Simple Homemade Remedies For A Variety of Respiratory Illnesses

It’s the holiday season, and with all of the festivities that can mean…large family gatherings, crowded shopping centers, parties, shaking hands, hugs and kisses all around! It’s a breeding ground for the spread of a variety of ailments that effect our respiratory systems.

You know what I’m talking about–runny noses, sore throats, bronchitis, asthma, coughs, and earaches.

Unfortunately modern medicine has made its attempt to fool many of us into believing that the simple, homemade remedies of days-gone-by are no longer beneficial. In fact, it is estimated that Americans spend nearly $4.4 billion on over-the-counter cold and cough remedies. Amazingly, there is no evidence to prove that many of these remedies have any effect at all.

Most of the commercially-prepared products we can buy actually set their aim on suppressing symptoms rather than preventing or curing them.

Homemade Remedies For Respiratory Illnesses

Medicine cabinets stocked with healing herbs from the garden, and pantries packed full with nutritionally dense foodstuffs, provide some of the finest curative powers that have been known for centuries–and have been proven to be easy on the wallet as well!

The Common Cold

• The many benefits of homemade chicken broth are being researched and they are finding that the science behind this “old wives’ tale” is in fact an effect treatment for the common cold. Try this Garlicky Chicken Broth.
• Enjoy a sandwich made of whole-grain bread (homemade is best), raw yellow onion, a half-inch of grated horseradish, one slice of cheddar cheese and brown mustard.
• Use garlic, yellow onions, parsley, and thyme frequently in your cooking (thyme and parsley contain an extremely high amount of vitamin C).
• Drink several cups of warm honey/lemon water daily.
• Wash your hands.
• Keep the indoor thermostat set at 68 degrees F or below.
• Humidify the air with a stove top pan full of water, cinnamon and cloves.

Coughs

• Administer this Cold and Cough Syrup.
• Make a homemade chest rub.
• Take a hot bath with eucalyptus essential oils added to the water.
• Apply an Onion Poultice to the chest.
• Suck on Horehound Lozenges.

Sore Throat

• Gargle with warm salt water often.
• Drink warm sage tea.
• Suck on Horehound Lozenges.
• Gargle with apple cider vinegar, salt, and cayenne pepper.
• Take an echinachea tincture.

Asthma

• Drink horehound tea.
• Suck on Horehound Lozenges.
• Drink chamomile tea (a natural antihistamine).
• Add chamomile flowers to hot water and inhale the steam.
• Incorporate raw, local honey into the diet.
• Consume 1 tablespoon of white mustard seeds in water or molasses twice a day.

Notes

–Fevers are often associated with respiratory illnesses. See Natural Treatment of Fevers.

-If there are symptoms of an earache, whip up some of this.