Cheat Codes - Third Monk

Jan 7, 2014Jun 17, 2016

Holistic Pain Remedies – Let Food Be Thy Medicine

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” – Hippocrates

Balanced nutrition with the cornerstones of water, fruits and vegetables have shown to promote health and well being.

On that same tip, many foods also have curative properties for common aches, pains and discomfort. These holistic pain remedies are simple to use and effective enough to be mentioned in an era when technology is accelerating at an exponential pace.

Holistic Pain Remedies

Water Flushes Out Pain Inducing Histamine From The Body

Whether it’s your feet, your knees or your shoulders that are throbbing, experts at New York’s Manhattan College, say you could kick-start your recovery in one week just by drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water daily.

Experts say water dilutes and flushes out histamine, a pain-triggering compound produced by injured tissues.

“Plus water is a key building block of the cartilage that cushions the ends of your bones, your joints’ lubricating fluid, and the soft discs in your spine,” adds Susan M. Kleiner, Ph.D., author of the book, The Good Mood Diet. “

And when these tissues are well-hydrated, they can move and glide over each other without causing pain.”

Ginger for Muscle Pain

When Danish researchers asked achy people to jazz up their diets with ginger, it eased muscle and joint pain, swelling and stiffness for up to 63 percent of them within two months.

Experts credit ginger’s potent compounds called gingerols, which prevent the production of pain-triggering hormones. The study-recommended dose: Add at least 1 teaspoon of dried ginger or 2 teaspoons of chopped ginger to meals daily.

Peppermint Oil Baths for Muscle Pain

Stubborn knots can hang around for months if they aren’t properly treated, says naturopath Mark Stengler, N.D., author of the book, The Natural Physician’s Healing Therapies. His advice:

Three times each week, soak in a warm tub scented with 10 drops of peppermint oil.

The warm water will relax your muscles, while the peppermint oil will naturally soothe your nerves — a combo that can ease muscle cramping 25 percent more effectively than over-the-counter painkillers, and cut the frequency of future flare-ups in half, says Stengler.

Tame Chronic Pain With Turmeric

Studies show turmeric, a popular East Indian spice, is actually three times more effective at easing pain than aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen, plus it can help relieve chronic pain for 50 percent of people struggling with arthritis and even fibromyalgia, according to Cornell researchers.

That’s because turmeric’s active ingredient, curcumin, naturally shuts down cyclooxygenase 2, an enzyme that churns out a stream of pain-producing hormones, explains nutrition researcher Julian Whitaker, M.D. and author of the book, Reversing Diabetes.

The study-recommended dose: Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of this spice daily onto any rice, poultry, meat or vegetable dish.

Grapes For Your Back Ache

Recent studies at Ohio State University suggest eating a heaping cup of grapes daily can relax tight blood vessels, significantly improving blood flow to damaged back tissues (and often within three hours of enjoying the first bowl).

That’s great news because your back’s vertebrae and shock-absorbing discs are completely dependent on nearby blood vessels to bring them healing nutrients and oxygen, so improving blood flow is essential for healing damaged back tissue, says Stengler.

Cloves for Toothaches

Gently chewing on a clove can ease tooth pain and gum inflammation for two hours straight, say UCLA researchers. Experts point to a natural compound in cloves called eugenol, a powerful, natural anesthetic.

Bonus: Sprinkling a ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves on meals daily may also protect your ticker. Scientists say this simple action helps stabilize blood sugar, plus dampen production of artery-clogging cholesterol in as little as three weeks.

Erase Earaches With Garlic

Place two drops of warm garlic oil into your aching ear twice daily for five days. This simple treatment can clear up ear infections faster than prescription meds, say experts at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine.

Scientists say garlic’s active ingredients (germanium, selenium, and sulfur compounds) are naturally toxic to dozens of different pain-causing bacteria.

To whip up your own garlic oil gently simmer three cloves of crushed garlic in a half a cup of extra virgin olive oil for two minutes, strain, then refrigerate for up to two weeks, suggests Teresa Graedon, Ph.D., co-author of the book, Best Choices From The People’s Pharmacy.

For an optimal experience, warm this mix slightly before using so the liquid will feel soothing in your ear canal.

Ease Joint and Headache Pain With Cherries

A daily bowl of cherries could ease your joint and headaches, without the stomach upset so often triggered by today’s painkillers, say researchers at East Lansing’s Michigan State University.

Their research reveals that anthocyanins, the compounds that give cherries their brilliant red color, have anti-inflammatory effects 10 times stronger than ibuprofen and aspirin.

“Anthocyanins help shut down the powerful enzymes that kick-start tissue inflammation, so they can prevent, as well as treat, many different kinds of pain,” explains Muraleedharan Nair, Ph.D., professor of food science at Michigan State University.

His advice: Enjoy 20 cherries (fresh, frozen or dried) daily, then continue until your pain disappears.

Heal heartburn with Cider Vinegar

Sip 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar mixed with 8 ounces of water before every meal, and experts say you could shut down painful bouts of heartburn in as little as 24 hours.

“Cider vinegar is rich in malic and tartaric acids, powerful digestive aids that speed the breakdown of fats and proteins so your stomach can empty quickly, before food washes up into the esophagus, triggering heartburn pain,” explains Joseph Brasco, M.D., a gastroenterologist at the Center for Colon and Digestive Diseases in Huntsville, AL.

Impede the Progress of IBS and Indigestion With Fish

Indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel diseases…if your belly always seems to be in an uproar, try munching 18 ounces of fish weekly to ease your bowels.

Repeated studies show that the fatty acids in fish, called EPA and DHA, can significantly reduce intestinal inflammation, cramping and belly pain and, in some cases, provide as much relief as corticosteroids and other prescription meds.

“EPA and DHA are powerful, natural, side effect-free anti-inflammatory, that can dramatically improve the function of the entire gastrointestinal tract,” explains biological chemist Barry Sears, Ph.D., president of the Inflammation Research Foundation in Marblehead, MA.

For best results, look for oily fish like salmon, sardines, tuna, mackerel, trout and herring.

Pineapple Prevents Digestive Woes

One cup of fresh pineapple daily can cut painful bloating within 72 hours, say researchers at California’s Stanford University.

That’s because pineapple is naturally packed with proteolytic enzymes, digestive aids that help speed the breakdown of pain-causing proteins in the stomach and small intestine, say USDA researchers.

Salt for Ingrown Toe Nails and Foot Pain

Regularly soaking ingrown nails in warm salt water baths can cure these painful infections within four days, say scientists at California’s Stanford University.

The salt in the mix naturally nixes inflammation, plus it’s anti-bacterial, so it quickly destroys the germs that cause swelling and pain.

Just mix 1 teaspoon of salt into each cup of water, heat to the warmest temperature that you can comfortably stand, and then soak the affected foot area for 20 minutes twice daily, until your infection subsides.

Horseradish for Sinus Problems

According to German researchers, this eye-watering condiment naturally revs up blood flow to the sinus cavities, helping to open and drain clogged sinuses and heal sinus infections more quickly than decongestant sprays do.

The study-recommended dose: One teaspoon twice daily (either on its own, or used as a sandwich or meat topping) until symptoms clear.

Beat Bladder Infections With Blueberries

Eating 1 cup of blueberries daily, whether you opt for them fresh, frozen or in juice form, can cut your risk of a urinary tract infection (UTIs) by 60 percent, according to researchers at New Jersey’s Rutgers University.

That’s because blueberries are loaded with tannin, plant compounds that wrap around problem-causing bacteria in the bladder, so they can’t get a toehold and create an infection, explains Amy Howell, Ph.D. a scientist at Rutgers University.

Honey Heals and Soothes Mouth Sores

Dab painful canker and cold sores with unpasteurized honey four times daily until these skin woes disappear, and they’ll heal 43 percent faster than if you use a prescription cream, say researchers at the Dubai Specialized Medical Center in the United Arab Emirates.

Raw honey’s natural enzymes zap inflammation, destroy invading viruses and speed the healing of damaged tissues, say the study authors.

Tomato Juice For Leg Cramps

Potassium deficiencies, which occur when this mineral is flushed out by diuretics, caffeinated beverages or heavy perspiration during exercise can lead to leg cramps.

Sip 10 ounces of potassium-rich tomato juice daily and you’ll not only speed your recovery, you’ll reduce your risk of painful cramp flare-ups in as little as 10 days, say UCLA researchers.

End Endometrial Pain with Oats

The ticket to soothing endometriosis pain could be a daily bowl of oatmeal.

Endometriosis occurs when little bits of the uterine lining detach and grow outside of the uterus. Experts say these migrating cells can turn menstruation into a misery, causing so much inflammation that they trigger severe cramping during your period, plus a heavy ache that drags on all month long.

Fortunately, scientists say opting for a diet rich in oats can help reduce endometrial pain for up to 60 percent of women within six months.

That’s because oats don’t contain gluten, a trouble-making protein that triggers inflammation in many women, making endometriosis difficult to bear, explains Peter Green, M.D., professor of medicine at Colombia University.

Flax For Breast Pain

In one recent study, adding 3 tablespoons of ground flax to their daily diet eased breast soreness for one in three women within 12 weeks.

Scientists credit flax’s phytoestrogens, natural plant compounds that prevent the estrogen spikes that can trigger breast pain.

More good news: You don’t have to be a master baker to sneak this healthy seed into your diet. Just sprinkle ground flax on oatmeal, yogurt, applesauce or add it to smoothies and veggie dips.

If you have a couple of home remedies or holistic approaches to add to this list, feel free to do so in the comments. The feedback is greatly appreciated.

> 20 Pain Cures You Can Find In Your Kitchen | I Village

Jul 16, 2013Jun 17, 2016

8 Home Remedies You Can Use in a Pinch

Not everyone is sold on home remedies, but through a combination of science and testimonials, here are 8 home remedies you can use.

Duct Tape to Remove Warts

In 2002, a group of doctors compared duct tape’s effectiveness with liquid nitrogen in removing warts. After two months of wearing duct tape on a daily basis and using a pumice stone about once a week to exfoliate the dead skin, 85 percent of patients’ warts were gone, whereas freezing only removed 60 percent. “The question is whether there is something in the chemical adhesive itself, or if the occlusion (suffocation) causes the destruction of the wart,” says New York City–based dermatologist, Robin Blum, MD. “The other thinking is that the duct tape causes irritation, which stimulates our body’s immune cells to attack the wart.”

Vapor Rub to Cure Nail Fungus

While there are no studies to prove coating infected toenails with vapor rub once or twice a day is an effective treatment for nail fungus, a basic Internet search results in a number of personal testaments to the medicinal ointment’s fungus-killing powers. “I’ve heard many patients say that vapor rub does help, but I’m not exactly sure why,” Dr. Blum admits. While some argue it’s the menthol in the balm that kills the fungus and others say it’s the smothering effect of the thick gel, if used consistently, vapor rub has been shown to get rid of not just the fungus, but the infected toenail, too, which will turn black and eventually fall off. When the new nail grows in, it should be fungus-free.

Oatmeal to Soothe Eczema

“This is absolutely true, as oats have anti-inflammatory properties,” Dr. Blum says. Whether it’s used as a paste or poured into a bath, most experts recommend choosing colloidal (finely ground) oatmeal and soaking the affected area for at least 15 minutes. In addition to reducing inflammation, oats are thought to have an antihistamine effect, Dr. Blum says. By lowering levels of histamine, which triggers inflammation as part of the immune system’s recovery response, she explains, oats prevent or reduce the redness.

Yogurt to Cure Bad Breath

Bad breath comes from a number of places, the two most common being the mouth and the stomach. The neutralizing powers of yogurt and other probiotics treat the latter cause. “Yogurt shouldn’t have any effect at all on the bacteria that live on the tongue because it’s not there long enough,” says Robert Meltzer, MD, a New York City–based gastroenterologist and attending physician at Lenox Hill Hospital. However, it likely has a neutralizing effect on the acid that resides anywhere between the mouth and the stomach, including the back of the throat and the esophagus, he explains. “I think almost any milk product or food that contains live cultures would have the same effect.” While yogurt can get rid of bad breath that results from gastrological conditions, like acid reflux, it won’t have any real effect on bad breath that is the product of gum, liver or lung disease, says Ohio-based dentist Matthew Messina, DDS.

A Spoonful of Sugar to Cure Hiccups

In 1971, Edgar Engelman, MD, conducted a study to find out if a spoonful of sugar really is an effective cure for hiccups. He assembled a group of 20 patients who had been experiencing intractable hiccups for more than six hours, eight of whom had had them anywhere from a full day to six weeks. Each of the test subjects was given one teaspoon of white granulated sugar to swallow dry, and for 19 of the 20 hiccup patients, the cure was immediate. André Dubois, MD, a gastroenterologist in Bethesda, Maryland, noted in The Doctors Book of Home Remedies that “the sugar is probably acting in the mouth to modify the nervous impulses that would otherwise tell the muscles in the diaphragm to contract spasmodically.”

Bite A Pencil to Cure Tension Headaches

While doctors aren’t sure why we do it, clenching our teeth is a common side effect of stress. According to Fred Sheftell, MD, director of the New England Center for Headache in Stamford, Connecticut, when we clench up, we strain the muscle that connects the jaw to the temples, which can trigger a tension headache. By placing a pencil between our teeth—but not biting down—we relax our jaw muscles, which eradicates tension and reduces pain. Just remember, the remedy really only applies to tension headaches—not migraines or headaches caused by sinus pressure, etc.

Olives for Motion Sickness

According to the National Library of Medicine, there are a number of symptoms that present themselves as a result of motion sickness, including increased salivation, which is the body’s way of protecting the teeth from the high doses of acid accompanied by vomit. Enter olives, which contain tannins that, when released in the mouth, work to dry saliva—first eliminating the symptom and then the body’s instinct to follow suit. However, the treatment is only effective during the early stages of nausea, when the salivation changes first appear.

Gargle Salt Water for Sore Throat Relief

When you were a kid and had a sore throat, your mom likely made you gargle warm water with salt in it…and she was definitely on to something. According to Douglas Hoffman MD, PhD, author of the website The Medical Consumer’s Advocate, a sore throat is an inflammatory response of the infected tissues, and the salt helps draw out the excess fluid to temporarily decrease swelling and the pain it causes. Most remedies call for a ratio of 1 tablespoon salt to 8 ounces of water, but it’s always better to opt for more salt rather than less. Just keep in mind that you are treating the symptoms—not the illness. As Dr. Hoffman notes on his website: “The relief is very real, but also tends to be short-lived, since the gargle has done nothing to remove the cause of the sore throat.”

Sep 17, 2012Jun 17, 2016

Universal Life Hacks – Domestic, Productivity, Health, Free Stuff (Infographic)

Life Hacks are ingenious ways to do everyday things that make life easier, more convenient, more fun, or otherwise better. They require little effort, and can cumulatively make a big difference.

Universal LifeHacks – Domestic, Productivity, Health, Free Stuff Text Transcript

Domestic Hacks

1.) Reverse your hangers!
Put your clothes in your closet with the hangers reversed once a year. As you pull your clothes out, reverse the hanger. Every year, gie away any clothes that you never took out (hangers facing the original direction).

2.) Get out of the house in time!
Make your playlist exactly as long as you have to get ready in the morning. Go from chill songs to more energetic ones. You will be able to tell how you’re doing on time by the song that’s currently playing.

3.) Unlock a chain lock from outside!
Find a rubber band. Attach the rubber band to the chain lock, then to the inside door handle. As you close the door from the outside, the rubber band will pull the chain and the lock will dislodge. Works like a charm.

4.) Open a banana the RIGHT way!
Instead of tearing open the banana at the stem (which can be a real struggle). just flip the banana over and open it by pinching the stem. There’s a reason monkeys do it this way!

5.) Remember to Bring the Important things!
When you need to remember to bring something with you, put your car keys on it the night before, or put the item you need to remember on your shoes.

6.) Use aluminum foil correctly!
On the ends of every box of aluminum foil there are tabs to push in that keep the foil from popping out, same for cling wrap.

7.) Ice cold drinks in 3 minutes flat!
If you want to cool a warm beer or soda to ice cold in 3 minutes put the can or cans in a pot and cover with ice. Next, add 2 cups of salt and fill with water. It will be cold in 3 minutes.

School, Education Hacks

1.) Sources for your Thesis!
If you are charged with writing a lengthy research paper, find one very solid source that directly pertains to your thesis, and then you can use that source’s bibliography to back into locating new sources. Alternatively, use the bibliography of a Wikipedia entry.

2.) Buy some Time!
Need more time writing that paper? Grab a jpg, mp3, or some other media file and rename it “My Awesome Essay.doc” and send to professor. The “paper” will “corrupt” and it’ll buy you a day or two more.

3.) Get your Thumbdrive box!
Put an “identification.txt” file in your flash drives. Include all relevant contact info so you can get it back if you lose it.

Work, Productivity Hacks

1.) Get paid to poop!
You’ll be using less of your own time and more of your company’s time. If you poop for an average of 10 minutes per day, your company will have paid you for more than 40 hours of pooping by the end of the year. That’s half as long as most paid vacations!

2.) Keep motivated!
If there’s something big you need to get done, tell all your friends you’re going to do it. The fear of looking like an ass helps keep you motivated.

3.) Work as a beer taster!
When you’re about to be born press up, up, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, and select. If you did it correctly, you’ll later get a job as a beer taster. (Ok, this one is a lie)

Free Stuff Hacks

1.) Free phone chargers!
Next time you lose your phone charger, don’t buy another one! Go to a hotel and say you think you lost it there. It’s the #1 most left behind item at hotels, so most places have a big bin filled with every phone charger imaginable.

2.) Free hotel porn!
Next time you stay in a hotel that uses a Nokia TV system, enter the following code using the remote control: 2-2-1-Down Arrow then push and hold the OK button.

3.) Free air!
At Shell gas stations, press the button on the side of the pump three times. The pump will start without you having to insert any coins!

4) Free hotel reservation cancellations!
If you’ve got hotel reservations and need to cancel, but you’re already within however many days prior to the cancellation policy stated, just reschedule for a future date (for which there is no charge or penalty), call back, get a different representative, and cancel free of charge!

5.) Free Wi-Fi at Airports!
For those that have “for pay Wi-Fi” by adding ?.jpg at the end of any URL. Often, Wi-Fi at airports do not redirect images, allowing this hack to work.

Health, Body Hacks

1.) Don’t lose your hair!
If you are losing your hair, get Propecia for $2.50 a month instead of $189.00. Go to your doctor. Get him/her to prescribe you something called Proscar which is 5 mg of Finasteride (for prostate health) while Propecia is only 1. The good part about this is insurance covers proscar (because there is a medial purpose for it) so instead of paying 189 bucks a month you pay roughly $10 a prescription. Then cut it up into quarters. So it’s a 4 month supply for $15 bucks.

2.) Change your Circadian Rhythm!
Your circadian rhythm can be manipulated by your eating schedule. Stop eating during the 12-16 hour period before you want to be awake. Once you start eating again, your internal clock will be reset as though it is the start of a new day. Your body will consider the time you break your fast as your new “morning.”

3) Prevent “Splashing”!
You know you hate it too. When you have to go number two in a public restroom and you get “splashed”. Before pooping in a public toilet, put a couple sheets of toilet paper in the landing zone. This usually prevents splashing.”

4.) Save a life with coconut water!
Coconut water is sterile, works extremely well as a sports/hydration drink, is nearly isotonic to human blood, and in an emergency can be used as an IV fluid.

5.) Speed up 911!
When calling 911, the very first thing you should state is your location. Cell phone triangulations is imperfect and sometimes landline info is out of date. The moment an operator has an address or intersection, the police can be dispatched.

6.) Cure brain freeze!
Pressing your tongue against the roof of your mouth cures brain freeze fast! It also makes the urge to sneeze go away.

7.) Sneeze fast!
If you’re about to sneeze, but it isn’t happening as fast as you would like, look into a bright light and you will sneeze.

8.) Combat acne!
Persistent acne can be almost universally cured or substantially reduced by sleeping with a freshly washed towel over ones pillow at night. This works better than any acne medication. No lie.

9.) See in the Dark!
When you wake up in the middle of the night to do something, cover one eye with your hand and leave it there until you return to darkness. The eye that was covered will have retained its ability to see well in the dark so you will not run into the dresser on your way back to bed. This advantage is the reason pirates wore eyepatches so they could see in the darkness below deck after being in bright sunlight.

10.) Avoid sinus congestion!
If you have sinus congestion and steam just isn’t doing the trick, there’s another body hack you can try to relieve the pressure. Thrust your tongue against the roof of your mouth, then press between your eyebrows. Repeating these two things rocks your vomer bone back and forth and loosens up the congestion, allowing your sinuses to drain.

Miscellaneous Hacks

1.) Extend a remotes range!
If you are opening a gate with a remote and you are a bit out of range, put it under your chin pointing upward. Your skull is a close enough approximation to a parabolic reflector to direct some extra energy forward giving you extra distance.

2.) Use your hand as a ruler!
Measure your hand from your fingertips to palm and memorize it. Now you can judge the size of anything without a ruler. Try to pick a finger that is pretty close to a standard length (1 inch). You will never need a ruler to estimate again.

3.) Reboot the credit card machine!
To piss off an annoying customer behind you in the checkout, hold down all 4 corner buttons on the credit card machine to reboot it. It will take a while to restart.

4.) Go straight to your Floor!
To go directly to your floor on an elevator, even if other floor numbers have been pressed, simply press the desired floor number and door close button at the same time and you will go directly to that floor!

5.) Spend less time in the cold!
If your lock is frozen, use instant hand sanitizer on it. With its heavy alcohol content, it can break down ice. Squirt some in a resistant lock and get out of the cold!

6.) Test a remote!
If you point a TV/DVD remote at a cellphone camera and press any button you can see the infared light. This trick will also let you see if IR security cameras are on in the dark!

7.) Extra batteries!
9 Volt batteries contain six AAAA sized cells that can be used in electronics that take AAA batteries. Small sized 12 volt batteries contain eight 1.5 volt batteries which retail for $3 – $5 dollars each.

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