Icky Sicky.... Naturally

It’s a long weekend for many of us and naturally, this is when I get sick. Fever, headache, cough, stuffy nose, achy body and a fever.  Even though I feel crappy, I am trying to stick with this positive attitude business. What better time could there be to try  some of the natural home remedies that have been passed down through the ages? First my disclaimer; I am not a doctor or medical professional, these are simply my opinions and should not replace sound medical advice. There, with that out of the way…. Here we go.

1)     Stuffy nose: I used the steam in my hot shower to loosen things up in my face and chest. A little gross if you are accustomed to a tissue but it worked. The relief lasted an hour or so. The heat also made my achy body feel better. The other thing I used to clear my sinuses is a product by NeilMed. It is this squeezy bottle that you fill with a special packet of saline and warm water. You squirt it up one nostril and let it run out the other. The first try gave me a flashback of learning the importance of blowing out while swimming. Now it’s not so bad. Relief also lasts about an hour. The nose-rinse is said to be good as a daily thing to clear the nasal passages of dust, allergens and germs. Also keeps things moist during dry winter weather.  The bonus here was that there were none of the dryness or stoner-like side affects of taking an over the counter decongestant.

2)     Sore throat: Gargle every couple of hours with salt water. I made it as salty as I could handle. It really took the sting out!  This works really well. My favourite relief is hot water with some honey and lemon juice in it. I don’t know the scientific facts around it but here is what I think… The lemon loosens up all the mucus, the heat sooths the throat and muscles after coughing and honey, I believe, has anti-bacterial properties to it. I also really like the taste. Gary makes it best so if he is home, he is my go-to Honey-Lemon mixer.

3)     Fever: No one likes a fever. It is hot and chills and sweaty and yucky. Why not just take a Tylenol and suppress that nastiness? Here is why; your body has a fever for a reason. The body is raising it’s temperature to kill off the infection. Let your body do it’s thing. Obviously if the fever has been too high for too long then you may want medical intervention but if you aren’t in a life threatening situation… suck it up butter-cup. Your body knows what it is doing. Drink lots of fluids and keep some spare dry t-shirts handy while you sweat it out. Eww but true.

OK, that’s it for today. I need another Honey-Lemon and a nap.