Cold & Flu Season

These suggestions are provided as natural alternatives to help you get through the cold and flu season. If at anytime you are in pain or have a fever above 100.4 please call your provider.

Saline Nasal Wash

1 clean quart jar — add 2-3 heaping teaspoons of salt (not table salt but sea salt or canning salt — the iodine in table salt is not good for this) — add 1 heaping teaspoon of baking soda — fill with warm water and shake. Then, with a bulb syringe, 3 times a day, do the wash. You can also use this in a neti pot. Pour some of your mix in a bowl (don’t use out of the jar for contamination purposes) — fill your bulb and squirt into each nasal passage — squirt towards the sides (in and out) not up into your forehead. It’s messy — lean over the sink and use a towel or use in the shower with the steam to help soften the mucous. Up to an hour later, the nose may start draining — so have the tissue on hand. After a week, discard what’s left in your quart jar and start over if you need to.

Hot Lemon Toddy

Make a hot lemon toddy with a cup of hot water, half of a fresh lemon squeezed into the water, honey to sweeten and grated ginger added if you like. This helps to break-up congestion and the honey is soothing to a sore throat. If you’re brave, add a pinch of cayenne pepper.

Other Suggestions

• Gargle with warm salt water 3 times a day for a sore throat.
• Cool mist humidifier at night to keep secretions draining.
• Eucalyptus, Breathe, or Lime. Essential oils applied to the chest and over the sinuses can help. Inhale Eucalyptus essential oil in small doses. Put two drops of oil on a tissue and sniff it to clear your passages, or add to a bowl of hot water to use as steam inhalation, with a towel over your head.