Fight the Common Cold Naturally!

School is back in session and kids are bringing home the germs! Many people have shared with me their struggles with staying healthy and getting over the common cold. Of course having a healthy diet rich in fruits & vegetables helps however sometimes it’s tough not to inherit a cold that your kids bring home from school so I have put together some healthy remedies to help avoid getting sick and some remedies that my family and I use in case we end up with a little sniffle. I have also included remedies for the unfortunate times you or your youngster end up with a fever, ear ache or lingering cough. Please note that these remedies are not recommended for babies or individuals that have asthma or chronic respiratory challenges. As always, please ask a licensed health professional before using natural remedies.

Fevers

Use a cool compress by pouring 2 cups of cool (not icy) water into a non-reactive bowl and add 2 to 3 drops of Lavender or Lemon essential oil. Stir well and soak a wash cloth in the water recipe, wring out enough water so the water doesn’t drip. Place the cloth on the child/adults forehead, repeating every 10-15 minutes until fever breaks. essential oils help promote sweating which can help manage a fever. If your child/adult has a fever 104 degrees or above, call a licensed health professional to seek advice and help.

Another remedy that has helped my family is making a homemade chest rub to use for congestion, fevers and a cough. Here is the recipe:

Homemade Chest Rub Recipe

In a small (4 or 5 oz) glass jar, mix the following:

1/4 cup of an unscented body lotion or coconut oil (if it’s cool enough to stay solid)

10 drops of a good, high grade Tea Tree essential oil such as Melaleuca Oil ($6.99 1/2 ounce)

10 drops of Eucalyptus essential oil

10 drops of Lavender essential oil

Mix well and rub on feet, chest and back. Cover feet with socks if you apply rub to feet.

Cough & Nasal Congestion

Use a cool mist humidifier every night. Eliminate all synthetic and artificially scented laundry, cleaning and home fragrance products. Using products that are scented from essential oils is a much healthier option. I have a few affordable favorites I use. Please contact me through my website for more information.
Use the Homemade Chest Rub Recipe above every night to help relieve cough & congestion
Using a Xylitol nasal spray (age appropriate) two times a day is helpful for nasal congestion and for allergies.

Ear Aches & Swimmers Ear

For an ear ache or swimmers ear

1 Tbsp of olive oil mixed with 22-25 drops of high grade tea tree oil such as Melaleuca essential oil in a dropper bottle (or 1 drop of Melaleuca/tea tree oil to every 15-20 drops of olive oil, for a smaller batch.

Put the closed dropper bottle inside a cup of hot water, for a minute, to heat ear drops.

Lay child/adult down on his/her side and drop 8-10 drops of the oil mixture (per my pediatrician) into the ear while holding the top of their ear up so that the drops go into the ear. Put a cotton ball into ear then repeat in other ear. Do this every 3 hours if ear is on the verge of infection or the child has a severe stuffy nose otherwise twice a day when the child has a runny or stuffy nose in order to prevent an ear infection.

I hope these remedies help you and your family as much as it’s helped mine.

I went through great lengths to find brands that are made well and are affordable. Please contact me if you would like me to share the brands that I use.

I wish you good health and happiness!

Maggie

Fight the common cold naturally!

Maggie Webster

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