‘RIPPON’S RIGHT! nature is A Healer’
TV veteran Angela Rippon recently revealed she uses natural remedies as much as possible – Dr Christian salutes her!
ngela Rippon A has suggested that people should “look to nature” to treat simple cuts and grazes instead of using expensive medicines. She uses honey on small wounds, describing it as a ‘wonderful antibacterial’, and she’s right – finally, somebody in the public eye is talking sense!
Antibiotic resistance is probably the single biggest medical problem we face, so anything that encourages people to be a bit sensible with their health is a good thing. Obviously, if you have a big, open wound or infection I’m not suggesting you smear honey on it; but for a scraped knee, it’ll save you money and will help it to heal. People assume they need expensive, high-grade Manuka, but it’s the high sugar content that makes it antibacterial, so a £1 jar will work just as well.
TREAT Minor Ailments
Gargling sea salt is a great natural remedy for a sore throat, because it’s antiseptic. You can also put sea salt in your bath to soothe a skin condition, or use oats to relieve sunburn or eczema – research has shown that the antioxidants in oats soothe inflamed skin.
Natural yoghurt is a genuinely effective treatment for thrush. It contains lactobacillus, which is the natural bacteria that thrives in the vagina, so it can help get the balance right. Ginger is a very good remedy for nausea, especially for pregnant women who can’t take many medicines.
That’s the good news, but there’s also a fair amount of rubbish on “natural health” sites. I’ve seen people recommending crushed raw garlic to make a pessary to treat thrush – that sounds like an infection waiting to happen! I’ve also seen lavender oil recommended for healing wounds after childbirth – something you’ll need proper medical treatment for. People also suggest camomile to soothe haemorrhoids, but you’re much better sticking to a tried and tested treatment for that. As long as people are sensible, it’s good to learn a bit more about how to treat basic ailments.
know When To see Your Doctor
You shouldn’t be troubling your doctor with a sore throat, a bit of sunburn or one episode of thrush, so these remedies can be helpful. But it goes without saying that anything serious needs to be seen.
Angela also describes antibiotics as the greatest invention ever made – they saved her life when she had TB as a youngster, so she’s keen that we protect them by being sensible medically. I completely agree.