Meat tenderizer for all sorts of stings

Q. I grew up on the Chesapeake Bay. We would swim in the bay every summer as kids. We all got stung by jellyfish. You didn’t cry to your mama; you just put some meat tenderizer on the sting and you went through the same routine the next day.

A. One-quarter teaspoon meat tenderizer mixed with 1 teaspoon water to make a paste is a time-honored remedy for a variety of stings (Journal of the American Medical Association, April 24, 1972). The papain enzyme breaks down the protein in the venom. We have heard from people who have used it on bee stings, wasp stings and ant bites as well as jellyfish stings. Mixing the powder with vinegar also seems to help.

Q. I soaked my foot in a pan of warm water containing half a cup of cornmeal several times over several weeks. Now the big toenail that was infected with fungus is growing out normally. How does this remedy work?

A. We have no idea. Others have told us that they, too, have had success against nail fungus by soaking feet in warm cornmeal mush.

Q. I am having a problem with gas and am at my wits’ end. I am really desperate for something that will work. I am taking sertraline for depression and wonder if that could be a factor. I am not a pleasant person to be around, especially at work. My co-workers know I have a problem, and I am so embarrassed. I know gas is natural, but for some people like me it is really too much. Can you send me any information about flatulence?

A. The problem might be linked to your medication. Sertraline can cause flatulence as a side effect. Health providers don’t always mention this complication. Other drugs that can contribute to gas include alendronate, lovastatin and naproxen. Don’t stop taking sertraline. Sudden discontinuation of antidepressants can trigger serious side effects.

We are sending you our Guide to Digestive Disorders with a list of drugs that cause flatulence and a discussion of ways to control gas with fennel, probiotics, Angostura bitters, ginger or Pepto-Bismol. Anyone who would like a copy, please send $3 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (61 cents), self-addressed envelope to: Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy, No. G-3, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027. It also can be downloaded for $2 from our website: www.peoplespharmacy.com.

Q. My husband has a lot of hip pain. The remedy we read in your column using gelatin sounds very helpful. He would like to try it, but we need more information on how to use it.

A. We asked the reader who sent his testimonial to offer more details. He uses Knox unflavored Gelatine. Usually he stirs a packet into yogurt. It also could be mixed into juice, though it takes a bit of stirring to get it dissolved. He goes on: “You can mix it into tea or coffee and it dissolves well, but it gives the drink a slimy texture. Hot cereal is a good choice because it dissolves well and the texture issue is irrelevant. I’ve also mixed it into soup.”

2011 King Features Syndicate, Inc.