5 Remedies To Soothe A Cold Naturally
December 29, 2009 | Filled Under Natural Health
Common cold season is in full bloom and has many people searching the internet for cold remedies. Instead of over-the-counter cold medicines, treating a cold naturally is the healthiest choice. Since colds can not be cured with antibiotics, there are some remedies that will help keep you from feeling miserable and ease your cold symptoms.
Colds generally last a week and one can expect to suffer with a cough for a week to three weeks. Here are 5 natural remedies to help you get through the cold symptoms.
Cold Remedy #1- If your suffering with congestion, let steam help easy the discomfort. Step into a hot shower with the door closed or hold your head over pot of boiling water and breathe through your nose.
Cold Remedy #2- Use a salt water rinse to irrigate your nose. Salt-water rinsing helps break nasal congestion and also helps remove virus particles and bacteria from your nose.
Web MD suggests this recipe: Mix 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda in 8 ounces of warm water. Fill a bulb syringe with this mixture (or use a Neti pot, available at most health foods stores). Lean your head over a basin, and using the bulb syringe, gently squirt the salt water into your nose. Hold one nostril closed by applying light finger pressure while squirting the salt mixture into the other nostril. Let it drain. Repeat 2-3 times, and then treat the other nostril.
Cold Remedy #3- To help soothe a sore throat try to gargle with warm salt water. Gargling can moisten a sore scratchy throat and give temporary relief. Use a teaspoon of salt dissolved in warm water several times daily.
Cold Remedy #4- Mentholated salve under your nose can open breathing passages and help irritated skin. Simply add a small dab under the nouse. Menthol, eucalyptus and camphor all have mild numbing ingredients that may help relieve discomfort of a nose rubbed raw.
Cold Remedy #5- Chicken Soup- According to the Mayo Clinic website “Scientists have put chicken soup to the test, discovering that it does have effects that might help relieve cold and flu symptoms in two ways. First, it acts as an anti-inflammatory by inhibiting the movement of neutrophils — immune system cells that participate in the body’s inflammatory response. Second, it temporarily speeds up the movement of mucus through the nose, helping relieve congestion and limiting the amount of time viruses are in contact with the nose lining”.
Photo via flickr.
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This is a great list. To add onto #3, you can add a little hydrogen pyroxide or collodial silver to the warm, salty water mix. This will also help with killing off any germs that could be causing the irritation.
#1 is probably my favorite, because it’s been around for so long and is the easiest out of all of them. There’s something about hot steam that just breaks up the mucus and congestion for quick relief.
Of course, you can also boost your immune system with more vitamin c, vitamin d, oregano oil and a couple of other vitamins. This will all help with a cold, because it will help your body fight it internally.
All great ideas here!
.-= Ed´s last blog ..Oil of Oregano =-.
These remedies do make sense. I have tried remedy #4 several times and it does help, the only thing is that it only helps briefly. The scent is strong at first and opens everything up, but it gets weaker the longer it stays exposed. I heard that rubbing that stuff on feet and then putting socks on is a cure as well. I have not tried it, but wonder if it works! Thanks for sharing these remedies. Definitely need them with the changing of the temps. Thanks.