I forgot how nasty those germs are that lurk in every corner in kindergartens. First my grandchild got a terrible cold, and of course now I have it. Good thing you can’t catch anything over internet!

I don't think I've ever had such a mean bronchitis in my life. I'm taking antibiotics...but that doesn't appease the coughing.

I’m going to the doctor’s today, but before I pump myself up with further strong medication I was wondering if any of you have had success in home made remedies for colds?

When I started in schools boy did I get all sorts of colds and viris .Must have some imunity .Mixing with so many children is a hazzard.
But in the past four years I have had shingles and mumps.Mumps when I was finished teaching..
MA

Hannelore~This isn't a home remedy but hubby and I use "airborne" Have you heard of it? It's a tablet like an alka-seltzer, fruity and loaded with herbs, vitamins. A teacher created it. If I feel a cold coming on I take it every 3 hours. If I get a cold and take it I seem to get over it much faster. There is one old standby that works for me, homemade chicken broth..it seems to loosen that old chest congestion. Feel better soon.

Blessings
Madalyn

We take a spoonful of the honey in place of cough syrup, and it helps ease the cough. Horehound candy is another good thing for coughs. Garlic is good for colds too. I smash/mince a small clove really good and swallow it with a full glass of water....down the hatch! Gulp! Then of course there is the Hot Toddy drink. It will make you sleep like a baby and forget all about your cold. Hope you feel better soon!

Honey is good 4 a sore throat. Watkins, Menthol Camphor ointment is a good cough suppressant. You just rub it on the outside of you, above the chest area. You know, over the throat, lungs etc. If you don't have any in house, perhaps you can order it on the Internet? It's soothing and cooling and actually works, great. Good luck.

Margaretta's...if you drink enough of them, you won't give a rip if you have a cold or not. Matter of fact, I doubt you could find your nose if your life depended on it.

Course I'm not speaking from experience...just guessing.

Thanks for all the tips! I actually learned a couple of new things.

Yes Mountain Ash, looks like I have to build up my immune system again. You poor thing, you had shingles?! That is the worst ever! And then mumps as an adult must be the pits. And here I am lamenting because of bronchitis.

Cookie, never heard that with the garlic. I have heard about onions in the same way. Must work, and I will try it today. At least my breath will keep every one a safe distance from me. Good grief.

Jabber, you are right about the honey. I think it’s as good as cough syrup. And I have menthol vapour rub.

Madalyn, I never hear of “airborne”. Maybe I can order it over the internet. I think it’s so good to choose medication that’s been recommended. There is so much out there, it just confused me.

And aaah , last but not least…dear JJ. Funny, but a Margaretta sounds like a good “before to bed” drink. And then another one while in bed. And another to still those coughing spells….I’ll probably be the first one to get a hiccupping bronchitis. Eeeeeha! What a way to go.

If you have all healed me within a couple of days, then virtual flowers are on their way.

When I get laryngitis, I drink hot tea with lemon and honey. It feels so grand going down the hatch. Also, remember to drink lots of water to keep the throat moist.

Grandpappy made hot toddies; straight whiskey and sugar.
His colds cleared up real fast!

Rest, lots of rest... and plenty of fluids (warm water with lemon). If you can stand to do a little oil pulling, that might help draw those germs out quicker.

Hannelore, I can relate! My darling grandson just gave me another cold on Sunday - it took me almost 3 weeks to get rid of the one he gave me on New Year's Day! So I've been following this thread with invested interest, drinking lots of hot water with honey - it's very soothing on the throat. I take echinacea too; in the past it's helped keep the viruses away, but it didn't help at all with the New Year's cold.

How are you feeling today?

Hannelore, I know some people swear by Airborne -- but it's definitely not natural. It contains so much artificial sugar and leaves such a bad aftertaste, that the last time we both had a cold, neither hubbo nor I could finish off a glass between us.

I use a collection of Chinese herbs called Cold Snap, although I doubt you'd find it in Germany.

Sorry about that Hannelore. I was trying to help. I didn't know it was filled with unatural things. I'm sorry.

Anne, have you tried using a neti pot for cleaning out your sinuses? It feels/seems kinda gross at first, but it does help open up the clogged sinuses.

Madalyn, hon, that's alright. I would recommend any medication that helps me too. Besides, it's the thought that counts.

Meredith, you’re right; never heard of Cold Snap. I think Goldie Hawn is a big fan of Chinese remedies. I’ll look into it.

Lol Anne. You know what’s scary? I understood exactly what you meant when you said; thois8^dh9ip[oc??? Speaking of clogged sinuses, when I left milk products away, my sinuses unclogged within two weeks. Have you tried that?

This is just great, now Hubby has caught my cold,…and he’s dragging around like he’s on his death bed. Poor guy, he will really go nuts when he gets the entire bimbam. Right now I have my hands full between him and Anaiya. But I’m feeling somewhat better, and I’m managing.

I'm glad you're feeling better Hannelore...a little, at least, cuz honey, you're gonna need it if that man of yours has it! OMG....I can't believe what happens when a man gets a cold or flu. And they think women are all about drama??? They could make a movie out of the times my husband has really been sick...thank God, it's not often!!!

El Hub had two really bad colds this season that lasted at least 2 weeks each, one in December and another in January. I didn't catch the first one at all. The 2nd cold, I sneezed for 3 days straight but then it was over.

LadyJane, I'm married to a 24/7 drama queen, so it's hard to tell the difference!

I take green tea supplements, i.e., Origin 315 mg (Target store brand).

Anne, here is a link that I found to give you a little information on the neti pot. There is a small video on this particular site that shows how to use it. You can buy neti pots at wal-mart or the health food store for about $12.00 to $16.00.

neti pot

I can remember when we were children at home and when colds arrived, Mom would tuck us in near her ironing, feed us Tomato Soup made with milk, my fav...and give us Coke-a-cola...the only time we were allowed to drink plenty of it. And...they were in those small bottles. Remember those?

Yes, glass bottles. I also enjoy tomato soup with milk instead of water.

I recall eating chicken noodle soup with saltines as a child, when sick.

Air Borne really does work. But Walgreen's has a generic brand that works just as well and is a lot cheaper. It's Walborne. You can probably get it on the Internet, but it is sold every place that sells aspirin.

I use a lot of honey, lemon and vinegar during the allergy seasons as well as for my laryngitis.

Couple preventive things:

Antiviral tissues kill more than 99% of viruses. Make sure you are using them.

Always throw away your tooth brush when you get sick.

Remember to use antibacterial wipes on your phone.

Keep a little bottle of hand sanitizer in your purse.

Any others?

I do the antibacterial wipes or lysol on everything we touch...door handles, faucets, computer, steering wheels...everything we tend to touch and not wipe off. And of course, washing hands often and trying to remember to not touch your face before washing.

My son visis the gym a lot..he carries the antibacterial hand wash all the time.
Old fashioned tip from my Granny.Sore throat..fill an old sock with sea salt..warm in the aga type oven we had at home.Lay the salt filled sox round your neck..It was only done when going to bed..
MA

Throw away your tooth brush when you get sick? Are you kidding me?

Thennnnnn what do I clean Trixie's teeth with, may I ask?

Whattttt?

What do you do with used toilet bowl brushes JJ?

Dotsie I didn’t know those antiviral tissues are such germ killers. I’m buying a box tomorrow.

When Hubbys get sick; aaah, I know what you are talking about Ladyjane and Meredith. Yes,…our heroes.

By the way…I went to a lung specialist this morning, because the bronchitis isn’t getting any better. He took xrays of my lungs…I love xrays, I look so slender on them. Now the Dr. is giving me strong stuff; cortisone and a cough medicine that tastes like Vick Vapour rub. Good grief, that's even worse than Cooky's garlic drink. That stuff will drive anyone to health.

What USED ones?

Speaking of vicks vapor rub...my stepmom (God rest her soul) had the weird idea that eating vicks vapor rub would cure my chest cold. After chasing me around for an hour and backing me into a corner, she'd take that dark blue jar of axil grease, stick her finger deep down into the middle of it, come up with what amounted to about two tablespoons of the stuff, force my mouth open and smear it on the back of my throat and tell me to swallow it. Okay...now that I'm an adult and really can think for myself...what the H#$! did swallowing that crap do for my lungs? All it did was make me sick to my stomach...did nothing for my lungs. Before my dad married my step-mom, it had always been rubbed on my chest...you should have seen my face the first time my SM told me I had to eat the stuff.

Another childhood medicine trauma...Pepto Bismol...that stuff is disgusting and I'd rather have a screaming case of hemroids the size of each of my butt cheeks than take that stuff. Gag me with a spoon!!!!

Also hate Pepto Bismol, ick!!! But the Vicks I love, NOT TO EAT however, but to rup on my chest, and a little secret here: When you feel a cold coming on, before bedtime, rub some vicks on the bottom of each foot, be generous with it, then put on a pair of good heavy socks and it will work to stop the cold and if you aleady have one, will clear the mucus and help end the cold. This one REALLY works!!

Also in flu season always wear a hat outdoors, 70% of the bodys heat escapes through the top of the head. Remember in the olden days they wore those caps to bed, that was because they warmed the house with the fireplace, and it was so cold at night. The cap helped keep the body warmer.
Ask Dr. Chatty for advice, LOL!!

I love Peptol...love the taste. I know...wacko, hey? And another cure for a cold would be to move to Florida....

What? Chatty, I use to eat Vick's Vapor Rub...loved that stuff.

JJ..I know what I'm sending you for your birthday...a bottle of vicks and Pepto B.

Don't forget the chaser for all that...Oreo's.

Got it!!!! Double-stuff Oreo's!

And, why, might I ask would you want to ruin the taste of OREOs, using them as a chaser for Vicks and Pepto - yech!!!! I want to clear my throat just thinking about it - gaggamucho!!!!! Save the OREOs for when you can crunch them on top of a bowl of Blue Bell. Use warm water as your chaser - make that hot water - did I say, "YECHHH!?"

If my body can't handle recovery, I'm more apt to seek a holistic cure... over medication, that is, (which would be my last resort). Here's a quote from the coffee enema recipe, for anyone that's interested:

Quote:

---

Coffee enemas are also useful in relieving cold symptoms or a toxic headache.When introduced through the colon coffee does not act on the nervous system.

---

http://www.enemakit.com/Enema_solutions.html

Yes, but does it keep your butt awake nights???

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL....funny Chatty!!!!

Ain't no way I could do any kind of enema...much less knowing it was coffee....OMG!!!!

hahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa....Chatty!!!!
I thought this was for natural cold remedies??? Now an enema may be "cleansing" if that's your persuasion, but it's my sinuses that need it, not the other end.
I did know many people at one time who did all kinds of colonics to cleanse their systems. SOunds just awful to me.

yuck....yuck...yuckkkk.....lol

JJ I just LOVED your remedy and it´s effects! I am atill laughing! Mine would be whiskey..warmed up...kills any bacteria in sight..I am sure.

BUT, Hannelore, echinacea (indian root)..accepted here by normal medicine.

You are probably better by now..as you are remodeling your site ( another thread). but next time, dearest.

Here is a site http://www.rvita.com. It is a knowledge based site about alternative therapies.

Monica, we're glad you've chosen to join us, and hope you'll stick around and join in some of the other post. Please tell us more about yourself when you feel more comfortable doing so.

And by all means, join in the other post. Is this site you are offering your own site? Can you tell us more about it?

I use honey and Watkins Menthol Camphor and steam. I purchased one of those steam cups from some medical catalogue a few years back. When sinusitis begins, I breathe in steam for several minutes. That generally does the trick and I'm able to function without a plugged nose. The camphor clears the lungs. The honey soothes the throat.
Hope you're well soon! And Monica, I drink green tea almost daily. It's great for the intestines, etc.

Just out of curosity Jabber, what brand Green Tea do you use?

Has anyone here ever heard of a NettiePot?

Yep! I use it all the time, JJ. I have allergies with really bad nasal congestion. I think I mentioned on this thread before about the use of a netie pot before.

jj,
I use Salada, at the moment.

What is a NettiePot?

I just asked Google what it was. I think I'd rather breathe
in the steam. They make a normal sized cup with a cover and
a plastic extension on the top. A person places their entire nose in that [formed, nose rest] and simply inhale steam, from a cup of hot water, for a few minutes. It works like a charm and looks more appealing than the neti pot, IMO.

Don't get the Nettie pot. Get NeilMed. It works great. You simply either microwave water till it is warm, not boiling, or us distilled water, fill up the water bottle to 8 oz. (it's marked), then pour in the solution. Nothing to it. You bend your head over the sink, rest one nostril over the tip of the bottle, and gently squeeze the bottle. You leave your mouth open while you do this. It is easy as pie and works great.

Be prepared for "stuff" to come out of the opposite nostril. Then you do the other one.

You can only buy this at Walgreens and it comes in a box with about 50 packs of solution. Bout 12 bucks.

Only recommended for children 5 and older..and of course, adults.

Thanks JJ... same principle, but sounds easier than trying to hold the pot just so, so...will check into it this weekend. If my grandson won't use it, maybe my hub can... he has sinus troubles, too, just not as bad.