If no one likes being sick, then why is it so hard to find head cold relief? There are so many medications you can take, but certain ones have so many drawbacks! You don’t want to feel drowsy when driving and you don’t want to give your young child the wrong dose! Fresh Tech Maid is the only maid service in Chicago that uses chemical free cleaning, so we decided to extend our natural knowledge to compile the best, natural flu and cold relief methods out there! These are not meant to replace any medications prescribed to you by your doctor, they are just natural alternatives to finding common cold and flu relief. You can also use these tips to prevent the flu once you start experiencing flu symptoms.
1. Steam!
As someone who struggles with allergies during dry seasons, this one is my personal favorite! Whether your nose is stuffed up or your throat is as dry as a desert, surrounding yourself with steam is an amazing way to get temporary relief. Just sit in your bathroom with your shower on full heat. This will cause steam to flood your bathroom, open your sinuses, and coat your throat in warm steam when you breathe in through your mouth. I struggle with sinus headaches when I get seasonal allergies, so this method really helps me release the pressure in my head. You must make sure your bathroom fan is on to prevent moisture from building up and limit yourself to only a few minutes.
2. Nasal Rinse
Sitting in a steamy bathroom is great for temporary relief, but your symptoms will slowly come back after you exit the bathroom. For relief that is instant and lasts much longer, try rinsing your nose with warm salt water! Salt water is not only amazing at breaking down nasal congestion, but it also helps remove virus particles and bacteria that hides in your nostrils. First, mix ¼ tsp of baking soda and ¼ tsp of salt in eight ounces of warm water. Then, use a bulb syringe or a nasal irrigation kit to squirt the water up one nostril while holding the other nostril closed. Let the water drain from the nostril and repeat two or three times before moving on to the next nostril.
3. Gargle Mix
After making your sinuses feel better, it’s time to soothe your throat! We have three different mixes you can make to gargle and ease that throat pain. The easiest is to just mix a half of a teaspoon of salt with eight ounces of warm water and gargle it four times a day. This is also a great way to ease and treat throat infections! If your throat is more itchy than painful, you can do a ‘astringent gargle’. This is when you gargle a tea that includes tannin, which tightens the membranes in your throat. For itchy and painful throats, you can mix a tablespoon of raspberry leaves or lemon juice with one teaspoon of honey in two cups of hot water. Let the mix set until it is a comfortable drinking temperature.
4. Hot Liquids
Gargling can be very beneficial to your throat, but drinking warm liquids can relieve nasal congestion, prevent dehydration, and soothe the inflamed membranes that line your throat and nose! Warm liquids can include tea, soup broth, or coffee. Black and green teas contain catechin, which is a natural antibiotic and helps curb diarrhea. You can also use a classic and ADULT ONLY remedy that helps if your congestion is preventing you from getting sleep. This is called a ‘hot toddy’ and is when you mix a teaspoon of honey and an ounce of bourbon or whiskey in a cup of hot herbal tea. Limit yourself to one hot toddy before bed, because too much alcohol when you’re sick can inflame the membranes in your throat and nose.
5. Upper Lip Salve
Rubbing a small amount of a mentholated natural salve under your nose can not only help open your breathing passage, but also soothe the skin that has been rubbed heavily from blowing your nose. Make sure to rub the salve on the upper lip area below your nose, not inside of your nostrils. Eucalyptus, menthol, and camphor will open up your sinuses and since they all contain mild numbing agents that help soothe your skin.
6. Eat The Right Foods
Ginger is an anti-inflammatory and an anti-bacterial that helps with congestion, nausea, colds, and fevers. Garlic is an antioxidant with antimicrobial, antiviral, and antibiotic properties that is filled with minerals, sulphur, enzymes, selenium, and vitamin C that all help bust colds and flus. Bananas and rice both curb diarrhea and soothe upset stomachs. Blueberries contain a natural aspirin that helps fight fevers, curb diarrhea, and ease aches and pains. Mustard and horseradish can help clear the mucus in your air passage. Lastly, onions contain phytochemicals that help clear bronchitis and other throat infections.
7. Get An Extra Pillow!
This is especially helpful if you are losing sleep due to being so congested. Elevating your head can help relieve the congested nasal passages and help you get a long and uninterrupted sleep.
8. Take Steps To Prevent It From Coming Back!
The only thing worse than getting sick is getting sick again! The most common way of this happening is when you touch something while you are sick and then touch it again after you get better. This can be prevented by cleaning your home and regularly washing your hands. An even better way is to hire a maid service and see if they have any flu related cleanings. Here at Fresh Tech Maid, we have a flu buster cleaning that completely sanitizes your home using chemical free products to ensure your home is healthy and rid of germs!
