With the cold and flu season, here are a few helpful hints.
ROSE HIP TEA - Full of vitamin C. THYME TEA - A natural anti- viral. Drink lots of it if you are exposed to an enviroment with sniffly people.
You may want to try diffusing thyme and rosemary essential oils. These are both highly anti-viral and disinfectant. Try these in an oil diffuser or simmer pot.
If you already have the sniffles, nothing clears you up like eucalyptus oil. Dffuse some in a diffuser beside your bed while you sleep. I like to mix mine with pine oil. These oils should clear up your breathing enough to give you a night's rest. Try 20 drops of eucalyptus and 10 drops of pine. With a tea light, this should last you through the night.
If you have an upset stomach, try drinking a mix of peppermint and catnip tea. The catnip is very soothing and the peppermint is great for settling your stomach. You can sweeten with honey if you like.
If you like Vick's Vaporub@, here's a recipe for a natural alternative. It's very good and very mild. I originally used it on my one-year old nephew to get him through a bout of the croup.
4 oz olive oil 2 tablespoons beeswax (grated or pearls) 1 teaspoon peppermint essential oil 1 teaspoon eucalyptus essential oil 1 teaspoon pine essential oil
Melt beeswax into the oil. This can be done in a doubler boiler,the microwve, or in a hot water bath. NOT over direct heat. Try to use enamel, glass, or stainless steel. Stir and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Add the oils. Stir to mix and pour into a jar with a tight fitting lid. Makes about 4 oz. and should last for at least a year outside the refrigerator. Use the same way you would use Vick's Vaporub@.
COLD &FLU REMEDY by Tavane
This is best when taken at the onset, but will improve the condition of a full-blown cold or flu.
2 cups water (preferably not tap) 1 2" piece of fresh ginger - peeled and quartered 1 clove fresh garlic - halved
Place in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. After the 20 minutes, add:
juice of one lemon 1 - 2 teaspoons honey (to taste) dash of cayenne pepper
Stir and drink warm - all of it!
BUG BASHER by April
1 oz. tomato juice 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Mix. Drink this for three days in the morning. This is also helpful for respiratory illnesses.
A WORD ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS Honey and lemon are classic sore throat remedies. Pepper - any kind- helps to raise body temperature and sweat out infection. So does ginger. Garlic - What doesn't garlic do? It can help to boost the immune system, helps lower cholesterol, disinfects, etc.
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