Knocking Out the Harsh Season with Four Tested Natural Remedies to Colds and Cough

Common Colds, Cough and You: Who Gets Knocked Down?

Don't let the cold season beat you out of your senses (pun intended) because of colds and cough. Knock them out, not the other way around.

The cold season in some parts of the world right now are beating people relentlessly. On my end, it's a bit cold too, (though it's definitely not snowing in my tropical country, the Philippines) and I'm down with colds and cough myself. 

However, through several tested natural remedies, I've reduced the time that I usually have these horrible illnesses and stopped them from escalating to fever.

Why combine remedies to colds and cough, some of you ask? Usually these sicknesses go together, and some of these tested remedies can beat, not just colds, but cough too. 

These are "tested" remedies because I've tried them on various occasions on my kids and myself and they have helped ease the symptoms and clear these illnesses faster.

Tested Natural Remedies to Colds and Cough

The following are four tested natural remedies to colds and cough. Go for these natural and practical solutions, but make sure you're not allergic to any of these ingredients though. 

The Lime that Killed the Colds with Sour-Sweetness

The first natural remedy is quite popular, simple, and easy to make. It is even seen as a pre-colds remedy, or that time when you feel that your throat is itching before the full-blown colds sets in. As a pre-colds remedy, you can take it to help prevent colds. 

The usual online recipe uses lemon. Lemon, however, is quite expensive in the Philippines, but calamansi or lime is much more affordable here. My sense of practicality demands changes in the usual apple cider vinegar-honey-lemon remedy to colds.

Ingredients 

1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (ACV)
1 tablespoon of raw honey
1 tablespoon of lime (or lemon if you have that instead)

One Simple Procedure

Mix them up and drink them two to three times a day. The taste is alright. Honey masks the vinegar's sour taste. 

Effects

1. Relieves dryness and itchiness of throat for dry cough.
2. Helps phlegm to be coughed out easily after a day or two for those with phlegm.

Lime's Health Benefits

The Super Fruit that Stole the Soul of Colds 

The second natural remedy is eating a cup of fresh guava or drinking a glass of pure guava juice twice a day. 

Effects

1. I noticed that guava fruit/juice heals my colds and cough faster than other fruits rich in vitamin C. Though of course, every case might be different. 
2. I ended my kids' colds in a day too several times because they drank two glasses of guava juice the day before, while also taking the lime remedy.

Guava's Health Benefits

Green Tea's Gingered Solution to Colds

The third natural remedy is green tea with a teaspoon of ginger juice. You can juice fresh ginger or boil ginger and add a green tea bag to your cup of ginger tea. Double greatness for a gingered approach to beating colds and cough. The taste is quite zingy-spicy, and to some, bitter. You can add a teaspoon of honey for sweetness and to triple its nutritional goodness.The sourness is quite good for itchy throat though.

Effects

1. Relieves itchy throat.
2. Loosens and moves mucus.

The Benefits of Ginger, One of Which is Cold and Flu Prevention and Treatment

Dr. Oz Natural, Homemade Cough Syrup 

The fourth natural remedy is from Dr. Oz. It is a natural homemade cough syrup. I tried this and it helped ease the itchiness of my throat because of phlegmatic cough.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon ACV
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Two Simple Steps

Mix ingredients in 2 tablespoons of water. Gargle before swallowing.

Effects

1. Relieves itchy throat.
2. Loosens and moves then removes mucus.

Cayenne Pepper's Health Benefits

How Do These Remedies Achieve Their Benefits?

Cranks up the immune system. ACV, honey, ginger, and green tea, and lime, based on anecdotal evidence and several studies (green tea), can boost the immune system. In turn, they promote vitality and energy that can help you defeat these viruses plaguing your body. 

Vitamin C sources. One of the reasons that ACV, guava, honey, and lime can improve the immune system is that they are good sources of Vitamin C. Some studies showed that eating/drinking foods and liquids that are rich with Vitamin C can help decrease the duration and severity of cold symptoms.

Anti-viral and antibacterial. ACV, honey, ginger, green tea, and lime, based on anecdotal evidence and some studies (green tea), have anti-viral and antibacterial properties. These properties make them potent against colds and cough.

Mucus buster. Cayenne pepper can break up and move mucus.

Knock-out Win against Colds and Cough

These four natural remedies to colds and cough are only some of the traditional cures to these illnesses. You can check out and try more colds-and-cough-busting recipes from other sites, such as DIY Natural, one of my favorite natural health websites. 

The important thing is that you are now aware that you are not limited to over-the-counter colds and cough syrups/tablets anymore for you and your family. 

These natural remedies are kid-friendly too, except the one with cayenne, because my kids dislike spicy foods. 

Nature offers us awesome fighting gloves through homemade natural medicine that can beat colds and cough naturally and practically. 

Arm yourself now. And give those viruses the knockout they deserve.

Nightmare at Epilin Street: Homemade, Natural Remedies to Horrible Skin Allergy

Red, itchy blisters that ache to be scratched until they are sore and pus-filled. Anxiety attack from the sight of them and the horrible itchy feeling.

Eew, what a nightmare!

But they're all too real for me before when I had them all over my underarms and legs a few weeks ago. (No, I will not post pictures at all!). 

But why you say? It's because I tried this Epilin hair-removing wax, which seemed natural enough for me because it has very few natural ingredients, and then around 24 hours later, I got severe allergic reaction to it. My skin developed red, itchy red rashes.

I was tempted to go to a dermatologist but stopped myself. 

I know it's wrong (at least for others, but not so much to me anymore) to not consult a medical practitioner on these matters. But since I've gone DIY and natural living, I've realized that nature offers the best medicine already and people in my circles have helpful advices and insights on self-healing through nutrition and natural homemade remedies. 

Also, I didn't want to put ointments with chemicals I am not familiar with anymore on my skin, which I am sure a dermatologist will recommend. After going no 'poo, it seemed to me that I'd be taking a two steps back if I put a whole new set of expensive, manufactured products on my skin.

Plus, derma products are stupendously expensive. Not to mention derma fees. Whew. Just thinking about the money that flows out of my palms make these palms sweat. In other words, I don't find it practical to fully rely on dermatologists and their products for my skin needs.

So, leaving these usual options behind, I had to rely on two doctors: Nature and my immune system. Natural remedies summoned me, and running to them I did!

Homemade Remedies to Skin Allergy

Ingredients

1) Virgin Coconut Oil
2) Baking soda
3) Oatmeal and honey
4) Garlic
5) Tea Tree Castile Soap
6) Boiled water, still warm

And what are these ingredients for?

1) Virgin Coconut Oil- Antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-itch. It soothes the burning feeling of scratching allergies. It also heals the rashes and renews the skin, as least in my experience.
2) Baking soda- Anti-itch and for giving that beautiful relief to soreness.
3) Oatmeal and honey- Antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-itch.
4) Garlic- Antibacterial for any infection that I have enhanced because of my scratching.
5) Tea Tree Castile Soap- Antibacterial.
6) Boiled water, still warm- For washing and making baking soda paste.

Self-treatment Procedures

1) Don't panic and have the ingredients ready. Be well-armed with these supplies.

2) Wash the allergic skin portions with Castile soap with hands only and using warm water. Warm water feels good and removes wax residue, if still present. Pat dry afterwards, not scrub, with towel. Resist the urge to rub or scratch.

3) Put baking soda paste on allergic skin. Just mix baking soda powder with distilled or filtered water or boiled water. Let it stay for ten minutes. This will sting. You can also try cooking oatmeal and adding honey, and then put this on your skin for ten minutes too. I tried this after using the baking soda paste, but only once though.

4) Wash again with warm water. Pat dry. Put generous VCO on the affected areas. Let the skin absorb it for 10 minutes before even considering scratching it again. VCO can relieve itching and burning and will heal the allergy slowly.

5) Mince half a teaspoon of garlic and drink it up with water once a day for its antibacterial properties that can help heal the itchiness and infection from within. Do this until the itchiness goes away and the rashes are completely dry.

Treatment Time

For the rashes to dry using this treatment procedure, it took me four days. Just continue washing with castile soap and putting VCO until the itchiness and redness of rashes are completely gone. This phase took six days. 

Commercial products can promise instant or faster results, but they are loaded with many chemicals you may not want on your skin. I chose natural over manufactured treatment and everything is find on my end.

As for the black scars from the skin rashes, oh the scars... You will know why you should not scratch these rashes hard and long because of these horrible dark scars...

I am using Dr. Wood's exfoliating soap and vitamin E soap for now to renew my skin. Some people say raw 100% cocoa butter will help decrease the darkness of the scars, so I will buy and use that when the budget permits.

The Nightmare Ends

I'm not a doctor but I healed myself. 

No, nature healed me and helped me heal myself.

The nightmare at Epilin Street is all over now. 

Homemade remedies to skin allergy worked for me. You can try it, but make sure you are not allergic to these materials that I used. Otherwise, the nightmare will be extended.

Fear not. Nature has multiple answers. And the Internet offers many solutions. Just make sure to find reliable websites and always test something on a small part of your skin to check for allergic reactions (ugh, that allergic word again).

Nature and the human immune system are awesome healing partners. 

Let them end even the worst skin nightmares for you.

What are some products that gave you skin allergies? What natural remedies did you try that worked and did not work?