Recently I came down with a cold, and as a Holistic Health Care Provider, I have knowledge of and use for myself various natural, inexpensive remedies to help deal with the symptoms. I would like to share these with you because they may help you reduce the course of a cold to a few acute days versus a prolonged time of congestion, coughing, sleepless nights and blah energy or worse.
Prevention:
Though it is believed by many that being exposed to germs means automatic affliction, "catching" a cold actually depends much more on the state of your immune system. However, the state of your immune system is affected by many things: most importantly your emotional state, quantity and quality of rest, optimum healthful food intake including enough fiber, fruits and vegetables and minimum sugar and processed food intake, and doing enlivening, sweat producing, cardio-vascular movement a few times a week. Keeping the throat, neck and ears warm and covered from cold and wind is very important. There are ways to do that without destroying your hairdo, for example, using ear muffs with hoods and non ski-cap types of hats.
Here's the story of my cold and what I did:
Prodromal stage: After a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner, I started getting a
scratchy sore throat. I wasn't surprised because I had been sleep deprived
and anxious that week. The first thing I did was gargle with warm salt
water, and also took herbal tinctures (Golden Seal and Echinacea) in water
with 500 mg of Vitamin C, sucked on Zand Blueberry Zinc lozenges and went to
bed early. Unfortunately, my throat continued to get sore throughout the
night . Apparently, I wasn't nipping this one in the bud.
Day 1: Awoke with a sore throat. Was feeling energy-less and slightly feverish. Steeped Sage leaves in hot water and gargled with it. I took more of the herbal tinctures, massaged Essential oils of Pine and Eucalyptus on my throat, neck, chest and around my ears. Since it was freezing outside I asked a friend to take the dogs out. Asking for help is not always easy to do, but it contributed to my speedy processing of this cold. Soon the sneezing and runny nose started. At this point a homeopathic medicine for Rhinitis would have been helpful if I had remembered them. I decided soup with lots of garlic would be helpful. Using turkey broth from my freezer, I sauteed lots of garlic, onions, carrots, broccoli and ginger, and threw it all in the broth with Sage, Oregano and Thyme.
Meanwhile, I found tinctures of Myrrh and Tea Tree oil in my medicine closet
and began gargling with them in warm water, alternating with the sage. After that my sore throat started feeling much better.
Though a fever is part of the process of healing, I believe the pain relief
provided by ibuprofen can support rest and therefore has benefits as well. I
took one that day and one that evening.
Sleeping that night was difficult, but inhaling pine and eucalyptus on a Kleenex helped. I also used coconut oil on the skin under my nose which prevented chapping.
I continued to have soup, teas made with Ginger, Peppermint, Mullein, Coltsfoot with honey, and herb tinctures in diluted apple cider about 3-4 x daily for the next few days.
Day 2: The next day I went through lots of tissues and felt a little congestion in my chest. One ear was feeling vulnerable. But I was feeling less tired and depleted. I like water therapy and use it as a main strategy. So later on in the day I took a hot bath with "Bath Therapy" salts and Pine, Eucalyptus and Rosemary essential oils to sweat toxins out and laid down for more rest afterward. I did go out that day to walk the dogs. I feel it is helpful to get some fresh air as long as one bundles up and doesn't get chilled. That night I slept much better and could breath easier with the Pine and Eucalyptus oils.
Day 3: By the third day my energy was back. I could breath fine, but had
residual congestion in my head and chest. I continued to protect my ears and
throat from the cold, and used the Pine & Eucalyptus oil around nose, throat
and ears, added Coltsfoot tincture to my regime. I also added extra Thyme
and Sage to my soup. I went on line and ordered a case of my favorite cough drops, "Herbon Echinacae Wild Cherry". They sooth and coat mucous membranes and seem to prevent colds.
If I had continued feeling sick and symptomatic, I would take more hot baths
and reduce my food intake to mostly liquids. If you have no energy and no one to make you soup, an easy way to do that is to go to the nearest Chinese or Japanese Restaurant and order chicken, vegetable or miso soup. On the way home pick up fresh garlic, ginger, fresh or frozen veggies and chop them into the broth. Thyme, Sage, Oregano, garlic, onions, horseradish, are all common healing foods that are great for resolving congestion and killing pathogens.
Summation: Ingest lots of healthful liquids (not just caffeine liquids) to
strengthen the immune system and thin phlegm, making it easier to expel.
Have on hand tinctures of Echinacea, Golden seal, Yarrow (helps with
fevers), Coltsfoot (soothes mucus membranes, promotes loosening and coughing
up phlegm) and Myrrh ( use a couple drops in warm water as gargle for sore
throats). You can find these in drug stores and health food stores. There are ready made combination for colds, coughs, immune enhancement etc. for easier usage. Thy can be added to water or diluted juice 3-4 times a day.
Also have on hand essential oils of Eucalyptus and Pine. Apply topically
with lotion or oil to chest, throat, etc., but not undiluted on the skin. Or
put them in hot baths. Inhale to clear nasal passages.
In the kitchen, have Thyme, Sage, Garlic, Ginger Root, Oregano, Anise seeds,Fennel seeds, Cinnamon sticks, Peppermint leaves on hand. Make teas or put them in broths. Make tea with Sage and use it as a gargle.
As soon as you feel something coming on, cancel what you can and rest. Then
your chances of having it flow through quickly is great, reducing intensity
and duration.
