Ditch the Doc!

Want to zap zits, tame your tummy, or heal heel pain?Here are 10 trustworthy home remedies to beat your everyday health hassles.

Zap those zitsApply a drop of tea-tree essential oil to blemishes three times a day to discourage infection and speed up healing. Research has found that 5 per cent tea-tree oil is as effective against acne as a 5 per cent benzoyl peroxide solution.
Tame your tummyChew and swallow half a teaspoon of fennel or caraway seeds when you have indigestion or wind. These seeds contain carminative oils that relax spasms in the gut, counter nausea and help to reduce flatulence.
Shhh the snoringSew a pouch onto the back of the snorer’s pajama top and slip a tennis ball inside. If they roll on their back – which causes their tongue to flop back and block their airway – the ball will prompt them to go on their side.
Banish bad breathCloves are rich in eugenol, a potent antibacterial. Just pop one into your mouth and bruise it with your teeth until the aroma fills your mouth; then spit it out.
Heal heel painThis is often due to plantar fasciitis, the inflammation of the Achilles tendon (the band of tissue that connects your heel and toes). Stretch it by standing a metre from a wall and moving your right leg forwards, knee bent, until you feel an even stretch in your heel and foot arch. Switch sides and repeat.
Ease urinary tract infectionsStudies show that cranberry juice helps women get rid of UTIs faster; it also helps stop them from starting in the first place. Antiseptic herbal teas like echinacea and goldenseal kill the bacteria and flush the system.
Nix nits’Shampoo’ hair with mayonnaise, cover with a shower cap, and leave overnight. Next morning, remove eggs with a nit comb, and then shampoo. A final rinse of 50:50 white vinegar and water will remove oily residue.
Quit hiccupsDrink a glass of water backwards. You’ll have to suck harder, and this overrides spasms of the diaphragm.
Baby those boobsTender ta-tas can be caused by methylxanthines, stimulants that include caffeine and theobromine, found in coffee and chocolate respectively.
Fight athlete’s footAdd a spoonful of mustard powder to a foot bath; soak feet for 30 minutes daily.