Word has it that this past winter season was host to some of the worst cold and flu viruses we’ve seen in years! Chances are you or someone you know was laid out for days and perhaps even weeks, fighting this persistent round of sniffles, sneezes, body aches, hacking cough and more. Yuck! Colds tend to take their own course, but you can greatly benefit with a few preventative measures to help cure your cold, or perhaps even ward off the sickies all together!
For about 10 years now, unless it’s an absolute emergency, I have made a decision not to consume any “over the counter” meds or prescription drugs (regardless of how I’m feeling) in order to strengthen my body’s natural healing capacity.
Because these products work on alleviating symptoms, rather than stimulating the body’s immune system, I have found through experience that they often end up prolonging my illness. Short term gain but longer term pain!
My favorite remedy for how to cure a cold and defeat those seasonal viruses is rather simple and works like a hot damn, every time. We call it the “Pickle Yourself Remedy” in our home!
When the first signs of illness start creeping in:
- absolutely stop eating any refined sugar (at least until your are completely recovered, but ideally, make it a lifestyle decision! Besides stress, It is one of the most damaging ingredients for your immune system. As a busy Mom, getting sick is just too inconvenient for me to surrender to those cravings.
- Take 5-10 Thousand Mg of a high quality Vitamin C each day. This is a therapeutic dose while you are fighting the illness, continue until you are sure you have recovered. High doses of Vitamin C is well documented to improve health during many illnesses. Vitamin C is water soluble and excess is passed with urine.
- Raw Garlic!! Want to know how to cure a cold? Garlic is powerful stuff! Take the day or two off work that you need and follow these steps: Chop up the garlic and consume about 1 tsp of raw garlic/3 times a day. It’s best to take it when you have some food already in your stomach to avoid any garlic cramps. You don’t need to chew it – just swallow it down with some water. If you are not a fan of garlic – I promise you’ll have a better appreciation for it when you see how it restores your health. I don’t do the garlic tablets myself – but if you have success with these, take a therapeutic dose while you are recovering. Yes – this is the getting “pickled” part (and I don’t mean the intoxicated version!)
- Take a high quality Vitamin/Mineral/Phytonutrient Supplement each day. Take max daily dose.
- Eat foods high in Chlorophyll or take liquid chlorophyll: These are the foods that are green in color. Green is a powerful healing color! Spinach, Parsley, Kale, Aruglula, Watercress, Chard etc. Try my favorite: Make a fresh parsley tea – just pour hot water over leaves, cover and let steep for 15 mins. It’s a terrific blood cleanser and nice for a sore throat too. Tea not suitable for pregnant women though.
- Make a fresh pot of fresh ginger tea each day. Peel and chop ginger root. Add to pot of purified water and keep on low heat all day. Add a squeeze of lemon for each mug. It will get really strong – but very effective!
- Drink plenty of fluids – water, fresh squeezed juices, herbal teas
If you catch the cold in time and “pickle yourself” you stand a good chance of curing your cold before it takes hold.
My husband developed a throat infection this spring. Already in full swing with a sore throat, he went to work on it with a full “pickle”. He defeated a nasty throat within 4 days without any other intervention. We were actually both quite amazed at his recovery in this case, especially because the sore throat came on so fast. He said to me that it amazes him how many products are at the drug store, when this natural remedy works so well. I couldn’t agree more.
There is so much great information on how to cure a cold naturally. I know many people who also use Oregano oil, Zinc, Echinacea, Golden Seal and Ginseng to name a few more. I have experimented with pretty much every blend of remedies and always come back to the simple and quick power of my “Pickle Yourself Remedy”.
By choosing to omit over the counter drugs from your body, you will reduce the amount of synthetic toxins that your liver and kidneys have to process, leaving them to their primary function of cleansing, healing and restoring your vitality.
Be well!
(Disclaimer: This remedy is in no way intended to be medical advice. If you are on prescription medications, be sure to consult with your health professional before starting any new health routine or supplements)
These are my thoughts on living a healthy and simple life. I'm a modern mom with some traditional ideas. At home, I try to clear the confusion from all the conflicting health and parenting advice with some common sense and a natural philosophy. This is the sanest way I know how to navigate the 21 century.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I have to agree with Monica Whole Heartedly on the Pickling yourself, which I have done myself. Although I don’t tend to get sick often, when I do it is because I am burned out and have not been properly caring for my body. There are always a few warning signs that I have ignored before hand.
My husband and I do add the Oil of Oregano to the pickle, however you must be careful and not take this for long periods of time as it kills all bacteria, the good and the bad. Someone with a weaker immune system who finds themselves catching illnesses easily may want to try other options first.
I would suggest adding a ‘fluid transfer’ to the pickle. We take 2-3 cloves of raw garlic and sit in the hottest bath that you can handle (the idea here is to sweat) Flush your body by drinking at least 2 litres of purified water over a period of at least 1 hour (don’t overtax your cells with too much water at once). Be prepared for a very garlicy smelling bathroom.
Here’s a bit of info. The town I grew up in had an old wooden building in it that was a pickle factory. It was well-known there that nobody who worked there ever caught a cold. Whenever I start getting cold symptoms, I munch on a few pickles (usually bread-and-butter) and the symptoms vanish. Try it…it may work for you too.