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As a “crunchy” person, I usually treat a cold naturally. I have also spent most of the last 4+ years either pregnant or nursing, therefore I had additional motivation to not use over the counter medications. Even before kids though, I was known for my “crazy” concoctions that I would use when feeling under the weather. Today I will share some of those crazy things.
Here are some of my go-to options for “treating” a cold naturally:
1. Saline Rinse
My go-to treatment for sinuses is a neti-pot. I use this one and love it. I do it morning and night whenever my nose starts feeling stuffy or runny. It helps moisturize my sinuses, since they are usually dry as well. It also releases congestion and pressure that causes most of my suffering.
On a side note, I also like to use it at night any time I feel like I’ve been somewhere that might aggravate my sinuses. Places with lots of smoke, or dust, or other things in the air that might mean waking up the next day to an angry sinus cavity.
2. Hot Lemonade
This is one that I’ve had people look at me funny about in previous years. Mainly because I would bring a giant jug to work and my coworkers thought I was crazy.
Any time I have congestion, I make lots of hot lemonade. It helps with my dry sinuses, the possible sore throat from drainage/coughing, the congestion and inflammation from irritated sinuses, and helps motivate me to stay hydrated.
It is always kind of just thrown together, but includes a combination of the following:
Lemon Juice
Lemon is naturally high in vitamin C, which is always nice to have when sick. It also helps with throat pain and digestion. As someone who believes a lot of problems involve the gut, I believe it’s never a bad idea to help support your gut when sick.
Cayenne Pepper
The heat can help inflammation and thin mucous to help with congestion and drainage. It also can help with sinus pressure and pain. It also promotes perspiration, which helps possible fevers, as well as flushing out and cleansing the system.
Ginger
This is a powerhouse that I have been in love with for years. I know, I’m a nerd. A crunchy nerd. Ginger aids digestion, has anti-inflammatory properties that help sore throats, it is an antiviral, and promotes perspiration (again helps fevers and flushing/cleansing the system). It can be subtle in flavor, or if you’re like me and put a big chunk in your lemonade, it can be spicy just like cayenne.
Another great addition to the lemonade is honey. Just let your mixture cool down a tad before adding to get all the benefits. I usually add it for taste, or soothing purposes, but mostly go without.
3. Bath Time
As I have shared previously, I love detox baths. I give them to my kids even when they aren’t sick. Warm water, some epsom salt, bentonite clay, and baking soda. Heaven.
The same benefits of detox baths apply to adults. When I get sick a detox bath has SO many benefits.
- The warm water feels good to your tired body, as well as promoting perspiration (goodbye fevers and hello flushing toxins)
- The steam and moisture feel great to your throat and sinuses.
- The Epsom salt (magnesium) eases stress and relaxes the body, draws out toxins, reduces inflammation, and aids sleep
- The bentonite clay draws out toxins, full of minerals to nourish and strengthen the skin, lowers your pH level
- The baking soda aids detox as well as balancing your pH level, soothes skin, and leaves skin soft
You may notice a trend, but I hardly measure when I do a detox bath. I dump a cup or two of epsom salt in warm water (as hot as I can handle), then sprinkle in ¼-½ cup clay, and then about a cup of baking soda. Those are estimates because I’m usually just dumping them from their bags. I know, so scientific, right? It’s probably because I always forget to have a measuring cup near me.
Simply soak in the warm bath for 20-30 minutes. You’ll thank me later.
4. Medical Mask
Now I might be the only one who does this, but it saves me during a cold. When I have congestion, I wear a medical mask, to sleep. My sinuses really dry out at night, if I’m capable of breathing through my nose at all. This means I wake up with searing pain and then can’t sleep. No sleep means my body can’t fight off my cold. It also means I’m a bear. No fun.
I’ve tried using a humidifier right next to me on high all night. It didn’t help. I tried sleeping with the blankets up near my mouth and nose. For some reason I cannot sleep like that. One day I had a mask for some reason or another and decided to try it. It saves me every time. I keep a stash in the house year round.
The mask also helps out another cold “remedy” that I use…
5. Chapstick/Lotion
One thing I really hate about a cold…or prolonged congestion…is the dry skin I get on my nose. I do not like anything going down into my chest, so I blow my nose A LOT. That means chapped, red, angry skin. That skin eventually turns into dry skin that peels off. Yuck.
Many years ago I started putting chapstick or cream on my nose at bedtime whenever I had a cold. Even before it started hurting or getting red. Nothing makes blowing your nose worse than the pain of chapped skin. Applying chapstick/lotion helps me to have less discomfort, and if I’m consistent, then I never deal with a peeling nose. Win-win.
6. Fresh Air
Go outside. A lot. As much as you can. I’m a huge believer that when we are sick we need MORE time in nature, not less. When the kids are sick I make it a point to get them out whenever they feel up to it. Often times with a cold you still function mostly fine, your head just feels like yuck. GO outside, enjoy the fresh air. Breath in some air. Soak in some vitamin D. Even in the winter. The circulated air inside is most likely the cause of being sick anyway!
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