Winter is definitely here… and I just experienced one of the more challenging hurdles of adulthood… parenting while being sick. I almost shudder just to think of it.
Yep, my family is finally recovering from a lingering cold that hung around our house for almost a week. Yuck! I can now tell you from personal experience, if there’s one thing worse than feeling sick, it’s having to parent while you’re sick. And having to parent a sick child when you’re sick sucks even more.
Thankfully there’s a world full of natural medicines out there to help us through challenging times like this. Today I’m sharing my top five go-to picks to help you lessen symptoms and get past (or even avoid altogether) the common cold. And when you’re feeling shitty, EASY is the name of the game, so I promise all of these remedies have passed my test of totally manageable to pull off when you feel like crap. I volunteered as your guinea pig. You’re welcome. :)
1) Fire Cider
Fire Cider is a traditional remedy that’s been used for hundreds of years (at least) to quickly boost the immune and digestive systems and fight off infections. Fire Cider is comprised of a handful of food medicines like raw garlic, onion, ginger, and turmeric that are infused into raw apple cider vinegar with a touch of raw honey. It’s easy enough to make at home, though it does take several weeks to infuse so this is a project to take on before getting sick. You can also find it for sale at many health food stores, food co-ops, or from your local herbalist. I usually recommend taking a spoonful of fire cider at a time, although if you’re really fighting off a cold I’d bump it up to a shot (we literally use shot glasses at our house!). If the taste is too intense you can always add it to a glass of water to dilute. Take a 1oz shot 2-4x a day until symptoms improve.
Prego mamas: most fire ciders do contain raw honey, so take that into consideration when deciding whether or not to try this remedy. I drank it throughout both of my pregnancies but this may not be the right choice for everyone. You do you. Also safe for use during breastfeeding (if you have noticed that baby doesn’t respond well to you eating certain spices you may like to keep an eye on that while taking fire cider).
2) Echinacea Root Tincture
Echinacea is a pretty pink-purple flower native to the prairies of North America. Its root is an excellent instant immune booster. The taste is quite bitter and takes time to fully infuse so I recommend taking a tincture for this one. With this herb in particular its most useful to take larger amounts (like a dropper full 1-3x a day) at the first sign of imbalance, but do not take large amounts indefinitely. Discontinue use altogether after a week and a half or so. You may also take Echinacea preemptively to avoid illness. Perfect for things like holiday travel. Echinacea root has been clinically studied and is safe for use during pregnancy and breastfeeding!
3) Raw Garlic
Raw garlic is so simple and strong and seriously effective, it has to have a place on this list! It's imperative that the garlic remain raw (ie uncooked) to maintain its medicinal properties, so you may have to make special plans for this. You can always chop it up finely and sprinkle it on top of a meal (this is gentler on the stomach), however, the most straight forward way is to simply chop it up finely and throw it back. Have a glass of water nearby for sure. When I was hardcore in my twenties I would just chew the whole damn clove in my mouth as common practice. If this is too much for you, you can also add your chopped garlic to a spoonful of raw honey with a squeeze of lemon. This definitely tastes better and is gentler on the stomach. You can also buy garlic in tincture form, though I should warn you the taste if just as gnarly (perhaps worse because now you’ve got alcohol in the picture too!). Aim for 1-3 cloves a day one way or another when fighting off a cold. This option is safe for pregnancy (woo hoo!), and breastfeeding and a small amount is okay for kiddos if you can get them to take it!
4) Elderberry Tea
My favorite part about this herb is that it’s family friendly! Yes, elderberry is safe for kiddos. You can make special treats like elderberry syrup or elderberry gummy bears, but there’s nothing wrong with good old fashioned tea. And if you’re already feeling under the weather, this is likely all you’ve got energy for anyway! Try making a pot of tea so everyone can easily pour a cup as they please, or turn things up a notch and make an infusion that sits for up to eight hours for stronger potency. Give toddlers a few spoonfuls up to a half a cup at a time. Since it’s literally a berry, the tea tastes earthy sweet all on it’s own (I scoff at the idea of adding sweetener to this but again, you do you!). Elderberry doesn’t have clinical trials to prove safety during pregnancy, but common sense and hundreds of years of documented use suggests that it’s okay.
5) Bone Broth
High quality bone broth is a wonderful food medicine for a cold. While it’s not exactly a remedy, it is a perfect ally for your body. Bone broth is extremely easy for the body to digest, which is ideal when we want your body to be using its energy to tackle that cold. Bone broth is nourishing to the gut (which boosts the immune system) and it contains tons of vitamins and nutrients that support a healthy immune system. It’s also convenient to consume (just warm up a mug full from your freezer stash!) and works wonders when your appetite is lacking. Bone broth is also safe during pregnancy and for the whole family to consume (even little ones that are just starting solids can have some!). Making it at home is a snap if you have the ingredients on hand and is very affordable. Check out my other blog post to learn how to make bone broth. Drink as much as you like!
Tell me, what are your favorite go to remedies for the common cold? What’s worked best for your family?
Thank you and stay well my friends!
Looking for organic herbal remedies to boost your immune system and keep the whole family healthy?
I’m a proud affiliate of WishGarden Herbs because I love their products and my entire family uses them regularly. My favorites during cold season are the Kick Ass Immune Activator, Immune Boost for Pregnancy, Kick It Activator for Kids, and Elderberry Syrup (my kids love this one too!). Find these and more here!