These days, a lot of people are skeptical about “homemade” health solutions. Many people insist on going to the doctor every time they have a health issue. While this is certainly a good idea for serious health problems, you can save a lot of time and money on some minor issues that come up by trying some proven home health remedies. Here are a few of our favorites:

Naturally smooth and healthy skin:

There is no shortage of over the counter and prescription medications promising healthier looking skin. However, they are often unnecessarily expensive and prone to side-effects. A much safer, more effective, and less expensive method is to use Papayas!

Papayas contain a protein eating enzyme called papain, which effectively dissolves dead skin cells (the ones that make skin look dull and unhealthy). All you have to do is grind about two tablespoons of washed and peeled papayas in a food processor, then add about 1 tablespoon of dry oatmeal to the mixture. Pat this mixture on cleaned skin for about ten minutes then wash it off, and voila! Repeat this twice a month and you’ll have clearer and healthier looking skin using nothing more than a fruit and some oatmeal!

Wart removal without going to the doctor:

Many people have had to deal with warts at one time or another. They are unsightly and sometimes painful protrusions on the skin. The most common way to deal with them is to go to the dermatologist and have him or her freeze the wart off. This can be unpleasant and certainly isn’t cheap.

A MUCH cheaper solution is duct tape! Studies have proven that duct tape is actually MORE effective than freezing for wart removal. All you have to do is clean the affected skin, cut a piece of duct tape slightly larger than the wart, and cover it. After three days, remove the tape and file down the dead skin. Repeat this until the wart is gone! This works because the chemicals in the tape suffocate and kill the wart without harming the rest of your skin. If you don’t feel like explaining to everyone you see why you have duct tape on your body, just cover it with a bandage!

Natural cough suppressant that has no side effects:

Many of the cough suppressants available over the counter are known to be hard on the liver and kidneys. They also can cause drowsiness and light-headedness, neither of which are necessary to reduce symptoms of a cough!

Honey has been proven to be a more effective cough suppressant than anything available over the counter. A Pennsylvania study of 100 people was performed by Ian Paul, M.D., whose results backed up these claims. The honey acts to sooth and coat the irritated throat, which makes the coughing less frequent and less painful. One important thing to remember is that honey has a fair amount of sugar, so if you are diabetic this is not the remedy for you!

Relieve foot pain without a visit to a masseuse or physical therapist:

There are few things more relieving than getting a foot massage at the end of a long day on your feet. However, it is not always possible to have a professional massage, and your spouse might not always be up to it either! One solution people use is to take over the counter pain medications, however this is not the healthiest choice, especially if your feet are in pain every night!

Believe it or not, a tennis ball is a great way to relieve foot pain. All you have to do is roll the tennis ball under each foot for about a minute, and you will notice a significant reduction in foot pain. This works because the foot muscles are often tense from working all day, and the tennis ball helps to stretch and relax the muscles in your foot. Next time your spouse asks you for a foot massage when you’re not feeling up to it, just hand them a tennis ball instead!

Although these remedies are a great way to naturally and inexpensively cure some common ailments, sometimes we need to take advantage of the medical marvels that are available to us. However, this does NOT mean we have to stop trying to save money.