Home remedies & family cure-alls

Originally Posted by ElectricSheep

This is not wisdom gained through family, but something I read when growing up.

A cure for hiccups.

Being by sitting in a relaxed position. Bring your arms forward, and bend your wrists while extending your index fingers in such a manner that they point directly at each other. Keep them separated by about five inches.

While focusing on the space between the extended fingers, slowly bring them towards each other. Not too quickly--about one centimeter per second. Bring them closer together, slowly and carefully. Closer, and closer. Closer still. When they are just about to touch, focus intensely on bringing the tips of your fingers as close together as you possibly can without having them physically touch.

You will find that your hiccups are gone.

There's a reason this works. You're so busy focusing on the precise movements of your fingers that your breathing becomes regulated to match your concentration. The diaphragm spasms are controlled by the deliberate breaths.

My 7th & 8th grade science teacher, Mrs. Behm, showed me a similar method. But it involved sitting with your feet firmly planted on the floor, taking the deepest breath you can, exhaling it as long as you can and keeping your hands held outstretched before you the whole time. Repeat as necessary and don't become discouraged if it takes a few minutes. It's worked for me every time.


For years, my own personal remedy for the flu was to drink two shots of whiskey, then climb into bed under more covers than were necessary. The story I'd been told is that the alcohol causes the liver to kick into high gear to filter toxins; in doing so, it also helps the body flush out viruses - or something like that. The blankets were for sweating out the excess toxins that the liver and kidneys didn't catch.

It sounded silly at first but I felt like total shit one night and figured at least the alcohol would let me sleep a bit better. I awoke the next day feeling a thousand times better. I don't know if the whiskey matters but it's been my standby cure for the flu ever since.

Though copious amounts of 7-Up and saltine crackers are a decent placebo.


My own trick for getting rid of a stuffy nose is to hold a jar of ground horseradish to my face. The fumes have a magical way of causing the congestion to drain right away. You don't even need to use any of it up. As long as the horseradish is good (and the vinegar lets it keep for a long long time), it'll do the trick.

Jam it back in, in the dark.