Natural Cures for Workaday Woes

Cough. The theobromine in a square or two of dark chocolate can silence persistent coughs more powerfully than codeine - and without the drowsiness and constipation that often accompany store-bought cough medicines.

A combination of honey and vitamin C also works well - specifically two teaspoons of honey (for adults) and one to two (for children one year of age or older), taken with 500 milligrams of Ester-C, a nonacidic, stomach-friendly form of vitamin C. Research has shown that honey beats cough suppressants and no treatment at all for helping children stop coughing and get to sleep.

Nausea. Frozen ginger chips can do the job. To prepare them, crush fresh ginger and steep it in hot water. Strain the mixture, and then freeze the liquid in ice cube trays. Crush the ginger cubes, and suck on the chips to relieve nausea - especially that experienced during pregnancy or after surgery.

Fever. Linden flower tea reduces fever by stimulating your brain's hypothalamus to better control your temperature. It also dilates your capillaries to make you sweat. To make the tea, buy the herb at a health-food store, and put a tablespoon of the dried flowers in hot water for 15 minutes. If after a day of three or four cups of the tea you still have a fever, see a doctor.

 Chapped lips. Rub on olive oil, which brings immediate relief, though it will take a few days for your lips to actually start to heal. Some research on mice has suggested that rubbing extra virgin olive oil on sun-exposed skin may thwart skin cancer. Burns. Aloe vera gel soothes burns due to its anti-inflammatory and protective properties.