"Kitchen herbalism" for colds and flu

[Up-the-Creek]

For a cough and sore throat for myself I always mix honey, lemon juice, and a touch of bourbon into a nice syrup and take as needed. For my kids, when they have a cough I give them honey. Honey is better than any over the counter cough syrup. Sore throats we gargle with salt water and use Horehound candy to coat and sooth the throat. You can also use elderberry or coltsfoot,..both are wonderful for colds.

ETA: Echinacea is also a good preventative,...it is an immune booster.

 

[nop169]

For prevention of the flu - cut white onions in half & place in bowls. Keep a bowl of the cut onions in various locations in the house. The onions somehow absorb the flu virus....... it works!

 

[valmom]

But then the house will smell like onions! (I don't think SO's migraines would manage that )

I don't have whiskey- would rum work in the cough syrup? Or I have a little bottle of Jack Daniels (is that whiskey?)

 

[freemotion]

Whiskey is best because of the vapors it creates. But in a pinch, any alcohol will do!

 

[Up-the-Creek]

Any whiskey would do,..Jack, Jim, George. Whatever you have on hand. I always use Jim Beam.

ETA: My great grandmother used rock candy instead of the lemon. Rock candy is kind of hard to find now days.

 

[Occamstazer]

Oof, I think I'd rather cough than take something with whiskey in it, ookie ookie!

J might be agreeable to that, though, and we're both dyin' of the crud right now, so I will see if he'll try it.

 

[Wifezilla]

Well, with the whiskey, you may still be sick, but by the second shot, you just don't CARE that you are sick anymore

 

[Mackay]

I can't be bothered anymore with this hit and miss herbal stuff.

Vitamin C to bowel tolerance works everytime.

But the whiskey sounds like it might help it along

 

[Beekissed]

We do "The Treatment" here and within a couple of days, we are feeling fine. We use it for cold and allergy symptoms alike and it works for both. IF done properly.....

 

[Up-the-Creek]

Then there is the other way,...get slap drunk and get under a pile of covers, as many as you can stand,....and sweat it out! That always works too.