Expert Nurse & Company

Remember the old saying..."it takes three days to get a cold, three days to have a cold, and three days to get over a cold."  Colds are caused by viruses.  Antibiotics have no effect on viruses, so old remedies and approaches are practical and useful.

• In old Chinese medicine, mustard is used on the feet. The Chinese (as well as Europeans) dilute the mustard in a hot foot bath. When fresh circulation patterns start, the healing process begins. Run hot water into a large pan or use the tub. Add 2 tablespoons of mustard powder. Place the feet in a tu or basin for five mnutes or so. Wipe the feet.

• Egyptians used fennel seed in tea laced with honey to shorten colds. They also added one or several of their favorite antiseptic herbs: caraway seeds, anise seeds, cinnamon sticks, or cloves. Use "a pinch" of any one of these herbs in a cup of boiling water. Steep, strain out the herb, and sip to relieve head congestion and stuffy noses.

• Epsom salt baths are a northern European cold remedy. Epsom salt baths induce profuse perspiration in the bath and immediately afterwards. They believed this helped the body eliminate toxins. Add a cup or more of Epsom salt to a hot bath and immerse yourself up to your throat and ears.

• Native Americans taught early settlers in America how to use pumpkin seed tea to conquer mucus from a cold. Cut a pumpkin in half. Reserve the pulp for baking and later eating. Scoop out the seeds. Wash them. Put twenty seeds aside to make tea. Save the rest for additional tea or dry them for snacks. For the tea, boil twenty seeds in two cups of water. Strain and drink as needed.

• Old English herbals have good things to say about the use of peppermint tea as a remedy for an early, mild cold. Pour a pint of boiling water over one tablespoon of dried peppermint leaves. Steep, strain, and drink in small doses over the course of the day.

• The Egyptians believed that eating garlic helped to maintain good health. Scholars have translated ancient papyri listing enormous quantities of garlic distributed each day to the Hebrew slaves who built the pyramids. Garlic is a vital antibacterial and can help you confront a cold and conquer any number of infections.

• If a cold is accompanied by a fever or creates clogging from mucus, people in the mountains of Tennessee traditionally drink catnip tea to lower the fever and reduce the mucus. Pour two cups boiling water over one teaspoon catnip and steep for five to seven minutes. Sip as needed.

• At least fourteen Native American tribes used the purple coneflower to help with colds, coughs, sore mouths, inflammation, and cramps and as a purifier. In particular, the Plains Indians used a Plains species, Echinacea augustifolia, for colds and general immunity, sucking on the root all day long if necessary to treat an oncoming cold.

• In the past, Russian village healers would convince sinusitis patients to avoid milk because it forms too much mucus.

• "Open Sesame!" A mere whiff of that ancient secret Chinese ointment, Tiger Balm, will open clogged nasal passages. The herbs in the balm are healing and will bring blood to the surface of the skin. Apply a tiny, thin coat of Tiger Balm over the sinuses and along the outer edge of the nose.

• Adam in Eden, published in 1657, was one of the most popular home remedy books of the seventeenth century. For a sore throat, the book recommends marshmallow flowers boiled in water and sweetened with a small amount of honey. Steep one teaspoon of marshmallow flowers in eight ounces of boiling water. Strain and add a dollop of honey. Sip as needed to ease the pain.

Source: Ancient Healing Secrets: Practical Herbal Remedies From Around The World That Work Today by Dr. Dian Dincin Buchman, Ph.D.