Home Remedies for the Common Cold

Nothing is more annoying and weakening to your body than the onset of the common cold. It can begin with a sore throat, congestion and overall feeling of discomfort. You may suffer from a higher than normal temperature, headache and loss of appetite. The intensity of suffering also depends upon your health and the weather. Mom’s homemade chicken soup has been used for generations to successfully alleviate the symptoms of a cold, but there are other home remedies that are also effective. Some include:

• Vitamin C – Taking Vitamin C on a regular basis will help to prevent the common cold. If you already have a cold, take large doses of this vitamin to lessen the symptoms and shorten the time you’re ill.

• Watch your diet – Drink plenty of liquids – especially fruit and vegetable juices. Avoid foods with starches, cheese, meat and eggs, but eat lots of vegetables, fruits, seeds and nuts.

• Ginger Tea – Hot tea made from ginger root, leaves and a bit of sugar added to hot water is an excellent remedy for a cold. It soothes the throat and helps to reduce fever.

• Lemon – Loaded with Vitamin C, lemon juice helps the immune system to resist all illnesses and decreases the toxicity of the common cold. Squeeze the juice of one lemon into a glass of warm water (and a spoonful of honey) to realize the best results.

• Garlic – Contains oil and beneficial antiseptic qualities that help with respiratory problems and also flushes toxins from the body. Make a soup by boiling about four cloves of garlic in a cup of water – or use garlic oil and ingest it two or three times per day.

• Apple cider vinegar – An effective remedy for a stuffy nose associated with the common cold. Prepare a solution of equal parts of apple cider vinegar and water. When the solution begins to boil, lean over the pan and inhale the fumes.

Environmental factors such as dust or pollen in the air and drastic changes in temperature have a lot to do with the likelihood that you’ll catch the common cold. How healthy you are can also be a determining factor in how susceptible you are to catch a cold. You can also be more at risk if you’re tired, depressed or suffer from depression or sleep deprivation.  Keep healthy habits such as a balanced diet, plenty of sunshine and rest and relaxation and you’ll be much more successful in keeping the common cold at bay.

 Home Remedies Gone Bad

The ultimate quest of most home remedies is to cure or lessen the symptoms of an illness or condition. Home remedies concocted from herbs, plants and ingredients you’re likely to have in your cupboard have been used for centuries – and in most cases they work.

But, beware of homemade medications that can hurt rather than cure. Below are some home remedies that could cause you a trip to the hospital rather than avoiding it.

• Butter for Burns – For years, butter has been used as a salve for burns. Actually, butter is extremely bad for burns because rather than cooling the burned area, it keeps the heat inside and increases the chance for infection.

• Paraffin (Kerosene) – Thought to be an effective method to make a child vomit. Forcing a child to ingest paraffin can damage the lungs and the stomach.

• Castor Oil – An old home remedy for constipation, caster oil is a stimulant laxative that can damage the intestines if taken too often. You can also become reliant on it to induce regular bowel movements.

• Herbal Aphrodisiacs – Herbs like Spanish Fly aren’t regulated, so you don’t know how much you’re getting in a supplement. Too much of any herbal remedy can be harmful to your system.

• Hydrogen Peroxide – Some home remedy enthusiasts use hydrogen peroxide as an antiseptic. It’s effective in cleaning wounds, but doesn’t kill the bacteria that can eventually cause infection.

• Apple Cider Vinegar – Used to promote weight loss, apple cider vinegar can ruin your tooth enamel if you don’t brush your teeth after ingesting it.

• Syrup of Ipecac – A home remedy used to induce vomiting if a poison is ingested. Pediatricians now discourage the use of the syrup and suggest instead that you call the National Poison Center at 800-222-1222.

• Kerosene – Treating head lice by rubbing kerosene on a child’s head is a home remedy that is ineffective and can be harmful to the child.

Most home remedies are harmless, but some can be extremely dangerous. Mixed with certain prescriptions or medical conditions, these non-prescribed remedies can cause severe damage or death. Check with your health care professional or pharmacist before using any type of home or herbal remedy.

 Beat Insomnia – The Natural Way

You probably know how frustrating a sleepless night can be. You’re so tired the next morning that you may be disoriented and unable to function as you should. If you suffer from sleep loss on a regular basis, you most likely have insomnia. Hormonal changes, heart disease, depression and sleep apnea can all cause insomnia. If you’re having trouble sleeping, you may want to try some natural remedies — but be sure to seek professional help if it continues without relief. Some natural remedies used to treat insomnia or occasional sleepless nights include:

• Melatonin – One of the most popular natural remedies for insomnia, melatonin is actually a hormone produced naturally in the body. The brain makes serotonin which is then made into melatonin, which helps you fall asleep naturally. If your body isn’t producing enough melatonin, you may need to take a supplement before retiring each evening.

• Meditation – Yoga practices of deep breathing and meditation before you go to bed have proven beneficial to help sufferers of insomnia fall asleep naturally.

• Aromatherapy – The sedative qualities of inhaling lavender, ylang ylang and chamomile are found to be useful in treating insomnia.

• Valerian – Non-addictive Valerian has been used for years as a remedy for insomnia. It has qualities that are believed to affect the brain’s calming neurotransmitters.

• Diet – Avoid caffeine and foods containing sugar before bed time. Instead, eat foods rich in magnesium such as green vegetables, bran and some nuts (almonds and cashews) that will calm nerves and help promote sleep.

• Exercise – Regular aerobic exercise such as a brisk walk can help you sleep well at night. Avoid exercising just before bedtime though – exercise earlier in the day or evening. 

Also, be sure that your mattress and pillow are appropriate for your body type and that the room you sleep in is neither too hot nor cold. If sleeplessness persists, you may want to try acupuncture and calming teas such as chamomile and lemon balm. Some prescription drugs may cause insomnia, so check with your health professional or pharmacist to see if the prescription(s) you take is the cause of this debilitating side effect.

 ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO TREAT SLEEP APNEA

There are many causes for sleep apnea, including obesity and obstructed air passages. Its symptoms are loud snoring sounds that are sometimes interrupted by a few seconds (or minutes) of lapses in breathing. The silence is often followed by loud gasps for air until regular breathing resumes.
Sufferers of sleep apnea often have trouble functioning during the day and may fall asleep at their desks or even while driving a car. This extreme tiredness often leads to depression, high blood pressure, loss of memory and impotency. That’s why a swift diagnosis is so important and why those who suffer from sleep apnea must change their lifestyle immediately.Here are some ways to prevent and even cure sleep apnea:

• Weight Loss – If you’re overweight and suffering from sleep apnea, begin a diet program that will normalize your weight. You should also eliminate sugar and all allergenic foods from your diet.

• Exercise – Even a mild form of exercise, such as yoga and stretching, will help to alleviate sleep apnea. Walking or any type of aerobic exercises is also an effective remedy. Practice deep breathing exercises to help clean your air passages.

• 5-HTP – The neurotransmitter, 5-hydroxy-trytophan (5-HTP) is a compound used to regulate serotonin levels. Research shows that if serotonin levels are too low, sleep apnea may occur. 5-HTP also helps release hormones such as cortisol which regulates muscles used for breathing.

• Avoid Alcohol – Drugs such as sleeping pills and alcohol may relax the throat muscles, causing breathing obstructions. When you eliminate alcohol, oxygen levels in the blood are increased and a deeper sleep is possible.

• Practice Good Sleeping Habits – Don’t sleep on your back. Use pillows to elevate your head and shoulders. Sleeping on your back can sometimes cause your tongue to block an air passage and cause sleep apnea symptoms.

• Aromatherapy – Although aromatherapy isn’t a cure-all for sleep apnea, aromatic oils from plants and herbs such as nutmeg, lavender and orange can reduce the more severe effects of sleep apnea.

“Apnea” is the Greek word for “without breath.” When you succeed in regulating how you breathe when sleeping, sleep apnea will be a thing of the past and you’ll be more relaxed, rested and ready to meet the world.