Joan Wilen and Lydia Wilen
Joan Wilen and Lydia Wilen are folk-remedy experts and home tipsters based in New York City. They have spent decades collecting “cures from the cupboard” and are authors of several books, including Secret Food Cures.
Bleeding from the nose is common in both children and the elderly. It usually isn’t serious and knowing how to stop a nosebleed fast is usually more about saving a shirt or the upholstery than a life. Applying immediate pressure can halt the flow, and dietary changes can help prevent a reoccurrence.
The following excerpt from Secret Food Cures by Joan and Lydia Wilen contains an array of remedies on how to stop a nosebleed and prevent it from coming back.
Most people have had a nosebleed. They tend to be minor and can be brought on by allergies, cold weather, sinus infection and other illnesses. When the nasal passages are irritated by rubbing, picking or blowing, the tiny blood vessels break and the nose, it starts a-flowin’!
CAUTION: Nasal hemorrhaging—blood flowing from both nostrils—requires immediate medical attention. Rush to the nearest doctor or hospital emergency room. Also, recurrent nosebleeds may be a symptom of an underlying ailment. Seek appropriate medical attention.
For the occasional nosebleed, the first thing to do is to gently blow your nose. It will help rid your nostrils of blood clots that may prevent a blood vessel from sealing. Then try any of the following remedies.
• When you have a nosebleed, sit or stand. Do not lie down. Do not put your head back. It will cause you to swallow blood.
• The best way to stop a nosebleed is to apply direct pressure. Grasp your nose at the bridge, then move your fingers just above the fleshy part of your nose and squeeze—gently but firmly. Stay this way for 10 to 20 minutes. If your nose is still bleeding after 20 minutes of direct pressure—get to the hospital. Tie Things Up
• This is a remedy that came to us from the Caribbean islands—take the pinkie finger of the hand opposite the bleeding nostril and tightly tie a string under the pinkie’s fingernail.
• We know that cayenne pepper stops the bleeding of a cut or gash. We’ve been told that drinking 1 ⁄8 teaspoon of cayenne in a glass of warm water will help to stop a nosebleed.
• Gem therapists say that a nosebleed can be stopped by placing a piece of pure amber on top of the nose.
• Vinegar is said to be very helpful in getting a bloody nose under control. Pour some distilled white vinegar on a cloth and wash the neck, nose, and temples with it. Also, mix two teaspoons in half a glass of warm water and drink it. Nosebleed Prevention
• If you’re prone to minor nosebleeds and you’re otherwise in good health, take bioflavonoids. Eat at least one citrus fruit a day and be sure to include the white rubbery skin under the peel. It’s called the “pith” and it’s extremely rich in bioflavonoids. In addition, take a vitamin C supplement with bioflavonoids. And add green leafy vegetables—lots of them—to your diet. They’re rich in vitamin K, needed to produce prothrombin, which is necessary for blood clotting.
CAUTION: Broccoli and turnip greens are rich in vitamin K, the clot-promoting vitamin. If you take anticlotting medication prescribed by your doctor, be aware that these vegetables may counteract the effects of the medicine.
■ Recipe ■
Garlicky Greens
1 bunch kale (about 10 cups)
1 bunch collard greens (about 10 cups)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion cut into thin half-moons (2 cups)
1 ⁄2 cup garlic, minced.
1 ⁄2 Tbsp sea salt
1 Tbsp tamari (dark Japanese soy sauce)
De-vein the kale and collard greens. Cut into 1 ⁄2″ pieces. In a steamer basket, steam greens for about two minutes. In a large skillet, heat the oil. Add onions, garlic and sea salt. Sauté for five minutes or until the onions are well cooked. Add tamari. Add the cooked greens. Then toss with the onions and garlic. Sauté for three minutes. Serve immediately.
Source: VegParadise.com
