The right dose of gin-soaked raisins

Q. You must be tired of questions about gin-soaked raisins to ease arthritis pain, but I have a question regarding the dose of nine raisins. I bought a national brand of raisins and discovered they were different sizes. Some raisins are large, while others are very small.

This may seem like a silly question, but how can I be sure I am getting the proper amount if the raisins vary so much?

A. We expected you were going to ask “Why nine?” Our answer may cover both questions.

If you check a teaspoon of gin-soaked raisins, it will come out to between eight and 10 raisins most of the time. In fact, some people take a teaspoonful rather than counting out nine raisins. You might want to follow suit.

Q. By chance, I applied a fresh “lamb’s ear” leaf to a chronically sore finger. Within minutes, there was complete relief, and now I apply a leaf nightly. What do you know about this?

A. Lamb’s ear is Stachys byzantina, a popular ornamental plant with thick, furry silver-green leaves. Several species of Stachys have antibacterial activity against pathogens such as Streptococcus sanguinis, Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, May-June 2008).

Iranian scientists have concluded that Stachys byzantina and Stachys persica offer valuable natural compounds with antioxidant and anticancer as well as antimicrobial properties (Pharmaceutical Biology, January 2014). The plant is sometimes referred to as woundwort, suggesting that others have found it as helpful as you to ease soreness.

Q. My husband is bedridden at home. He has always been constipated, even when eating vegetables and fruit. When he got sick, I experimented with this recipe, and it works great against constipation.

Oatmeal Pudding

Combine:

1package of cinnamon apple instant oatmeal

2 tablespoons wheat germ

2 tablespoons applesauce

Stir in prune juice until the mixture is soupy. Cook it in the microwave until it thickens and add 1 four-ounce carton of Activia yogurt.

My husband loves both the taste and the effect.

A. This sounds reminiscent of “Power Pudding,” a mixture of wheat bran, applesauce and prune juice washed down with plenty of water. Many people have reported that nurses frequently recommend such a concoction after surgery to make bathroom visits more comfortable.

Activia contains the probiotic Bifidobacterium animalis, which is supposed to promote colon health. A study in Argentina demonstrated significant improvement in symptoms of functional constipation among women who were given two cartons of Activia a day for two weeks (Acta Gastroenterologica Latinoamericana, March 2008).

In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of this newspaper or email them via their Web site: www.PeoplesPharmacy com.

2014 King Features Syndicate Inc.