Naturally Healing Trick for an Ingrown Toenail

I used to suffer from ingrown toenails as a younger Sister Knowitall, when I really didn't know much at all.  I got some great advise about how to treat and forever be healed from an ingrown toenail. Ingrown toenails are caused from wearing shoes that don't fit properly or pointed toe shoes.  Why we feel it is necessary or beautiful to squeeze 5 toes that are slightly slanted but yet mostly square shape into a point is still a mystery to me, I'm not going to tell you to stop wearing them because you won't listen to me.  So wear them if you must just be sensible.  Never wear them two days in a row. Swap to a more comfortable shoe more than you wear the pointy ones.  When you do get an ingrown toenail it is important to take care of the issue before it becomes infected and medical attention is required.  Epsom Salt soaks are helpful for inflammation and infection as is pouring alcohol on the nail. The keep your toenails cut straight across. This  picture is borrowed from webmd.com and shows a trick I have known for years and it absolutely works. The idea is to help to train the nail to grow out over the skin rather than into the skin around the nail.  Most nail salons will cut the corner off of the nail which causes the situation to become worse as the nail grows back out it will again embed itself into the skin causing the ingrown nail to reoccur. I would also put some anti bacterial ointment on it as well. I use my Sister Knowitall salve for that but you can use, an essential oil like tea tree, (melaleuca) lavender or frankincense.  I hope you are able to find some relief from the pain. Take care of your feet and they will take you all the places you'd like to go. I

Stomach Virus, Upset Stomach, Food Poisoning Peppermint tea to the rescue

Dear Sister Knowitall,
Stop the pain.  My stomach hurts. I've been to the doctor and they recommended the BRAT diet for the residual effects of the stomach bug I had. They also gave me prescription. It is not helping the pain in my stomach.  I've tried Imodium and Gas-X  and I can't seem to get any better.

I still have this horrible pain in my stomach. Can you help?

Sincerely,
Alien in my stomach boy

Dear Alien Boy,
A stomach virus, upset stomach or food poisoning are terrible for anyone. We all think we are going to die from the body's rejection of anything we put into it. I have had virus's so bad that I've actually stayed in the bathroom because throwing up ever 5-minutes just wasn't worth leaving the comfort of the nearby toilet.  I feel your pain Alien Boy,  The BRAT diet is a great way to help your stomach heal. For those of you who don't know what that is, This is a diet to allow your body time to repair after you are sick by eating a bland diet, Banana, Rice, Applesauce,Toast.  Some even add yogurt to that diet to get the probiotics back into your stomach.  Pedialite is also helpful once you stop throwing up.  I have offered peppermint tea from tea leaves that I grew and then dried.  to help alleviate the pain.  You can put this on ice or drink it hot.  I  also add lemon balm that is a known anti-viral to help kill the virus. It does seem to do a wonderful job relieving the hurt from the extra gas and sore belly.  Ginger tea is another great tea for stomach upset and nausea,  You can even mix some peppermint essential oil with a carrier oil like; coconut oil or almond oil and rub it on your stomach for some relief.  I've seen them work wonders. Give it a try and remember don't overdo it by eating anything spicy. Drink lots of water to prevent dehydration.  You'll feel better soon.

Swollen Ear Pain with Roaring Sound

Dear Sister Knowitall,

I need some of your sister stuff. . I am a hair dresser and something in my ear popped. I can't hear out

of that ear now, except for a horrible roaring.  I went to the doctor and was told that my ear drum isn't broken but it is very swollen. Traditional medicine has not helped and we are still without a diagnosis.  I am having an MRI but am hoping a natural approach will help me heal.  Do you have any suggestions. 

Sincerely,
Half Deaf Scissorman

Dear Half Deaf Scissorman,

I am really sorry to hear that you have significant hearing loss in one ear. As a hair dresser part of the job is listen to your clients needs and troubles. You are really part therapist like a bartender, so lets see if there is anything I can offer to help.  Let me say that going to the doctor was a good idea.  Often people assume that when you strive to live a holistic life that you don't go to the doctor or are against traditional medicine.  There may be some extremist out there that believe that but for the most part we are all just trying to live our best life and there are some problems that doctors can diagnose and treat.  That said, here are some suggestions for you to try that are safe and non invasive.  If you dont see any improvement seek further medical attention.

Coconut Oil (organic virgin cold pressed) on a Q-tip and lightly rub it on the opening of your ear.  You can also warm it in the microwave 5-10 seconds (not hot but warm, test first) use a dropper and drip 1 -3 drops into the ear and allow it to run down into the swollen area. Remain calm and breathe deeply to relax as it warms your ear drum. If you experience any pain that last longer than a few seconds immediately roll over and let the oil run out onto a cloth or cotton ball.  If you are ok allow it to stay there for a minute or two up to 5 minutes.  It will soothe and is a natural antibacterial and anti inflammatory.  It helps reduce toxins and yeast in the body.

Another option is to mix hot water with Epsom salt allow to cool so that you do not burn your ear.  Put a few drops into the ear and let soak for a few minutes. then roll over and allow the mixture to pour out of your ear.  Mix a bit of tea tree oil with almond oil or coconut oil and put in your ear with a Q-tip. If you feel any burning add pure oil to the tea tree to dilute it more. Do not use water to dilute it will not help.

There are foods are that are amazing super foods. Coconut Oil, Pineapple and Blueberries are awesome for reducing high blood pressure and inflammation in the body.  Eating these daily is a great way to reduce inflammation in the heal the body.

Begin drinking 8-10 glasses a day of water with lemon. I just purchased a small juicer at a local grocery store for less than $5.00.  I am a big fan of  drinking lemon water.
Lemon water is a great way to  boost your  immune system, reducing inflammation, reducing  joint and  pain swelling. see my Lemon Water blog for more info on how truly awesome it is.

Lemon Water for Aches and Pains

Dear Sister Knowitall,
I consider myself a healthy person. I try to play tennis and lead a fairly active life. I am starting to feel more aches and pains.  Am I becoming arthritic or just old?
Signed Achn'

Dear Achin',
You are as old as you allow yourself to feel.  Sometimes living hurts. We forget to do the simple things that keep our body healthy. 

The first question I would have for you is:. How much water are you drinking per day?  If the answer is not easy to answer or too easy as in one or two glasses a day, then you are not drinking enough.  Cars need lubrication to run smoothly. Water is the body's lubrication.  The second answer to your question is Lemons.  Squeeze lemon juice into your water. Preferably organic.  I drink 12oz every morning before I eat or drink anything else. I was feeling very arthritic myself. Did some research and decided to give it a try.   If you cannot find organic wash them thoroughly with soap and water or a fruit wash a great antibacterial wash  is Agrisept,  before using.  There is no point in removing one toxic substance from your body to replace it with toxic pesticides that cling to the rind of your lemon. 

So why does this help?  The body sometimes has a build up of  uric acid which is a crystallization in the joints. This acid causes inflammation in the joints and results in aches and pains, as well as  the feeling that arthritis is setting in.  I get up every morning and drink lemon water. I cut up a full lemon and place the pieces into a ziplock bag in my fridge.  Every morning while my coffee is brewing I drink a full 12 oz and then through out the day I drink water infused with lemons. I notice an improvement gradually in my hands first.  I truly feel an amazing difference in the way I feel thoughout the day. When I get "too busy" to drink my lemon water or even drink water throughout the day my body retaliates with aches and pains in my heels fingers and all over really.  The body is really very vocal about what is wrong if you know what to look for. If you have chapped lips brittle nails, hair and cuticles or dry skin. Give your body a break and give it much needed water. 

Other Benefit's of Lemon water:  It aids digestion, gives the body a boost of Vitamin C and can help the body rid other toxins and bacteria. It can also boost your metabolism helping your body lose weight.  I have just recently learned that Agrisept listed above is also known for aiding in weight loss and removing yeast from the body.  I will be exploring that more.  So I hope that this helps you feel better soon. I'd love to hear some of your success stories.

The link below is an interesting article from ABC News they also did some research on lemon water benefits.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/truth-lemon-water/story?id=30313519

Happy Healing,
Sister Knowitall

Help I Can't Sleep

Dear Sister Knowitall,
I'm having trouble sleeping.  I was wondering if you could advise me of any essential oils to help me sleep.
Sleepy Author

Dear Sleepy Author,
Sleep is such an important part of living a simple, healthy, life.  There are simple things you can try to help you sleep. Some work like  a charm for a temporary sleeping issue.  The key is understanding why you aren't sleeping.  You first must examine what is going on in your life.  What you are eating?  Are you writing  late at night?  Do you have trouble shutting down your mind at night?  Do you have any other symptoms?  I would recommend that you start journaling especially if your problem persists?
The quick answer to your question is Lavender Essential Oil.  You can pour a couple of drops onto the edge of your pillow case every night or get a diffuser designed for essential oils. Chamomile tea is also a great option for relaxing the body. You should really avoid  caffeine after 6pm.  There is also a possibility that your issue is stress related, if so then you have too much cortisol.  Yawning helps remove it from the body as does over stimulated or hormone related.  If you are over the age of 30 perimenopause is a possibility at anytime.  Night sweats and hot flashes often cause sleeping issues. There are an innumerable list of  things that interfere with sleep, another is a mind that can't shut down because it is over stimulated.  The age of the cell phone, tablet, e-readers and computer laptops are now accessible in our beds at night and we use them to "relax"  Unfortunately, they over stimulate the brain and keep us from being able to fall asleep naturally.  It is best to avoid looking at any of these devices or even your  TV 30 min to an hour before going to bed. This options may seem impossible, you have to find what works best for you. Reading doesn't seem to do the same stimulation that the electronic items do so read a good book.   Mix up a nice Chamomile tea about 30 minutes before bed. 
I really love taking a nice hot bath about an hour before bed with some Sister Knowitall lavender bath salts.

A few final thoughts for you; keep a water bottle next to your bed, if you wake up and have to use the restroom, resist the urge and if possible go back to sleep this will keep you from waking up too much and preventing you from falling back to sleep.  Alcohol can also interfere with sleep a nice glass of wine may be very relaxing but will often make you wake up shortly after you fall asleep.

New PAGE Skinny Girl in a Fat Suit

Sister Knowitall is on a fitness journey.

Please check out my new page on the right of this blog. I'd love to hear from you with your success and struggles. 

My new page Skinny Girl in a Fat Suit

HAPPY EARTH DAY

AARP: 7 Ways to Save When You Go Green - http://www.aarp.org/content/aarp/en/home/home-family/your-home/info-2014/save-money-go-green.html/.html

Tree Change Dolls Lovely Concept

Today my daughter turned 19.I would have bought her lots of these when she was growing up if I had known about them then. Being a mom has been one of the greatest joys of my life. I've learned alot and made lots of mistakes which I"m sure I'll get blamed for at some later date. I did do one thing right. I gave my kids the ability to think for themselves. I also gave them a good solid dose of self esteem. They know they are loved and when its all said and done. that is the only thing that really matters.



 I wanted to share this with my readers because I think what this woman did was both very creative, She also did one of my favorite things by upcycling and she is sending an amazing message to children everywhere about Self Esteem.  I love the new dolls look much better than the old Bratz Doll look.




Enjoy, Etsy Seller has unique upcycling business for dolls that teach Self Esteem. 

16 Year Old Me. Amazing Lesson to be shared

Dear Sister Knowitall,

The attached video from You Tube is an amazing and touching reminder of remembering to take care of your skin early! Just watch Now you Know

How do I Lower Cholesterol Naturally?

Dear Sister Knowitall, 

Do you have any ideas for naturally lowering cholesterol? Gotten low Thyroid corrected but high cholesterol didn't correct with it as it usually should.  I am also on a special diet.
Thank you,
Your Bestie 

Dear Bestie, 

Blueberries, Blueberries, Blueberries

Knowing you as well as I do, this is a hard one for you because you are on a special diet and cholesterol is a; food thing, a stress thing, and an inflammation thing, so I will give you 3 quickies to choose from. First, based on your diet see if you can add blueberries they are magic blood cleaning little suckers. 

Next, there are lots of ways to reduce inflammation which is step two inflammation is a big underlying cause of high cholesterol reduce that and cholesterol will lower.  

Last, but not least stress you gotta get that down, quickies for that are yawning. Deep yawning releases cortisol, as do hugs, long 20 second or more hugs, if you aren't getting enough ask for them.  We get so busy with life we forget to hug the ones we love. 

• Looking at pictures or video that give us joy, babies and puppies are highly recommended. and Magnesium should help too epsom salt baths may be in your future with some lemongrass essential oil.  
• Excess cholesterol builds up in the blood stream, which happens as a result of the inflammation in your body which your cholesterol is constantly fighting.  Therefore, you should not fight the body’s defense system (cholesterol,)  but rather get to the root of the problem. Stress and consequently inflammation are likely reasons for high cholesterol levels. Getting rid of stress and strengthening your immune system will help reduce cholesterol naturally.

Sister Knowitall Natural Salves Bath Salts and Airfreshers NOW Available

Just a short little post to let you know the Sister Knowitall Products you've been asking for me to post for sale are now active. You can purchase them individually on the blog  Links are all available on this page. You can click on the order now button or if you prefer to pay through paypal the link is to the right as well.
Feel free to ask questions about any of the natural products listed. Have a simpler, happier, healthier day.
Sister Knowitall

My Son has Poison Ivy in his Eyes

Dear Sister Knowitall,
I have a question; my son got into some poison ivy and rubbed it into his eyes. I can't put calamine lotion in his eyes. What can I do?

Sincerely,
Itchy Eyes Mom

~~~~

Dear Itchy Eyes Mom,
This is a great question.  The first thing to consider is how bad is the poison ivy in his eyes. Are his eyes swollen shut? Is he able to see? How long has this been going on?   If the poison ivy is really bad don't hesitate taking him to the emergency room or your family practitioner.   Now if the problem has just begun and the eyes are getting itchy and red.

pictures pulled from google search

Take a banana peel and remove it from the banana and place slices over your son's eyes and let him lie in a dark room as the light can also make his pain worse.  He should start to feel relief within 1/2 an hour but you will need to do this multiple times during the day until the itchy stops.  I have tried this myself and I worked great. 
You should be able to use this remedy on Poison Sumac, Poison Oak as well. Good luck and remember if you don't start seeing some improvement within a couple of hours contact a doctor. The eyes are really sensitive.

Happy Healing
Sister Knowitall

The Truth about Hugs

Dear Sister Knowitall,

I have been so stressed lately. Feeling low and running crazy and disconnected with my spouse and kids. 
Any advise on how to get it all back?

Sincerely,
Stressfully Disconnected.


Dear Disconnected.

Go for the hug. How long have you been hugging your spouse and your kids. Sometimes we get so caught up in our own world and what is going on we forget such simple things that are sceintifically proven to help.
Have you been hugged lately? Did you know... "The average length of a hug  3 seconds, but researchers have discovered something worthwhile. When a hug lasts 20 seconds, there is a therapeutic effect on the body and mind. The reason is that a sincere hug produces a hormone called "oxytocin", also known as the love hormone. This substance has many benefits in our physical and mental health, helps us, among other things, to relax, to feel safe and calm our fears and anxiety. It actually helps reduce the stress causing hormone cortisol in the body. As does a yawn incidentally. yawning, releases cortisol more quickly every felt that quick release of tension after a good jaw breaking yawn. So calm yourself and your loved once free of charge every time we have a person in our arms, when we cradled a child, cherish a dog or cat, we're dancing with our partner, the closer we get to someone or just hold the shoulders of a friend." Try it out and hug a loved one today.  You'll both benefit greatly. 


Love Wins, 
Sister Knowitall

Can I escape a cold this year?

Dear Sister Knowitall,

It's cold and flu season and several people at work have a cold, I've noticed a scratchy throat coming on what can I do to prevent a cold?

Sincerely,
Coldaphobe

Dear Coldaphobe,

First of all if you are already getting a cold there is nothing you can do to prevent the germ once it's already in your body.  You can do several things to prevent it's severity. The first thing to do when you feel an illness coming on is to run a hot bath with Epsom salt, hydrogen peroxide and ginger, (either slices of the root or ginger powder) Run the bath as  hot as you can take it without scalding your body or causing burns. The key is to detox the body by lying in the bath for at least 30 minutes. Allowing yourself to sweat.  Take some water with lemon to the bath with you to keep you from overheating and dehydrating in the bath.  Be careful about stepping out when you are too warm as well as the heat can make you feel a little light headed.  Wrap up in a warm robe and then hop into bed and continue to sweat it out. I've tried this several times and have been the only one in the house not to suffer the major symptoms cold, even after I had some scratchiness starting in my throat.  Sometimes it's all about timing and your own immune system.  If you are worn down and stressed out your body is going to react differently.  Sleep is also very important to healing. Your body heals while it sleeps so the more sleep you can get the faster you are going to heal.
You've heard the old wives tale, Starve a fever feed a cold.  Eating well is really important.  Chicken broth has some soothing properties and is an excellent comfort food when you feel a cold coming on.  Drinking peppermint tea is also a great comfort for opening your sinuses and chest of congestion.  I've read that a lot of people love to rub Vicks Vapor rub on their chest and this year have seen multiple posts on rubbing it on your feet and putting on warm socks.  My sister tried it but had no luck.  I would also suggest trying Melaleuca oil or tea tree oil on a cotton swab I use a little coconut oil too and rub just a little inside the nostril (not too deep just inside the nose.) see more below  I do know that my big ole' mountain man Grandpa and mom from the hills of West Virginia swear by rubbing just a bit right at the opening of your nose for an immediate opening of the sinus passages. She also swears it helps ward off a sinus headache.  The camphor and eucalyptus oil in the Vicks do really to help open you up so does eucalyptus on a cotton ball or in a small dish in the shower. As I mentioned above another chest and sinus opener is tea tree oil (melaleuca) I love the smell and it has multiple uses for healing. I will be blogging about it a lot. The smell is very strong and takes some getting used to but is well worth the benefits. I have recently been experimenting with it mixed with other essential oils to calm down the smell a bit. I've found a great combination including rosemary and spearmint. 
Be sure to drink lot's of green tea and water while you are sick. Avoid milk and dairy as it adds mucus to an mucus filled respiratory system.
If you are really worn down and stressed out  and these remedies don't help within a day or so  then please do what is necessary to get well. Don't let your symptoms turn into infection or pneumonia.  Seek medical attention as you could have a bigger problem or possibly the flu and need some over the counter solutions or to see your doctor.  Remember the key is to get healthy and avoid being run down so if you skip to the middle and are already worn down it will take the body longer to recover and home remedies won't be as effective as when you catch them early.

I will add a small note on the benefits of Zinc and Vitamin C.  The benefits of spending a lot of money on these products is pretty controversial once a vitamin has gone through a lot of processing the benefits that they might have had are pretty small.  I will say this from my experience.  A glass of fresh juice has lots of health benefits. Drinking no sugar added juices are a good thing as are making smoothies from fresh fruits and vegetables. A product like ziacam where you use a swab to  put some zinc inside the nasal cavity can help shorten the life of a cold if caught early enough in the cold cycle. I have literally seen it shorten a cold by a week.

Pink Eye won't go away

Dear SisterKnowItAll,
I'm on day 11 with pink eyes. I'm on my second prescription...$100 into it...no social life and can't get close to my hubby. Pink eye is better, but this morning I have that discharge again. I've never had pink eye. How long does this crap last? What am I missing here? I wash my sheets, don't wear make up, wash my hands etc. Any good advise ?

Signed,
Gookyeyes

Dear Gookyeyes

Ready for the holistic approach. Pink Eye in many cases is a cold that has moved into the eyes, You can Get a banana peel (unrefined coconut oil or Aloe Vera Gel, when you can't lie down) and lay down several times a day with the banana peel on your eyes. Also a saline wash would be a great addition to what you are doing. Use a saline mist in your sinus cavity as well. There is also a holistic product called Agrisept that is grapefruit seed extract,  that is an antibacterila. It helps the body heal itself.  You might also want to consider adding a decongestant, I will from time to time use traditional over the counter medicines to the mix as the eyes are part of the sinus and might help but pink eye when the immune system is down is going to take about 10 days or more to heal once it is bad. You might want to consider an epsom salt hydrogen peroxide and ginger bath for your whole body too. You need to relax and detox and that helps the body heal. If you don't see any improvement in 24 hours you may need to see a doctor there may be another underlying problem preventing your from healing.
 

Welcome to Sister KnowItAll, Ask a question Find an Answer

Hey Ya'll, I'm Sister Knowitall.

This blog was born out of well my brothers calling me a know it all. My youngest brother said, "You know you always have a home remedy for everything maybe you should write a book."  Now, we all know that he wasn't being the slightest bit sarcastic, but then people do seem come to me a lot for advise always have. When my advise is taken folks often find some way to resolve their problem or they feel better from the remedy I recommended. I read a lot, I research a lot. I don't want to try anything on myself or my family to cause more harm than good, like many traditional medicines do.  Have you ever listened to the disclaimers on prescription medicine commercials. It may heal your problem but cause 5 more in the process.  Recently, my best friend took my advise on what to put on her poor aching allergy eye lids, I brought her some coconut oil and she felt better so she said "You should write a blog," so friends, I'm writing a new blog. Do I really think I know it all?  Of Course NOT, I believe I have learned a lot. I believe that it would be selfish to keep it all to myself and I really do want to help others.  I know when to take good advise when it is offered and I don't believe everything I read or hear until I research it to pieces.  I believe we are all here to learn lessons and until we do we will never be truly happy. I do NOT believe in the pursuit of happiness. We already have what it takes to be happy. Don't chase it accept it be happy with where you are and find the joy in every day.  I do believe I can help people by offering the benefit of what I've learned, on how to simply feel both happy and healthy in this crazy, crazy world. So now kind readers you will occasionally get the benefit of my learning and what I  I have learned along the way.
Now, why do I feel qualified to write a blog about everything; because I read a lot. I mean a lot, I  research a lot, I try a lot and I feel now compelled to share the benefits of all my hard work. So here are some things about me, I believe in holistic remedies and a safe environment. I rarely get sick, although a lot of my research stems from some "ailment" that has come my way either myself or my family and friends. When you don't take care of yourself and eat well because life is hectic or crazy you do end up with one ailment or the other.  My family rarely gets sick, and when we do I have some kind of remedy to try that doesn't involve rushing off to the doctor for the latest antibiotic or I research and research and research.  I will be the first to admit google and pinterest are my friends, there are pinterest fails and google also has a lot of bad information, that is good because I can read all angles and then make an informed decision on what is right for my family. I also admire self help gurus and spiritual leaders. I surround myself with positive people and many of them have taught me much of what I know.  I spend a lot of time researching a remedy or a "how to" I don't try anything or recommend anything that is dangerous for your body, mind or spirit, However,  please keep in mind if your body doesn't like something from nature and you have a particular allergy or reaction to something don't use it for a home remedy.  For example, if you are allergic to bananas don't try my banana peel remedy.  When a remedy is a fail I'm the first to admit it and move on.  Home remedies are not magic elixers and take time to work, especially if your immune system is already run down or you aren't taking care of yourself.  I try really hard not to offer advise on something I'm not sure about and If I learn better I do better. . I am not a witch doctor or a midwife. I do however believe that the media and pharmaceutical companies have brainwashed us to the point that now we don't think we can get through the winter without some kind of antibiotic, pain medication or gallons of  antibacterial soap.  So I'm opening the door to questions. You can ask me questions any number of ways. Facebook, email, text if you have my number or in person.  If you want your question to be anonymous I'll keep your name out of my blog. If you want credit for your question then you'll get it.  I will continue researching and finding answers and welcome your own proven remedies and advise we are all in this together, and if I don't know the answer to something I will tell you and try to steer you in a direction that will help you out including some over the counter suggestion or going to a hospital or doctor if you seriously need to see a doctor.  So bring it on I welcome the challenges you have to offer.  I will ask that you keep all negative comments to yourself. They have no place here.