This winter has not been easy, so many flus and other sickness. Here is the one I have used often this winter that I like: frozen fruit smoothie - organic frozen berries mix from Costco, with fresh ginger (I put in a finger length chunk), and one fresh turmeric root, a tbl of honey and a fresh pear - for my kids when they are under the weather, don’t think it has any scientific evidence to cure any sickness, lol, but it is our go-to home remedy for sore throat/coughing/stuffy nose/low grade fever. I can eat raw ginger but not in a million years will my kids, so anyway to get them eat fresh ginger is a win for them and bad news for the bugs.
Simple syrup with grated ginger root can be mixed with hot or cold water and drunk as a beverage. If you prefer, honey and grated fresh ginger root and water works great too.
Good old hot chicken soup (ginger optional) is good, as is hot sour soup; chicken rice soup or congee is another winner around here.
Yes, I make hot sour soup with ground ginger/apple cider vinegar/chicken stock/garlic/cayenne pepper powder.
Hot liquid diet jello. I know it sounds gross but my grandma used to give me regular jello as a hot liquid when I was little. The regular now is too sweet for me but the diet is perfect. It’s got just that right amount of sweet for when you feel nauseated and the flavor makes you feel like you are eating something. I might try a teeny bit of ground ginger in it the next time.
I make the simple syrup with ginger in it and add hot water and lemon to it. So calming and refreshing.
I just do a swig of raw unfiltered “with the mother” apple cider vinegar first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Gargle with it if I have a sore throat.
Garlic oil for ear aches.
Apple cider vinegar, a bit of honey, and a pinch of cayenne i hot water for both colds and stomach bloating/acidity.
Raw potato for a cyst.
Banana peels for warts.
I’m always up for trying a home remedy before pharmaceuticals and these have worked for myself and extended family.
Not something I ever used, lol, but my mother had a thing for giving us hot toddies, which in her case consisted of boiling hot water with a shot of whiskey and some sugar, to be consumed while still boiling hot if possible.
Hmm, really should give that another try…
Complaints that we were too sick to go to school were met with threats of castor oil dosages. Wouldn’t recommend those either.
Using a Neti Pot daily has prevented chronic sinus infections that I used to get every winter.
A friend recommended olive leaf capsules for preventing a cold. The key is to start taking them at first symptom, which for me is a sort of foggy headache, burning eyes and scratchy throat. After looking into them, I noted they have other health benefits as well. I used to get one major sinus headache every year but have not had one in at least 5-6 years since my friend told me about them. Coincidence? Possibly. I can’t get my kids on board though (big pills they don’t like plus they don’t notice the symptoms early) so they still get colds at least once a year.
Gargling with warm salt water really helps (temporarily, but still) with a sore throat. The Neti pot is also excellent when dealing with nasal or sinus congestion.
When my daughter had the flu, I looked up some suggestions and the 10 Home Remedies article could have been written by my mother - salt water gargle, hot showers, vaporizer (electric or just a bowl of hot water with a towel over your head and the bowl), chicken soup (we do prefer Chinese hot and sour), lots of liquids, throat lozenges, Vicks Vaporub, honey honey and more honey.
Who needs medical school when you have Nana?
Honey-lemon “tea” for sore throats: squeeze half a lemon in a cup of hot water and add honey to taste, usually one or two teaspoons.
H and I were just talking about our moms’ home remedies. Hot jello was one of them–haven’t thought of that in years☺Also, hot lemonade. (made with bottled lemon juice and LOTS of sugar.) Sometimes mom put a little red wine in the hot lemonade, too. Vicks VapoRub was another favorite. Vague memory of sleeping with a cloth diaper wrapped around my neck after mom applied Vicks. (Yes, I know it is supposed to be a chest rub, but mom put it on our necks and under our noses.) I love the smell of Vicks, and (weirdly) had a craving for this scent during one of my pregnancies.
We take a lot of vitamin D. I used to get terrible sinus infections every winter. Haven’t been sick since we started the vitamin D about 7 years ago.
Mom never let us stay in bed when we were sick. She always told us to get up, get dressed, eat/drink something, move around–we would feel better faster if we did. I think she was right.
Chicken soup.
@atomom, I think Vicks was supposed to be put on the chest, not because it had a function there, but because from the chest it would waft gently up to the nose. It’s pretty strong stuff (or was–is it still on the market?), so applying it to the neck and right under the nose may have been considered too irritating. Seems like your mom was very eager for you to get well fast!
Healthy eating. Honey. If I don’t know I Google it. If it comes up multiple times from a reputable source I’ll try it. ( Not unusual vitamins though). Food yes. Vitamins no. Zinc for colds though it works.
In terms of Vicks my father used to swallow a finger full anytime he had a sore throat. I never tried it and would not recommend it but he swore by it.
Vicks is still around. Many people swear by putting it on the bottom of your feet to stop a cough. Haven’t tried it yet.
I guess I’m not getting which of those ingredients is a remedy for fever or nasal congestion. I get that berries and fruits have vitamins to promote good health, and I know some people get sore throat relief with honey, but you are saying this smoothie has a drug-like effect to relieve nasal stuffiness and reduce fever? Is it the tumeric? Because I’ve never seen any evidence that fruits and honey can relieve those two symptoms.
Aloe “juice” for burns.