GOING BALD? TRY FOLIC ACID

I often do small health care experiments on myself. Here are some of the experiments and the results.

Folic acid helps my hair stay healthy. When I do not use extra folic acid, my hair gets thin and flat. Folic acid is also good for your nerves. (Literal nerves, not figurative nerves.) Folic acid also helps fetuses grow the nerves needed for healthy growth. Folic acid is a B vitamin so if you take too much it just comes out with the rest of your liquid waste. I think about twice the current recommended daily dose is enough.

Unfortunately, I have never convinced a balding man to try folic acid.

Canker sores can be cured by putting a Tums on the sore while you are sleeping. Many people have tried this cure and reported that it works. I guess the virus does not like an antacid environment. You can use any antacid  I use generic Tums as women need calcium to prevent bone loss. It is also important to keep your teeth clean, especially before bed. When you have a sore, always rinse your mouth with water after eating. (Forty years ago, a Tucson pharmacist told me of this cure.)

Vitamin E is a fabulous facial. It is important that the E be fresh, so cut open a couple of liquid vitamin Es, rub it over your clean face, and let it sit for several hours, then wash it off. The skin on your face will look really healthy. Be careful using Vitamin E on an open sore. The sore may heal up with the infection still inside. However, if you have an important event, it is OK to apply E to a zit.

If you get a cat scratch, apply hydrogen peroxide. It will sting, but the cat scratch will usually heal without infection. This also works for insect bites that have been scratched. (Yes, you know not to scratch the bite, but sometimes you or your children scratch anyway.) Of course you know that hydrocortisone stops the swelling and itch from insect bites.

Hydrogen peroxide is great for cleaning small wounds, but it stings. Mom always used to say, "No sting, no cure." I told my kids, "I am 36, you are 4. I get to make the decisions. Sit still and let me do this."

Rubbing alcohol kills lice. Apply it to the hair while the child is in the bathtub with a towel over his/her face. Get the hair completely wet, let sit for one minute, then rise out. Do this once a week until lice are gone. DO NOT LET AN OPEN FLAME OR CIGARETTE GET NEAR THE ALCOHOLED HAIR. When the child complains, remind the child that you told her/him not to share hats and combs.