Vinegar for itchy scalp
PEOPLE'S PHARMACY
My life is so much better since I read your column about rinsing my hair with vinegar. I am 56 years old, and for the previous 30 years my scalp has itched intensely whenever I sweat. No anti-itching shampoo or skin specialist could cure me, but rinsing with vinegar did.
Itching and flaking can be caused by dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis. Dermatologists believe that these conditions are caused by the yeast malassezia that grows on the scalp. A vinegar rinse apparently makes conditions unfavorable for this fungus. One woman has used a solution of 4 parts warm water to 1 part apple cider vinegar for more than 50 years. Others prefer a 1-to-1 water/vinegar mixture.
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In India, we offer fennel seeds after meals. This helps avoid flatulence. Fennel is also good for sore throat and sinus problems.
I use the following recipe for my sinus trouble: Combine 1 tablespoon fennel seeds, 1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger, 1 clove, a 1/2 -inch piece of stick cinnamon and 1 teaspoon brown sugar in 2 cups of water. Boil it until there are 1 1/2 cups of liquid left, strain it and drink it hot with a little milk. You can substitute honey for the brown sugar.
I also rinse my nasal passages with a homemade saline solution and find it helpful.
Your recipe sounds delicious. Traditional uses for fennel include preventing flatulence and treating upper respiratory infections. Whether that extends to sinus congestion, we don't know.
Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist and Teresa Graedon is an expert in medical anthropology and nutrition. www.peoplespharmacy.com
