Eat a huge burger and cure jet lag: 10 weird health tricks you won't believe

Scoffing down a burger and chips during a flight rarely seems like a healthy option while sitting in the same position for several hours.

But air passengers finally have an excuse to scoff themselves silly - because a carb-heavy fry-up could help conquer jet lag.

Japanese scientists revealed this week that foods which kick-start a big release of insulin, such as carbohydrates, could be crucial to resetting our body clock when we get out of sync with our natural cycle.

Here are some other odd things that can help your health:

Feet vodka wipe

Sometimes having a shower is not an option when your feet stink.

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One remedy that gets rid of the stench without running water is to wipe them down with a vodka-soaked washcloth.

Vodka contains alcohol, which is antiseptic and drying, so it destroys odour-causing fungus and bacteria and dries out the moisture that lets these organisms grow.

Pencil headache cure

As headache cures go, this is certainly one of the more unusual, but it does have a real medical basis.

Place a pencil between your teeth, but don't bite.

The explanation is that when you are stressed you instinctively clench your jaw and teeth.

This strains the muscle that connects your jaw to your temples and can trigger a tension headache. By putting the pencil in place, you automatically relax your jaw muscle and prevent pain.

Music for high blood pressure

Thirty minutes of the right tunes every day can help lower blood pressure, according to a team of Italian researchers.

They found that people on a medication for hypertension further lowered their blood pressure after they listened to music while breathing slowly.

Systolic readings decreased an average of 3.2 points in a week; a month later, readings were down 4.4 points.

Mouthwash for blisters

Strong mouthwash like Listerine, which is also a powerful antiseptic also works on blisters.

By dabbing mouthwash on a blister three times a day, it will dry out and eventually stop hurting.

Olives or lemons for seasickness

Motion sickness causes you to produce excess saliva, which can make you nauseated, some doctors say.

Compounds in olives called tannins dry out your mouth and can help soothe the queasy sensation.

If you happen to have a few olives to hand, it is always worth eating a few at the first sign of nausea. Sucking on a lemon can also do the trick.

Dry sugar for hiccups

A teaspoon of sugar swallowed dry can stop hiccups in minutes.

The sugar is believed to modify the nerve muscles that would otherwise tell the muscles in the diaphragm to contract spasmodically and contribute to hiccups.

Peppermint chewing gum for road rage

In a NASA-funded study, scientists from Wheeling Jesuit University monitored the responses of 25 students during simulated driving scenarios.

The volunteers reported that peppermint lowered their feelings of fatigue or anxiety by 20%.

Peppermint and cinnamon each decreased frustration by 25%, increased alertness by 30%, and made the ride seem 30% shorter.

If you don't like chewing gum, buying peppermint or cinnamon scented mobiles for the car might work.

Tennis ball for achy feet

For an easy, free mini massage that stretches and soothes the arches of your feet, slip off your shoes and roll each foot over a tennis ball, golf ball, or soup can for a minute or two.

To cool throbbing feet, roll them over a bottle of frozen water.

Vegetable oil for fragile fingernails

The main cause of britle fingernails is lack of moisture.

As well as using hand lotion regularly, dermatologists also recommend using putting vegetable oil before going to bed.

If you are feeling really committed apply vegetable oil to your hands, then put on vinyl gloves or wrap your hands in plastic wrap to keep the oil off your bedding.

The hand coverings force the oil to penetrate your skin, preventing your hands and nails from getting too dry.

Baking soda for urinary tract infections

At the first sign of symptoms, drink a solution made with a ¼ teaspoon of baking soda mixed in 8 ounces of water.

Continue this once a day until you can get a culture done at a doctor's office and start antibiotics.

Baking soda makes the bladder environment more alkaline, which reduces bacteria's ability to multiply.