Cold – 6 Plant based remedies that works

Here’s fall, wonderful and colorful time of year. Unfortunately with the colder weather comes the cold season. That is why I wanted to share with you all the wonderful remedies I found last time I was sick. They helped me avoid visits at the doctors and the quite-expensive-not-always-so-healthy-medication.

**WARNING: if you’re cold is very strong of if symptoms don’t go away and get stronger after a few days, please go see your doctor!**

Here’s a list of plants and oils to use and how to use them:

Great Ingredients to fight cold and how to use them:

1. Hyssop Not to confuse with lavender, hyssop has different healing properties and is a great plant to fight infections. You can either grow it or buy the leaves at your local apothecary to make a powerful tea:

1. Chop the equivalent of several teaspoons

2. Add them to 2 cups of boiling water

3. Stop the heat and let it steep fifer 15 minutes

4. Drink several cups of hyssop tea per day

Peppermint Cure

You will find below 4 plants that have complementary properties. Combined together, they will help break the fever and act as a great pain relever. Here are some details about the plants:

1. Peppermint is a great antibacterial. It is effective to break up mucus secretions, and it has a cooling action (so it’s great too iff you have muscle or nerve pain).

2. Elderflower is famous for its antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. It does wonder to fight swollen sinuses (sinusitis), colds, influenza (flu), swine flu, bronchitis, diabetes, and constipation. In France and Austria the elderflower syrup is commonly used to fight the sickness.

3. White Yarrow is used for fever, common cold, hay fever, absence of menstruation, dysentery, diarrhea, loss of appetite, gastrointestinal (GI) tract discomfort, and to induce sweating. Some people chew the fresh leaves to relieve toothache too. (more about it on this great website specialized in medicinal plants*)

4. Feverfew mostly known for its effectiveness to prevent migraines, it also has anti-inflammatory properties that will work great with cold and flu symptoms.

How to make the peppermint cure:

2. 1 tbsp of elderflower

3. 1 tbsp of peppermint

4. 1 tbsp white yarrow

5. 1 tbsp of feverfew

7. bring all the plants together, chop the leaves and flowers

8. boil 2 cups of water

9. Poor the mix over the water

10. Wait 15 minutes

Comfrey and Elderberries

1. Chop a few leaves of comfrey

2. Mix with 1/2 a cup of elderberries

3. Poor the mix in a pot of 1 cup of honey + 1 cup of water

4. Simmer for 30 minutes

5. filter the whole mix and drink several times per day.

For More Severe Colds

If your cold is a little more severe than average, switch to these add these to the mix:

Rosehip Tea

1. Take 1 cup of boiling water

2. Poor over 1 tsp of crushed rosehip and 1 of dried lemon peel

3. Steep for 15 minutes

Thyme Cough Syrup

Where I come from (Mediterranean coast of France) we use Thyme for almost everything: cooking, healing and decorative purposes… It’s healing properties are well known and this magical worker proves its effectiveness on a daily basis. Among all it’s benefits, thyme relieves stress, reduces respiratory issues, boost the strength of the immune system, protects against chronic diseases and stimulates blood flow. Here how to use it!

1. Boil one pint of boiling water

2. Poor over I ounce of dried thyme

3. Let cool and stain into a jar

4. Add one cup of honey

5. Shake and keep the syrup refrigerated

6. Take 1 teaspoon several times per day

Eucalyptus Breathing bowl

It feels like eucalyptus doesn’t need much introduction. Known for its anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and decongestant properties, eucalyptus is perfect to help with respiratory issues.

1. Heat 3 cups of water

2. Before it boils ( you don’t want it to be too hot!) take off the fire and poor the water in a bowl

3. Add 3 drops eucalyptus essential oil

4. Have your head above the bowl to breath the steam coming from the bowl

5. Put a towel above your head to keep them steam and maximize its effect (doesn’t work very well over wise)

6. Do it in the morning and evening before you go to sleep

Let me know how these worked for you, or if you have other solutions you think would be a great add to this post and of course, I’ll make sure to credit your wonderful add to the list. Have a restful healing!