I’ve contracted quite a cold, and I thought it would be a good opportunity to bring up things that can relieve the symptoms of a cold. I’ll give you a few cold relief remedies, and you can help me add to the list.
Runny Nose
- Use a homemade ointment to prevent soreness.
Stuffed Nose
- Mix a few drops of Eucalyptus oil with clean water in a small spray bottle, spray it on your sweater or your scarf. Sniff it in. It opens the nose. For small children; put a few drops of undiluted Eucalyptus oil on the pillow, by the next day a lot of it has come out.
- Warm some water and add a couple of drops of Eucalypt oil. Place the bowl on the side of the child’s bed, it will ease breathing and loosen a stuffed nose.
- Essential oils, especially Pine needle, Sage and Eucalyptus oil may help. Drip a couple of drops on a cloth and sniff.
- Take the lid off a jar of Honey and breathe in the fumes from the Honey. You can also rub some under your nose.
- If you move your jaw muscles from side to side, it may loosen a stuffed nose.
- Boil some Pine and Spruce twigs in water and hold your head over the steam with a towel over your head. Breathe deeply until the stuffiness goes away.
- Chamomile steam baths also work dissolving.
- 2 tbsp of Horsetail is steeped in 1/2 l (~0.4 gallons) of boiling water for 30 minutes, and then you breathe in the steam for 2 minutes, pause then continue for as long as you can.
- Do the same with Thyme as with the Horsetail but only let it steep for 10-15 minutes.
Sinus Infection
- Boil 1 1/2 litre (~0.4 gallons) of water with 1 tsp of salt, let it cool and sniff it into your nose.
Dry Cough
- Place some fresh Oregano leaves in a pitcher and fill it with water, Let it stand in the refrigerator. Drink the water now and then.
- Boil 4 Carrots until they’re soft and mash them with 1 dl (~3.4 fl oz) of Honey. 1 tsp 5- 6 times a day (also works for smoker’s cough).
- Cut an Onion into segments and put it in a bowl of water – almost cover it with water. Place the bowl in the bedroom.
Wet Cough
- Aniseed Tea. Drink 1 cup 2-6 times a day, with honey if you like. Don’t crush the seeds until you’re going to use them.
- To get rid of mucus, you can squeeze the juice out of a lemon into a cup and drink it.
- Thyme also works as n expectorant.
- If you have mucus in your chest or bronchitis, two cups of Hyssop tea (hyssopus officinalis) a day may be beneficial.
- Milk actually increases the production of mucus. So you might want to stay away from that.
Sore Throat
- Against a sore throat, you can use curry dissolved in tepid water. Use 1 tsp for 1 cup of water and gargle with it.
- Ginger and Lemon Tea is nice.
- Just Honey with hot water also helps.
- 1-2 cups of Fenugreek Tea a day.
- Put 1 tbsp of Apple vinegar in a glass of tepid water. Gurgle with it several times a day. Small sips every 5 minutes if the soreness is further down.
- Gargle with salt water for 5 minutes straight several times a day.
- Gargle with a Sage infusion several times a day (2 tsp of sage in 1/4 l (~8.5 fl oz) of water which is heated up towards the boiling point). Nursing women should avoid Sage, it hampers lactation.
- Soothing drink for colds
Fever
- Sweet Woodruff tea lowers fever and also eases any pain. It acts in the same way as Aspirin.
Ear Ache
- If you have an earache, you can take a piece of fresh Ginger and put it against the ear. Squeeze it a bit, and the juice will ease the pain.
- A few drops of warm (not hot) Sesame Seed oil will do the same.
General Well-Being
- Hydrate. Keep your throat moist. Drink at least 10 glasses of water and do 4 steam baths a day if you can. Ice cream feels nice.
- Take a hot bath
- Stay away from sugar
- Some say it pays to avoid meat and eggs until you feel better.
- 1-2 cups of Fenugreek tea a day. 2 tbsp of Fenugreek powder to 1/4 l (~8.5 fl oz) of boiling water, drink it after it’s cooled (you should avoid hot drinks when you have a throat infection).
- Put 1 tbsp of Apple vinegar in a glass of tepid water. Gurgle with it several times a day. Small sips every 5 minutes if the soreness is further down.
- Gargle with salt water for 5 minutes straight several times a day.
- Gargle with sage several times a day (2 tsp of sage in 1/4 l (~8.5 fl oz) of water which is heated up towards the boiling point). Nursing women should avoid sage, it hampers lactation.
Now I just have to go practice what I preach 🙂 Feel free to add comments with your suggestions for cold relief.
