Apparently our 4th of July extended extravaganza caught up with us. Kaitlyn was the first to feel crummy (sore throat and headache), then Hailey, then David. I have felt a little off here and there but have thus far avoided getting anything full blown (knock on wood!). So I pulled out all my favorite natural cold remedies to get everyone on the road to receovery.
When I shared it on the ‘gram, I heard we weren’t the only ones fighting some germs. I heard a lot of stories of strep as well as some general colds, gunk, and what I refer to as “the crud.” I also shared the products I use and love and got asked if I had a single round up post with all the items in one spot. Well, blogger fail, because while I was certain I must, it turns out I don’t. So I’m correcting it now for easy reference going forward. These are my tried and true, current natural cold remedies. Please tell me your favorite natural wellness/immunity support product in the comments!
Think of this as the Windex from My Big Fat Greek Wedding; it’s good for anything. From pink eye to sinus infections to overall immune function, colloidal silver can help. I most recently used a single drop in Kaitlyn’s ear after she had been complaining of it hurting and it felt better by the next morning. Here’s a post with other uses for colloidal silver and how to administer it.
I use these for my kids at the first sign of a sniffle or when we start hearing of a bug going around. You don’t want to overdo zinc, but it’s very effective at boosting the immune system when needed. I give each kid the recommended 3 droppers full. It has a berry taste that H likes and K tolerates.
I bought these after my naturally minded guru friend, Amanda, recommended them. H seems to have an immune system and gut biota of steel, but I always feel K could use some extra support, so while I use it for both kids, I am extra grateful to have the support for K. There is no flavor to it at all so it could easily be added into elderberry or any liquid vitamin, but I just squirt it right into their mouths. I give this to maybe twice a week in the summer, but everyday if they come down with something or if it’s germ season.
If I could only have one item in my natural remedy arsenal, this would be it. It’s my personal miracle pill and I swear by it. I begin taking it (3 pills 3-4 times a day) at the first sign of a sniffle or feeling rundown. While traveling, I take about 3 pills a day for extra immune support. This formula has helped me avoid catching so many bugs my family has caught and/or recover more quickly. I was blown away by how many messages I got on Insta saying that you feel the same way about these, and was stoked when you shared with me they have a children’s formula! I ordered it immediately and will let you know how it works for us.
David calls this the pizza spray because of the essential oils of parsley, oregano, eucalyptus, and tea tree that is included in this version, but goodness it works so well for fast relief from congestion. You can also get the regular version if you are looking for a more gentle product for kids. The secret ingredient is xylitol, which supposedly has antiviral and antibacterial properties, helping to kill germs while moisturizing airways.
Derived from bee propolis, this throat spray tastes sweet and is effective in help soothe a sore throat. It has been used for centuries for immune support. There is a kid version to which they add buckwheat honey for extra soothing an an even yummier taste.
I partnered with Genexa a couple years ago because I love their products. I will exhaust natural options first, but if I’m in need of a western medicine, I appreciate that their products are real medicine, made clean, without any artificial colors, dyes, or fillers.
Lemon, Ginger, Cinnamon, Honey
I slice a lemon (vitamin C) and some ginger (reduce inflammation and soothe the throat) then add a couple cinnamon sticks (antibacterial, antiviral, and tasty) in a large glass measuring cup, then pour boiling water over them and allow them to steep for a few minutes. Then I put about a tablespoon of honey at the bottom of a mug, pour in the strained liquid, mix well and serve. The kids love this! You could also add some apple cider vinegar as an added expoectorant.
Garlic and Honey
Like I share in my viral How To Cure a Sore Throat in One Day post, garlic is forever and always my favorite food cure. It’s such a powerful antibacterial and antiviral. I used to put in on a small spoon of peanut butter when the kids were little, but now they take it easily with just a little honey.
Not a natural wellness remedy, but if you like knowing your child’s temperature without waking her up, you need this. You don’t have to touch it to their forehead and I’ve found it to be very accurate.
I’ve found the best remedies that really work by talking to other naturally-minded friends, so that’s my hope here- to share with you my favorites!
