COUGHS/ COLDS/ CONGESTION

This is a working list of remedies. I continually add to this list. These are things that I have used (and have actually worked) over the years for my clients, myself, and my family.

Disclaimer

• Always talk with your doctor or healthcare practitioner before implementing any remedies to ensure they are right for you and do not interact with any medications. A great website for herb-drug interactions is - HelloPharmacist . But, always check with a health care professional first, as there are contraindications for using certain herbs/ spices for certain conditions.

• Use common sense: when it is time to see a doctor, it is time to see a doctor, do not delay. If you are having a medical emergency, go to the emergency room.

A note on children:

• Think to yourself: this is a tiny sensitive person, so they will need a tiny amount that is NOT strong. For teas, the longer you steep something, the stronger it becomes. Thus, I like to steep for 5-15 minutes depending on the child/case. Also, avoid super strong herbs or just keep them at a minimum - for example, black pepper can be strong - just A PINCH will do. Also, avoid honey if under 1 year old.

• Every child and every case is different, so speak to a medical professional first before trying anything listed here.

For best results

• Ayurveda says, when something is acute, you want to have a small amount of something (a remedy like the ones below), every hour until symptoms subside.

• Sometimes, especially when you are sick and tired, doing anything every hour can be a little intense. Unless you are absolutely determined to get rid of something quick - then it is a no-brainer :).

• You can try every 2-3 hours or a pace that works for you. The point is, these will not work as a single dose. You have to saturate the body in the medicine; that is how they work. You will most likely need multiple doses to get the best results.

A note on tea

• Roots (like ginger root) need to be decocted: this involves simmering that herb until 25%-75% of the water has been reduced. The longer you simmer it, the stronger it will be. I like to start with reducing it by 25% or just 1 cup or so (you can eye-ball it), drink that, and then see how you feel. If you need to simmer it for longer for a stronger brew, you can.

  • After simmering, steep it covered for 30-45 minutes or overnight. The longer it steeps with the herbs, the stronger it will be. Then strain the herbs and drink.

• Anything powdered, a leaf, or flower: Do not simmer it, that would be too strong for the delicate flower/ leaf/ powder. Just steep covered for 30-45 minutes in hot water.

• Seeds: Can go either way, you can extract either by steeping like a leaf or by simmering like a root.

What NOT to eat

• Sugar - raw local honey is okay, and actually preferred during illnesses (not for babies under 1 year old)

• Meat - too heavy and difficult to digest

• Dairy - mucus forming

For prevention

• Strengthen digestion by eating the food in this kitchen, drinking digestive teas, avoiding bad food combinations, and doing your daily morning routine.

Cough

• Ajwain Poultice

  • Add 2-3 tbsp of ajwain seeds to a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat until aromatic (2-3 minutes), stirring frequently to prevent burning. Add the warm seeds to a cheese cloth (or any material that is breathable). Tie the cheesecloth together so you have a warm ball/pouch of ajwain seeds.

  • You can use this as a warm compress by placing it on the chest, back, and throat area for 5 minutes at a time.

  • And/or you can place it on your nightstand while you sleep. You will be breathing in the anti-cough, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, properties of ajwain Make sure it is close enough where you can smell the ajwain.

  • This is great for kids, adults, also helps stimulate digestion. An all-around winner.

• Ajwain tea

  • Can also mix ajwain with other herbs such as freshly grated ginger, bay leaves, thyme, cloves, turmeric, black pepper, coriander (as examples)

  • Steep 1/4 tsp - 1 tsp of ajwain seeds per 1 cup of hot water. Ajwain is very heating and strong, so start with a smaller dose and then build your way up. Steep covered for 30-45 minutes. Sweeten with raw local honey if you would like. Consume multiple times a day.

• Clove cough drop

  • dry roast 2 whole cloves over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent burning. They will darken, become aromatic, and possibly puff up. Once they are aromatic (dont burn it, as it will lose the benefits and taste bad if you do), remove them from heat and allow to cool. Chew the 2 whole cloves slowly 2x a day. Option to dip them in raw local honey to improve the taste or chase them down with a spoonful of honey.

• Raw Local Honey - a spoonful of honey with 1 or 2 cranks of freshly cracked black pepper (about a 2 finger pinch). This can be helpful for a cough and congestion.

• Stubborn dry cough - Banana + black pepper

  • Add a pinch of freshly cracked black pepper to a banana. Smash it up and eat it, or eat it whole without smashing. Option to add 1/2 tsp of raw local honey.

• Productive cough with mucus - Honey + black pepper

  • 1/2 tsp - 1 tsp of raw local honey + a few cranks of freshly cracked black pepper (1-2 cranks for kids over 1 years old, 3-5 cranks for adults). Consume 2-3x a day until symptoms subside.

• Stubborn dry cough - Turmeric milk

  • 1 cup milk (good quality dairy or plant milk, whichever you prefer), 1/4 cup water, 1/4 tsp turmeric, pinch of salt, pinch of organic cane sugar

  • Bring to a simmer and simmer until 1 cup remains (only 5 mins or so). Option to add a 1 tsp of raw local honey once it is cool enough to drink instead of the cane sugar

Congestion

• Ajwain Steam

  • Heat up a BIG bowl of water and add about 2 tbsp - 1/4 cup ajwain seeds to the water. The steam coming from the water should be fragrant and smell like ajwain. close your eyes and place your face over the steam and breathe gently. Obviously, do not put your face so close to the steam that it burns. The whole purpose is for you to breathe in the steam. Option to put a towel over your head to create a little steam tent. It is quite nice. Allow any mucus or nasal crust to drop right into the bowl. Perform multiple times a day for cough & congestion symptoms.

• Onion Chop

  • This one is very interesting. Chop up an onion (I prefer a white onion, but any onion with a strong smell should work well). You can chop it into quarters or dice it - it doesn't really matter as long as you can smell the onion. Place on a plate and sleep beside it. It will help clear up the mucus as you sleep, so you can sleep!

• Honey + black pepper

  • 1/2 tsp - 1 tsp of raw local honey + a few cranks of freshly cracked black pepper (1-2 cranks for kids over 1 years old, 3-5 cranks for adults). Consume 2-3x a day until symptoms subside.

• Kashaya

  • Make as a tea or warm milk. A warm milk would be better for dry/ stuck mucus. A tea would be better for runny mucus that won't stop.

• Pomegranate Juice + Black Pepper + Ginger:

  • Mix 1/2 cup freshly made pomegranate juice with a 2-finger pinch of black pepper and 2-finger pinch of dry ginger powder. Mix together and drink. Have multiple times a day to reduce mucus.

Sore Throat

• Pomegranate Juice + Black Pepper + Ginger:

  • Mix 1/2 cup freshly made pomegranate juice with a 2-finger pinch of black pepper and 2-finger pinch of dry ginger powder. Mix together and drink. Have multiple times a day to ease a sore throat.

• Warm Saltwater Gargle:

  • Add 1/2 cup warm water, pinch of salt, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (optional, but helpful) to a small bowl. Bring this into the bathroom, with a spoon, and gargle 1 spoonful at a time over the sink for 30 seconds - 1 minute each (you can go longer if you can tolerate it). Repeat multiple times a day for best results.

• Turmeric tea

  • Add 1 1/2 cup hot water to a mug and mix in 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, pinch of black pepper, pinch of salt, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Mix together and allow to steep covered (you can put a plate over it) for about 10-20 minutes. Mix in raw local honey once it is cool enough to drink. Have multiple cups a day until your symptoms subside for best results.

• Raw Local Honey: Have a spoonful every hour until symptoms subside, you can also use it to sweeten your tea (once the tea has cooled down enough to drink, never heat honey)

General Immunity

• Raw local honey

  • Have a spoonful (about a teaspoon size) every hour until symptoms subside, you can also use it to sweeten your tea (once the tea has cooled down enough to drink, never heat honey)

• Ginger tea

• Turmeric tea

  • Same process as above under "sore throat"

• Ginger coriander tea

  • use the ginger tea recipe, just add 1/2 tbsp coriander seeds

• Kashaya tea or milk

• Ginger Cinnamon tea

  • use the ginger tea recipe, just add 1-2 cinnamon sticks (the more cinnamon you add, the stronger it will be)

• Elderberry syrup

• Fire cider

To make any soup healing:

• Include food and spices such as: garlic, onion, greens (kale, spinach), mustard seeds, cinnamon, black pepper, turmeric, lemon, ginger, coriander, ajwain, clove, bay leaves etc.

• Here is a list of spices and their medicinal properties so you know what to use when and what each spice is good for:

Spice Medicine Cabinet.pdf

Download PDF • 380KB

Food

• Use the #whattoeatwhensick hashtag when in doubt and wanting to look at a list of options. But, here are some good ones:

• Kale, Carrot, Lentil Soup

• Sweet Potato Quinoa Soup

• Quinoa Summer Soup (for summer colds)

• Red Lentil Lemongrass Curry (lemongrass is great for fevers)

• Savory Quinoa Porridge (great when on the mend)

• Or search any SOUP recipe in the search bar and make it a point to include any of the spices above! Choose one that appeals the most to you!