Black pepper outperforms styptic pencil

Q. Yesterday I cut my bottom lip shaving, and it would not stop bleeding. I used a styptic pencil several times with no success. No way I could stop it.

About a half-hour later, my wife read your article about black pepper. She dampened a paper napkin, loaded it down with pepper, and I put it on the cut. Five minutes later, I gently removed it and voila, no more bleeding. I went on to eat breakfast, had my cup of coffee and had no further problem the rest of the day.

A. We first learned about this remedy thanks to a wood carver. He and his hobbyist friends always kept packets of black pepper with their carving tools. That’s because they had learned from experience that black pepper helps stop bleeding.

Since we shared this idea, we have heard from scores of people who have tried it with surprising success. People also have told us that cayenne pepper or powdered sage or thyme can provide the same benefit.

If you enjoy home remedies such as this, you may be interested in our book “Quick & Handy Home Remedies.” To order a copy, please send $16.95 (plus $4 shipping and handling) to: Graedons People’s Pharmacy, Dept. QHHR, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027. You can order online at www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.

Q. I have used several of your recommendations for leg cramps, and they only worked for about half of the night.

I mentioned it to my doctor, and he checked my bloodwork. My magnesium was low. I started taking a supplement and have not had leg cramps since. I would suggest letting people know to have their magnesium checked.

A. Others should follow your good example and ask their doctors to monitor their magnesium levels. As many as half of Americans don’t get the recommended daily allowance of magnesium in their diets. Moreover, many medications can deplete the body of this essential mineral.

People who are low in magnesium may have high blood pressure and a higher risk of heart disease. They also may be more susceptible to migraine headaches and to menstrual cramps, as well as muscle cramps. People with impaired kidney function should not take magnesium supplements.

Q. One of my massage clients had terrible pain and sensitivity in his feet after playing a lot of volleyball. His doctor prescribed Neurontin for neuropathy. After he took hundreds of Neurontin pills without results, I suggested alpha-lipoic acid and a chiropractor to check the alignment of bones in his feet. His physician said that ALA was a good idea, and he takes 300 mg daily himself.

My client was outraged that the doctor had never recommended ALA for him. He was to take 200 mg per day to start. In addition to the chiropractic treatments, this led to improvement. When I remember that giant bottle of Neurontin, I just cringe.

A. Neuropathy (nerve pain) is notoriously difficult to treat. Physicians frequently prescribe gabapentin (Neurontin) or pregabalin (Lyrica) for this condition, with mixed results.

Alpha-lipoic acid has been studied and found beneficial for alleviating diabetic neuropathy (European Journal of Endocrinology, October 2012; Current Medical Research and Opinion, Aug. 17, 2018). A review of medical research found that nutraceuticals including vitamin B complex, alpha-lipoic acid, L-acetylcarnitine, vitamin E and Coenzyme Q10 may alleviate the pain of neuropathy (Current Drug Metabolism, 2018). The supplements should be taken half an hour before meals to ensure good absorption.