Natural Cold Remedies

Need relief from that nasty cold or flu? Here are a few natural cold remedies to help you start feeling better faster without a visit to the drugstore!

(Remember, talk to your doctor before treating any illness.)


1. Increase your vitamin C intake to 1,000 mg per day to help boost your immune system and shorten your cold. Try drinking orange juice or even better pineapple juice (it generally contains more vitamin C than orange juice)

2. Zinc lozenges taken every 2 hours have been shown to help shorten a cold.

3. Stay hydrated with non-caffeinated drinks (especially warm drinks like decaffeinated teas or honey, lemon and hot water mixed together) and use a humidifier to keep nasal passages moist.

4. Get plenty of rest! Overdoing it will only prolong your illness.

5. Eat chicken soup. Studies suggest that the ingredients in chicken soup have anti-inflammatory properties and may help you feel better.

6. Don't sniff!! Blow your nose often to remove mucus from your head. To prevent ear pain while blowing your nose, hold one nostril closed at a time. (Also, remember to not leave dirty tissues around and wash your hands after blowing to avoid spreading your germs to others.)

7. Gargle 4 to 5 times a day with warm water and a teaspoon of salt to help relieve a sore throat.

8. Take a steamy shower. The moist heat will help clear and soothe congested nasal passages.

9. Apply hot or cold washcloths to eye area to relieve congested sinuses. (Wet washcloth and put in microwave for a few seconds for heat or in the freezer for cold. TEST THE TEMPERATURE BEFORE APPLYING TO YOUR FACE!)

10. Elevate your head with extra pillows to help with drainage. CAUTION: If you have an infant or small child, DO NOT place pillows in the crib. This is a serious SIDS risk!

SPECIAL NATURAL COLD REMEDIES NOTE FOR CHILDREN:

*** The Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine recently published research from Penn State College of Medicine showing that honey could perhaps be just as effective (if not more effective) in soothing a cough than children's cough syrups.

Good news for moms who are worried about over the counter medications!

The study compared the effects of a small dose of buckwheat honey versus dextromethorphan (found in many over the counter cough medications). The honey did a better job by far in soothing coughs during the night than the over the counter cough syrup.

So, next time your child has a cough, try a small amount of honey before going to bed instead of reaching for that bottle of medicine.

(Remember, this should not be used for infants. Children under one year of age should never be given honey!)

The best idea is to prevent a cold or the flu to begin with. So, remember to wash your hands often!

Want more natural cold remedies and other health and nutrition information? Visit the Mommy Blog!