Quite a few of my clients and friends have been battling viruses and as a result have asked me of possible remedies. So I went on a hunt to see if I could find more than I already knew.
Look what I found!
Your own pantry holds many treatments for the.
At the onset of a fever, mix elderflower and peppermint. Make a tea and go quickly to bed where you will sweat out the fever. Change into dry clothes and go back to sleep. This tea helps to break a sweat.
Cumin and ginger tea
Add a teaspoon of cumin seeds and a small amount of dry or fresh ginger to one glass of boiling water. Simmer for a few minutes and let it cool. Drink as needed.
Boil 2 tablespoons of grated fresh ginger in 2 cups of water for 15 minutes, remove from the heat and steep for 10 minutes. Drink as needed.
Salt: Gargle with sage tea or warm salt water to disinfect the throat.
One tsp. of salt into 8 oz of warm water. Do not swallow.
You can also gargle with whey.
Add the juice of half a lemon and 1 tsp of maple syrup to a cup of warm water. Add cayenne to taste. This is wonderful to soothe sore throats, cleanse the blood, and loosen mucous. You can use honey instead of maple syrup, but I prefer maple syrup, as it is the lifeblood of a tree. Honey also has natural antiseptic qualities.
Mustard packs have been used to reduce fever, eliminate toxins and help healing of in the lungs. Dosage: Apply once. If needed, repeat every other day for a week.
Chicken soup has long been used as a cure for colds and flu. Use of chicken soup goes back to the 12th century, or possibly even as far back as the ancient Greeks. A Jewish physician and philosopher named Moshe Ben Maiman, known as Maimonides recommend chicken soup to treat colds and flu. Reportedly, his knowledge of this cure came from the Greeks.
Modern science has now documented the healing qualities of chicken soup. A report in the medical journal Chest (2000), found that the ingredients of chicken soup inhibit the movement of neutrophils- the white blood cells that stimulate mucous release. In addition, steam from the warm soup may soothe inflamed sinuses. If that’s not enough, chicken contains cysteine; an amino acid that also aids in the thinning of mucus. Dosage: Take often, cold or no cold!
have a stimulating effect on the lymph glands. Placing a carrot poultice on the neck or swollen glands can speed healing and provide relief. Grind up carrots in a blender, place in cheesecloth (or even a paper towel will do in a pinch), and wrap edges. Place on throat for 15 minutes. The area will warm up and occasionally turn red. This indicates that blood is moving to the area to facilitate healing. Dosage: Repeat as necessary.
Castor oil pack
Castor oil pack placed on the chest can open the airwaves and bring circulation to the lungs. Massage Castor oil on the chest, cover with muslin or flannel, and place a warm hot water bottle over the chest. Dosage: Repeat as necessary.
These natural remedies are easy to make from products in your kitchen cabinets, and can provide comfort relief for the common cold.
Learn more about this author, Melanie Grimes.