Cold and Flu Season or Cold and Flu Year?
These days it seems like there is always something going on with our sinuses. Allergies, colds and flues, germs and mold, every time we turn the corner it’s to grab a tissue. In our house it is a constant battle of dusting and cleaning to help our full house breathe easy. (Speaking of breathing, I talk a lot about that right over here.)
While we all have our reasons, a lot of us don’t want to make a trip to the doctor for an irritating virus. There are a few simple tricks you can do to recover in record time, and even help improve your immune system so that you stop fighting these symptoms.
There are millions of home remedies, but this assortment of methods is just my family’s way of dealing with infections and viruses.
Let’s start with my favorite!
Peroxide!
We clean everything with peroxide. I cannot tell you how much I love the little spray bottle they make now. I probably buy enough peroxide to own stock somewhere. So let’s run over the things that you need to be using this on and talk about the benefits you will see immediately.
Places to use peroxide
Pillows and bedding in every room. If you use pillow cases make sure you strip the case. Spray your bare mattress, and use on sheets and pillow cases every morning before making the bed. If the dog sleeps in the bed mist the bed after it’s made, too.
Furniture, all your furniture can be cleaned with peroxide. With wood be careful of course, and use some wood oil after to prevent drying. In my experience this has not caused any discolorations between various types of fabrics.
Carpets, now this has an even better benefit, especially if you have pets. Peroxide is a fantastic deodorizer. I use peroxide daily on my carpets and we have four dogs and two boys. I promise if you walk in my house and all the animals are outside, you won’t even know we have pets! The house smells so good now that I use this to clean. It doesn’t smell like the perfume isle at Macy’s. It smells like home; home for us smells like cooking and burning wood usually. If you are wondering why you need to go so far as to disinfect your carpets, it’s simple. They’re dirty.
Last but not least, peroxide is used for Oxygen Therapy!
(Which I also talk about over here.)
This is easiest done with an eye dropper. Two single drops in every one of your drinks, hot or cold. You will never taste it. Viruses, infections, bad bugs in general cannot survive easily in heavily oxygenated environments. This acts very similarly to Oxygen therapy. It’s just the cheapest version out there, and quite a sufficient one at that. This can help you with a world of ailments, but I won’t go into all of that for this article.
PEROXIDE:
- per·ox·ide
pəˈräkˌsīd/
noun
Chemistry
noun: peroxide; plural noun: peroxides
- 1.
a compound containing two oxygen atoms bonded together in its molecule or as the anion O22−.
Peroxide is completely safe, though I certainly insist only taking it in small doses at a time, simply for the fact that it is so heavily oxygenated it can cause an upset stomach if you take too much. What happens if you take too much? Well, I threw up. Didn’t make me out right sick, just nauseated. I was young, overzealous, and downed a shot glass full trying to get rid of my bug. I felt fine within just a few minutes after.
Next…
We all take Sodium Bicarbonate pills when we’re not feeling our best, though I have to take them daily for ongoing care.
What is Sodium Bicarbonate? Baking soda! It helps regulate pH—keeping a substance neither too acidic nor too alkaline.
I cannot tell you how vital it is to have a proper pH balance, but this plays a crucial role in our bodies overall health. Without proper balance our body’s cells could cease to function. Our natural ability to heal and regenerate is greatly diminished. Our ability to absorb essential nutrients or detoxify and eliminate negative substances stops functioning like it’s supposed to. Even if your body is slightly alkaline, your body may not be able to heal itself. So basically, proper pH balance means a stronger total self and will keep us at our healthiest.
“Paying attention to acid-alkaline balance (or pH Balance) is one of the most crucial ways you can affect your health status. It impacts immunity, digestion, bone strength, symptoms of joint disease, hormones, and the function of essential internal organs.”
Susan Lark, M.D., co-author of The Chemistry of Success: Six Secrets of Peak Performance. Source: “pH power: maintain a proper acid-alkaline balance to curtail colds and keep inflammation in check” by Molly Spile, November 2005.
If you would like to understand more about the benefits of a proper pH balance, check this page out
Soothing throats
Soothe throats with this easy sweet blend. Since my children were old enough to have honey they have loved it. Since they were old enough to have cough medicine they’ve hated it. My fix? Each year I make a jar of my own syrup by mixing three simple ingredients.
Honey – We only use locally grown, raw honey. This is why.
Cinnamon – 1 heaping tablespoon. Here is why.
Lemon juice – I use organic pre-strained juice to avoid pulp seeds and get as much juice as I need. I used a 1/4th cup of lemon juice for a full 16 ounce jar of honey.
In addition to soothing throats, this combination when made with local raw honey has incredible health benefits. It is packed full of nutrients and minerals, which will strengthen your immune system.
This mixture is also pretty awesome when used for your herbal tea!
Please practice common sense, talk to your doctor and see this disclaimer for all the legal junk.