Take good care of your baby


Natural cough remedies

Question: Sometimes it seems thelinen napkin) and fold it up to make a
coughing will never end, especiallypacket.
during cold and flu season. The pharmacyCarefully apply to your child’s
shelves are stocked with cough syrupscongested area, making sure it is not
full of chemicals, alcohol and dyes. Aretoo hot to the touch, and cover with a
there natural cough remedies to try?terrycloth towel to retain the heat.
Andrea Candee replies: Try some of theseAs the onion poultice cools on your
easily prepared cough remedies made fromchild’s chest, prepare another one to
nature’s pharmacy.replace it.
Onion-Honey Cough SyrupThis procedure can be repeated several
Here’s a sweet and delicious coughtimes using fresh onions for each
remedy your child will love to eat! Thepoultice.
anti-inflammatory properties of bothThe Onion Pack
honey and onion help relax coughingI’ve never seen anything work faster
spasms and soothe irritated tissue.to stop incessant coughing than a pack
Onion and honey are anti-microbial, asmade of yellow onion. When my sons
well.coughed through the night, remaining
Research reveals that onions, as well asasleep while I lay awake, I’d head for
garlic and cayenne, produce anthe kitchen to prepare this remedy. By
irritation in the stomach lining thatthe time I would get from the bed to the
signals the lungs to release a flow ofdoor, the coughing would stop!
secretions that help thin sticky,The medicinal properties of the onion
thickened mucus. Can you recall howare contained in its fumes and the
peeling an onion brings tears to yourinhalation of them is what does the
eyes? That’s the same mechanism intrick. The room won’t smell so
action. This is what makes onion such afabulous in the morning, but I always
good expectorant, breaking up congestionfigured it was worth a night’s sleep.
in the lungs.Thinly slice a small yellow onion, place
Mountain Rose Herbs. A herbs, health andin cheesecloth, folding it over to make
harmony company. Since 1987a self-contained “pack.”
In a small saucepan, mix together 1 cupPlace in a 200-degree oven for just a
honey; 1 medium, yellow onion, chopped;few minutes to warm it.
and 1 tablespoon thyme leaf (more, ifPlace on your child’s chest, taping in
you use it fresh).place with surgical tape and covering
Cook the above ingredients until thewith a nightshirt.
onion is softened.Chest-Relaxing Ginger Rub
Serve warm by itself, eaten by theWhen your child’s chest feels tight as
teaspoonful, over mashed potatoes ora result of cold or flu and coughing is
with your child’s favorite vegetable,painful, a ginger rub will bring herbal
meat or chicken.heat to the chest. Ginger’s
Small amounts may be eaten several timesstimulating properties increase
a day, if desired.circulation and help loosen things up,
The healing properties of thyme havewith greater comfort being the happy
often been called upon in another of myresult. I can remember times when this
passions, directing children’sremedy was so effective that the next
theatre. Sometimes, the fledglingnight my son required an onion pack to
thespians’ vocal chords don’t holdstop the incessant coughing from all the
up for multiple performances, so I shareloosened phlegm!
the formula with their parents,To prepare this rub, mix together 1
suggesting they use it throughout thetablespoon each of powdered ginger
day. I also recommend that they send(Zingiber off.) (purchased from a health
their children to the performances withfood store, where it will not have been
a container of honey-sweetened thymeirradiated) and a non-petrolated
tea. School plays don’t usually havepetroleum jelly (also available at a
understudies, so you can imagine howhealth food store).
important in the microcosm of the littleThe mixture will look rather like brown
actors’ world a remedy for laryngitisfrosting. But don’t eat it — spread
can be!it on your child’s chest, then cover
Thyme-Honey Syrupwith a cotton T-shirt.
Thyme is an excellent expectorant asA reddening of the area is normal and
well as an anti-microbial herb, andindicates that the ginger is increasing
honey not only soothes but acts as acirculation to the capillaries near the
preservative as well. I keep thissurface of the skin.
wonderful-tasting syrup in myIn the morning, the petroleum jelly will
refrigerator all winter long. It can behave been absorbed and the ginger will
used for colds, coughs, laryngitis andhave worked its magic, as indicated by
sore throats.your child’s ability to breathe more
Steep 1 ounce of dried thyme leafeasily.
(Thymus vulgaris) in 1 cup boiled water,Another wonderful reason to use ginger:
covered, until cool.A Brigham Young University study
Strain; mix the liquid with 1 cup ofrevealed that this herb significantly
honey.decreased nausea and diarrhea associated
Store refrigerated in a glass jar. Itwith the 24-hour flu.
keeps well for several months.Aromatic Congestion Oil
Give undiluted doses of 1 teaspoon to 1Blending together any of the following
tablespoon several times a day asoils will create a treatment that deeply
needed.penetrates tissue, stimulating blood
Thyme-Eucalyptus Bathflow to the lung area, helping to open
Another way to benefit from theair passages. In addition, the herbs are
anti-microbial properties of thyme is inanti-inflammatory and anti-microbial.
an inhalation bath. As thyme is also aThyme (Thymus vulgaris)
bronchodilater, it’s a good way toEucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus)
help relieve the constricted breathingPeppermint (Mentha piperita)
that can be experienced with a chestLavender (Lavandula off.)
cold, pneumonia or bronchitis.Anise (Pimpinella anisum)
Eucalyptus helps stimulate secretionsCinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum)
and is anti-microbial. Before immersingHyssop (Hyssopus off.)
your child in this bath, be sure thatFor children under 8 years of age, blend
the eucalyptus is well tolerated. I have6 drops of combined essential oils in a
found that some allergic, asthmaticteaspoon of carrier oil such as almond,
children experience just the opposite: aapricot kernel or grapeseed. For the
constricted, heavy feeling in the chest.older child, increase the dilution to 10
Steep 2 tablespoons dried thyme leaf indrops to the teaspoon of oil.
1 quart of boiled water for 30 minutes;The congestion oil may be rubbed on the
strain; add to bath water.chest and back in the morning, afternoon
Add 4 to 6 drops essential oil ofand at bedtime. Cover with a cotton
eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) andshirt.
stir into bath water.Continue treatment until congestion
Teach your child how to breathe deeplyloosens and your child is more
while bathing.comfortable.
Heavy-Duty Onion PoulticeYou may expect a slight reddening of the
To break up heavy lung congestion, as inskin due to the oils’ circulatory
pneumonia, or to soothe the inflammationenhancing effect. If your child exhibits
of bronchitis, consider themore than just a slight reddening or a
anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial,rash, discontinue use.
secretion-stimulating action of thisSeveral drops of the congestion oil may
treatment. It takes some preparation,be used in a bath.
but the results are well worth theFor inhalations, add a few drops of the
effort.congestion oil to a pot of hot water,
Simmer a large, thinly sliced, yellowencouraging your child to breathe deeply
onion in water until just softened.over the water.
Place the onion on a piece of whiteSeveral drops of the oil may also be
cloth (cheesecloth, cotton diaper oradded to a vaporizer.



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