All three of my kids started sneezing and snuffling yesterday. That seems to happen to us after vacations are over too often. I’m very much interested in natural remedies, so I thought you might be interested in some of the things that I’ve found effective for colds.
Contrast showers: Some kids fight on this, but it will often bring about immediate signs of improvement. What I do is stand in a very warm shower for 3 minutes and then switch the water to cold for 30 seconds and repeat this process a few times. I do it three times on the kids and seven times on myself. Always end with the cold. Try it! Even if you’re not sick, you’ll feel so invigorated!
The wool sock: For sore throats, I often wrap a wool sock over a cold wet piece of cotton (torn up old pillowcases are my favorite) and wrap the neck with this “neck warmer”. I put this on right before bedtime. By morning the sock will be hot. The cold draws extra blood to the throat area and improves the circulation there so that sore throat can get more attention from that wonderful blood.
Herb Tea: At Fred Meyers (our local grocer) we can purchase a tea called “Throat Coat”. It is really good. Works especially well when a sore throat is looming. I love it. I drink it even when I’m not sick sometimes. I add a little sweetener to it though. Honey is my preference for it.
Steam: For plugged noses, I have found that vaporizers are really good. I live in a fairly humid area, but it still helps. I add Eucalyptus to the water and it will clear you out even if you weren’t stuffed up. And when the kids are really, really stuffed up I boil water and Eucalyptus in the tea kettle and have them put their nose by the spout (not too close though). They get it concentrated that way.
Garlic & Elderberry: I also give my kids garlic and elderberry supplements as soon as one gets sick. I know from experimentation that the garlic works. I haven’t verified the elderberry, but have friends that believe in it, so I do it too. I often can keep the sickness limited to one or two by treating the others as soon as the one gets sick. But this time they all got it at once.
No sugar: I don’t allow my children any refined sugar when they are sick. Sugar weakens the immune system, so that is the last thing they need when they are sick.
Sleep & water: Of all the remedies, I’ve tried, sleep and plenty of water seem to have wonderful results. (And sleeping kids, gives mommy a break too!)
Pray: I know this may be obvious for some, but I’ve found that sometimes, I’ll get so busy trying to fight off a cold that I’ll forget to ask the Master Physician to heal us.
Anyway, off to make some tea for my daughter.