Useful information, DIY and life saving tips

Today I will share a few random tips. Some I have tried and some I have heard have saved lives. I hope someone finds the information useful...

Teeth whitening - Growing up as a child, my parents always told us to use charcoal to clean our teeth every now and then. We looked forward to those days, when else would we have the chance to run around with 'black teeth'. It was always fun. This is something I have continued doing and it may be psychological, but each time I use charcoal to clean my teeth, they always appear whiter.

How?

- Crush charcoal,

- put in a little water to form a paste,

- use finger to rub onto your teeth

- rinse mouth

- brush teeth

And voilà!

A friend shared this other teeth whitening tip on facebook. I am yet to try it but I am sharing all the same!

Step 1 - Put a tiny bit of toothpaste into a small cup, one teaspoon of baking soda, one teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide and half a teaspoon of water.

Step 2 - Thoroughly mix then brush your teeth for two minutes. 

Note - Remember to do it once a week until you have reached the results you want. 

Once your teeth are good and white, limit yourself to using the whitening treatment once every month or two.

She also shared:

 Oil pulling - referred to the practice of swishing oil in your mouth for 20 minutes until the oil feels like it has doubled in size. It helps pull out toxins and bacteria built up in our mouth. It's an ancient practice that has recently been a hit in the beauty world. Holding oil for a long period of time (20min) draws out every impurity. Once you are done swishing spit the oil out in a bin, please do not spit it down the sink it could clog the sink.

It's known to help with teeth whitening, preventing gingivitis, healing cavities, improves breath especially in the morning if done before bedtime, provides stronger teeth, healthy gums, helps with jaw pains, alleviates headaches, hangovers, bleeding gums etc.

Some of the preferred oils used for this miracle are; extra virgin coconut oil, sunflower oil and sesame oil. But she recommended coconut oil.

1 tbsp of oil is all you need, place in mouth, do not swallow, swish for 20mins and spit out, continue with your daily dental care routine, you should notice changes in a week.

Piles/hemorrhoids - For those who suffer from this or know people who suffer from it, you will agree with me that this is painful and uncomfortable!

According to WebMD, "hemorrhoids are swollen blood vessels of the rectum. The hemorrhoidal veins are located in the lowest area of the rectum and the anus. Sometimes they swell so that the vein walls become stretched, thin, and irritated by passing bowel movements. Hemorrhoids are classified into two general categories: internal and external."

 Before I start to sound too medical, please read more about it here. There you will find necessary information and treatments for it.

A friend of mine who is a midwife gave me a solution and it has helped tremendously.

Bath salts...that is what I use. I have not had to take medication but bath salts have done the trick for me so far.

How?

I do this mostly just before a bath so I run water in my bath tub which is slightly hotter than warm then I pour in the bath salts. I sit in it until the water gets tepid then I have a bath and life goes on.

I do not have a routine with this but it should be done frequently even when there might be no pain, it seems to shrink the protruding skin.

By the advanced stage of this condition, I do not know if bath salts would be helpful so please make sure you seek medical advice.

Have you been caught in a situation where your life depended on your next decision? Literally...

A friend of mine shared two of such experiences with me. The information was new and I was certain I would share it here.

Scorpion stings - She fell asleep in her towel one night and was awaken to a sharp pain, she thought an insect bit her but her leg started to go numb...she picked everything around her in search of what it might have been and there the scorpion was! She used every energy in her to kill it, tied the spot above the sting, then picked up her phone and called her neighbour, it was 1:45am! Luckily, the phone woke him up. They both did not have cars so getting to a hospital would have been challenging. The only thing he said through all her panic was "eat garlic and onions". She was lucky to have some at home so she obeyed, it saved her! This sting may not kill you but it could poison you. I've also read that the venom from some scorpions could be toxic and cause tissue and nerve damage which will affect breathing and the way you function.

and tissue damage and or start to affect your ability to breathe and function.

Source: HealthTap, https://www.healthtap.com/user_questions/460826

and tissue damage and or start to affect your ability to breathe and function.

Source: HealthTap, https://www.healthtap.com/user_questions/460826

and tissue damage and or start to affect your ability to breathe and function.

Source: HealthTap, https://www.healthtap.com/user_questions/460826

Snake bites - this same friend went on to tell me of her time in secondary school. She was in a boarding school that was snake infested.

A school mate of hers got bitten by a snake and in the bid to save her, another student cut open the area of the bite and tried to suck out the venom whereas, she had not taken any protective measures. Her intention was to suck out the venom and spit it right out but in the frenzy, she swallowed the venom and eventually died. That must have been very sad.

The solution she provided was: if bitten by a snake, take as much olive oil as you can. She also recommended that if ever you have to suck venom out, take olive oil too, so that if the venom is mistakenly swallowed instead of being spat out, it will neutralise the venom.

So if you have to try/have tried any of these, please share what the results might be/were. Also, if you have more tips, please do not hesitate to leave a comment.

References
Web MD (link in text above)