When I was growing up my mom had millions of home remedies for everything from a cure for an ear ache to a salve for open wounds. Some of them really worked and some of them I think were just smelly placebos to make you think it was working. Here are some of the remedies my mom used to use to get us better fast when we had a cold.



Lemmon:

My mom always said that Tea with lemon was the best thing for a cold, and many experts now agree with her. The vitamin C in the lemon helps strengthen the body's immune system. They also say that it should be in warm water which is why they put it in tea.

Chest Cold:

Garlic soup is a great way to help open up the repertory system and make breathing easier while killing the germs that causes the cold at the same time. The garlic hold antiseptic properties that helps the body rid itself of its unwanted guests, the oil the in the soup opens the airways, and by adding a tablespoon of onion juice you can flush all the unwanted toxins from your body by sweating them out.

Ginger Tea:

If you have a cold with a fever the answer is tea with ginger. This does not mean make a cup of tea with a tea bag of ginger tea. This does not have enough ginger in it to make a difference. What you need to do is cut up several pieces of ginger, approximately a quarter of an ounce, and put it in a pot. Put a cup of water in the pot and bring it to a boil. After the water boils, strain the chunks of ginger out of the water and pour the remains into a glass add sugar for taste, and drink it.

Diet:

Many moms go by the old adage feed a fever starve a cold, and this is still good advice today. When the patient has a fever it is best to just give them water, fruit and vegetable juices mixed with some water. A fever can make the body sweat and burn off much energy and without plenty of fluids your body will start to dehydrate, which can prolong and worsen the problem.

Peppers:

Whenever I had a stuffy nose my mom would always make us a Tamarind and pepper soup. This would immediately make my nose flow a river and my eyes tear out of control. The hot peppers open the nasal passages and cause everything to flow out.

Bitter Gourd Root Paste:

This is not one of my mom remedies so I have never tried it but I have been told from people that it really does work. This remedy does not cure the symptoms of the cold it goes after the cold itself. Take a teaspoon of the paste and a teaspoon of honey. If taken for a month it will rid the body of the cold germs and help strengthen your immune system.

End All Cure All:

This really is the best home remedy I have ever seen. Turmeric not only gets rid of the cold in a few days, it also knocks out all the symptoms like sore throat, runny nose and congestion. Turmeric can be bought as a powder, put half a teaspoon of Turmeric in a sauce pan with a cup of milk and bring it to a boil on a low flame. When the milk begins to boil take some good strong sniffs of the steam your nose will almost instantly begin to open up, and after drinking the concoction you will star to feel better. Drink 2 cups a day for 3 days and you will be back on your feet in no time.

These were just some of my mom's home remedies from the old country. I hope they help keep your kids as well as they did my bother and I.