Home Remedies????

Good plan, Victor.

never heard of neti pot - just the other kind.

Other kind, Amy??

I don't have any home remedies, but I hope you feel better soon!! Eleanor

I wish I would too . . . :-)

I suppose that this won't be much help to you at this point, Seandor, but I googled Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) remedies and pulled this from holisticonline.com . I do hope that you feel better *soon*!


Cold/Flu

Chinese medicine views the common cold as an invasion of Wind. There are two basic types of colds:

1. Caused by Wind Cold. Cold colds produce chills and sensitivity to cold and drafts.

2. Caused by Wind Heat. Heat colds are flulike; they produce fever.

Wind Cold:

This pattern exhibits the following symptoms:
fever
chills (these are worse than the fever)
inability to get warm
nasal or sinus congestion with clear mucus
cough with clear mucus
stiff neck and shoulders
occipital headache (back of head)
a slower-than-normal pulse that is more easily felt at the surface.

Diaphoretic (sweating) therapy is often recommended for this condition, since it warms the body and pushes the pathogen out through the pores.

An effective remedy is miso soup with the white part of spring onion and fresh ginger. For more severe or advanced cases, there is a full range of therapies, depending on the combination of symptoms.

For this condition Chinese doctors often use formulas containing cinnamon twig, ginger root, asarum (which is similar to ginger), kudzu root, and licorice.

For example, when the symptoms include strong chills, inability to sweat, wheezing, and stiff neck, the classic and ancient remedy is Ephedra Decoction (Ma Huang Tang). The chief herb in this formula is Ephedra (ma huang). It also contains cinnamon twig, apricot seeds, and licorice. Ephedra is never used by itself in Chinese herbal therapy; it is always part of a formula, often combined with licorice (as in Ephedra Decoction), which tones down its harsh nature. Ephedra, used alone, is very dangerous, as it can raise blood pressure. Do not use this formula if you have heart disease or hypertension. And do not exceed the recommended dosage.

For symptoms of wind cold with headache and nasal congestion as the chief symptoms, the classic formula is Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao Wan, with green tea, which moves the action of the formula to the head area.

Wind Heat:

Characteristics:
the fever is worse than the chills
the pulse is faster than normal
swollen and sore throat with headache and irritability
If there is a cough, it is usually dry or nonproductive, with occasional expectoration of yellow mucus.

For wind heat, Chinese doctors typically prescribe herbal formulas containing chrysanthemum flowers, mulberry leaf, mint, peppermint, honeysuckle, forsythia buds, burdock seed, and licorice.

Numerous formulas are available in Chinese Medicine to treat the many variations of this condition. The most commonly used is a formula called Yin Qiao San. It is used for treating influenza, tonsillitis, and the common cold, is available as the patent formula Yin Qiao lie nu Pian.

In addition to Yin Qiao. a number of other effective remedies exist in Chinese medicine.
Gan Mao Ling is almost always useful in cases of wind heat.
If the fever is high, Zhong Gan ling is preferred.
If the sore throat is especially severe, Chuan Xin Lian Antiphlogistic Tablets are often prescribed.

Along with herbal remedies Chinese doctors also prescribe the following for wind heat:
Adequate rest
A vacation from sources of stress
Good nutrition in the form of soups and fresh juices
Avoid sweets and stimulants (such as caffeinated beverages). They aggravate the condition by feeding the pathogen.
Avoid tonifying herbs such as ginseng. Ginseng will powerfully feed the pathogen causing the illness, making the person feel much worse.

Chinese Patent Formulas for Cold

Sang Ju Yin Pian
Yin Qiao Jie Du Pian (Yin Chiao Chieh Tu Pien)

Sang Ju Yin Pian (Mulberry Leaf Chrysanthemum Drink Tablets)

This Chinese herbal remedy is prescribed for colds for the following symptoms:

.Cough
.Dry mouth
.Headache
.Sinus congestion
.Slight thirst
.Sneezing
.Some fever (but not high)
.Sore throat
.Watery eyes

Ingredients:

Morus Leaf (Herba Mori)
Chrysanthemum Flower (Flos Chrysanthemi Morifolii)
Forsythia Fruit (Fructus Forsythiae)
Apricot Seed (Semen Armeniacae Amarae)
Platycodon Root (Radix Platycodi)
Phragmites Rhizome (Rhizoma Phragmites)
Licorice Root (Radix Glycyrrhizae)
Mentha Herb (Herba Menthae)

Recommended Dosage

Take four pills three times a day.

Yin Qiao Jie Du Pian (Lonicera Forsythia Detoxification Tablets)

This Chinese Herbal remedy is useful for combating the following symptoms of cold:

.Aversion to wind
.Body aches
.Cough
.Fever
.Headache
.Sore throat
.Stiff neck
.Thirst

Ingredients

Lonicera Flower (Flos Lonicerae)
Forsythia Fruit (Fructus Forsythiae)
Arctium Fruit (Fructus Arctii)
Platycodon Root (Radix Platycodi)
Mentha Herb (Herba Menthae)
Phragmites Rhizome (Rhizoma Phragmites)
Licorice Root (Radix Glycyrrhizae)
Lophatherum Leaf (Herba Lophatheri)
Schizonepeta Herb (Herba Schizonepetae)

Recommended Dosage

Four pills two to three times a day. Discontinue use after three days.

Acupuncture and Moxibustion

Acupuncture and moxibustion can provide some immediate relief from cold symptoms and help the body expel the pathogen much faster. Acupuncture points along the lung and large intestine meridians are often used as they activate the immune function in the body.

The most important acupuncture point in treating the common cold is Large Intestine 4. This point is located in the web between the thumb and index finger. This point is very effective for this condition, since it suppresses pain and relieves exterior conditions. Patients frequently experience quick relief when the point is needled or massaged.

Wow - that's a lot of information. One thing I noticed was the need to avoid sugars. I have seen this elsewhere as well. Well, of course, I am sick right after Valentine's Day when DH gave me lots of chocolate, and all of this comes after Christmas with all kinds of sweets and goodies . . .

Boy . . . I hate being sick . . .

i think the nyquil is full of sugar... that can't be good... and yes I do use peroxide in my ears... my dr. also uses hydrogen peroxide to flush the system out with IV treatments... first the peroxide goes in ... it acts like your white blood cells to help fight off any toxins or any of those nasties... then a super dose of vitamins ... only problem is the insurance won't cover those or I would get them every winter like I did when living with mom & dad.... can't afford them now... wish I could

here is his website... also has other peroxide uses... his liver detox worked for me.... was a bit of a pain to do all the steps for a few days... but man did I feel better after... he has written several books and man do I love his way of thinking.. it was nice to go to a dr. and finally have someone who understands what my Epstein Barr and chronic fatigue and can help me feel better... oh yeah add in severe environmental and food allergies to the list... I give my self shots every week for immuneotherpy (spelling sorry) and my allergies... which is the only thing that has helped make me feel human again ... for years before I started taking them I didn't want to go outside never mind garden... and my insurance won't pay for that either... gotta love them... before these shots I couldn't eat bread or anything with yeast in it... you would be amazed how many canned foods have yeast in them... ex. cambles soup... I had no idea I was making myself worse when I was sick.. by just eating soup... when I stick to his diet plans it works and I usually feel better in a few days... but the human side that wants real food usually takes over.. even though I feel worse after eating normal bad food

http://www.majidali.com/

wow thanks for all the info Wrightie... I am always looking for natural helps

Wow - peroxide into your veins?

yep... and works wonderful

Allison, we're all glad that you are healthy enough and energetic enough to visit with us all the time!

thank you Sue.... seems I put the brakes on in this discussion didn't I?

I am drinking a concoction of 1 tsp honey and 1 tsp vinager and 1 tsp lemon juice in a mug then filled with hot water. I have seen this recommended several places on DG and as I had to drag myself to a computer lab class this afternoon, hot rum toddies were out of the question.

It may be just coincidence - but it does seem to help (plus I am probably over the worst by now, anyway.)

Thanks everyone for all your support and your suggestions. :-)

I know this one guy who swears by apple cider vinegar ... he drinks a glass every day... swears it controls colds and allergies ... don't know if I could get my self to get that down and keep it down

:)

I like apple cider vinegar & honey -- with or without water.

I had never heard of the Neti pot, so I googled it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8sDIbRAXlg . I'm not so sure that I could do this...

I couldn't...

No way! You would think the 1st side would take care of both.

Very interesting, I can see how this would help if you had chronic sinusitis or allergies.

I wouldn't pay money for that - I'd use a watering can!

I'd drown myself!

lol - I was just thinking. Sea Salt and a small watering can.

It's not difficult when you get used to it. It grossed me out at first but it's no problem at all now. It's not expensive and I would never use anything that could not be easily cleaned and disinfected. It feels great afterward. I would not be without it now.

I got this email yesterday. I like the dryer part. I am going to try it.

Helpful Hints

ONE CAN ALWAYS LEARN SOMETHING NEW

Peel a banana from the bottom and you won't have to pick the
little'stringy things' off of it. That's how the primates do it.

Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store. If you leave
them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.

Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil. It will stay fresh
much longer and not mold!

Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating.
Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.

Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef. It will help pull the
grease away from the meat while cooking.

To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of spoonfuls
of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream in and then beat them up.

For a cool brownie treat, make brownies as directed. Melt Andes mints in
double broiler and pour over warm brownies. Let set for a wonderful
minty frosting.

Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste of garlic
and at the end of the recipe if your want a stronger taste of garlic.

Leftover snickers bars from Halloween make a delicious dessert. Simple
chop them up with the food chopper. Peel, core and slice a few apples.
Place them in a baking dish and sprinkle the chopped candy bars over the
apples. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes!!! Serve alone or with vanilla ice
cream.

1. Reheat Pizza
Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set
heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No
soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really
works.

2. Easy Deviled Eggs
Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all
broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up
mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg.
Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.

3. Expanding Frosting
When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with
your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to
frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar
and calories per serving.

4. Reheating refrigerated bread
To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place
them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will
keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.

5. Newspaper weeds away
Start putting in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. Wet
newspapers put layers around the plants overlapping as you go cover with
mulch and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening
plastic they will not get through wet newspapers.

6. Broken Glass
Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you
can't see easily.

7. No More Mosquitoes
Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.

8. Squirrel Away!
To keep squirrels from eating your plants sprinkle your plants with cayenne
pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plant and the
squirrels won't come near it.

9. Flexible vacuum
To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty
paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or
flattened to get in narrow openings

10. Reducing Static Cling
Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a
clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing
panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and -- ta da! -- static is gone.

11. Measuring Cups
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water.
Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup. Next, add your
ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right
out.

12. Foggy Windshield?
Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box
of your car. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a
cloth!

13. Reopening envelope
If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something
inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an
hour or two. Voila! It unseals easily.

14. Conditioner
Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's a lot cheaper than
shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to
use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your
hair

15. Goodbye Fruit Flies
To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass fill it 1/2' with Apple
Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid, mix well. You
will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!

16. Get Rid of Ants
Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it 'home,'
can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it
rains, but it works & you don't have the worry about pets or small children
being harmed!

17. INFO ABOUT CLOTHES DRYERS
The heating unit went out on my dryer! The gentleman that fixes things
around the house for us told us that he wanted to show us something and he
went over to the dryer and pulled out the lint filter. It was clean. (I
always clean the lint from the filter after every load clothes.) He told us
that he wanted to show us something; he took the filter over to the sink,
ran hot water over it. The lint filter is made of a mesh material - I'm sure
you know what your dryer's lint filter looks like. Well,...the hot water
just sat on top of the mesh! It didn't go through it at all! He told us that
dryer sheets cause a film over that mesh and that's what burns out the
heating unit. You can't SEE the film, but it's there. It's what is in the
dryer sheets to make your clothes soft and static free -- that nice
fragrance too, you know how they can feel waxy when you take them out of the
box, well this stuff builds up on your clothes and on your lint screen. This
is also what causes dryer units to catch fire & potentially burn your house
down with it! He said the best way to keep your dryer working for a very
long time (& to keep your electric bill lower) is to take that filter out &
wash it with hot soapy water & an old toothbrush (or other brush) at least
every six months. He said that makes the life of the dryer at least twice as
long How about that!?! Learn something new everyday! I certainly didn't know
dryer sheets would do that. So, I thought I'd share

Note: I went to my dryer & tested my screen by running water on it. The
water ran through a little bit but mostly collected all the water in the
mesh screen. I washed it with warm soapy water & a nylon brush & I had it
done in 30 seconds. Then when I rinsed it the water ran right Thru the
screen! There wasn't any puddling at all! That repairman knew what hewas
talking about!

Great list of tips Schickenlady. I'm glad I don't use dryer sheets. LOL. Like the ants tip too.

Wonderful info Sherry! I'm gonna save that.

Victor, I always wanted to use a neti pot, but have been afraid... you know that drowning sensation? I think I'm gonna try it now. What can I lose? I'm sure I won't drown.

Harper, I have always dreaded drowning or not being able to breathe so if I can do it, so can you!

WooHoo! Words of encouragement!!

I'm with Victor on the neti pot. Just practice a few times with it empty, getting comfortable with how it feels in your nostril and breathing calmly through your mouth. I find that slow, shallow breaths work best for me; your mileage may vary. ;-)

The neti pot really helps clear up that post-nasal drip that keeps you coughing.

June

I'd do anything to get rid of that p.n. drip. Spring and Fall I get clogged up, too. Thanks Victor and June!

Harper

Some of those hints sound great, but the dry sheets keeping mosquitoes away DOES NOT WORK. It is a myth. i promise.
Also, that film from them is why you shouldn't dry towels with dryer sheets, it makes them less absorbant. Everything else i use dryer sheets - i seem to be a ball of static in the winter anyway - i can't imagine what it'd be like without.

I know!! I heard that one years back and it didn't work. My mom used to garden with a dryer sheet tied to her headband. She complained it didn't work then either. Then she tried rubbing herself down with raw garlic. It worked a little better, but the darn gnats didn't care.

Maybe your hair would stand on end without the dryer sheets during the winter...

The only thing I use dryer sheets for is to put them between some pages in old books so they smell better!

There was an email a few years ago describing about 100 ways to use dryer sheets. I will say though, that I have never had mosquitoes in my dryer.

On the neti pot, when you get better at it, you can move on to 'stage 2', where you take the water in the nostril, but expel it from your mouth. When I first saw the title for 'stage 2', I thought I was going to be expelling it from my butt!

ok...I gagged just reading that Victor...

If this is soooooo good - why don't you do it when your swimming?

Please don't say gag when discussing neti pots! It will scare people off.

Because I don't want that crap in my pool and I don't want chlorine going through me.

Victor, are you a stage 2 Neti user?

Yes - been for a while. I can sing while doing it too.