Summer Cold

Getting sick is a rare occurrence for us at Havenacre Homestead, but Jaron and I somehow picked up a summer cold. Maybe it's irritation from the Canadian wildfire smoke. Either way, we are dripping and sneezing all over the place. Perhaps that's TMI. 😅

Jaron got over his cold faster than I did. Mine seems to be making it's way down my throat and into my lungs, giving me a cough. I just got rid of all my expired cough syrup and don't plan to buy more since it's so rarely used. Instead, I did a deep dive on holistic methods to tame a cough. 

Turns out someone did a study and found honey is equally effective as cough syrup. ✅ We have that. Garlic and lemon juice can also help. ✅ We have those too. Some essential oils can be blended with a carrier oil to rub on the chest, neck, and shoulders. ✅ Have those too. 

I started the morning with throat coat tea and a few spoonfuls of garlic honey. 

They say a hot beverage helps because it increases blood flow to the throat and washes away bacteria/gunk there. 

I mixed some doTERRA oils together: 2 drops lavender, 2 drops On Guard, and 2 drops Breathe into 5tsp of olive oil and rubbed it on my chest and feet. Maybe it's a placebo, but it seemed to help. The original recipe was lavender, eucalyptus, and pine, but the blends I substituted have those oils in them and are also used for healing.

Next, I dug around my Pinterest boards and found a recipe I've been meaning to make for herbal pain relief (touted as a Tylenol replacement/pain management tincture). A day late and a dollar short: it takes 2-6 weeks to be ready. At least I'll be ready for the next go round whenever it comes. 

This one is four ingredients: peppermint leaves, echinacea, juniper berries, and vodka. 

Simply mix the dry ingredients in equal amounts (I did half a cup). Put them in a jar so they fill the jar halfway or a little over. Add vodka to the top of the jar. Let sit for 2-6 weeks. The longer it sits, the more potent the remedy. 

As always, clearly label the jar so you remember what's in it and how old it is. 😅