Home Remedies For Coughs, Colds, Influenza & Sore Throats
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Viruses that cause winter ailments are many and varied but
they all tend to
survive well in cold weather - hence people catch more colds
in winter than summer.
Influenza is quite different to the common cold and it is
more serious. If you have influenza you will doubtless have
a raised temperature, alternating with the chills. You will
most likely have aches and pains in various parts of your
body and be quite lethargic.
Whether you have a cold or the flu you must endeavour to
soak your toothbrush in hydrogen peroxide in order to stop
re-infecting yourself with the same old germs. Read
more hints and tips below................
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Coughs, colds, influenza and sore throats - tips and hints
The best way of coping with winter ailments is
to improve your immune system so you catch fewer
bugs to start with. If you do catch them then
your body will fight off the germs quicker with
a good immune system. Working on improving
your immunity is something you should be doing
all year long - not just starting a regimen when
the first cold weather arrives. The
strength of our immune system defines who gets
sick and who doesn't, given the same
circumstances
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To boost your immune
system you can:
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Get your lifestyle in balance and reduce
stress.
-
Get plenty of sleep. Lack of sleep prevents
the body from repairing itself.
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Drink lemon juice, mixed into hot and cold
drinks, used as part of a salad dressing
etc.
-
Take apple cider vinegar (about a
dessertspoon mixed with a teaspoon of honey
in a mug of hot water).
-
Drink more water.
-
Take sugar out of your diet wherever
possible.
-
Eat raw fruits and veges as these contain
anti oxidants that protect our cells.
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Eat plenty of garlic.
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Drink several glasses of green tea each day.
It can be drunk hot or cold.
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Take Echinacea. Studies in Germany
have proved it reduces the number and
severity of cold and flu bouts.
It stimulates the body to produce more white
blood cells which then fight viruses better.
Sore throat
remedies:
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Sip a cup of
hot water with a teaspoon of honey and a
squeezed lemon in it.
-
In a mug place
1 teaspoon honey, 1 dessertspoon apple cider
vinegar, a small shake of cayenne pepper and
top it up with hot water. The amount
of cayenne pepper is negotiable but the more
the better. After you have finished the
drink rinse your mouth to remove any
remaining vinegar.
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Sip a cup of
hot water with a teaspoon of honey, 1/4 tsp.
ground ginger and a squeezed orange in it.
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Either chew on
licorice lollies or make licorice tea suing
one teaspoon of licorice root steeped in one
cup of boiling water. Do not use this remedy
is you have high blood pressure.
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Sage tea drunk
3 times per day. Add a few leaves to a
cup of boiling water. Stand for a few
minutes.
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Gargle with
aloe Vera juice twice a day.
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Sip on thyme
tea made by steeping one teaspoon of fresh
or dried thyme leaves in one cup of hot
water.
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Make chamomile
tea by brewing two teaspoons of chamomile
blossoms in one cup of boiling water.
Let sit for a couple of minutes and strain.
Repeat this twice more during the day.
Cough remedies:
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Mix a
tablespoon of finely chopped garlic with 1/4
cup of runny honey and a light shake of
cayenne pepper and let it sit for half an
hour. Take half -teaspoonfuls as
necessary until cough subsides.
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Thyme oil can
be dropped onto a hanky and inhaled or place
a few drops in a bowl and add boiling water.
Hold your head over the hot thyme water and
inhale.
-
Thyme tea can
be drunk (see sore throat remedies) and it
will relax the lungs and help reduce
coughing.
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Avoid dairy
foods, meat and fried foods as these promote
mucous production which will make you cough
more.
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Add 1/2
teaspoon each of cayenne pepper and ground
ginger to 2 tablespoons each of apple cider
vinegar and honey. Mix with 4 tablespoons
water. Sip very small amounts as needed.
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Raise the head
of your bed and your sinuses and nasal
passages will drain better and you will
cough less.
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Jasmine oil
used in a burner or on a handkerchief will
help when inhaled.
Cold and flu
remedies:
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Boil 2 crushed
garlic cloves with 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
powder in 1/2 cup of water. Sip.
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Add 1 teaspoon
ground cumin seeds and 1/4 teaspoon ground
ginger to one cup of hot water. Sip.
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Add 1 heaped
teaspoon grated fresh ginger to a cup of
boiled water. Stand for a few minutes.
Drink this several times daily. If you
have no fresh ginger you can use up to 1/2
teaspoon ground ginger instead.
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At the very
start of a cold mix together a cup of
scalded milk, 1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon
and ginger, and 2 teaspoons of honey.
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Sage tea
breaks up congestion and brings down fever.
Add a few leaves to boiling water. Drink 3 x
daily
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Apple juice
and dark grape juice are helpful remedies.
Drink both juices at room temperature.
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Take zinc
lozenges. They boost the immune system
as soon as they are taken.
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In a thermos
pour 1 litre of boiling water, the juice of
two lemons, 2 tablespoons of honey and 3
teaspoons grated ginger. Let it stand for 20
minutes. Strain and drink as needed.
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Gargle with
salt water
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Peel and chop
an onion. Cook in water and drink the
resultant brew.
Blocked nose remedies:
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Eat a spicy meal. It will loosen
congestion
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Into a large bowl place 1 litre of boiling
water and a couple of drops of either basil
oil, pine oil or tea tree oil. Hold
your head over the bowl and cover your head
with a towel. Breathe in the steam.
This will ease congestion.
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Take a small amount of massage oil and mix
it with a couple of drops of either basil
oil, pine oil or tea tree oil. Rub this
mixture onto the chest.
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Heat 500 mls of apple cider vinegar in a
heat proof bowl until it is boiling.
Hold your head over the steaming bowl.
If you find the vinegar is too strong you
can dilute is by adding boiling water.
Covering your head and the bowl with a towel
makes this remedy more effective.
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Place two drops of either peppermint or
eucalyptus essential oil on a cotton ball.
Hold near your nose until you can breathe
easier.
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Breathe salt water up into your nose.
This can sting a little but is worth the
effort.
Other interesting web sites:
Coughs
and colds in young children
from the Patient UK web site
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Read other interesting home remedies
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