Beginning on Oct. 21st when we returned from our family trip to DC, my three boys and I got a most annoying cough and congestion/runny nose. I could feel it coming on during the plane ride home - how I wish they had high grade air purifiers on those things that would kill bacteria in the air. I started to get all paranoid about all the germs - the dead skin cells on the seats, the germs on the tray tables, and wondering how many other kids had licked that window before Aisea! I couldn't wait to get out of there!Anyway - I have done away with cough syrups for kids b/c a) they don't work and b) they don't work. (There's research that supports this, primarily for kids 3 and under). So I began loading us down daily - echinacea, fenugreek, thyme, chewable vitamins, liquid, no dairy products, no OJ (b/c it does produce mucus - like dairy does - and thus provides a host for goobers. Info provided by naturopaths). My mom asked me one morning, as I prepared our daily doses before breakfast, if I needed a pharmaceutical license to do what I was doing.
Well, it dragged on and on, literally until the end of last week! (From October!) I FINALLY did follow through with tips from a woman I met named Jaleeta. She has raised 9 children to adulthood and said only 2 ever had antibiotics. Her husband is an herbalist. She had recommended that I use tea tree oil. I was too busy trying everything else and just when I was about to crack and go to the medical clinic - it was closed. (What a blessing!) Then I remembered Jaleeta's suggestion and went to the health food store and found a small bottle of 100% pure tea tree oil. I knew it needed a carrier oil and asked an employee about putting it with Vicks Vapor Rub. She was okay with that - so off I went.
Well, I'm just here to say that Vicks and Tea Tree Oil are my new best friends. In 2 days, I was so much better and my kids too! Here are the tricks -
First, I had learned a while back that a great nighttime cough remedy is to rub vicks into your (or your kids') feet and put socks on to sleep. If you think this sounds quirky, then you just don't know that the feet are anchored to the whole body and have a great power to absorb and it has worked time and time again for us in lieu of cough syrup. I use it on myself and know for myself that just shortly after applying it, I can sleep w/out coughing.
So this time I did the feet thing, with Vicks and then a drop or two of tea tree oil too, rubbing it all in the feet and then some across the chest.
MIRACLES!
Here's to you, Vicks and Tea Tree Oil - It looks like I'll get my Christmas wish!
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6 comments:
I am with you on the vicks/feet thing. Totally works! I heard a few months ago from my dad (a fireman) that kids had been dying due to overdoses in cough suppresents. I stopped right then! I heard about vicks on the feet and gave it a try. Worked like a charm. Next time I will add the oil. Thanks!!
Argh! We have that stinkin' cough/nose thing too - it's been dragging on for a few weeks now, and our noses are tired of blowing and our voices are tired being scratchy!! I'm goingto have to run out today and pick up the items you suggested - it would be GREAT to be feeling better before Christmas AND not all be coughing on our new baby when he arrives any day now! Thanks!
Vicks is the best. Tree oil is a new one. I'll have to try that next time. All cough medicine does is knock them out, which is sometimes nice. He he. I'm glad your all feeling better, we've somehow managed to escape sickness so far. Probably because I'm still hibernating, and we're fanatical hand washers at my house. Even my kids!
I'm almost excited for someone in my family to get a cold~ almost. We have been dealing with the yucky 24 hour flu bug~ uggggh! So far only 3 out of 5 have gotten it~ hopefully we are done. I would love to hear what other remedies you have discovered. I want to start using more natural remedies, but I don't know what works for what...
hey there mother with all the wisdom! we just tried the vicks on the feet last night with my son for the first time and he still coughed for the first couple hours but then seemed to stop and slept fine. however i gobbed it on - it sounds like i should rub it in and i think i'll try adding the tea tree oil like you suggested. thanks for your wisdom!
we are on week 6 of colds..ugh! i did the vicks last night and seemed to work eventually but maybe was "decongesting" them the first 2 hours...seems everyone slept in the next morning, yea! sidenote: have you heard of the NAET method for allergies??? let me know your thoughts. lol
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