Natural Remedies:Cold and Flu Season is Upon Us

Well,the kids are just getting over their first cold of the rainy season. Every time the weather changes significantly my kids get sick. So basically that means Fall (about the time for Feast of Tabernacles or Halloween) and Spring (in time for Passover and Easter). They had very typical symptoms of stuffy nose,low grade fever (never over 100),fatigue,and Claire also has a cough. I was not surprised when they got sick. I had been slacking (forgetting really) to give them elderberry syrup in the mornings. It is easier to remember in the evenings,but before school is too crazy.

I did the usual:keeping them hydrated,plenty of vitamin C (OJ and their multivitamin),and keeping them warm and their clothes on (this can be quite a challenge). My children are always on probiotics,but I doubled their dosage the first day they were sick and a few times after. I kind of use my gut on when to double them up. As many of you know I am a big fan of probiotics,CLICK HERE to read more. I also gave them Children’s Alpha CF by Boerick &Tafel (homeopathic) which I always give them for a mild cold. It helped some,but was not enough this time. Here are a few additional natural home remedies I used to help alleviate their symptoms:

Elderberry Syrup

Earlier in the week there was a confirmed case of H1N1 at Claire’s school (not in her class),so I stopped giving them elderberry syrup when they got sick. I watched them for a few days and when their symptoms did not progress to those of H1N1 (high fever,sever respiratory problems,vomiting,etc.),I started elderberry syrup again. If you have read previous blogs,you know I make my own elderberry syrup. If you have not read this blog,please CLICK HERE and read it before using elderberry syrup.) But if you want to buy it I recommend Sambucus Original Black Elderberry Syrup by Nature’s Way for adults and children over 3 years of age. For infants and children under 3,I recommend Herbs for Kids Elderberry Syrup because it is made without honey. Elderberry is anti-inflammatory,has anti-viral properties,and helps build the immune system. We all take it twice a day at the first sign of a cold or virus and we usually recover quicker,coughs don’t linger,and no one has had a secondary infection in years.

Breath Right Strips

They only make these for children over 5 and I have not used them very often,but they are a nice drug free alternative for a good nights sleep. The strips go on like a band aid on the nose and help to open up the air way and reduce snoring. Claire feels special when she gets to wear one.

Lemon Foot Wraps

I did not need to use this since the kids did not really have fevers,but I thought I would include it anyway. I previously posted about this amazing and simple remedy for reducing fevers. To ready the full story,please CLICK HERE. Here is he short version:

• Warm 4 tbsp lemon juice with 1/2 cup water.
• Soak a pair of cotton socks in the warm lemon water thoroughly.
• When they are cool enough but still warm,put them on.
• Place a pair of wool socks over them and leave on for 20 minutes.
• It is recommended NOT to use a lemon wrap more than 3 times in a 24 hour period.

This worked better than any drug I have ever used to reduce fever. I only had to do it once and Ross’fever came down almost 2 degrees instantly and dropped steadily all night.

Words of Warning:All the following remedies contain essential oils that should NOT be used with infants!

Mustard Bath

I must admit that this idea came from watching Anne of Green Gables too many times. When Diana’s little sister gets the croup,they apply a mustard paste to help. So I began reading up on mustard paste,but it seems it is not good for young children especially those as sensitive as Claire. You have to be very carefull not to get it on their skin and they have to lay still while it is on. In my searching I read that mustard baths are good for easing congestion as well as drawing out toxins,improving circulation,and relaxing muscles. I found several different recipes on different websites and they were all basically the same:

• 1 cup baking soda
• 1/2 cup dry mustard powder
• 4 drops eucalyptus oil
• 4 drops peppermint oil
• 4 drops rosemary oil

Use about 1/2 cup per bath. I got my dry mustard in bulk at the Co-op. It’s about $9/lb. I am still looking for something cheaper. One of the blogs I read said you can get non-food grade mustard powder cheaper,but I have not found it. Also,I think the rosemary oil can be optional if you do not have it. I actually just ground up some rosemary from the garden and threw it in the bath,but to get the proper ratio you would need to add 1/4 cup of crushed rosemary to this recipe. Some people may not appreciate bathing in all those leaves. This bath helped with the kids congestion immediately and actually gave Claire a burst of energy (Ross already had plenty of energy). Claire has asked if she can take “green baths”for 3 months,but I told her she can take them only as long as she is sick. They have been taking one in the morning and one in the evening before bed. It is very important to rinse off with clean water after the bath otherwise it can leave a mustard film on the skin. This can cause skin sever irritation.

Vapor Rub

After about 3 days,Claire began to cough. It did not bother me at first,since it seemed like it was just flem going down the back of her throat. But it became more frequent and a little more chesty,so I wanted to try to alleviate it. I remembered that a friend told me that putting Vick’s Vapor rub on the feet and wrapping them in socks can alleviate a cough. So I looked up the ingredients of Vick’s. It’s basically caphor oil,eucalyptus oil,and methol (mint) oil in petroleum jelly. I already had most of those ingredients,but I did not know what ratios to use. I found a few different recipes on line and decided to use one with a shea butter base,but I think you could use coconut oil,un-petroleum jelly,calendula,or any other pure unscented moisturizer. If you use un-petroleum jelly or another moisturizer you don’t need to heat it and don’t need the almond oil. Here is the recipe that I used:

• 8 oz. pure shea butter
• 1 tbsp almond oil
• 1 tsp camphor oil
• 1/2 tsp peppermint oil
• 1/4 tsp eucalyptus oil

I heated the shea butter with the almond oil in the microwave until I could mix it into a smooth lotion. Then I added the essential oils one at a time and mixed thoroughly. One of the recipes I read said to mix the oils together first and them add them,but I skipped that step. I let it cool a little and then placed it back in the shea butter container. I think this will last us the rest of our lives,so if you want to make a smaller amount or share with someone I would recommend it.  You apply it the same as you would Vick’s and no more than 3 times a day. I applied it generously to Claire’s feet and rubbed it in the best I could. Then I placed cotton socks on her feet followed by wool socks. She does not cough after I apply it (unless she exerts herself),and it lasts about 3 hours. The effects probably last longer when applied at night (when she is not running all over the house).

Vapor Plug

I use the Aura Cacia Vapor Plug for many things,but when they are sick I use peppermint and eucalyptus oils on it. These help to alleviate congestion and also help you to “feel”your breath. I usually leave it plugged in all night,but if they have the vapor rub on I don’t feel it necessary.

I hope all of you are feeling well and staying healthy!