Getting Sick= Good Practice with Herbs!
Wouldn’t you know it, that within days of posting on garlic and all of its healing properties, we would come home from a weekend away with several sickies (including myself)?
I’ve spent the last 4 days on a computer fast, as suggested by my wise and loving husband. He knew that I was a bit burnt out and needed some screen-free time to just regroup and rest. I thoroughly enjoyed taking a break and was eager to come back from the weekend with lots of energy and inspiration for new posts. Instead, I’m going to spend the next day or two putting all of my herb and natural healing studies to good use, as I nurse myself and my daughter through a yucky cold and help everyone else to stay well!
Sometimes it is nice to see how others use herbs to promote healing, so I thought I’d give you a glimpse into what I’m doing so far:
- Got my daughter to eat a small clove of raw garlic with applesauce. Made a delicious piece of raw garlic toast for myself and my husband (I had 3 cloves, he had 2).
- Made a tea with comfrey and ginger. The ginger is especially good for circulation and warming the body, the comfrey is great for the immune system, and both are helpful for decongestion and to draw out the toxins (since a cold is one of the body’s ways of healing itself and detoxifying). From what I’ve read, they work well together, as well as when used with raw garlic. We (my daughter, husband and I) drank our tea with just a bit of raw honey to sweeten it. Both comfrey and ginger are fascinating herbs that I’ve been studying, so you can look forward to a post on at least one (or both) or them in the next few months.
- I also added a few sprinkles of Cayenne powder to my tea, also excellent for decongestion and circulation. Not enough to make it hot, though. I’m a wimp!
- We took an extra dose of our fermented Cod Liver Oil/Butter Oil from Green Pastures, for all the good fats and the boost of Vitamin D (helpful for immunity).
- Made a bed for our daughter on the floor of our bedroom and set up the humidifier (so that the 3 of us who need it- her, myself and the baby who has a mild case of the sniffles) can share it. The warm, moist air will help to clear our sinuses and chests so that we can sleep well, and I added a few drops of Eucalyptus essential oil to help us breathe even more easily.
- I’m about to take a Ginger bath before bed. The warmth from the ginger helps to relieve chills and aches, and speeds up circulation to promote healing, and will also help to clear my nose a little bit more so that I won’t have too hard of a time falling asleep. Plus, it sounds relaxing. 🙂
- Tomorrow, I’ll bring out the chicken broth and make a huge pot of steaming, delicious, nourishing soup for lunch (and maybe dinner, too)!
You can see this older post of mine for some other examples of what I do to naturally help myself get over a cold quicker, or at least feel better (without the use of medication) while I’m in the midst of it.
What types of herbs or other natural treatments do you use to deal with a cold?
We make something called “Nature’s Penicillin” which consist of an orange, lemon, grapefruit and half an onion and three cloves of garlic and peppermint oil. Some people blend everything whole. I usually cover with water and boil. We sip while hot…maybe a little honey to taste, but most times not.
Hi Stephanie… you might try “GOOT” which stands for “Garlic Oil Treatment”. Google the whole name for the recipe… works wonders!
Get well soon!!
Blessings!
Glad you are all feeling better. I also believe that God gave us herbs for healing.
Thank you for sharing.
.-= Tonya´s last blog ..Simple Sunday =-.
Stephanie,
How much ginger do you put in your bath?
Thanks.
@Jen (Whats Cooking), Jen, the book where I got the idea for the ginger bath suggests starting with 2 Tbsp and working your way up. The author said she usually uses 4-6 Tbsp. I tried 3 the other night and thought it could have used a little more. It’s just powdered ginger, like what you cook with and if you add it while the bath is still running it gets mixed in pretty well.
I have a question for you. What kind of humidifier do you have? I have been wanting to buy one for awhile now and I am unsure of which type to buy. I have noticed a wide variety in price and size and sound. Thanks.
Sorry you are sick. I am going to search your site for a recipe for making bread with soaked grains. You are still helpful to us, even when you are laid up! LOL.
.-= Jena´s last blog ..Monday madness.. =-.
@Jena, Oh good, I’m glad I’m still useful, lol! There is a soaked bread recipe:
https://keeperofthehome.org/2008/10/beautiful-bread-recipes.html
I’ve been making it again lately after a long sourdough stint, and we’re really enjoying it.
I’m a big believer in lots of fluids and chicken broth from a REAL chicken (not a can). Also, I try to think logically – boost the immune system so it can fight whatever is going on. Sounds like you’re on it. Hope you all feel better in a jiffy!
.-= Amy loves…´s last blog ..Changes at the Cottage =-.
My husband woke up with a scratchy throat this morning, so I’ve been bringing out the home remedies. I soaked several onion slices in honey and then give him about 1/2 tsp every few hours, increased his elderberry extract, increased vitamin c, made some fresh carrot juice this morning for him and our daughter, happened to have chicken broth going over night anyway which worked out perfectly! Also, I read about gargling often with apple cider vinegar, diluted with water–I gave him 1 tsp ACV with 2 tsp water. We also have influenzinum (homeopathic flu remedy) on hand and will start giving that to him if his symptoms at all worsen and it begins to look like the flu. I hate to see him feeling under the weather, but it is so satisfying to care for him and our family naturally.
Oh, I forgot to mention that I use the following tea for the three of us if we begin to come down with something, or if I feel like we’ve been exposed to something: http://www.morethanalive.com/Childrens-Composition. It’s a little bitter, but has a hint of sweetness and you certainly can add a bit of honey. My 16 month old drinks it with no problem. My daughter and I are taking our fermented cod liver oil as well–she takes it better than I do!
Last night my throat was starting to feel sore, so I gargled with some salt water before going to bed. Today, no sore throat! I was thrilled, as this was the first time I’d done this. I still feel a little congested, but I’m happy not to be dealing with the pain of a sore throat.
Natural is the way to go….:), at the first signs of a cold, I like using a hot bath for my feet with dry mustard powder… it clears the nasal passages as well. Afterwards I put on nice warm socks… to seal in the heat… works wonderfully.
We LOVE LymphaRub from TriLight Herbs – if we don’t have that, we make the garlic oil ointment treatment (GOOT). I have a post on how to make that at http://www.countryclan.net/mom/2009/07/wfmw-great-garlic/. I’ve done “sick baths” for the children with some lavender and tea tree oil in the bath, then I rub them with the GOOT afterward. Chamomile tea works great for mildly stimulating the immune system, too. I’ve really enjoyed the book ABC Herbal by Steve Horne. I keep telling every one that there is no cure for the common cold because the cold IS the cure – quit trying to suppress the symptoms – help them! 🙂 Blessings!
.-= Kimarie @ Cardamom’s Pod´s last blog ..An Inside Tip for Scheduling =-.
@Kimarie @ Cardamom’s Pod, Goodness, everybody just loves this GOOT I keep reading comments about! 🙂 I’m definitely going to have to try it!
Another thing that we use for coughs and colds is a chopped up onion in a bandana or old nylon sleeve wrapped around the neck at night…for little ones I tuck it inside their pjs so it doesn’t move. My kids now ask for it when they have a cold or I use it on them when I hear the least bit of congestion….the symptoms are usually mostly gone by morning…keep using for a few more nights to make sure it doesn’t come back again. It stinks like crazy, but don’t wash the sheets until you are done…too much work.
Cindy, mom of almost 7 kids!!
My dad used to make a pot of half ACV and water and boil it on the stove. Then we would set the timer and have us breath in the steam from the pot. I never liked it as a kid, and my roommates hated it in college (because it stunk up the apartment), but if you do it right it really can help. Last night at 2am I was not feeling good and having difficulty sleeping. I got up and started a pot and breathed the vapors for about 30 minutes, gargled with ACV and water and went back to sleep – it definitely helped.
I’m a big believer in lots of fluids and chicken broth from a REAL chicken (not a can). Also, I try to think logically – boost the immune system so it can fight whatever is going on. Sounds like you’re on it. Hope you all feel better in a jiffy!
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