Tried & True Home Remedies for Cough & Cold.

body insights

The last time I got sick, we had the good fortune of being at Oli’s home in Slovakia being cared for by his mom, a pharmacist. At some point during that time on the couch, she mentioned something that resonated with my experience: “With medicine it lasts a week, without medicine, it lasts seven days.”

These are my experiences.

If you are looking for tips on staying healthy during cough and cold season, here are some tried and true remedies we use to stave off colds, shorten their duration, and enjoy our downtime.

At the First Sign of a Cold

It usually starts with a tickle in my throat, and usually in the middle of the night. It comes on so mild that I’ve often felt okay ignoring it or putting it off to deal with in the morning after my face is clogged with fluid.

Nowadays, I’m more sensitive to this moment, and I have a routine that I follow at the very first sign of my cold symptoms. I’ve realized that how I play my cards in this moment often determines the intensity and duration of what’s to follow.

The routine is simple: at the very first tickle, I gargle with antiseptic mouthwash. Gargling with mouthwash at the very first sign of a symptom has reduced my symptoms to the point that sometimes I no longer feel the cold at all. It’s like the cold never happened. I’ve heard that saline mouthwash also works the same way, and will break up mucus in the throat and draw out excess liquid in throat tissue that can cause inflammation. Although colds are caused by a virus, there are often bacteria in the throat that can create nasty symptoms.

In The Thick Of It

There are times when I notice my symptoms too late, or they set in at a time where I’m not able to gargle with anything (like 3 hours into a 14 hour plane ride--ouch!), or, sometimes, I take care of my symptoms at the onset, but they keep coming at me. Now my face and chest is full of fluid. I’m in the thick of it, which can last anywhere from 2-7 days.

Once the symptoms set in, a shift in mindset naturally happens. I become less interested in the things I was interested in yesterday, and my attention is only able to concentrate on small things, like breathing in and out. Now it’s time to remain calm and assertive to my needs, so that I can be a good manager of my body during this time. Morning and evening routines are padded with extra events, such as neti pots, steamers, gargling and more. And my daytime is spent monitoring my body’s changing needs--blow nose, cough, drink more water, get up and stretch

Here are a few of my favorites:

Nose Relief
- Neti Pot [VIDEO EMBED]: A neti pot is a form of nasal irrigation, featuring a spout that is used to pour warm salt water through the nostrils. The saline solution thins mucus and helps flush it out of the nasal passages. This can bring relief from nasal congestion, facial pressure and other sinus symptoms. Use in the morning, before bed and throughout the day as needed.
- Steamer: Place a towel over your head and take deep breaths through the nose over a pot of boiling water. Add a few drops of eucalyptus or lavender essential oil for additional relief. The best way to stave off inflammation is to make sure the nasal passages are clear and breathing steamed water is a great option for this. Use as needed.
- Vaseline: After a few days of nonstop nose-blowing, the skin around the lips and nostrils can become sore. Use vaseline raw skin for topical relief. Use as needed.
Throat
- Antiseptic Mouthwash/Saline wash: Mouthwash can break up mucus in the throat and draw out excess liquid in throat tissue that can cause inflammation. Although colds are caused by a virus, there are often bacteria in the throat that can create nasty symptoms. Use in the morning, before bed and as needed.
- Throat drops: Menthol and eucalyptus throat drops act as a natural anesthetic and help soothe irritated tissue. They are designed to provide relief when we suck on them, so it’s best to use as needed and to experiment with which drops we use to determine those that provide the most relief.
Immune System
- Hydration: Not only is hydration needed for proper immune function, but it can also keep loosen up mucus and keep our throat moist when we’re sick. I tend to keep a hot and cold option nearby all day, with plenty of water, tea, hot water with lemon and ginger; and even sweeter options like ginger ale, sprite or gatorade (these make my belly feel good if I need some calories due to lack of appetite).
- Rest: Rest refers to our state of mind when we’re sick. Whether we can lounge on a couch all day does not determine how much we’ve rested. To rest well, we must be committed to being a good manager of our body during this time. This means a being willing to adjust our daily routines--specifically in the mornings and evenings--and being open to the possibility that we will experience altered needs during our cold spell, such as needing more sleep, shorter activity times, or even have different emotional needs.
- Vitamins and minerals: Although the jury is still out on the effects of vitamins in our diets, I like to keep them on hand for coughs and colds. I take a variety of Vitamin C, zinc and echinacea to boost immune function and take as needed throughout a cold.

On The Mend

I know I’m on the mend when I start to become interested in doing other things besides laying on the couch.

Lessons learned. Self care regimens continue. Knowing when to phase out the extra self care.

Amazon shopping list

What does being a good manager of the body mean during a cold?

The body is a network of sensations, perceptions and thoughts. During a cold, the body will produce different sensations, which may, in turn produce different perceptions and thoughts. To be a good manager of the body during a cold, we must tune in to the sensations we’re experiencing and eat when we feel depleted,

Intro
- I grew up taking over-the-counter decongestants and antihistamines for my colds. During a whopper cold in my freshman year of highschool I accidentally took my nighttime medicine during the day and subsequently fell asleep in my third period english class. It was around that time that became interested in ways of addressing a cold beyond take-two-pills-in-the-morning-and-carry-on-business-as-usual.
- Now it’s 15 years later, and I have collected new natural strategies for my cough and cold relief. Some of these have been passed down from pharmacists, some from family wisdoms, and others from people who are simply smarter than me.
Section 1: Remedies for the beginning of a cold
- Oli’s mom, a pharmacist, has a saying, “With medicine, it lasts 7 days. Without medicine it lasts a week.” Meaning, once the cold symptoms set in, it doesn’t matter what we do--we will be managing a week of the blues.
- She also has a trick, which is: Treat at the very first symptom. Taking this advice has been a cold game-changer for me, and if I’m vigilant to treat my first symptoms, they sometimes stop right in their tracks. It’s like the cold never happened at all!
- The routine is simple: At the very first throat tickle, I gargle for a full minute with antiseptic mouthwash (saline mouthwash will also do). Gargling with mouthwash kills off bacteria that contribute to nasty cold symptoms, and will break up any initial mucus created by the virus.
- The trick is doing this routine at the sign of the very first symptom. If that’s 3:30 in the morning, it’s time to get up and gargle, baby. If that’s in the middle of a transAtlantic flight, it’s time to sugar up to the flight attendant and ask for the good stuff (which is what I didn’t do last time, and only wished I had after 8 days in bed!).
Section 2: Remedies for full-blown cough and cold
Section 3: Remedies at the end of a cold
Wrap-Up

Tried & True Home Remedies for Cough & Cold.

I grew up taking over-the-counter decongestants and antihistamines for my colds. During a whopper cold my freshman year of highschool I accidentally took my nighttime medicine during the day and subsequently fell asleep in my third period english class. It was around that time that I became interested in ways of addressing a cold beyond take-two-pills-in-the-morning-and-carry-on-business-as-usual.

Now it’s 15 years later, and I have collected new natural strategies for my cough and cold relief. Some of these have been passed down from pharmacists, some from family wisdoms, and others from people who are simply smarter than me.

The following remedies are tried and true, and will lead you through each stage in the lifecycle of a cold.

Remedies for the Beginning of a Cough or Cold

Oli’s mom, a pharmacist, often says in regards to colds: “With medicine it lasts 7 days, without medicine it lasts a week.” Meaning, once the cold symptoms set in, it doesn’t matter what we do--we will be managing (at least) a week of the blues.

She also has a trick, which sometimes cuts the week in half or even eliminates it altogether: Manage the very first symptom. It’s simple, but it works. If I’m vigilant to treat my first symptoms, they sometimes stop right in their tracks. I mean, it’s like the cold never happened at all! It can start and stop as a mild tickle, without any further symptoms setting in.

The routine is simple: At the very first throat tickle, gargle for a full minute with antiseptic mouthwash (saline mouthwash will also do). Gargling with mouthwash kills off bacteria that contribute to nasty cold symptoms, and will break up any initial mucus created by the virus. I’m honestly not sure if there’s more science to it than that, but experientially, this trick has knocked colds out right in their tracks, and has given me the pleasure of many cold-free years.

The trick is doing this routine at the sign of the very first symptom. If that’s 3:30 in the morning, it’s time to get up and gargle, baby. If that’s in the middle of a transAtlantic flight, it’s time to sugar up to the flight attendant and ask for the good stuff (which is what I didn’t do last time, and only wished I had after 8 days in bed!). Responding to cold symptoms quickly is akin to calmly assembling the troops for battle at the first war cry--it’s just a good strategy, no matter what happens next.

In full disclosure, this trick doesn’t work 100% of the time, but it’s worth adding into my routine regardless, as it helps keep cold symptoms at bay even if they do set in, which means I’m at least on board for a more comfortable ride.

Remedies for Full-Blown Cough & Cold

Now, sometimes we notice a cold well after its first symptoms, or we treat the first symptoms and more keep coming. Now we’re in the midst of a full-blown cough and cold, and this is where it becomes interesting.

To be a good manager of our body during a cold means to become aware of the symptoms and manage them appropriately as they happen. White blood cells, proteins, and antibodies are all saddled up for duty, and there’s several things we can do to make their work easier.

Here’s a look at some natural remedies to manage symptoms in the nose, throat and general immune system:

Nose Relief

Neti Pot [VIDEO EMBED]: A neti pot is a form of nasal irrigation, featuring a spout that is used to pour warm salt water through the nostrils. The saline solution thins mucus and helps flush it out of the nasal passages. This can bring relief from nasal congestion, facial pressure and other sinus symptoms. Use in the morning, before bed and throughout the day as needed.
Steamer: Place a towel over your head and take deep breaths through the nose over a pot of boiling water. Add a few drops of eucalyptus or lavender essential oil for additional relief. The best way to stave off inflammation is to make sure the nasal passages are clear and breathing steamed water is a great option for this. Use as needed.
Vaseline: After a few days of nonstop nose-blowing, the skin around the lips and nostrils can become sore. Use vaseline raw skin for topical relief. Use as needed.

Throat Relief

Antiseptic Mouthwash/Saline wash: As one of the biggest ports of entry for viruses, it’s important to keep our mouths clean, especially during a cold. Antiseptic mouthwash can break up mucus in the throat and draw out excess liquid in throat tissue that can cause inflammation. Although colds are caused by a virus, there are often bacteria in the throat that can create nasty symptoms. Use in the morning, before bed and as needed.

Throat drops: Menthol and eucalyptus throat drops act as a natural anesthetic and help soothe irritated tissue. They are designed to provide relief when we suck on them, so it’s best to use as needed and to experiment with which drops we use to determine those that provide the most relief.

Immune System Remedies

Hydration: Not only is hydration needed for proper immune function, but it can also keep loosen up mucus and keep our throat moist when we’re sick. I tend to keep a hot and cold option nearby all day, with plenty of water, tea, hot water with lemon and ginger; and even sweeter options like ginger ale, sprite or gatorade (these make my belly feel good if I need some calories due to lack of appetite).

Rest: Rest refers to our state of mind when we’re sick. Whether we can lounge on a couch all day does not determine how much we’ve rested. To rest well, we must be committed to being a good manager of our body during this time. This means a being willing to adjust our daily routines--specifically in the mornings and evenings--and being open to the possibility that we will experience altered needs during our cold spell, such as needing more sleep, shorter activity times, or even have different emotional needs.

Vitamins and minerals: Although the jury is still out on the effects of vitamins in our diets, I like to keep them on hand for coughs and colds. I take a variety of Vitamin C, zinc and echinacea to boost immune function and take as needed throughout a cold.

Remedies for the End of a Cough or Cold

It’s important that as we begin to feel better, we continue to manage any residual symptoms. Nose and throat symptoms can continue for days or weeks after a cold moves out of town, and it can be helpful to have a system in place for managing them as our attention naturally moves on to daily tasks.

During the period of a full-blown cold, my morning and evening routines become quite padded with gargling sessions, neti pots, steamers, hydrating, and more. After about a week, I usually begin to feel interested again in normal life tasks, like grocery shopping or having a conversation or even eating solid food.

I find it works well to continue my padded morning and evening routine until my symptoms subside altogether. Have you ever had a cold that just never seemed to finish? Like you were still stuffed up the next year after it happened? Yeah--these post-cold routines can be very helpful in clearing out residual symptoms and returning alertness to our senses.

Final Thoughts

Colds may bring pain, but they need not bring suffering. When we take on the responsibility of being a good manager of our body, we will likely be able to read our experience more accurately and respond more intelligently to our needs.

In time, we may even enjoy our colds. Can that even be possible?!

Ideas List: Are you looking for the products mentioned in this blog? Check out my Cough & Cold Remedies Ideas List on Amazon to check out the products I typically use to manage my colds. You may like other brands or retailers or already have most of this stuff at home, and the purpose of this list is simply to generate ideas rather than provide suggestions.

Over To You: Do you have any tried and true cold and cough remedies of your own? Share them in the comments below!

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