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Weird Health Tricks That Really WorkBy Lisa Collier Cool

Aug 19, 2013

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Day in Health

byLisa Collier Cool

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Watermelon juice has a reputation among athletes as an elixir that can soothe

sore musclesand according to a new study, this odd health trick may actually

be effective.

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It sounds too weird to be true, but scientists in Spain report that watermelon juice

is rich in L-citrulline, an amino acid that may help ease muscle pain and improve

recovery time. To conductthe study,which was published in the Journal of

Agricultural and Food Chemistry, researchers gave volunteers either plain

watermelon juice, L-citrulline-enriched juice, or a placebo drink, an hour before

exercise. The plain watermelon juice relieved muscle soreness best, possibly

because naturally-occurring L-citrulline may be used more easily by the body.

Lets take a closer look at some more quirky health tips that really work.

Bizarre Ways to Boost Your Brainpower

Whether youre facing an important assignment at work, or prepping for a big

exam, we all need to be extra sharp from time to time. Fortunately, research

shows that a couple surprising practices may give our brains a helpful boost:

Sip hot cocoa.After sipping hot chocolate twice a day, for thirty days, elderly

people with vascular problems experienced improved blood flow to the

brain. They also scored higher on cognitive tests in anew studypublished

in Neurology. If youre going to give this tip a try, choose hot cocoa with

low sugar and fat content.

Grab some gum. Students who chewed gum before taking challenging mental

tests performed better than students who went without, according toa

studypublished in the journalAppetite.However, the benefits of gum-

chewing wore off within twenty minutesso dont skimp on studying and

time your chomping strategically!

Reach for water. The next time you feel faint or foggy, drink a glass of water.

Researchers atVanderbilt University Medical Centerhave found that

water increases activity in the sympathetic nervous system. This helps toboost alertness, as well as blood pressure and energy output.

How to Train to Be a Superhero Stunt Performer

Weird Remedies When Nature Bites

From pesky bugs to seasonal allergies in spring and fall, the outdoors dont

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130814124907.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130814124907.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130814124907.htmhttp://www.neurology.org/content/early/2013/08/07/WNL.0b013e3182a351aa.short?sid=415b97a1-f003-4147-b3b0-427bc6fdbf34http://www.neurology.org/content/early/2013/08/07/WNL.0b013e3182a351aa.short?sid=415b97a1-f003-4147-b3b0-427bc6fdbf34http://www.neurology.org/content/early/2013/08/07/WNL.0b013e3182a351aa.short?sid=415b97a1-f003-4147-b3b0-427bc6fdbf34http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21645566http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21645566http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21645566http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21645566http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/reporter/index.html?ID=9047http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/reporter/index.html?ID=9047http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/reporter/index.html?ID=9047http://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/superhero-stuntmanhttp://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/superhero-stuntmanhttp://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/superhero-stuntmanhttp://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/reporter/index.html?ID=9047http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21645566http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21645566http://www.neurology.org/content/early/2013/08/07/WNL.0b013e3182a351aa.short?sid=415b97a1-f003-4147-b3b0-427bc6fdbf34http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130814124907.htm

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always leave us feeling refreshed. Keep these weird tricks up your sleeve when

youre trying to enjoy some fresh air:

Raid the laundry room. When the bugs are biting, line your pockets with dryer

sheets. They are often infused with fragrant compounds, such as linalool

and beta-citronellawhich may explain their ability to ward off gnats in

laboratory studies. If mosquitos have you itching, try washing your feet,

avoiding stinky cheese, and staying indoors when the moon is full. As I

recently reported,the world of bug repellants is truly weird.

Wash your mustache. If you suffer from seasonal allergies, beware of hair

facial hair, that is! Mustaches can trap pollen, a common allergy trigger.

Fortunately, washing your mustache twice a day can help to reduce

allergy symptoms, while cutting your reliance on antihistamines and

decongestants,suggest researchersfrom Virginias Mid-Atlantic

Permanente Medical Group.

Inspirational Tattoos: Recovery from Depression

Funky First Aid

First-aid kits are often stocked with tweezers and Tylenol, but there are quirkier

remedies if youre prepared to get creative:

Sniff away migraines.A small number of patients gained relief from migraine

pain when they inhaled the fragrance of green apple while resting in a

dark quiet room, according to researchers at theSmell & Taste Treatment

and Research Foundation.Only those patients who enjoyed the smell of

green apples experienced pain reliefso if that aroma doesnt do it for

you, try one that does!

Peel away splinters.This tipis truly bananas! The next time you get a splinter,tape a small piece of ripe banana peelfleshy side downover the area.

While you sleep, enzymes in the peel will draw the splinter to the surface

of your skin. Banana peels can also soothe pimples, bug bites, and rash

from poison ivy.

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Tape your warts. In a remarkable studyreported in the journalAmerican FamilyPhysician,patients who treated warts with Duct tape enjoyed greater successthan patients who received cryotherapy. The Duct tape therapy was also lessexpensive, it involved fewer side effects, and it could be done by patients fromhome. Of course, one important question remains: what cant be fixed with this

sticky household staple?

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