Natural cold remedies

Cold remedy Drink – I have made this for us all since the boys were wee... Taken at the first signs of a cold this remedy can nip it in the bud, or at the very least alleviate some of the symptoms and assist the body to heal itself. The juice, oranges and lemon are full of vitamin C so helps give the immune system a boost as does the Echinacea. I chose cinnamon and honey as honey has anti bacterial properties and is soothing for the throat, in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), cinnamon is viewed as possessing heat or yang, and is thus used to cure ills stemming from excess yin or coldness. Honey, in this system, is viewed as a neutral substance, balanced between yin and yang, it’s antiseptic, antibacterial, antioxidant, antibiotic and immune system boosting properties are fab, it’s also very important to get raw honey from a health food shop and add it at the end as the honey in supermarkets is pasteurised and doesn’t have anything like the same nutritional value. I add ginger because it is very warming and helps ease headaches and inflammation, helps to detox and for it’s antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Clove is then added as a natural antiviral, antimicrobial, antiseptic and it also has mild analgesic properties.

Cold remedy Drink recipe:

One litre of freshly squeezed orange juice or alternative juice with equal amounts of vitamin C One large organic wax free orange One large organic wax free lemon Two cinnamon sticks or two teaspoons An inch of ginger One teaspoon of cloves One teaspoon of Echinacea or an Echinacea teabag (optional and Probably advisable not to use if you have autoimmune condition). One teaspoons of raw/unpasteurised honey for each mug you serve. 

Method:

Put juice in a pot with sliced oranges and lemons squeeze the slices in juice before you add them, add chopped ginger, Echinacea, cloves and cinnamon, then simmer on low heat with lid on for five minutes, just add honey to each individual mug full just before drinking, so you are still getting it in its raw form. Best drunk warm, it can be re warmed on a low heat for later in the day...Or if You are very ill you could put in a flask beside your bed and have a few cupfuls over the next few hours... Enjoy and feel better!

So here is the natural alternative recipe for vicks vaporub!

Okay, so we better not call it Vicks vaporub, as I'll have someone on my back trying to sue me! So lets call it...

Cold nurture balm

This balm is for rubbing on your chest and round the throat and neck area up to just under ear lobes, I would also put it under the arms and down the sides of the torso of the body where lots of lymph nodes are, do this three times a day. Try to always use the organic versions for raw ingredients where possible. Not to be used by women in first three months of pregnancy or at all with a history of miscarriage, and when using homeopathic remedies. I've made this with half the amount of essential oils (1% dilution) to suit people with a chronic condition, also if you have M.E your sensitivities make it difficult to tolerate a stronger dilution, you can have double the amount of these essential oils if you don't have a chronic condition. This recipe is for adults only as the dilutions for children would be less depending on the size of the child. Please note that although these remedies work very well that they are not intended to replace your GPs experience on these matters, so please do consult him or her and get a check up if at all worried. 

Ingredients for 100g of nurture balm:

20g beeswax or other wax like jojoba, olive or hemp wax if you are vegan.

30g shea butter

10g cacao

40ml extra virgin olive oil

8 drops of Eucalyptus

4 drops of sandalwood

4 drops of frankincense

2 drops of lavender

2 drops of benzoin

Method:

Put all ingredients except the essential oils and olive oil in a double boiler (a pot half filled with boiling water with a heat proof glass bowl on top). Melt it all on a low heat. When fully melted add the olive oil and the essential oils, you will need to work quite fast at this point because as soon as cold hits this mixture the beeswax starts to harden. Bless your nurture balm with good vibrations of love and healing and use a small paper cup or mini jug to transfer it into your little tins or jars.

Eucalyptus, sandalwood and benzoin are used in this recipe as they are all expectorants which means they help to expel phlegm, sandalwood helps to soothe a sore throat, laryngitis, and is great for a dry cough, and frankincense has sedative qualities that help slow down the breathing, both sandalwood and frankincense are great for meditation, which is also great to do whilst ill or well. Eucalyptus also helps to reduce fever. Lavender is an analgesic which helps to reduce pain and is an immuno which strengthens the body's reaction to infection, because it has antiseptic actions it can also help with the bacterial infections that can sometimes erupt while the body is coping with the viral infection and the anti inflammatory actions are also beneficial. 

Other helpful tips of course are to get plenty rest, keep warm, drink at least 8x8 oz glasses of water or herbal tea. If you are unable to get the ingredients for the cold remedy drink...Hot water with few slices of lemon and a teaspoon of unpasteurised/raw honey a few times a day added to your liquid intake is fab. Eat plenty fruit and veg, avoid dairy until you are better as this makes mucus worst. Adding garlic and onions to your meals also helps. Gargling with salt water (sea salt or Himalayan) for sore throats twice a day (5% salt to water) or alternatively dilute organic cider vinegar (with the mother as it is unrefined and contains all the beneficial enzymes and good bacteria) remember to mix it with 50% water, as full on cider vinegar would not be good on your throat... gargle and spit out.

Cough : Drink pineapple juice and for a tickly cough take a teaspoon of honey let it drizzle to the back of you throat and coat your throat and tonsils with it. 

Sore ears: Check with doc first if they are really bad and you suspect bad infection, it may need medication. This method can also work along side medication to bring more relief, as an ear infection can be one of the sorest things,  because of all the nerves around that area, this can be especially difficult for kids, because as soon as they lie down it gets worst. A great soothing method is to get a little circle of muslin or other cotton material, even cut a circle out of an old tea-shirt. Fill it with Himalayan salt and a couple of teaspoons of lavender petals, put two drops of lavender oil on the out side of it, tie with some string, so that the part you put next to your ear is a soft ball shape. Put it on the heater or sit with it on your hot water bottle, shoogle it about a bit every now and then to get the heat distributed, then when it is warm hold it next to your ear, keep heating it back up each time it cools. These ingredients are used as salt is helpful in drawing out infection. Lavender helps with infection too, and to calm the pain, and soothe the nervous system. The heat helps to enhance it all. You may want to put  a couple more lavender drops on it every now and then if it hasn't been used for a while. 

If you can't make the balm, another alternative is to do a steam inhalation (not if you have asthma though) with a facial sauna or bowl of boiling water with 1 drop of sandalwood and 1 drop of Eucalyptus added to the water, then put a towel over your head and over the outside of the bowl and breathe in the vapours, whilst blowing your nose every so often to get it all out!

Remember my lip balms are great for sore lips or try the Manuka honey one for sore red nose. And my mandarin and petitgrain room spray is very good for spraying around the rooms to cleanse the air while people have viruses, and to aid rehabilitation. Check my Etsy shop for the lip balms. Link on products page. 

Much love and blessings X0X0