By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    improving patient experience
    6 Ways to Improve Patient Satisfaction Within Hospitals
    December 1, 2021
    degree for healthcare job
    What Are The Health Benefits Of Having A Degree?
    March 9, 2022
    custom software development is changing healthcare
    Digital Customer Journey Mapping and its Importance for Healthcare
    July 21, 2022
    Latest News
    Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
    May 16, 2025
    Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
    May 16, 2025
    Choosing the Right Supplement Manufacturer for Your Brand
    May 1, 2025
    Engineering Temporary Hospitals for Extreme Weather
    April 24, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    healthcare elderly
    The Human Side of the Sequestration
    June 19, 2013
    Contagion Is Real
    October 7, 2011
    Is Patient Privacy Endangered by Online Search?
    July 12, 2013
    Latest News
    The Critical Role of Healthcare in Personal Injury Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims
    May 14, 2025
    The Backbone of Successful Trials: Clinical Data Management
    April 28, 2025
    Advancing Your Healthcare Career through Education and Specialization
    April 16, 2025
    Do Abuse Reporting Systems in Assisted Living Protect Residents’ Health?
    April 15, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Get Healthy Without Breaking the Bank
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Wellness > Home Health > Get Healthy Without Breaking the Bank
Home HealthWellness

Get Healthy Without Breaking the Bank

Laura Bogart
Last updated: February 16, 2013 9:00 am
Laura Bogart
Share
5 Min Read
Image
SHARE

ImageWhat’s in your medicine cabinet? Every time we click on our TVs, browse the Web or turn the dial to our car radios, we’re bombarded with ads for special vitamins and luxury creams that promise to boost our immunity and give us a supermodel’s skin. Should we be listening? 

ImageWhat’s in your medicine cabinet? Every time we click on our TVs, browse the Web or turn the dial to our car radios, we’re bombarded with ads for special vitamins and luxury creams that promise to boost our immunity and give us a supermodel’s skin. Should we be listening? 

“Commercials can say that the new fads are best, a lot of the old stuff still works,” explains Arthur Harrow, M.D., interim director of ambulatory services at Sinai Hospital. Those standbys your grandparents kept in their medicine cabinets are as effective as anything hawked by a celebrity spokesperson. “Aspirin and Tylenol work well against almost any kind of ache,” he says.

Unless you’ve been directed by your physician to avoid these drugs, they can serve as your easy (and inexpensive) go-to remedies. If you’re not a fan of pain relief in pill-form, get an ointment or cream with topical aspirin. These medicines are generally most effective on joints that are close to the surface of your skin, like knuckles and knees (and you’d be wise to avoid slathering them over open wounds or scrapes). You can find most of these goodies at your local grocery store, often retailing for less than the cost of a movie ticket.

More Read

Make Holistic Treatments a Core Part of Your Cold Treatment
Millennials and Healthcare: How the Game Has Changed
7 Great Ways To Reverse The Aging Process Naturally
50-Plus and New to the Gym
Is pharma industry too meek on pricing?

Though we may think of skin care products as luxury items, most everyday issues can be remedied with generic brands (if you’re dealing with cystic or inflammatory acne, however, you’ll want to check in with your doctor).

Sean Gunning, M.D., a dermatologist affiliated with LifeBridge Health, recommends exfoliating cleansers with mild hydroxy acids such as glycolic and salicyclic acid. “Avoid alcohol-based cleansers that will dry the skin out,” he advises. “There are many over the counter, affordable anti-acne cleansers which help to open your pores and prevent acne. I would avoid use of alcohol based cleansers or astringents as these can cause irritation.” 

Nowadays, every starlet seems to have her own skin care line, but the best stuff for the driest parts of our bodies remains cocoa butter and Vaseline. For areas that don’t need such heavy-duty treatment, like our faces, look for mild lotion-based cleansers and moisturizers.

We’re told that we are what we eat, but Harrow counsels us to avoid “obsessing over eating everything organic.” It’s no secret that organic foods, while tasty, can be budget-busters. Instead of the organic label, look for hormone-free milk and pesticide-free fruits and veggies.

Don’t be suckered by the pretty packaging of the mega-vitamins you’ll find at most health food stores. Though ad copy may promise you a veritable alphabet of nutrients, splurging on too many supplements means flushing away your money. Literally. “I don’t think that taking five vitamins is wise. Your body actually gets rid of excess vitamins through urine and feces,” Harrow adds. If these excess vitamins aren’t cleansed from the body, there’s actually potential for you to get sick.

“If something is marketed as a food additive or supplement, it doesn’t have to be proven to work,” he explains. “Only medicines must pass FDA muster.” Most folks should just take a single multivitamin a day; women should look for a multivitamin with calcium. Harrow insists that what does a body good doesn’t have to taste bad, so find a flavor that tickles your taste buds.

Want to protect and preserve your health? Keep your medicine cabinet stocked with these supplies, and you’re good-to-go:

  • Aspirin
  • An anti-histamine
  • A decongestant (since some decongestants can raise your blood pressure, call your doctor before you stock up)
  • Antiseptic sprays or ointments for injuries and scrapes
  • A basic first-aid kit
  • Bandages
  • A combined sunscreen with UVA protection

And while you’re building a better medicine cabinet, you should toss out the Q-tips. You may think of Q-tips as your allies against ear wax build-up, but in fact, they actually pack the wax in deeper.

Just follow these quick tips, and you’ll find that getting (and staying) healthy doesn’t have to break the bank.

TAGGED:anti-histamineaspirinsunscreenTylenol
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Health
May 15, 2025
Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
Health
May 15, 2025
Dr. Klaus Rentrop Shares Acute Myocardial Infarction heart treatment
Dr. Klaus Rentrop Shares Acute Myocardial Infarction
Cardiology
May 13, 2025
The Critical Role of Healthcare in Personal Injury Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims
The Critical Role of Healthcare in Personal Injury Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims
Health care
May 13, 2025

You Might also Like

Medical Advancement: 6 Things to Know About Your Body

March 21, 2016
Home HealthWellness

Help For Getting Better Sleep

November 6, 2018
CBD
Home HealthSpecialtiesWellness

Should You Give CBD Oil to Children?

November 12, 2019
Image
Wellness

Gluten

February 14, 2013
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?