Inexpensive Home Remedies for the following ailments:
Sore Throat – Use salt and water. Take about a teaspoon of salt and stir it into a cup of warm to hot water and gargle. Do this every 30 minutes. It really helps relieve the pain of a sore throat. The theory behind it is that salt reduces swelling by drawing out water from the inflamed tissues. It’s safe, costs pennies, and couldn’t be faster or easier to make.
Colds – For a head cold with blocked sinuses, make an inhalation with between eight and twelve drops of flower essences, i.e. seven drops of eucalyptus, two drops of basil, and one drop of peppermint. Boil about a pint or two of water and let it cool for a minute or two. Sprinkle the recommended amount of drops onto the water. Inhale for five to ten minutes. The flower essences (aromatherapy oils) can be purchased at health food stores and many drugstores.
Cough – One way to help relieve a nagging cough is to apply a hot compress (washcloth or small towel dipped in hot water) to which a few drops of eucalyptus essence is added directly to your throat. You can also add a couple of drops of lavender and marjoram to help silence the cough. Keep the compress on until it cools and repeat as desired. Don’t forget tea, honey and lemon … drinking this several times a day will help soothe your throat, as well as your cough.
Flu – If you have chills, fever, aches and pains, runny nose, headache or even joint pain, you probably have the flu.
Two interesting spices that can be used to help clear the sinuses are ginger and cayenne pepper They both help not only with sinus problems but also by inducing sweating. (However, sweating means you have to remember to drink lots of fluid to replace what you’ve lost.) Both ginger and cayenne pepper can be mixed in boiling water and sipped throughout the day.You can also add honey to make the drink more palatable.
Another tea that may be a little easier to swallow is thyme tea. Steep one teaspoonful of thyme in a cup of boiling water and inhale it for about five minutes. When you’re through, strain it, add some honey, and sip. This will help with aches, particularly headaches, and also to reduce swelling of mucous membranes.