Friday, September 28, 2012

Fighting Colds Naturally

 

It’s September and that means back to school which also means that our house will inevitably be hit with colds. Here are some natural ways to combat colds:
-Use a humidifier in the bedroom at night- this helps to keep the air moist, making it easier to breathe.
-Prop mattress up a little under your head- try sticking a pillow under your mattress directly under where your head lies. This help with keeping drainage going down, not up into your sinuses.
-Flush out stuffy noses with saline. I stock up on the little noses non-medicated saline drops. Since it is just saline you may do this as many times as needed. Helps thin out mucus, making it easier to breathe.
-Drink plenty of fluids and eat lots of healthy food like fruits. Try to get some chicken soup down too!
-To help soothe scratchy throats and coughs try some honey before bedtime. Honey has many antioxidants that can help you fight off the cold faster and because it is thick and sweet it helps coat and soothe the sore throat from coughs. It is best to let kids cough during the day to get the mucus up, but when coughing is keeping them up all night, when they need rest try some honey. For kids ages 2-5 try 1/2 tsp, ages 6-11 try 1 tsp, and ages 12-18 try 2tsp. DO NOT GIVE HONEY TO INFANTS UNDER 1 YEAR OLD- may cause a rare, but serious case of botulism. I usually give my kids honey mixed in with something they like, usually I mix it with a little applesauce and warm it for 3 seconds in the microwave so its goes down smoother, you could try to add the honey to some warm (not hot) water.
http://suite101.com/article/honey-may-be-best-cough-medicine-a169827

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