic drinks.
It is also important to avoid cold drinks whenever you have a cold. According to research, drinking cold water can make the mucus in your nose thicker and more difficult to pass through your airways. So, it will be best to stay away from it.
Also Read: 10 Surprising Foods That Are Bad for Your Breath (No. 5 Will Shock You)
3. Take a Hot Shower
Whether you are down with common cold or not, a hot, steamy shower on a cold day can be so refreshing. It generally makes you relax and can also help to moisturize your airways, leading to some level of decongestion.
4. Blow your Runny Nose
When you have a runny nose, try as much as possible to frequently blow it instead of swallowing – yes, people swallow! – blow it gently by pressing your finger on the other nostril.
This way, you reduce the possibility of the mucus accumulating again to cause blockage, or for mucus containing germs to infect other parts of your body.
5. Gargle
A saltwater gargle helps to temporarily soothe a sore throat. This is done by mixing half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water, then pouring the solution into the mouth, gargling and spitting it out. You can repeat this up to four times daily.
If you are still not sure how to do it, here is a simple guide on how to gargle.
6. Take Some Honey
Honey has been used in the treatment of diseases for many centuries now. According to research by some University of Oxford scientists, honey may be superior as well as less harmful than usual care for treating upper respiratory tract infections, especially coughs.
Honey also has antibacterial, antioxidant and antifungal properties, making it a suitable candidate in the treatment of a lot of disease conditions. You can drink it directly, add it to your drinks, or even to your water solution before gargling.
7. Add Ginger to Your Diet
Adding some ginger to your tea, recipes, smoothies and even cooking, in general, can help to relieve and even prevent the common cold.
Ginger has antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that make it not just one of the natural remedies for cold, but for several other diseases as well.
Appropriate elevation of your head while lying down will help to relieve congested airways. This can easily be achieved by making use of an extra pillow to sleep.
9. Eat Healthy Food
Eating healthy food, especially those with some documented evidence of fighting infection can help relieve you of the symptoms faster than usual.
This includes onions, garlic, chilli peppers, carrots, oranges and other Vitamin-C rich fruits, blueberries, etc.
10. Over the Counter (OTC) Medications
Over the counter medications are those that you can legally buy from drug stores even without a doctor’s prescription. I choose to add it last to the list because misusing this can cause you more harm than good. There are several pharmaceutical drugs available for the treatment of the common cold, and some of them with side effects including drowsiness, dizziness and headache.
I strongly recommend that you seek the opinion of a qualified medical professional before going ahead to purchase medications for yourself or your loved ones.
FAQs
Q: What causes common cold?
A: Common cold is caused by viruses, but it is generally harmless, so you need not worry.
Q: How long does common cold lasts?
A: It usually doesn’t go beyond two weeks whether you treat it or not
Q: Should I be worried if my cold goes beyond two weeks?
A: If it goes beyond two weeks and there is no sign of improvement, see your doctor for proper evaluation and treatment.
Q: Must I always take antibiotics for common cold?
A: No. For common cold, you only take drugs that will reduce the symptoms. There are several natural methods you can try at home too.
Conclusion
If after trying all these, the common cold still goes beyond two weeks, please meet your doctor for appropriate evaluation and treatment.
Have you ever used any of the natural remedies for cold mentioned above or any not mentioned here? We would love to hear about your experience in the comments section below.
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