Not Now, I Have A Headache

Home Remedies - Facts or Quacks?

That's what I recently asked myself. Myths and legends often have their basis in a grain of truth. So I wondered if home remedies, alternative treatments, and folklore cures might also be based on truth. A little research provided this unusual perspective on one of our most frequently-used medicines.

Barking Up The Wrong Tree?

Not if it's a willow tree! Chewing on willow bark to reduce fever and inflammation dates back to the time of Hippocrates (400 BC). Willow bark was used as a medicine in China and Europe for centuries because of its ability to relieve pain and lower fever. Early American settlers even found Native Americans gathering bark from willow trees to treat the same conditions.

What's So Special About Willow Bark?

Willow trees, including the white, black, purple and violet species, contain a chemical called salicin. Chewing or pulping this bark releases the salicin, which the body converts to salicylic acid. Salicylic acid is still used today to treat fevers, decrease inflammation, and even help heart disease. There's no need to gnaw on a tree like a beaver every time you have a headache. Today this chemical is produced synthetically as acetylsalicylic acid. Perhaps you know it by its more common name...

Aspirin!

That's right - centuries of chewing on willow bark led to the creation of one of our most widely-used medicines: aspirin. This is definitely one home remedy I would classify as a fact, not a quack.

It makes me wonder though: how many trees did they have to chew on before they found the right one?

Doug Smith is a Chemical Engineer and the webmaster of http://www.SuperHomeRemedies.com. You get free & natural remedies for fungus, lice, acid reflux, cold sores, yeast & more. Stay up to date with our Natural Remedies News

Copyright 2005 by Doug Smith. You may reuse this copyrighted article provided no content is changed - other than line length - and the author's box is intact. All links must be active hyperlinks or made active.

Good Vibrations

Esoteric vibrational remedies are really hot right now, especally in... Read More

Homemade Bath Products...the Pros and Cons

When you surf the Internet to find proper bath products... Read More

Is Green Tea Good for Me?

Scientific studies continue to show that green tea is good... Read More

Natural Poison Oak-Sumac-Ivy Remedy

Have you ever casually strolled into a patch of poison... Read More

What Is Oral Chelation And How Can It Help Prevent Heart Disease

Oral ChelationOral chelation is the solubilization of a metal salt... Read More

4000 Year Old Secrets of Green Tea

The Chinese have known about the medicinal benefits of green... Read More

Tai Chi Breathing Reduces Residual Air in Ineffective Retention Space

Breathing is the source of life: if breathing stops, do... Read More

Pediatric CI Therapy - An Interview with Dr. Stephanie C. DeLuca

As each day passes, medical research communities strive to find... Read More

Flax Seeds, Seeds, and Nuts For Constipation Relief

Here are a variety of home remedies for constipation using... Read More

So What is Organic?

With allergies on the increase and sensitivities to synthetics becoming... Read More

The Secret Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) has been used for thousands of... Read More

New Age Torture

I'll admit it ... I'm a spiritual tramp. I've spent... Read More

Hypnosis: Benefits You Can?t Live Without

Hypnosis In The Real WorldWhen you think of hypnosis, do... Read More

Acupressure

Developed in Asia over 5,000 years ago, acupressure is an... Read More

Aromatherapy for Common Ailments

Aromatherapy works in several ways to combat common ailments. Essential... Read More

Proper Medical Identification Could Save Your LIFE

Everyone with a medical condition or allergy should have a... Read More

Rose Rouge: Beyond the Healing Powers of Love

"The rose distils a healing balm The beating pulse of... Read More

Cause Of Stuttering

When a person has a stutter or a parent realises... Read More

Arthritis Pain: Why Visualizations May Be Able to Provide Relief

Over 100 different types of arthritis exist, but by far... Read More

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a mental and emotional condition that... Read More

What is Reiki, Benefits of Reiki, Healing Sessions, Herbs that Heal

In Japan, in the early 1920s, Mikao Usui developed Reiki-ho... Read More

Alternative Herbal Cures for Ailments

With the increased usage of herbs for treatment of ailments... Read More

Natural Smoothie Formula to Stop Constipation and Acne

Here is how to build a natural smoothie that can... Read More

Natural Prevention & Treatment For The Flu: What Your Doctor May Not Know

Flu can affect 10 to 30 percent of the U.S.... Read More

Eucalyptus Oil for Colds and Flu

Recently I came down with a cold, flu, and some... Read More