An emergency room pediatrician has revealed the risks of trying popular home remedies during cold and flu season — and it turns out most of them aren’t all that effective.
The information was shared in a new video posted to TikTok this week by Florida-based Dr. Meghan Martin, who specializes in pediatric emergency medicine.
She often uses her social media platforms to share tips, warnings, and other safety measures to take around your little ones — and this time was no different, as she debunked the effectiveness of some at-home treatments.
The first remedy that Dr. Martin talked about was putting slices of raw potato or onion in your socks at night, which some claim can draw “toxins” out of your body while you are sick.
However, this isn’t exactly the best thing to do, she warned.
“When you wake up it’s darker in color and people say it sucks out toxins, viruses or mucus,” Dr. explained. Martin out.
“It’s oxidized, that’s science,” the expert continued about the phenomenon.
‘There is no mechanism in your body to get toxins, viruses or mucus out through your feet.’
Dr. Meghan Martin has revealed the risks behind trying popular home remedies during cold and flu season – but it turns out most aren’t that effective
The first remedy that Dr. Martin talked about was putting slices of raw potato or onion in your socks at night, which some claim can draw ‘toxins’ out of your body while you are sick (stock image)
However, she did note that trying it is “pretty low risk” when it comes to your health.
“It’s uncomfortable to sleep with something cold and wet against your foot, you may smell like onions, and there is a low risk of some skin irritation,” Dr. Martin.
She then switched to another substance, which also involved an onion.
“There’s another onion thing, where you peel an onion, cut it in half and put half of the onion under your bed when you sleep,” she explained.
Unfortunately, this trick can cause some damage to your household if you have pets.
‘This is a problem if you have pets, as onions can even be poisonous to dogs and cats. So don’t do this if you have pets and there is a risk that they can get to them,” the doctor warned.
However, if you don’t have pets and are only trying this out on yourself, the risk is much lower.
“Your room will smell like onions, but the medical risks are low,” she assured.
“There is no mechanism in your body to get toxins, viruses or mucus out through your feet,” she warned
“When you wake up, it’s darker in color and people say it sucks out toxins, viruses, or mucus,” explained Dr. Martin from (stock image)
And last but not least there was a popular one called Dr. Martin has seen a lot this year of people shoving peeled garlic up their noses in an attempt to help reduce congestion.
“I wouldn’t recommend this because that peeled garlic actually irritates the inner surface, the lining of the nose,” she said.
This can cause even more problems for your stuffy nose, causing ‘more mucus’ and inflammation.
“Actually, that damage can introduce viruses and bacteria into those tissues, so it could actually be harmful.” I’d skip it,” Dr. suggested. Martin.
‘Groceries are very expensive at the moment. If you find yourself with some extra vegetables and not feeling so great, consider making a soup. That food is more likely to benefit you than potatoes on your feet,” she concluded.
In the comments section of the video, many people seemed to agree with her opinion, claiming that the home remedies didn’t work for them.
‘I put a sliced onion on a saucer on the bedside table. My husband woke me up at 2am and said he thought we might have a gas connection…I started laughing so hard…” one person wrote.
Another shared: ‘Yessss. I think a nice potato soup with onions and garlic would make me happier, if not even healthier.’
“The potatoes are driving me crazy because anyone who has ever cooked with them knows they turn black when exposed to the air,” someone else wrote.
However, others claimed that their home remedies had worked.
“All I can tell you is that with every breath I took I had a horrible dry cough, put potato slices in my socks and immediately stopped,” one commenter claimed.
Another said: ‘My husband’s grandmother did an onion pack for everything, she survived the Spanish Flu and the Great Depression and lived to be 101 years old. I use the onion.’