Natural Cures for the Common Cold

When we see frost on the grass a few mornings in a row, and the afternoons are still warm enough to play outside in a t-shirt, it’s easy to forget what lies just ahead. No, I wasn’t talking about winter, exactly. The dreaded cold, cough, fever season of the common cold is upon us. 

Since the scientists, doctors, and researchers have so far failed to find a vaccine or a cure for the rhinovirus that causes the common cold, living with the symptoms has become a billion dollar industry in the United States. And none of these over the counter relief pills, capsules or syrups are going to cure the common cold anyway. An old saying says that “if you ignore a cold, it goes away in seven days. If you treat a cold, it goes away in seven days.” I guess for most of us, it comes down to how miserable we want to be in that seven days. 

If you are reluctant to start on the cough syrup, decongestant, expectorant, fever-reducer, pain-reliever route; and yet you are suffering from a runny nose; swollen sinuses; an elephant sitting on your chest; a plugged up and throbbing head; or any of the other annoying symptoms of the common cold, there are a few natural remedies you can try. Most of us have these ingredients right in our kitchen cabinets or refrigerators.

Salt Water: an old time-tested recipe will break up nasal congestion, as well as clean the bacteria from your nose. Mix 1/ teaspoon baking soda and ¼ teaspoon salt in 1 cup of warm water. Squirt water into nose with a bulb syringe. Hold one nostril closed with your finger while you squirt the mixture into the other nostril. Drain, repeat a couple of times, then do the same for the other nostril. I wouldn’t try this on kids; the small amount that trickles down your throat tastes pretty stringent, but it does clean a stuffy nose right up. You can also use salt water, without the baking soda, to gargle for a sore throat. One teaspoon of salt, dissolved in warm water. Gargle and discard. You can do this four times a day if you wish.