By Lydia Wilen
Growing up (many decades ago), whenever my sister Joan or I got sick, my mother called on Bubby (our grandmother) for a remedy. She had a million of ‘em. Bubby’s cures inspired we Wilen Sisters to become new-age and age-old health investigators and remedy collectors.
This was long before the Internet and Google, so we researched by talking to senior center attendees, learning about the treatments they brought with them from “the old country.” In our apartment on the Upper West Side, we also interviewed and reviewed published work by homeopathic and integrative physicians — medical doctors who combine conventional treatments with complementary and alternative medicine — including Dr. Andrew Weil, Dr. Irwin Ziment, Dr. Ray Wunderlich, Dr. Larry Lawson, and Herbalists Lalitha Thomas and Paul Schulick … just to name a few. We worked diligently, came up with effective remedies, and shared them in a simple, do-able, sometimes humorous, way.
After gathering enough material, our first book, “Chicken Soup and Other Folk Remedies,” was published, and we became popular TV and radio show guests throughout the country. Our appearances prompted viewers and listeners to share their remedies with us, giving us enough for a sequel, and many more bestselling books. The one stipulation with each of our publishers was that an American Medical Association (AMA) physician review the remedies and sign off on them as being safe — whether they were thought to be effective or not was another matter, as long as they were safe.
If possible, it seems smart to use inexpensive fruits and vegetables to help prevent and even cure some of the ills that ail you, without the scary side effects. Upper West Siders are lucky. We have our choice of fruit and vegetables stands close by. Next time you’re near your local stand, here are some “prescriptions” and other needs you can fill.
Need Deodorant? – Nuke with a Cuke
On these hot, humid days of summer, when a shower is not readily available, an easy option is a cucumber. Cut a big succulent cuke in quarters and wash your perspired areas with it. Let your skin dry naturally. Cucumbers are rich in magnesium, which is said to be nature’s deodorant.
When selecting the best cucumber, look for smooth, unblemished, unbroken skin, firm, no soft spots, dark green, even size and shape, no smell.
Sinus Congested Stuffed Dose…uh Nose
If you can hardly breathe and can hardly stand it anymore, you may be ready to try anything…even this remedy. You’ll need two scallions (green onions). Once you read the rest of this remedy, you’ll know the size scallions to buy. Cut most of the green fronds, leaving an inch or two and cut the roots off the white bulb. Gently put each bulb in each nostril, just a little way in. Now you know why the size of the bulb is important. Within a minute or two, your nose will start to run. Good. Remove the scallions. Blow your nose and enjoy breathing again.
When selecting the best scallions, takes the bunch with firm, upright stalks, and bright green leaves that are not wilted, soggy or slimy. The bulbs should be moderately dry, not dried out or slimy.
A Peachy Skin Refresher
Peel a peach, remove the pit, then mash the peach meat. Apply it to your freshly washed face and neck. (It’s good for hands too.) Leave it on for 20 minutes, then rinse with cool water. It should restore the acid balance and regenerate the tissue of dry and aging skin.
When selecting the best peach, look for golden-reddish skin, or creamy yellow if it’s a white peach. It should have a little give when pressed. A ripe peach should have a warm, fragrant scent.
Great for the Prostate
Once you have had your prostate exam and were told that you have a noncancerous prostate condition, you may want to take advantage of watermelon season. Eat the meat of the melon and use the seeds as the Amish do. Place one-eighth of a cup of seeds in a one-pint jar and pour just-boiled water over them. When the tea cools, strain and drink it throughout the day. Do this for 10 days. Don’t be surprised if you’re feeling more comfortable down there.
When selecting the best watermelon, make sure it’s symmetrical in shape — oval or round, no bumps. If it feels heavier than it looks, that’s good. It will be very juicy. Most important, if the field spot (the spot where the melon rested on the ground) is yellow, not white, it means it had a chance to ripen on the vine. It also means it’s full of flavor. Buy it and try it!
About Gout – Ba-Da-Bing
Gout is a metabolic malady, caused by the inadequate processing of purines, which break down, producing uric acid as a by-product. It’s the uric acid that causes the problem and the pain. Eliminate foods high in purines and you may eliminate the problem, plus everything you like to eat. The one food and classic remedy for gout is bing cherries. They have an enzyme that helps neutralize uric acid. Eat about four ounces of fresh bing cherries every day between meals.
When selecting the best bing cherries, look for a deep mahogany red with fresh green stems. The skin of the cherries should be smooth, taut, and glossy. The cherries should be plump and very firm. Once you get them home, do not wash them unless you are ready to eat them. Instead leave the stems on and place them in a paper-towel-lined storage bag (paper or plastic), not airtight (they need to breathe), and put them in the fridge. Once you are ready to eat them, rinse them with cold water.
Teeth Relief
While you’re at the fruit stand, pick up a basket of strawberries. They too are an excellent uric acid neutralizer. As a bonus, eating strawberries after a meal is a plaque repellent, as effective as brushing and flossing one’s teeth. When selecting the best strawberries, look for a strong red color and a shiny exterior with medium firm and plump flesh. They should have a noticeable strawberry scent. The stem should be bright green and unwilted.
Tropical Treatment Treats for Overall Good Health
Papaya, mango, kiwi, and pineapple all have healing enzymes, and each has its own special prevention powers. It’s impossible to know how much of each fruit to eat, since everyone’s system is unique. And so, the recommendation is to incorporate these fruits into your diet (they are a healthy snack and dessert) and pay attention to the results.
Papaya is rich in vitamins A and C, potassium, beta-carotene, lycopene, and many health benefits such as reduced inflammation, digestion aid, and is said to have cancer-preventing properties. When selecting the best papaya, look for bright yellow (Hawaiian) or orange-gold (Mexican) skin for a ripe papaya. The skin of an unripe papaya is green. Be sure the ripe papaya has a sweet or musky scent and has no bruises, blemishes or black spots. When you gently press the papaya, the skin should give a little, but not be mushy.
Mango is rich in vitamins A, C, and B6, minerals and antioxidants that can provide many health benefits such as an immune system strengthener, skin and eye support, and contribute to overall brain function. Also, the fiber in a mango can help eliminate constipation and keep gut microbiome in balance. When selecting the best mango, no need to focus on color for ripeness. Squeeze the mango gently. If it gives a little, it’s ripe. If it feels mushy, it’s overripe.
Kiwi is small in size, but rich in vitamins C and K, copper, and other nutrients that support digestion, blood sugar control, eye and heart health, along with reinforcing one’s immune system. When selecting the best kiwi, look for the fuzzy brown skin that’s free of tears or blemishes and is nice and round. Put a little pressure on the kiwi. If it has no give, like squeezing an apple, the kiwi is underripe. If it feels very soft, it’s way overripe. Also give it the sniff test. If it has a sweet, fruity fragrance, that’s good. If there’s no smell, it’s not ripe. If you detect a fermented or sour smell, it’s close to rotten.
Pineapple is rich in vitamins C and B6, manganese, copper, folate, potassium, magnesium and so many more nutritious ingredients with antioxidant properties that researchers say may help ward off inflammation that can lead to chronic diseases. In addition to inflammation suppression, pineapple is said to be a digestive aid, immunity booster, may ease symptoms of arthritis, and speeds recovery after body and dental surgery. When selecting the best pineapple, a yellow one is ripe. If you can only get a greenish one, you will need to wait a few days for it to ripen. A heavy pineapple is juicier and sweeter. A day before the pineapple is a ripe yellow, break off the leaves on top and place the pineapple upside down on a plate. That will allow the sweetness to reach the entire fruit.
Our trusted sources for all this information caution that “More research studies are needed.” The good thing is that these remedies are safe, delicious, AND just might make you feel better, with no harmful side effects.
As a longtime Upper West Sider, these are the fruit and vegetable stands nearest and dearest to me:
- NW Corner of 72nd Street on Broadway
- NW Corner of 70th Street on Broadway
- Westside of Broadway between 73rd and 74th Streets
- SW Corner of 68th Street on Columbus Avenue
What are your go-to stands?
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What a great article! Easy ways to get/stay healthy with no forms to fill out, or need to show ID and proof of medical insurance! Thank you.
My family are long time fans of the Chicken Soup books by the Wilen sisters aswell as their other titles. They are fun to read and very informative (I also love their one on Household Hints). It is wonderful to see this article which is full of useful information that I will take with me when I visit the fruit stand on 90th and Broadway. Thank you WSR for this!
We need more fresh markets and health food stores on the UWS.
We need a tour with translator of the new H-Mart near W. 70th.
Brava! As a pain management physician I regularly prescribe fruits, vegetables , movement and sleep for pain – all with positive side effects. The “ fruit guys” are neighborhood treasures that keep us healthy. Food as medicine for people and the planet. More fruits ana vegetables!!!
Yes to getting as much of the nutrients our bodies need, from FOODS – in variety, in season, in their glorious colors and textures and flavors. While supplements and medications have their place, the day-to-day management of our bodies is best done the way nature intended. We put fuel and oil and water in our cars and know that the quality of what we put in, will affect the way our vehicle works. Our bodies are immensely more complex (and in many ways, way more forgiving and flexible in what they’ll accommodate), and we owe ourselves (and our children’s developing bodies) good minimally processed food, good movement, good relationships, good support, time in nature. Great article!
Dr. Lydia, there are no such stands where I live. The Shoprites and Acmes, etc, just don’t do it for me, so instead I eat bagels and bialys. Not as healthy, but satisfying.
Sounds like that old joke about thinking you purchased all sorts of organic fruit and veggies, get home open the bag, and it’s just the usual donuts.
Theoretically – sure. Realistically, American mass market fruits and vegetables are so laden with pesticides that I’d question the “medicinal” properties listed here. Especially non-organic produce. Especially thin skin produce. There’s a reason they look perfect, preserve well over unnaturally extended periods of time, and mostly taste horrific – especially when not in peak season.
Go taste a heirloom tomato in Southern Europe in August, or a mango in Taiwan, etc. etc – and start asking questions.
The late Jay Kordich, known as “The Juice Man”, shared with us his method for removing poisonous sprays and pesticides from produce. Fill the sink with cold water and add four tablespoons of salt and the fresh juice of half a lemon. This makes a diluted form of hydrochloric acid. Soak most fruits and vegetables 5 to 10 minutes. Soak leafy greens, 2 to 3 minutes. Soak strawberries, blueberries and all other berries 1 to 2 minutes. After soaking, rinse thoroughly with plain cold water and enjoy.
An alternative to The Juice Man’s method is to soak produce in a sink or basin with 1/4 cup of distilled white vinegar. Then, with a vegetable brush, scrub the produce under cold water. Give them one final rinse, and they’re ready to be eaten.
It’s more convenient than going to Taiwan when we feel like having a mango.
90th and Broadway on south east corner across from Chase bank.
Another recently discovered use for pineapple is rubbing the core, or a slice , on a mosquito bite. This is especially good for people who are highly sensitive, or allergic , to bites. It is a miracle!!! It was suggested by a ER Doctor.
A great year to try it! All the humid weather and rain has lead to more mosquitoes (in less citified area at least. Thanks for the tip.