A physician once told us that he had been chastised by a medical colleague for sharing something perceived as implausible. The skeptic was reported to have said: “I wouldn’t believe it even if it were true.” That seems to be a common refrain when it comes to home remedies too. This reader shares his thoughts on this topic:
Q. I cannot understand why health professionals refuse to consider home remedies. It’s all about chemistry, be it developed in the lab or in the form of a home remedy.
Mustard is made up of chemicals, as is a pill from Pfizer. Does it matter whether the chemical comes from the pill or the condiment?
I guess our medical schools are the problem. They teach doctors how to practice medicine; vitamins, herbs and home remedies are not part of the curriculum.
One thought: Be careful about encouraging doctors to accept home remedies. If they did, the price of prescription mustard might go up to $100 a bottle.
Is There Proof that Home Remedies Can Work?
A. Doctors and other health professionals like scientific explanations for why a remedy might work. They also prefer placebo-controlled trials. Since drug companies rarely profit from home remedies, they have no incentive to conduct such research. Neither does the federal government. Home remedies seem frivolous. Why spend taxpayer money on something so silly?
Plausible Explanations?
Even though there are relatively few scientific studies of home remedies, there are often plausible explanations for why they might work. Once in a while, there is even research.
We recently wrote about the science showing why acetic acid (vinegar) in pickle juice or mustard might stop muscle cramps within a few minutes. Here is a link to the science.
Personal Experience Trumps Doubtful Doctor:
A doctor’s wife shared this fascinating story:
“My husband is a physician. When I told him about the ‘mustard cure’ for leg cramps, he laughed it off as just another old wives’ tale.
“Then when he had leg cramps during the night, I insisted on giving him a teaspoon of yellow mustard. Guess what? He is now a believer and has a small container of mustard on his nightstand!”
Sometimes it is possible to convert a skeptic into a believer when the remedy actually works. If there is a reasonable explanation, it makes it even easier.
An example is the use of tart cherries to ease the pain and inflammation of gout. One study showed that tart cherries lower uric acid levels, which contribute to a gout attack.
Soap Under the Bottom Sheet?
One of the most implausible remedies we have ever written about is soap under the bottom sheet. Many health professionals use this example as proof that we are unscientific and gullible. They are totally convinced the soap “works” through a placebo effect. That’s because they cannot conceive of a mechanism. Stories like this one from William in Washington drive them crazy:
“I haven’t tried the mustard but I do use soap under the sheets in my bed. It does not seem to work for everyone but it does work for me. If you do get a leg cramp, rub dry soap on the cramp; gone in 30 seconds! I use two motel bars of soap under my sheets. Takes about a week to get used to the lumps.”
Find this hard to believe? Here is a possible updated explanation.
And here are some skeptics who became believers: “Skeptics Become Bed Soap Believers to Overcome Leg Cramps.”
Do You Appreciate Home Remedies?
We have collected hundreds of home remedies along with such evidence we could find to back them up in our book, The People’s Pharmacy Quick & Handy Home Remedies. It would make a great holiday gift.
Anyone who would like a copy may send a check for $21 ($16.95 + $4.05 shipping and handling) to:
Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy; Dept. Q&H
PO Box 52027
Durham, NC 27717-2027.
When you order by mail the shipping costs are substantially lower than online. That’s because we can use the United States Postal Service Media Mail category. If you are in a hurry, though, you can order online at www.PeoplesPharmacy.com. Online orders have to be shipped via USPS Priority Mail, which adds to the cost of the shipping.
