Our day-to-day lives seem to be fraught with all kinds of minor health setbacks, from the common cold to gastrointestinal problems and all kinds of maladies.

Generally, when we’re hit with any of these little ailments, our first inclination is to go to the pharmacy and drop $20 on some over-the-counter products that usually relieve the symptoms, but do very little to actually cure the problem. So, in an effort to save you a bit of cash, we’ve compiled a list of common ailments and a few suggested foods that can help clear them up. A word of warning: None of us is a doctor, so please don’t rely on these suggestions as factual, medical advice.

Acne
Ah, acne: The bane of any male past the age of 12 (and you thought you’d given up zits forever when you hit age of 20!).

Acne has a number of causes, but it’s most commonly the result of a buildup of hormones in the body. Stress, medication and environmental factors (like pollution and skin irritants) can also contribute to it later in life.

Two of the best vitamins known for the treatment of acne are niacin (100 mg per day) and vitamin A (50,000 IU per day), followed closely by vitamin E (400 mg). These vitamins are usually found in fruits and vegetables like apples, pears, grapes, grapefruit, pineapples, and peaches, which are also high in fiber and help your body get rid of toxins.

Generally speaking, there’s no true cure for acne, but eating more fruits and vegetables like these, along with increasing your intake of whole-grain foods and avoiding toxins like sugar, caffeine and salt are all good rules of thumb to help reduce the likelihood that you’ll get more zits.

Constipation
As far as natural laxatives are concerned, there’s nothing better than a high-fiber diet. Nearly every fruit, with the exception of bananas, is very high in fiber and will help with the treatment of constipation. Some fruits, however, are better than others.

If you can find it, bael fruit is considered one of the best natural laxatives out there. It will clean out and tone the intestines and generally get things moving again. Grapes -- and to a lesser degree, raisins -- are known also to help clear out the bowels and will help to improve your stomach’s overall state. If you prefer raisins, it’s advised that you soak a handful in water for a day or so. After that, eat the raisins and drink the soaking water. Some other helpful high-fiber remedies include prunes, pears, pear juice, guava, oranges, raw spinach, and fresh, dried figs.

Try also to incorporate more whole-grain breads into your diet and stay away from white-bread products with bleached flour, as whole-grain products have more fiber, and help food move through the digestive tract.

Headaches
Really, just about anything can cause a headache; from stress to loud noises to eye strain, hangovers and a buildup of toxins in the body. Headaches are also known to be associated with food allergies, and some of the major triggers include milk and milk products, chocolate, chicken, and liver.

Part of the difficulty in treating headaches is that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Over-the-counter pain medications will alleviate some of the discomfort, but they don’t get to the source of the problem, particularly if you have an allergy to foods or to commonly found drugs, like caffeine.

Natural cures you may want to consider usually revolve around getting more blood and oxygen into the brain. These types of remedies (which include going for a plain, old brisk walk) are especially good for tension headaches. Try putting three or four lemon slices into a cup of herbal tea (or just drinking straight peppermint tea) to restore circulation a bit. Two teaspoons of honey taken with each meal will also help cure migraines or hangovers. The potassium and magnesium it contains help relax your arteries, increasing blood flow to the brain.

Next >>