These are home health remedies that have been emailed to me or that I found on the Internet. I have not tried them all and do NOT guarantee the effectiveness of them. If you try one and it works, or if you have one that works for you, please email me. Thanks!
It seems a bit weird to be posting a tip about bee stings in January, but I post my tips alphabetically and, well, here we are. Of course, these tips can also be used for other types of swelling and itchy bits. Spiders, ant, wasps, etc.
Bee Stings-First of all, Remove the stinger as soon as possible. Use your fingers, tweezers - whatever works best. Then wash the site with soap and water, or clean it with alcohol.To relieve the swelling and pain try one of the following methods:
- Use meat tenderizer
- Mix water with cornstarch into a paste and apply. This is effective in drawing out the poisons of most insect bites
- Make a paste with crushed aspirin and water and apply liberally to the sting.
- When you get a bee sting spit in some dirt and make mud. Apply the mud for 15 minutes this helps bring the stinger quickly and helps the pain go away. Great idea to try if your away from home, camping, hiking or whatever.
- Sprinkle an alka-seltzer tablet with enough water to make it fizz and lay it directly on top of the sting. In a couple of minutes the pain should go away and the swelling should go down.
- If you have a cigarrete nearby. break it open, wet the tobacco & apply directly onto bee sting, it relieves the pain and avoids swelling.
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I love it when Spark People sends me these Healthy Reflections. This one is a good one today.
Remember, we all stumble, every one of us. That's why it's a comfort to go hand in hand. - Emily Kimbrough
Shining your light on a friend's shade
You can't turn on a country music station without hearing a song about someone down on their luck. But what about those around you? Think about how much it means to you to receive a note in the mail from a caring friend when you're going through a hard time. Use those warm feelings to compel you to spread the love to others. We all need such encouragement and often we forget that it's okay not to be the pillar of strength when life has us by the tail. Throw your arms around someone today who might need a good squeeze, send a card to a co-worker who needs cheering up, or bake a special treat for your ill child. Friends are precious, not just in the sunshine of life, but especially in the shade.
I really like this theme, "shine your light on a friend's shade". Couldn't we all use a little light when it seems the sun just doesn't want to shine on us? Have you ever been in one of these ruts and received a card, or a little something, from a friend just to let you know that they are there if you need them, or just that they are thinking about you?
I have a great friend like that. Sascha, who left me here in Ohio to live with her husband down South. LOL There are times when I get a little something in the mail from her, and it will be a time when I am feeling a little blue. I can't tell you what that does for my spirit. I just love her. I definitely need to be more like that. I want to be like that.
I mean think about it. A little box of note cards from the dollar store, a few stamps, a few minutes of your time...and you could really makesomeones day. Don't have the time to run to the dollar store? Go raid the kids crafts box! LOL That will really put a smile on your friends face. Can you just imagine when they open this envelope and find your homemade card? Have fun with it!
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This should really be posted on a Monday with the recipes. However, I found this article in Glee Magazine and wanted to share these ideas with ya'll. I hope you find this information useful.
By Susan Burke MS, RD, LD/N, CDE
Glee Contributor
Updated: Saturday, January 27, 2007
Use flavorful oils and you can use less without missing it. Extra-virgin olive oil has its own mellow flavor. Add a few drops of walnut or sesame oil to canola oil for salad dressing.
Cut back on oil in salad dressing and increase vinegar, spices and lemon juice. The proportion of oil in traditional vinaigrette is 3-1, so start experimenting by making it 2-1, then 1-1. Invest in good-quality balsamic vinegar and high-quality, extra-virgin olive oil for more flavor, and reducing the amount will be painless.
Invest in a George Foreman grill or something similar. It makes low-fat grilling a breeze. Spray the grill with some cooking oil and grill burgers, chicken, fish and shellfish -- even firm tofu. Potatoes sliced and tossed in olive oil, then grilled on your “George” are much healthier and lower in fat than French fries; you and your family will adore them.
For better burgers, use very lean beef and add ingredients that bring out the taste and contribute some moisture. Mix a quarter-cup each of tomato sauce and nonfat yogurt into your lean beef or ground turkey breast, plus some minced garlic and chives. Add a quarter-cup each of shredded zucchini and carrots and lower the saturated fat and cholesterol while adding fiber and nutrition.
Switch to low-fat or nonfat dairy and substitutes. You’ll get to enjoy the flavor of your favorite puddings and desserts, and you won’t miss the fat. Substitute nonfat yogurt for full-fat sour cream in recipes; in place of cream, use nonfat evaporated milk.
To make a perfectly healthy pizza without sacrificing flavor, switch from whole-milk mozzarella to low-fat, part-skim, which has less than 5 grams of fat per serving. Add flavor with three or four tablespoons of diced fresh cilantro or basil and some capers. Nonfat cheeses don’t melt well, so use a little less of the low-fat cheese.
Spice it up. Liberally spice your food with hot sauce, red and black pepper and a little salt. Watching the sodium? Choose salt-free seasonings. Your grocery store has dozens of different varieties.
Don’t overcook. When reducing the fat, adjust your cooking methods to avoid drying out leaner meats. Don’t bother pressing down on your burger to get the fat out; instead, keep it as moist as possible by starting with hot grill sprayed with a little cooking oil and cooking just until done.
Savor salsas. Leaner cuts of meat and skinless poultry and fish do well with flavorful salsa. Try a mango-red onion, a black bean and peach, or a tomato-parsley-cucumber. Dice ingredients and mix with garlic, balsamic vinegar, and fresh lemon or lime juice. Experiment with ingredients -- there are no rules for salsa!
Lose the mayo -- discover yogurt. A mixture of nonfat yogurt and nonfat sour cream with a dash of dry mustard is much better than full-fat mayo. Today’s nonfat mayonnaise is an improvement over yesteryear's. Use also in salads and on sandwiches.
If you’re a chocoholic like me, don’t sacrifice chocolate entirely, even if you’re on a weight-loss program. For a treat, grate one ounce of the finest dark chocolate over the top of a low-fat dessert. One of my favorites is sliced strawberries topped with chilled, whipped evaporated skim milk or nondairy whipped topping.
Go “ethnic” for flavor with herbs and spices. They liven up your menu and make your “same old” baked chicken adventurous. Skinless chicken breast, while healthy, can be boring. For Asian, add fresh ginger, garlic and soy sauce. For French Provencal, add onions, tomatoes, capers, and fresh rosemary and thyme. To make Italian chicken, cook with garlic and onions, then add mushrooms, red peppers, oregano, marjoram and grated Parmesan cheese.
Brighten up your flavors by throwing out any spice and herb that’s more than one year old. Always buy the smallest-sized containers possible. Here’s one case when buying the “large” size doesn’t save you money. Store inside your cabinet away from heat, not over the stove or next to the oven.
Butter flavoring: Give a buttery taste to fish, vegetables, toast and hot grains and cereals by sprinkling on some dehydrated butter granules. Butter Buds and Molly McButter are two varieties I’ve enjoyed. Also available are Cheese Buds and even Chocolate Buds. Great taste with just a smidgen of fat.
Hugs,
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