Natural At-Home Cold Remedies

First of all, let me add a disclaimer. I am not a doctor, and my intention is not to give medical advice. However, I do think it is okay to share what works for myself and my family. These things will not work for everyone, but whenever we feel a cold coming on, we try these natural, at-home remedies, and they really do help! In the past, I have gotten 1-2 sinus infections a year, and they really just get me down. I used to go on antibiotics for them, but those caused a lot of gut damage, and I’m trying to stay away from antibiotics now. I felt some congestion and that specific sinus headache – you know when your face starts to hurt – coming on, and I wanted to stop it as best I could. I have been doing all the things to help this minor cold stay minor, and not turn into a full-blown sinus infection. Hopefully these natural, at-home cold remedies are helpful!

One more disclaimer: I do buy a few of these things from Amazon, as long as they are sold by the maker and not a third party.

Natural, At-Home Cold Remedies

Rest. I am terrible at this most of the time. But, I have been going to bed at a decent time, Todd let me sleep in until 8 on Saturday, and this morning I am even skipping the gym! My body said “sit,” so here I am. 🙂

Less sugar. This one is tough sometimes, because when we don’t feel 100%, we tend to crave comfort foods. And full disclosure, I did have a cookie last night. But, we really need to cut the sugar when we are sick. It impairs our immune systems.

More vegetables and fruits. Green smoothies packed with nutrients, veggies in soup, fruit like berries or oranges for a snack. Extra fruits and vegetables means extra vitamins and antioxidants, which can help your body work more optimally to fight the germs. Smoothies can be really great comfort food, and adding in things like ginger, turmeric, and spirulina can help lower inflammation and help our bodies detox! This week I have been making the golden smoothie from this blog post, but instead of cauliflower I have been using spinach. I have added spirulina and a whole peeled orange as well.

Supplements. I always take vitamin C and vitamin D3 with K2 (I get mine from my functional medicine doctor’s office), and a probiotic (Klaire Labs is a great brand). But I definitely take these things when I am sick. I also take a handful of other extras that I wanted to share. Another disclaimer: I do not have scientific studies to back these up, I just know that they help, and they contain natural ingredients.

• Wellness Formula is one of our go-to items that we take as soon as we start to feel bad. It is a blend of vitamins, herbs, and nutraceuticals. You have to take a lot of them in a dose, but it truly does help. They have a dropper formula that we have given our kids as well.
• Oregano Essential Oil. I use Young Living brand, and I only take this if it’s really needed. I don’t think this is something that you can take if you are pregnant. I put a few drops in a capsule with a carrier oil (like olive oil). This oil is POTENT, so if you aren’t used to it, use it with caution. I believe you could also dilute some in a carrier oil and rub on your spine for immunity benefits.
• Host Defense My Community Multi Mushroom Comprehensive Immune Support. This is a supplement I was recently introduced to by a friend. It is a combination of a lot of different healing mushrooms and it certainly helps boost my immune system.

Sinus Cleansing. That just sounds so lovely, doesn’t it? One of the things that has helped me the most is clearing out my sinuses. Dr. Temple, our pediatrician, introduced me to Xclear, which we have used for us and the kids, It’s a great way to quickly clear out the sinuses, and it contains xylitol and grapefruit seed extract. Xylitol has been shown to help prevent bacterial adhesion to your nasal tissue. Xclear is safe for kids as well. Using a Neti Pot also really helps clear out my sinuses and alleviate sinus pressure. It feels weird to do, but it’s worth it.

Homeopathic Sinus Relief. Boiron is a well-known brand of homeopathic remedies, and this one helps relieve sinus pain and pressure. It dissolves under your tongue and works quickly.

Bone broth. Whether you’re making a soup, or just use this as something nourishing to sip on, bone broth is a healing tool that is great for colds and flu. Sometimes I make a homemade version in my crock pot, but if you’re looking for some that is already made, I love Brave Broth. It is a Charlotte company, but she has recently started shipping. I took some in a mug with me to Davis’ basketball game on Saturday, and it was delicious! It is full of collagen, too.

Ginger Lemon Honey Tea. This is one of the first things I make when I start to feel rough. I heat some filtered water, add about an inch of fresh, peeled ginger, some fresh lemon, and raw honey (local is ideal). Sometimes I also add a splash of raw apple cider vinegar. I will sip on this and it seems to help!

Elderberry syrup. We try to take this daily, and up the dosage when we are sick. My favorite brand is a local Charlotte company, but she ships as well! I recommend buying the pour spout to go with it. 🙂

Epsom salt baths. Soaking in an epsom salt bath is a great way to help our bodies naturally detox. Epsom salt is a source of magnesium, which is needed for so many reasons in our bodies. Adding a few drops of lavender essential oil can up the relaxation factor and help you fall asleep more easily after the bath. I don’t love the epsom salt that contains a scent, because it is fragrance rather than pure essential oil.

Dry brushing. Before you take that epsom salt bath or your shower, dry brush! I actually dry brush almost daily, and have been doing so for a couple of months. It is a way to help your body get rid of more toxins through sweat, so that your lymphatic system does not become built up with extra toxins. You know how the glands in your neck become swollen with a cold? Those are lymph nodes. (Bonus: dry brushing is also known to help break up cellulite). This does not bother my skin, and actually is a good exfoliator, but if you have sensitive skin, start with just one to two days a week.

I hope these ideas are helpful! I wanted to share, because I am asked a lot on instagram, so I thought a blog post could be beneficial. If I think of other things, I will add them later.