Home remedies you might not have heard of

Chicken soup can ease the common cold, aspirin can relieve arthritis pain and ice can help nurse a sprained ankle. All of these are well-known remedies for some of life's most nagging symptoms. But what about Jell-O to treat your brittle nails or a turkey sandwich to ease insomnia? These offbeat remedies along with hundreds of others can be found in Home Remedies From a Country Doctor, written by Jay Heinrichs, Dorothy Behlen Heinrichs and the editors of Yankee Magazine. "This book is like having a doctor-on-call secured in your back pocket," says the book's publisher, Esther Bochner. Here are some more not-so-common cures:

Molasses or dark corn syrup for colicky babies. Mixing a little molasses or dark corn syrup with warm water in a bottle can soothe a baby's crying — and a mother's ears.

Vinegar for easing the itch. Applying vinegar to skin exposed to poison ivy or poison oak can dry up the rash and soothe the itching.

Seeds for bad breath. We all know peppermint can leave a sweet taste in your mouth, but chewing on fennel, dill or anise seeds also can help freshen your breath.

Hard-boiled egg for pink eye. A hard-boiled egg wrapped in a washcloth stays warm for about five minutes — which is just the amount of time you need to soothe that irritated eye.

Tonic water for charley horses. Tonic water contains quinine, which has been proven to help relieve leg cramps. Drinking the bubbly water before bed also can help prevent the painful cramps from striking in the middle of the night.