Getting a cold--naturally

Well, we got it.  The first cold of winter in our house.  The culprit--not one of the kids, actually.  It was Evan.  He got it and gave it to me.  The kids have managed to escape it so far, but I know their time is coming.  So, in preparing for that, I decided to do a post about natural cold remedies.  I know I've posted about this before, but like the snow ice cream, if you haven't thought about it in awhile it's out of your mind.

 Because Olivia's still nursing, I'm limited to the over the counter cold medications I can take.  This makes natural remedies much more important to me.
Since Evan already had the cold I knew what that little bit of stuffiness meant as soon as I felt it.  That seems to be my biggest savior-- starting at the first sign of the cold.  I felt better already yesterday while Evan was still feeling miserable.

** Please note, none of these will "cure" the cold.  It's a virus and it has to run its course.  What I'm suggesting here are things you can do to help the Symptoms of the cold.  **

The first thing I did was drink a tea I found in Weelicious. (There is is again!). It's one inch of fresh ginger, sliced into coins and boiled in two cups of hot water.  Remove the ginger, squeeze in the juice of one lemon and add 2 TBSP of honey.  I thought it was really good,  Evan wasn't a huge fan, but he drank it anyway.  It would be super soothing on a sore throat, which, luckily, neither if us have.  The next thing the doctor always recommends when the kids are sick.  I do it for them, but always just kind if thought it was something she told you to do because it was a better option than saying"Sorry!  It's a virus.  Nothing I can do!"  Humidifier.  I mentioned it to Evan as we were going to bed.  We didn't think it would help too much and neither of us felt like getting up to get it.  So in the wee morning hours when I was up with Olivia for the 3rd time,  I decided to give it a try. WOW!  Within minutes I could tell a difference!  We've slept with it in every night since!  Cool mist.  No steam.  That can harbor bacteria.  And burn little hands.  (Caden's first ER visit at 6 months old).  Next, rest.  Now this is a no brainer,  but no one really does it.  Especially if you have kids, or work.  Or both.  I accidentally stumbled in this one when Olivia wanted to nurse in the middle if the day.  I sat down on the couch with her and woke up an hour later.  I felt TONS better after that little nap! (Maybe it's because I'm up every few hours with a crying toddler?).   Ok, so the last thing I did was only kind of natural.  I bought some airborne.  I didn't do it right away and I really wanted to get Boiron's cold remedy, but airborne is what Target had.  I don't know how much it really helped me, but a boost of vitamins and minerals can't be bad, right?  I also got Evan some Tylenol cold and sinus. 

 For the record.  I'm on the elliptical right now,  breathing clearly, and Evan's still feeling the cold symptoms.  He also sits by a window wall at work and freezes all day (he literally wears thermal underwear to work!) so there's that factor too, but my point is that natural remedies can work as well as, or maybe even better,  than traditional cold medicine.  So grab some preventative remedy (like I said,  I really like Boiron's products) get a humidifier and get really for that cold-- you know it's coming!