Cure for stinky feet, nosebleed remedy

Q: I have a cure for stinky feet. Wash them, dry them well and apply Mitchum unscented solid antiperspirant to the toes and the area between them. I applied it every day for about a month and it works very well.

A: Reducing perspiration on the feet is a good way to discourage bacterial growth. This contributes to foot odor. Other strategies include foot soaks with Epsom salts, baking soda or diluted vinegar.

Q: When I was a kid, I would get very bad nosebleeds. If nothing else worked, my mother would get out her keys and drop them down the back of my neck. I wish I knew why it worked it so well.

A: We have heard from many people who have had success stopping nosebleeds with keys or a cold butter knife against the back of the neck. We don't know why this trick works, but one reader offered the following from his experience as a medic doing water rescue:

"The keys work because of the mammalian dive reflex. Cold hits the nerves in the neck, causing the blood vessels to constrict. You might notice your pulse slowing, too.

"The dive reflex is why cold-water drowning victims are not usually pronounced dead until they are 'warm and dead.' Cold water only in the face/head area shunts blood to the organs and away from the skin and slows the metabolism for survival. The vital signs are often too weak to detect."

This hypothesis sounds plausible to us. We can't offer a better one.

Q: The solution of equal parts Listerine, baby oil and water for dogs' hot spots is the most fantastic remedy I've read about in a long time! The minute my dogs start "worrying" a spot, I get out my spray bottle, spray the area thoroughly, massage the solution into their skin, and the problem stops immediately. No more hot spots that involve trips to the vet.

A: Several years ago, we heard from a radio listener that his veterinarian had suggested Listerine and baby oil for his Dobermans and his horses. It worked for them, so he tried it on his own scalp and found it banished dandruff.

Q: I get cold sores occasionally, and for years have taken L-lysine tablets as soon as I feel one coming on. I continue to take several tablets a day for a few days until all signs of a cold sore are gone. It works like a charm!

A: Many readers agree with you. As far as we can tell, L-lysine has few side effects.

In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them c/o King Features Syndicate, 888 Seventh Ave., New York, NY 10019, or via their Web site: www.peoplespharmacy.org