GRAEDONS | Herbal Pharmacy Ridding house of fleas takes effort

Q. Help me! I have fleas! I mean, the dog has fleas, but they are eating me alive. My ankles look like they have been through a meat grinder. What can I do?
A. The first thing to do is treat your pet. Veterinarians tell us that monthly applications of products such as Advantage or Frontline can keep your pet flea-free.
Next, you will need to rid your house of fleas. Vacuum daily (if you can) and, most important, remove the vacuum cleaner bag each time and dispose of it outside. Otherwise the fleas can hatch inside the bag and re-infest the house.
Wash the dog's bed in hot water. If the dog sleeps on your bed, you will need to wash and dry all your bedding as well.
A boric acid product such as Rx for Fleas (made by Fleabusters) can be sprinkled on carpets to kill fleas over several weeks. A flea trap with a light bulb to attract them and water or sticky paper to immobilize them can provide satisfying evidence that you are fighting the fleas successfully.
Q. Some time ago I read your column about mixing unprocessed bran, applesauce and prune juice as an aid in combating constipation. I used it, and it worked wonders. I'd like to use it again, but I lost the recipe. Could you please send it to me or give the formula again?
A. The recipe calls for 1 cup unprocessed bran, 1 cup applesauce and 3/4 cup prune juice. Mix them together to form a stiff paste. Store it in the refrigerator, and take 1 tablespoon daily. Wash this mixture down with plenty of water.
We are sending you our Guide to Constipation so this recipe will be handy, along with many others to help fight this common problem. Anyone who would like a copy, please send $2 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped, self-addressed envelope to: Graedons' People's Pharmacy, No. GG-30, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027.
Q. In a column I read, you suggested using diluted vinegar to eliminate dandruff. What measurement of vinegar to water do you recommend, and when is it used -- after the shampoo or before? I'd never heard of this remedy, and since normal dandruff shampoos do not seem to help me, I am anxious to try this new idea.
A. A number of people have found that rinsing with dilute vinegar (either before or after shampooing) can discourage dandruff. The acidity makes it hard for yeast to thrive, and dandruff is caused at least in part by yeast that live on the skin.
As this is a home remedy, there are no set proportions. We would anticipate that 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water might work. Keep it out of your eyes!
Q. You have sometimes written about melatonin, but never explained that after age 60 we make much less of this hormone. I have been using one pill at bedtime for years with excellent results. No adverse reactions, only good sleep.
A. Melatonin production does drop with age. Many people find this hormone helpful for insomnia, but we caution that it is not for everyone. One reader found that melatonin brought on a serious depression that lifted only when she stopped taking it.
Q. I've heard that thyme is supposed to suppress a cough, but I can't find it in the drugstore. Where should I look for it?
A. A tea made with a half-teaspoon of thyme leaves from the spice section of the supermarket can help relieve a cough for hours.
XIn their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of King Features Syndicate, 888 Seventh Ave., New York, NY 10019, or e-mail them at pharmacy@mindspring.com or via their Web site: www.peoplespharmacy.org. Their newest book is "The People's Pharmacy Guide to Home and Herbal Remedies" (St. Martin's Press).
& copy; 2003 King Features Syndicate Inc.