1) The BEST remedy for sunburn: 2 aspirin every 4 hours, starting as soon as possible after the burn, and continuing 'till bedtime. I read this in a brief letter from a Florida dermatologist to the New England Journal of Medicine long ago, when I was in med school: it really works! Funny that it appears nowhere in the medical literature, and when I mention it to my fellow doctors, it's the first they've heard of it!
2) The BEST remedy for a wasp or bee sting (for the majority of us who are NOT allergic to such insults): make a paste of Adolph's Meat Tenderizer and a little water and rub it into the site. The papain (papaya extract, the active ingredient in Adolph's) breaks up the venom molecules, much as it does the meat fibers when used in the kitchen as intended. The reason I don't deal with those who are allergic to stings is that they'll be dead of anaphylaxis long before they have time to make a paste, unless they use an Epi-pen. I keep a bottle of Adolph's in my glove compartment.
3) The BEST remedy for non-specific back pain: lose weight. Most such pain is due to weak abdominal musculature and subsequent cantilevering of the belly outward, putting all kinds of non-physiologic stress on the low back.
4) The BEST remedy for hypertension: lose weight. Most mild hypertension goes away when weight gets down where it should be.
5) The BEST remedy for oral-medication-controlled diabetes: lose weight. Most such patients don't need their meds anymore once their weight gets back to normal.
Article comments
1 - sydney smith
My favorite remedy for bee and wasp stings (without allergies) is a paste of baking soda and water. Apply it as soon as possible after the sting and it takes the pain away and prevents swelling. Not sure why it works, but it does.