Main Menu

Polls

Have you participated in the Wellness Walk through Historic Downtown Monroe?
 
Home Remedies For Colds

I do not know about you but I am sick of this winter, literally.  Since the first hint of chill in the air someone at my house has been sick.  Fortunately for us we have not contracted the real bad stuff that requires antibiotics we have just had what I and so many others affectionately call "The Crud".  My husband says he wished we had stock in Kleenex.  I long for the days that I do not go to bed at night smelling some type of menthol rub.

Unfortunately, there is no medicine or cure for "The Crud" except waiting and blowing it out.  Gone are the days of free for all antibiotics.  There was a time in our not too distant past that antibiotics were handed to you just about every time you went to see your doctor.

What we did not know at the time was that we were creating something called the Super-Bug .  This Bug has the ability to mutate and not respond to our traditional antibiotics.  So many of us were given antibiotics and did not follow our doctor's advice by taking them properly and finishing them completely.  By doing this we mutated many of our old familiar bugs and created drug resistant ones.  You have probably noticed that now when you go to the doctor you have to be very ill with specific symptoms to be prescribed antibiotics especially children.  The arsenal that once existed for pediatricians and parents has significantly shrunk not only with antibiotics but with over the counter cold medicines as well.  The FDA has taken many of the children's cold medications off the shelf due to improper use resulting in the deaths of many children from over medicating.  So what is the nighttime congested, stuffy headed, sore throat, coughing uncontrollably person to do?

Never fear the Health Educator is here with some suggestions for you.  Like so many times in life we pull knowledge from the past to deal with the present.  Many of these suggestions you may have heard your grandmother talk about.  Here are a few I use with my family.

  • When your child has a consistent cough that sounds "croupy" or like a bark, typically at night, take them into the bathroom turn on the shower hot so that it creates enough steam to fill the room and sit with them in the steam for 10 to 15 minutes and it will usually help stop the cough.
  • For viral pink eye or when your eyes become watery, red and have discharge from them use Johnsons baby shampoo in them. Put the baby shampoo on your hands or on a wash cloth with a little water enough to make it lather and rub it in the effected eye and rinse. Do it every day until it is clear. This can be used on any age even newborns.
  • For a consistent cough put Menthol rub such as Vicks on the bottom of your feet before bed and wear socks.. This can be used for any age.
  • For a sore throat, gargle with warm salt water with a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in it. It really helps if you can stand the smell and the taste.
  • For a child's cough a tablespoon of honey before bed. The child must be over one year old. Children under one year of age should not be given honey it could be fatal due to a bacteria found in honey.
  • For an adult cough honey, lemon juice and some type of whiskey such as Jack Daniels heated is very effective called A Hot Toty. The whiskey should be used sparingly in this remedy it is to help ease the cough not to forget you have a cough.
  • To help get rid of ear wax use a couple of drops of olive oil in the ears at night.
  • For breastfeeding families, use breast milk for an infected eye, in the nose for a baby or child with congestion, it can also be used as an antiseptic on a cut or scratch.

These are just a few I have several more that you can learn about on our new Walton Wellness Website waltonwellnessonline.com  coming soon.  I would love to hear from you.  If you have some tried and true home remedies for illness please email me and tell me about them so that I can share yours with the community wdtconsulting@monroeaccess.net