Cold Medicine

[janey]

My son has come down with a cold and cough. All the over the counter medicine has dyes and other junk that I don't want him taking.

Has anyone had success with some herbal/homeopathic medicine?

 

Thank you

[QsMom]

I just tried BT (Boeriche and Tafel) brand which I bought at Whole Foods. It says Children's Cough and Bronchial Syrup on the bottle. They had a number of other choices too with similar ingredients. This particular type is honey based and my son said it did not taste too bad.

 

Good luck ...

[janey]

I just tried BT (Boeriche and Tafel) brand which I bought at Whole Foods. It says Children's Cough and Bronchial Syrup on the bottle. They had a number of other choices too with similar ingredients. This particular type is honey based and my son said it did not taste too bad.

 

Good luck ...

 

 

Thanks for the info.

 

Did it work?

[QsMom]

Janey- I did not see your comment or would have replied sooner. The cough syrup did seem to help, and it did not cause any unwanted side effects. It's effectiveness is hard to judge though b/c my son's bronchittis was extremely bad.

[Caryn]

My mother told me about this one and I know that there is no scientific basis for it, but gosh darn it, it works!

I rub vicks on my boys feet and then put socks on them at bedtime to relieve coughing symptoms.

I checked it out on Snopes, too.

-- and be careful with health food store cough syrups. Tigger had a bad reaction and after careful inspection on the bottle I realized that it had sodium benzoate as a preservative. This is known to cause hyperactivity in ALL kids. http://healthy-family.org/caryn/231

[janey]

My mother told me about this one and I know that there is no scientific basis for it, but gosh darn it, it works!

I rub vicks on my boys feet and then put socks on them at bedtime to relieve coughing symptoms.

I checked it out on Snopes, too.

-- and be careful with health food store cough syrups. Tigger had a bad reaction and after careful inspection on the bottle I realized that it had sodium benzoate as a preservative. This is known to cause hyperactivity in ALL kids. http://healthy-family.org/caryn/231

 

 

Thanks, it's worth a try!

[patty]

Caryn,

 

Do you put vicks on top or bottom of feet? I would like to try that for my kids. Does it only work for cough? or cold symptoms like runny stuffy nose, runny eyes...?

 

Thx!

 

Pat

[Caryn]

Caryn,

 

Do you put vicks on top or bottom of feet? I would like to try that for my kids. Does it only work for cough? or cold symptoms like runny stuffy nose, runny eyes...?

 

Thx!

 

Pat

Bottom of the feet. I put a liberal amount on. It only helps the cough. My girlfriend from Lithuania gave me an herbal tea that really helps with the head cold symptoms. It has calendula, chamomile, and another herb, I'll have to call her about it. I can't read Lithuanian and I can't remember. Anyway, it's called Bronchos and anyone living in PA, Chicago, SanFran, or any other area with a large Lithuanian population may find a small European store that carries it. Otherwise, just get the individual herbs and brew some of your own. It really helps them like an expectorant. I like this brand the best, and I have tried the herbal teas offered in the states. Bronchos just clears up the congestion nicely and keeps everything loose. As far as stopping the phlegm, I'm not sure there is anything for that in the natural sense, just that the cold needs to run its course. We do use a lot of fresh veggies and of course zinc to help kick the colds, too. I do vaporize, but not always. I have little boys and they like to play in the water.

Caryn

I will call her and see if I can't find out the exact herbal recipe!

[Caryn]

THYME!!

[patty]

Thx Caryn!

 

Pat

[Caryn]

Curious about the thyme (as I sit here coughing myself, LOL)

I googled it. I found this recipe at:http://www.henriettesherbal.com/faqs/medi-3-12-cough.html

One cough syrup you can make at home is Kathy Kevilles Homemade Honey Cough Syrup:

 

1 tablespoon licorice root

1 tablespoon marshmallow root

1 tablespoon plantain leaf

1 teaspoon thyme leaf

1 pint water

4 tablespoons honey

4 ounces glycerin

1/8 teaspoon anise essential oil (optional)

 

Prepare a triple-strength tea by simmering the herbs in water for 10 minutes, then steeping for 20 minutes. Strain the tea, then stir in honey and glycerin while the tea is still warm. Add optional essential oil. Take 1 tablespoon at a time. Stored in a cool place, this syrup will keep for 2 weeks. In the refrigerator, it will keep for several months.

This recipe is suitable for children, but not for infants, who should not have honey.

[patty]

I use a homeopathic cough syrup make by Boiron, Chestal honey and have some success with it. And it tastes pretty good.

 

Also, try making a honey lemon drink with a pinch or as much as you can tolerate ceyanne pepper. It is yummy & worked pretty well the last couple of times when i had a cough. The ceyanne pepper helps with infection.

 

Pat

[Chemar]

hi

 

Caryn, that recipe sounds like one my granma used to make!

we very seldom have colds,coughs,flu here but when we do I tend to go for a thyme tea with lemon and honey

 

there are also very pure and highly spoken of (albeit a bit pricey) products at www.nativeremedies.com for all ailments, including respiratory

 

C

[kim]

I see the recipe that Caryn posted has plantain leaf listed.

 

I meant to share this, this past summer but didn't seem to get around to it.

 

If you use google image, you can find a picture of a plantain plant. They grow right in most yards. You can find them near sideways, driveway borders etc.

 

This plant is like a miracle for people who are allergic to bee stings. I have a very stubborn friend, who would not go to a Dr. for a horribly swollen hand. The swelling extended up to her elbow with a red line spreading up the arm. I was having a fit, so I got on the computer, found this "natural remedy" and we tried it. The bees had stung her 2 days prior. I didn't think it would be able to remove any toxins, but it worked. By the next day her arm was 80 % better. She said the pain started to diminish almost as soon as the leaves hit her skin. That night she took some of the leaves, put them in a food processor with a little liquid green tea, sort of made a paste and slept with it on the bites.

 

She had a friend who has the same reaction, use it when he was stung on the neck, he had no reaction.

 

I had my husband use it on a steam burn. It was your typical painful steam burn (as we were learning how to can tomatoes from the same friend who had the bee reaction...ahhh the joys of eating healthier ) I ran out, got a few leaves, rinsed them, beat them with a butter knife handle....and the burn never even blistered. The next day it was just a flat red mark. It has anti inflammatory properties, and removes much of the sting, almost immediately. Really cool plant.