Unique Health Tips from Residents

One of the interactive activities at Fauquier Health's Family Wellness Fair September 25 was a booth where participants got to suggest a "unique health tip."

Twenty-six helpful residents offered suggestions. Many were ones we've all heard before:

• Eat four small meals a day instead of three large ones.
• Walk 30 minutes a day.
• Do exercises.
• Sleep more -- at night.
• Fresh air; eat fruits and vegetables.
• One person simply wrote "don't overeat."

One woman who followed the advice, "exercise and eat low-fat, whole foods" says she lost 160 pounds. That's success with a capital "S!"

Other contributors suggested specific supplements, among them multi-vitamins, aspirin, green tea, fish oil tablets, B vitamins, vitamin E, and a concoction of 1 teaspoon vinegar to 1/4 cup water every day. One person suggested that "one teaspoon turmeric powder dissolved in 8 ounces of water" acts as a natural antibiotic. Another said that "cucumber slices can be used to pacify food cravings," and that "chewing fennel seeds will clarify a heavy mucous taste in the mouth and stimulate digestion."

One man wrote that it's possible to cure toenail fungus by treating once a day: Soak the toe in apple cider vinegar so that the area is thoroughly wet, for a few minutes. Then dry the vinegar on the toe with a blow dryer. After a month, this man claims, the fungus will be gone.

Fauquier Health does not endorse these ideas, we're just reporting. But there's one idea we can really get behind. One gentleman wrote: "Stay active and love your spouse."

Winner of the Health Tips Contest will be announced soon.