Fight Off a Cold Naturally
In this episode of MommyGyver online radio, I give a few suggestions on helping you battle a winter cold naturally. I'm a believer in modern medicine, 100%, but not everything warrants a trip to the doctor. If you're battling a case of the sniffles, chills, or a little cold- sometimes the best medicine is a little rest and a bit of hydration. By all means, if you feel like it could be more than a little winter bug- go to the doctor! This isn't intended to give medical advice or replace a doctor visit in any way! But if you aren't feeling well, these are a few suggestions that might help ease some of the symptoms of that which ails us all this time of year. Here's the recording, and I enclose more information below: Ease your cold with a few suggestions HERE Some suggestions on cold relief: Make a "warm bag"- Using an old sock or cut the sleeve off of an old sweatshirt (I used one from a 5T sweatshirt) Sew up one end of the shirt sleeve or sock then fill with rice. You want to fill it only so much that it's full, but still floppy and not stiff. Once it's as full as you'd like, drop 20 drops of your favorite essential oils on the rice. Sew up the other end completely. You now have the equivalent of a beanbag. I like using a shirt sleeve because it is long enough to drape across a shoulder or back of the neck. To warm it, put the bag in the microwave and heat for about 1 minute. If you'd prefer the oven, preheat the oven to 150 degrees, and warm the bag for 20 minutes. Be careful, it will be hot. Place it on your chest, neck, head and enjoy the vapors as well as the warming feeling. Close to your head is best (that's why I suggest the neck) to warm the whole body. This can help if you're fighting off the chills too! To open sinuses and help with congestion, I like oil scents such as mint, eucalyptus, or clove. If you want a relaxing bag, use lavender instead of the above- or try lavender and mint for a calming yet sinus loving blend. You can also use essential oils in the shower by dropping a few on a wash rag and leaving it on the floor of the shower as you cleanse. Essential oils I like are (click the names to buy): NOW Peppermint, NOW Eucalyptus, NOW Lavender Also, often when the weather is colder, the air dries out and this can cause irritation to the respiratory system. Breathing in warm vapors can help alleviate some of these symptoms.
If you don't have access to a warm or cool mist humidifier, you can boil a large pot of water on your stove to add much needed humidity to your home. I like to drop a little essential oil in the pot to disperse the benefit through the house!
My favorite tea for this time of year is Tiesta Tea's Immunity Tea. You can buy 1lb of this loose tea HERE for under $20. (there are other sizes available as well) but this tea is our family's go-to because it's naturally sweet and is safe for even the little guy (18 months old) to drink. It's caffeine free, and loaded with antioxidants and vitamin C. It has pineapple, orange slices, mango, safflower petals, strawberry, white hibiscus, and marigold petals. Each 2.2 oz smaller bag says it makes 15-30 cups of tea, though I think we get about 10- hence why I suggest buying the 1lb bag at a time. Remember this is LOOSE tea, so you will need a tea infuser, tea straining cup, or empty tea bags. You can get those by clicking the highlighted words. (I've directed you to my favorites!) Chicken Soup is for more than the soul: And finally, there's a reason all the old wives tales talk of chicken soup being the cure for all that ails you. While the jury is out if chicken soup itself has any medicinal value, there is plenty of science to discuss why hot liquid soup is beneficial when you're sick. Warm liquids that are inevitably breathed in while you're sipping away from a cup or your spoon (if you're like me- you've got your drooly face positioned right over the bowl of yummy goodness) are good for getting mucous broken up and making it mobile. The faster it moves out, the better you're going to be able to breathe, and faster! Warm liquids also warm your body. Are you feeling chilled? A cup of hot soup can help with that. Hydration is also key when you're feeling under the weather. What better way than chicken soup? (or any soup for that matter) You NEED liquids. Clear liquids are preferable and chicken is the king of soups by reputation. Also, vitamins and nutrients are in the broth, so even if you don't feel like eating, chicken broth will help you stay hydrated and nourished while you combat your winter bug. I promised my grandma's chicken soup recipe, and here it is: (When I make this, I do it in a large pot and freeze most of it for a rainy or future sniffly day. And I make it chunky!) You need: 1 large stock or canning pot 1 medium sized fresh (preferably) chicken, whole (Clean it, rinse it, get all the giblets and junk out) 6 carrots, rinsed and sliced or chopped (I don't peel them because the good stuff is in the skin!) 1/2 small bag frozen peas 1/2 small bag frozen corn 3 stalks celery, cleaned, chopped into 1/2" pieces or sliced 3 tbsp chopped fresh dill weed 1 tbsp chopped dry parsley 2 tbsp black pepper 1/4 cup dry chopped onion 1 leek, cleaned, chopped 1/2 bag (approx 4 cups egg noodles salt (to taste) Put chicken in the pot and fill with water to just above the chicken. Boil, boil, boil until the chicken falls apart. Take care to remove all the bones from the broth, and remember to replace the water that evaporated as it was boiling. (I don't bother to cover my pot because we're fighting sickness! Let that moisture up into the air, and carry the heavenly chicken soup scent through the house! Once the chicken bones are out and your chicken has all but fallen apart into the base liquid, add the pepper, salt, chopped onion, carrots, parsley, dill, and leeks. Boil until the leeks have completely wilted into the liquid and become very soft and tender. Once this is done, add all remaining ingredients and cook until the egg noodles are tender. Serve immediately and enjoy. This recipe is a little bit on the bland side- as the idea is to have clear broth, but you can supplement a stronger flavor by adding chicken bouillon or broth base. This recipe will keep you hydrated and do a really good job of cleaning you out. (I believe it has something to do with the leeks and parsley) It will get you up and moving again in no time!