Latest news with #MegLeja
Yahoo
10-08-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Vinegar face masks and barley water? Medieval 'health hacks' mirror today's TikTok trends
Historians recently unearthed some "health hacks" dating back to the Middle Ages v and some sound like they came straight off TikTok. The database, called the Corpus of Early Medieval Latin Medicine, offers a wealth of information about how people in the so-called "Dark Ages" viewed health, science and medicine. It was announced by Binghamton University in July. Meg Leja, an associate professor at the university, told Fox News Digital that she helped catalog hundreds of medieval medical texts, particularly focusing on all surviving Latin manuscripts up to the year 1000. Wearable Hydration Monitor Could Help Prevent Heatstroke, Scientists Say "This means that we covered most of Continental Europe, but not England, where many early medieval medical writings were in the vernacular (i.e., Old English)," she said. "Because very few manuscripts survive from before the year 600, effectively our date range is 600 to 1000." Read On The Fox News App Some of the cures, researchers said, could fit into in modern wellness circles. Below are six examples they found. Historians repeatedly came across a 12-month detox plan that included drinking herbs like cinnamon, sage, ginger and fennel – one for every month. The drinks were said to purge the body of buildup like mucus and "unwanted matter," much like modern juice cleanses. World's Most Premature Baby Defies All Medical Odds To Reach 1St Birthday Another recipe in the database recommended a vinegar remedy "so that your face is radiant." "Grind wheat flour with vinegar [and] put this on as a plaster mixed with oil," the tip advises. Barley water occasionally pops up on TikTok as a "natural remedy" — and centuries before influencers promoted it, early medieval writers recommended its use. According to a text written before 1000 A.D., a healer claimed that mixing barley with hot wine would aid digestion. Other hacks were not TikTok-like at all, featuring ingredients that are both unpleasant and difficult to obtain. One text written before 1250 swore by dead vultures being a one-size-fits-all cure for a myriad of health issues. "You capture a vulture and decapitate it with a reed while saying 'Angel, Adonai Abraham, on your account the word is complete,'" the text advises. The dead bird's skull was said to prevent migraines, while its eyeballs "relieve pain of the eyes." Tying the vulture's feathers to a pregnant woman's legs was also said to help speed up labor. One late 9th-century tip – found in a priest's personal manuscript – suggested using green lizard ashes for fuller hair. Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter "For flowing hair, cover the whole head with fresh summer savory and salt and vinegar," the translated instructions read. "[Then] rub it with the ashes of a burnt green lizard, mixed with oil." The most repulsive recipe, from an 11th-century text, offered the following tip for chest pain. "You dissolve goat dung in water and, sieved, you give it to drink," the tip advises. "It soon relieves the pain, however intensely it hurt." J. Matthew Knight, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon, urged caution for those considering trying these cures. The Florida-based medical expert told Fox News Digital that, while barley, cinnamon and fennel may offer minor digestive benefits, the idea of detoxing over 12 months isn't backed by science. Knight, the founder of the Knight Dermatology Institute, also noted that the vinegar facial mask "could lead to irritant contact dermatitis," though vinegar has antibacterial effects. As for the more extreme remedies – like using goat dung for chest pain – the doctor warned they are "unsanitary and dangerous," and emphasized that anyone experiencing chest pain should go straight to the emergency room. Though Knight said he appreciates the novelty of the list, they exist "somewhere between funny and completely ineffective." For more Health articles, visit "All of these schemes predate the microscope, germ theory of disease and modern medicine, and rely on the idea that maladies were due to spiritual imbalance, moral transgression or cosmic forces," he told Fox News Digital. "Illness wasn't seen as bacterial or viral, but as a disturbance in unseen forces, like 'body humors.'" "Unfortunately, when it comes to TikTok trends, or medieval remedies, there is painfully little to no scientific basis for their use."Original article source: Vinegar face masks and barley water? Medieval 'health hacks' mirror today's TikTok trends Solve the daily Crossword
Fox News
10-08-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Vinegar face masks and barley water? Medieval 'health hacks' mirror today's TikTok trends
Historians recently unearthed some "health hacks" dating back to the Middle Ages v and some sound like they came straight off TikTok. The database, called the Corpus of Early Medieval Latin Medicine, offers a wealth of information about how people in the so-called "Dark Ages" viewed health, science and medicine. It was announced by Binghamton University in July. Meg Leja, an associate professor at the university, told Fox News Digital that she helped catalog hundreds of medieval medical texts, particularly focusing on all surviving Latin manuscripts up to the year 1000. "This means that we covered most of Continental Europe, but not England, where many early medieval medical writings were in the vernacular (i.e., Old English)," she said. "Because very few manuscripts survive from before the year 600, effectively our date range is 600 to 1000." Some of the cures, researchers said, could fit into in modern wellness circles. Below are six examples they found. Historians repeatedly came across a 12-month detox plan that included drinking herbs like cinnamon, sage, ginger and fennel – one for every month. The drinks were said to purge the body of buildup like mucus and "unwanted matter," much like modern juice cleanses. Another recipe in the database recommended a vinegar remedy "so that your face is radiant." "Grind wheat flour with vinegar [and] put this on as a plaster mixed with oil," the tip advises. Barley water occasionally pops up on TikTok as a "natural remedy" — and centuries before influencers promoted it, early medieval writers recommended its use. According to a text written before 1000 A.D., a healer claimed that mixing barley with hot wine would aid digestion. Other hacks were not TikTok-like at all, featuring ingredients that are both unpleasant and difficult to obtain. One text written before 1250 swore by dead vultures being a one-size-fits-all cure for a myriad of health issues. "You capture a vulture and decapitate it with a reed while saying 'Angel, Adonai Abraham, on your account the word is complete,'" the text advises. The dead bird's skull was said to prevent migraines, while its eyeballs "relieve pain of the eyes." Tying the vulture's feathers to a pregnant woman's legs was also said to help speed up labor. One late 9th-century tip – found in a priest's personal manuscript – suggested using green lizard ashes for fuller hair. "For flowing hair, cover the whole head with fresh summer savory and salt and vinegar," the translated instructions read. "[Then] rub it with the ashes of a burnt green lizard, mixed with oil." The most repulsive recipe, from an 11th-century text, offered the following tip for chest pain. "You dissolve goat dung in water and, sieved, you give it to drink," the tip advises. "It soon relieves the pain, however intensely it hurt." J. Matthew Knight, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon, urged caution for those considering trying these cures. The Florida-based medical expert told Fox News Digital that, while barley, cinnamon and fennel may offer minor digestive benefits, the idea of detoxing over 12 months isn't backed by science. "When it comes to TikTok trends, or medieval remedies, there is painfully little to no scientific basis for their use." Knight, the founder of the Knight Dermatology Institute, also noted that the vinegar facial mask "could lead to irritant contact dermatitis," though vinegar has antibacterial effects. As for the more extreme remedies – like using goat dung for chest pain – the doctor warned they are "unsanitary and dangerous," and emphasized that anyone experiencing chest pain should go straight to the emergency room. Though Knight said he appreciates the novelty of the list, they exist "somewhere between funny and completely ineffective." For more Health articles, visit "All of these schemes predate the microscope, germ theory of disease and modern medicine, and rely on the idea that maladies were due to spiritual imbalance, moral transgression or cosmic forces," he told Fox News Digital. "Illness wasn't seen as bacterial or viral, but as a disturbance in unseen forces, like 'body humors.'" "Unfortunately, when it comes to TikTok trends, or medieval remedies, there is painfully little to no scientific basis for their use."
New York Post
22-07-2025
- Health
- New York Post
The surprising medical remedies of the Middle Ages, from lizard oil to a sweet migraine hack
Turns out, the Dark Ages weren't so dim when it came to wellness. Researchers have unearthed a trove of medical remedies dating back over a thousand years, revealing that early medieval Europeans were far more health-savvy than historians once believed. 'People in the early Middle Ages were quite into science, into observation, into figuring out the utility of different natural substances, and trying to identify patterns and make predictions,' Dr. Meg Leja, an associate professor of history at Binghamton University who helped led the effort, told Science Daily. Advertisement 3 New research suggests that ancient healers developed treatments rooted in natural remedies, keen observation and practical know-how. DM7 – Turns out, they might have been onto something — and today's wellness gurus are just catching up. 'A lot of things that you see in these manuscripts are actually being promoted online currently as alternative medicine, but they have been around for thousands of years,' Leja explained. Advertisement Got a headache? Forget Ibuprofen. A thousand years ago, the go-to remedy was a mixture of crushed peach pit and rose oil slathered on the forehead. While it might sound more witchcraft than wellness, modern science suggests they weren't entirely off-base: A 2017 study found rose oil may offer short-term relief from migraine pain — though the crushed peach pit is a bit more questionable. Another 9th-century manuscript's advice for improving hair health begins with a practical step: Cleanse the scalp using herbal-infused salt and vinegar to ward off parasites. Even today, vinegar rinses — especially with apple cider vinegar — are used as a home remedy for scalp issues like dandruff and eczema. Though vinegar definitely has antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties, the scientific evidence that it can combat a flaking scalp is thin. Advertisement 3 Many ancient remedies drew on plants and animals to treat human ailments. Esther Hildebrandt – Sea salt scalp scrubs, meanwhile, are on the shelves of stores like Sephora and Ulta. But for truly luscious locks, medieval healers didn't stop there — they recommended topping it off with a a salve of oils blended with the 'ashes of a burnt green lizard' to unlock the full benefits. Advertisement While the internet isn't shy about embracing DIY beauty trends, the jury is still out on whether scorched reptile will become the next viral hair mask. From detox potions to botanical balms, many of the era's health hacks wouldn't feel out of place on TikTok's For You Page. But not all would hold up by today's standards. Case in point: One labor and delivery remedy advised pregnant women to tie vulture feathers to their left leg to ensure a smoother birth. Even Goop hasn't gone that far — yet. 3 Some early healing methods share striking similarities with practices in modern alternative medicine. AFP via Getty Images The surprising insights come from the Corpus of Early Medieval Latin Medicine, a digital collection compiled over the course of more than two years by Leja and her colleagues. This project has nearly doubled the number of known health manuscripts from before the 11th century. Many were found scribbled in the margins of unrelated books on topics like grammar, theology and poetry. 'It's true that we do lack a lot of sources for the period. In that sense, it is 'dark.' But not in terms of any kind of 'anti-science' attitudes,' Leja said. 'They were concerned about cures, they wanted to observe the natural world and jot down bits of information wherever they could in this period known as the 'Dark Ages,'' she added. Advertisement The collection continues to grow with new discoveries and translations added regularly. So, if you're curious to explore medieval wellness firsthand, the full catalogue is available online here. Bonus points if you can track down the 9th-century remedy for shrinking testicles.
Fast Company
22-07-2025
- Health
- Fast Company
Medieval wellness is back—and it's all over your FYP
Social media is overflowing with wellness hacks and tips. While some should be avoided at all costs, others may actually be rooted in medicinal practices dating back to the Dark Ages, new research suggests. After examining hundreds of medieval manuscripts and compiling their findings into a catalog, a new international research project sheds fresh light on early medieval medical practices—many of which wouldn't be out of place on TikTok 's For You Page. As the MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) sect and wellness girlies gain traction both online and in the Oval Office, natural remedies are back in vogue. From beef tallow as skincare to castor oil in the belly button, these hacks could just as easily have been scribbled in the margins of a 5th-century manuscript as featured in an influencer's get-ready-with-me video in 2025. 'A lot of things that you see in these manuscripts are actually being promoted online currently as alternative medicine, but they have been around for thousands of years,' wrote Meg Leja, an associate professor of history at Binghamton University. Whether that's a good or bad thing depends on who you ask. One medieval hack involves rubbing a mixture of crushed peach pit and rose oil on the forehead as a cure for headaches. Science now backs this up—a study from 2017 suggests rose oil may help relieve migraine pain. Another 9th-century hair hack recommends covering the scalp with herbal-infused salt and vinegar to disinfect it, followed by a salve of oils mixed with the 'ashes of a burnt green lizard' to enhance shine. Perhaps not one to try at home. Other topical ointments and detox cleanses made from dried herbs and distilled alcohols share similarities with recent TikTok trends, like drinking 'tadpole water' for debloating or eating dirt to reduce wrinkles. Many of these medieval health and beauty hacks were found scribbled in the margins of books unrelated to medicine, suggesting a preoccupation with wellness that feels distinctly modern. 'People were engaging with medicine on a much broader scale than had previously been thought,' Leja told Science Daily. 'They were concerned about cures, they wanted to observe the natural world and jot down bits of information wherever they could in this period known as the 'Dark Ages.'' Sounds like they would've loved TikTok.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Dark Age detoxes sometimes resembled TikTok health trends
There are countless so-called wellness tips permeating platforms like TikTok on any given day. And while many are little better than pseudoscience, some treatments like acupuncture are based on legitimate medicinal practices dating back millennia. This mix of both good and bad health remedies is nothing new, but according to researchers compiling a growing database of centuries' old medical manuscripts, some of today's social media suggestions aren't that far off from prescriptions documented in the Dark Ages. But whether that's a positive or a negative sort of depends on how you view things. 'People were engaging with medicine on a much broader scale than had previously been thought,' Meg Leja, a Binghamton University medieval historian, said in a recent profile. 'They were concerned about cures, they wanted to observe the natural world and jot down bits of information wherever they could in this period known as the 'Dark Ages.'' Leja is also a contributor to the Corpus of Early Medieval Latin Medicine (CEMLM), an international collaboration between universities to expand the known catalog of pre-11th century Latin medical manuscripts. Many of these old texts haven't been included in other digital collections. So far, their work has almost doubled the number of known Dark Age medical manuscripts. After reviewing the still-expanding library, researchers now believe that the era's remedies weren't always quite as dubious as you might think. Many books recommend topical ointments and detox cleanses made from ingredients like dried herbs and distilled alcohols. One book's headache cure, for example, suggests mixing crushed peach pit with rose oil before rubbing it onto your forehead. As strange as it sounds, one study from 2017 indicates rose oil may help with migraine pains. As expected, others don't hold up to present-day scrutiny. Contrary to one famous 9th century CE codex, vulture eyes wrapped in a fox pelt will not reduce your own eye pains. Neither will a pregnant woman's labor progress more quickly if you tie the bird's feathers to her left leg. Meanwhile, other treatments seem to straddle the line between valid and absurd. Another 9th century manuscript's suggestion for improving hair health starts sensibly enough— covering the head with herbal-infused salt and vinegar will help to disinfect the scalp of parasites. But to really make those locks extra luscious, it then recommends applying a salve of oils with the 'ashes of a burnt green lizard.' The main takeaway Leja's team stresses is that while the Dark Ages were 'dark' in the sense that a large number of sources have not survived the centuries, many of the era's experts were truly interested in researching real medical treatments. Leja even goes so far as to push back on the notion that people then were 'anti-science.' 'People in the early Middle Ages were quite into science, into observation, into figuring out the utility of different natural substances, and trying to identify patterns and make predictions,' she explained. Of course, rigorous research standards must be maintained to ensure ingredients like 'lizard ash' stay out of today's prescription shampoos. Meanwhile, a medieval doctor would be forgiven for thinking social media's ability to amplify bad science amounts to demonology. In any case, hearsay, like in the Dark Ages, shouldn't be taken at its word—be it in an ancient codex, or the latest hashtag.
