15 Problems That Can Be Solved with Oatmeal

Oatmeal is great for breakfast, especially with the weather getting colder. However, breakfast is not all that oatmeal can be good for. Take a look at some creative uses for it from care2:

  1. Acne: let oatmeal cool and then spread over the problem areas on your skin. Let the oatmeal sit for 15 minutes before rinsing. It will help to absorb oil and bacteria from the skin and exfoliate dead skin cells.
  2. Poison Ivy or Chicken Pox: an oatmeal bath can help stop horrible itching. Just grind oats or oat flour into a fine powder and pour it into cheesecloth or an old pair of pantyhose. Tie it around the bathtub faucet, draw a bath, and periodically squeeze water into the tub.
  3. Dirty Hair:

    Oatmeal can cleanse hair as well as skin. The Livestrong Foundation also recommends making an oatmeal-based dry shampoo, ideal for bedridden patients or anyone running too late for a proper shower. Again, commercial options are available, but the homemade version costs pennies. Just grind oatmeal into a powder and mix with an equal amount of baking soda. Rub into the hair and let it soak up oils and odors, then brush out.

  4. Low Endurance: studies have shown that oats actually have the power to fuel muscles during a workout. Eat some oatmeal about 3 hours before your next run to enjoy the time-release benefits of this “fiber-rich complex carbohydrate.”
  5. Stinky Fridge: oatmeal is great at absorbing odors. Just leave an open container of oats in the fridge, or any other smelly spot, to decrease odors.

Find more great ideas over at care2’s 15 Problems You Can Solve with Oatmeal.