Within the span of about 40 days this winter, I got 3 colds. Three. The first was kindly given to me by the lady sitting across the isle from me on my plane ride back from Salt Lake City. She sounded like she had the black lung and I just knew I was going to catch whatever she had. Low and behold, one day home and I woke up with a sore throat.
Like anyone that gets sick, I didn't have time to actually BE sick. I was working like crazy and had to be in the camp kitchen making and serving food. Not the place for germs or runny noses.
I decided that I was going to put into practice some of the research I had done on essential oils (which I had on hand and had been starting to use) and apple cider vinegar. Things that were in my panty turned out to cure my sickness quicker and more effectively than any cold medicine I have ever used.
That first cold was the worst because I didn't stop it when the symptoms first started. Doing something at the first sign (sore throat, sniffly nose, achy) is the key. You can knock out the yucky stuff before it has a chance to latch on to you and lay you out flat.
Here's what I did...
1. Mix 2 Tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar (Raw-unfiltered with "the mother" is the key), 1 teaspoon of honey (raw is recommended, but I used what I had on hand) and the lemon juice of one slice of lemon (about 1 Tablespoon or use the bottled stuff if that's all you have in the fridge and you can't get to the grocery store because the snow had trapped you at home. Lemon slices work the best though.). I put it all in a shot glass, mixed it together and knocked it back. I like the taste of ACV and take a spoonful of it all by itself quite often, so the taste doesn't bother me. You can adjust the amount honey and lemon if ACV makes you gag.
This mixture is magic. I'm telling you, it works like Advil Cold and Sinus for me. Got rid of sore throats. Gave me energy when I was feeling achy. I could feel it start to wear off and knew when it was time for more. I took a shot in the morning when I woke up, at lunch and before bed. It swear it knocked out colds before they became anything more than an itchy throat and slightly stuffy nose. After 3 days of mild symptoms, I was feeling back to normal.
2. Immune Support (or Thieves or whatever brand you chose) mixed with a carrier oil like jojoba or coconut. I would put it on the bottoms of my feet three times a day. It smelled so good and also seemed to help with nipping the symptoms in the bud before they got any worse.
3. Eucalyptus EO mixed with jojoba oil on my chest. It calmed the cough that seemed to linger with the first cold. Plus, it helped me breathe when my nose got super stuffy. I would add a bit of peppermint EO or lavender to help me sleep at night when breathing was hard because of congestion.
I've always been very sensitive to cold medicines and their wacky side effects. When I finally got this whole new system down by the third cold (seriously though, three colds in 40 days?!) I was so thankful for a natural, healthy way to cure my sickness without feeling like a zombie. Not to mention, the colds didn't really turn into "colds" and they were over so much faster.
Have you ever tried any home remedies for colds?
(Remember, I work at a camp and am not a doctor. Just telling you what worked for me.)
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