Homemade natural remedies for a cold – I show you how to make rosehip syrup, fermented honey garlic, vapo rub, and a herbal steam bath.
Friends, cold and flu season is truly upon us. A month ago I planned out a few homemade natural remedies for a cold thinking I would still have a while to finish them. The recipes were ready to go and some preparations were made.
I infused some garlic with honey and put it away in a cupboard to ferment. I picked rosehips and put them in the freezer ready to make rosehip syrup. And I ordered some beeswax pellets in. But before I could actually fully prepare these homemade concoctions, the ‘super cold’ got a hold of me.
Colds are terribly unpleasant and after they’re over I always kind of forget just how nasty they can get. The worst part for me? The sleepless nights where you struggle to breathe. I am not a mouth breather folks. I don’t like it. Nathan will attest to that.
I am slowly getting out of this cold and now manage to breathe through one nostril in the night (such freedom!). But one thing is sure, I do not want to catch another cold this winter. Nor would I want it for my loved ones.
In this blog post I will share a few homemade remedies that will help to prevent a cold but also a few that really soothed and helped me during the cold. So without further ado, let’s get to it!
Rosehip Syrup
A couple of years ago I made rosehip syrup for the first time and that blog post was my first food from scratch post! Now two years later, as I saw rosehips appear on the rosebushes in work, I was keen to make it again.
This year though, I decided to try a different recipe from the Grow Forage Cook Ferment blog which only requires you to add some honey to the rosehip tea. Head here to take a look at her recipe.
Rosehip syrup is extremely high in vitamin C and is great for those days when you feel a cold coming (and even during). Just take a few tablespoons of it, two to three times a day, when you feel the cold or flu coming. And throughout the duration of your cold or flu.
Fermented Honey Garlic
This is a recipe I decided to have a go at thanks to one of my favourite homesteading books: The Women’s Heritage Sourcebook. I originally intended to use my very own homegrown garlic for it but I discovered that they didn’t developed any cloves. I may have taken them out of the ground a bit too early, whoops! Rookie error.
So I made it with some organic store bought garlic instead and it has been fermenting in the cupboard for over a month now. All you have to do is to fill a jar 2/3rd with peeled cloves, fill it up with honey (leave a bit of space at the top), and to put it in a dark place with the lid loosely fitted for about a month or so.
Whenever you think of it, make sure to screw the lid on tightly and to turn the jar upside down to make sure that all of the garlic is nicely coated in honey. After, make sure to put the jar back upright and to unscrew the lid slightly again.
There are many different ways to consume fermented honey garlic. You can just consume a spoonful of it just as is when you feel a cold or flu coming up. It is also very tasty on toast, with roasted veggies, on a pizza, or with a cheese platter. The options are endless and the fermented honey garlic is so incredibly simple to make!
Vapo Rub
When I look back at some of the colds during my youth. I remember that my mum would often rub some Vapo rub on my neck and back before bed. That little ritual always soothed and comforted me so much. So when I noticed a Vapo rub recipe in one of my Hello Glow books a few years ago I was keen to try it. But I didn’t get to make it until recently.
It’s a very simple recipe and I already had everything but the beeswax pellets. And those only cost about 10 pounds on Amazon! The good thing about homemade Vapo rub? It lasts much longer than the type you buy in the shop.
Want to have a go at it? Make sure to find the recipe online here.
Herbal Steam Bath
I haven’t always been a big fan of steam baths. There’s something that I find very uncomfortable about them. But during this last cold, my perspective of them changed. I hadn’t slept well for a few nights in a row since I was struggling to breathe comfortably.
So when I saw the herbal steam bath recipe on the Simply Living Well Instagram page I decided to have a go at it. I didn’t notice anything significantly straight after it but that night I was finally able to breathe through one of my nostrils and I slept so much better. I thought it was coincidence but the same thing happened two nights later after a steam bath. So I definitely recommend having a go at it!
All you will need is boiled water, sea salt, dried herbs (I used rosemary, thyme, and mint but it’s also possible to add lavender), and rosemary essential oil. See the recipe for specific measurements.
There you have it, four homemade natural remedies for a cold. There are few more that I’d love to have a go at like the DIY Vapor Shower Bombs from Hello Glow or Fire Cider Vinegar from A Farmgirl in the Making. But for now I will be relying on these homemade remedies as well as my beloved lemon and honey tea.
What’s your favourite homemade natural remedy for a cold? And have you had the ‘super cold’ yet?
I have had some of the Rose hip syrup and I can honestly say it did help!