Good old remedies?

[Angela]

Hello,

Any good old-fashioned remedies that work for colds, sore throats and flu please? I've tried hot lemon & honey & breathing in steam with menthol crystals.

Can't have a hot toddy sadly :( due to health reasons.

My granny was a great believer in a mustard footbath (?) but I'm not too convinced...even stranger the one where she said you wrapped a boiled onion in a scarf around your throat -not that I actually ever saw her do that!

[Stumurf]

Sorry to hear your under the weather....

as for colds and flu, i find that a few days in bed, keeping warm and sleeping as much as possible, while drinking as much water as possible and eating lots of home made soup does the trick.... doses of hot water, plenty lemon and freshly grated ginger can be a nice treat also.

well.. for me at least....

I find that most "advertised" remedies only tackle the symptoms of cold and flu instead of the cause, as with most things prevention is better than cure.

Hope all that didnt come across with an holier than thou attitude, but sensible diet and strengthening your immune system can save you a lot of hassle and money.

Hope others have some ideas that can help you out...

[highlander]

When i was young, my dad used to give us bairns, asket powders, and boiled plain lemonade, then off to bed with hot water bottle, once we were better as a treat we were given ice-cream in a glass of lemonade, gawddddddd this brings back memories.

[jings00]

a hot infusion of crushed cardamom pods, and grated ginger is pretty good for helpin a chesty cough. and it tastes no bad either.

[Ojibwa]

Chop up onions, put them in your socks and leave them on overnight. In the morning you will feel much better. :) This was advice was given to me from a native Canadian medicine man.

[Angela]

When i was young, my dad used to give us bairns, asket powders, and boiled plain lemonade, then off to bed with hot water bottle, once we were better as a treat we were given ice-cream in a glass of lemonade, gawddddddd this brings back memories.
It surely does bring back memories, I remember the plain boiled lemonade, it tasted WONDERFUL - and the ice cream soda too.
I knew onions came into it somewhere, but I'm still not convinced! Although a Polish friend described a drink made with crushed garlic...I like garlic, but maybe not as a drink?

[Metalattakk]

I was once told that if you take something for a cold, it'll take two weeks to clear up, but if you let it run it's course you'll be better in a fortnight.

Make of that what you will.

[cuddlepop]

I'm sorry to here your feeling unwell,if its any consolation every second person over here seems to have this virus thats going round.:~(
Old fashioned honey and lemon with gratted ginger is helpful,mustard foot bath for your feet and steam inhalation with a little peppermint oil for your tubes Vicks vapour rub and lots off it,all over your back and front just to make you feel better.
And lots and lots of rest,this takes time.:)

[sweetpea]

I take echinacea tablets but you need to take them for at least 3 months before they get into your system but they build your immunity. Other than that if I get a flu I have to keep going and work it off, if I lie about I feel worse.

[George Brims]

On the prevention side, eat a lot of fruit and vegetables. Since I started my current regime of being a vegetarian until the sun goes down, I have not had a serious cold in years. Buy oranges and leave the echinacea in the quack shops!

Mind you I have read that as you get older you catch less and less colds anyway, as each virus you encounter is more and more likely to be related to one your immune system has already seen. People in their 80s apparently almost never catch a cold. Flu viruses unfortunately mutate more so they do get those.

[Fran]

http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/10/10_2_26.gif (http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb001_ZN) Paracetomol, plenty of fluids and lots of rest and keep warm....thats the main recipee.

[Don Quixote]

Dark rum and green ginger.

Doesn't do much for the cold but makes you forget about it real quick!

[JimH]

It matters not what you do - you will not cure it. All you can do is ease the symptoms by what ever your granny used to do, or with some of the crap that you can get from the chemist.
I.m in the same state, so get well soon, and thatmeans all who are suffering

[Angela]

It matters not what you do - you will not cure it. All you can do is ease the symptoms by what ever your granny used to do, or with some of the crap that you can get from the chemist.
I.m in the same state, so get well soon, and thatmeans all who are suffering
Thank you to everybody for their suggestions - I know there's no cure, just things that make you FEEL a bit better.
About 50% of the population of Edinburgh seems to have got this "Flu-type" virus, and I'm sure we're not alone - hope everybody who's got it gets better soon & the rest of you don't catch it!