Natural Remedies Part 2 - Coughs

Coughs... I have been the mama that is up most of the night with the child that has a cough, and just wanting it to stop so everyone can get some much-needed rest.

I am not a doctor, but I have been studying natural health for over 10 years and wanted to share some of the things that we use in our home when a cough hit our house.

Here are some of our favorite ways to kick a cough...

A good cough syrup.

I couldn't believe the amount of cough syrups that are on the shelf that have ingredients like artificial sweeteners and artificial food dyes. Those are two ingredients that we try to avoid if possible. So when we aren't feeling good, i definitely don't want to put something like that in my body.

So what's a mama to do?

Honey is a natural cough suppressant, and you can add a drop of thieves and lemon vitality for extra help. Maty's Cough Syrup is a brand that we found that has clean ingredients and works great too!

And Thieves cough drops or Thieves lozenges are game changer for you or the big kids in your family.

Detox Bath and steam

Run the shower on high for a few minutes with the bathroom door closed. Then start a detox bath. We love detox baths to help us fight any kind of germ that comes our way.

What is a detox bath? Run the bath as normal and add a cup or two of Epsom salts with a few drops of your favorite essential oil (R.C., Raven, Lavender, Frankincense, Eucalyptus Globulus, or Snifflease are our favorites for respiratory support), and 1/4-1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar.

Chest Rub

Again, i found that a lot of the ingredients for chest rubs at the store had ingredients that I didn't like. Most of them are petroleum based, which is pretty toxic...

I used to DIY a chest rub, which worked great, but if you are busy like me, having a ready made option is always nice. Young Livings Thieves Chest Rub is a brand that we found that has a super clean ingredient list and let's just say, we are never without it! Even when allergy season starts up, my husband reaches for this.

And if you love DIYing... you can find my DIY Chest Rub Recipe HERE in my ALL THINGS RESPIRATORY GUIDE

Diffusing

We have our diffusers going every day because I love the smell and I want clean air in our home. But when someone has a cough, definitely get that diffuser going and my favorites to diffuse for respiratory support are all of the ones that we talked about above in the detox bath.

Most of my everyday diffusers are water diffusers which mean i fill it with water and add a few drops of an essential oil of my choice. However when someone needs extra support, i get out my waterless diffuser, and run it on and off throughout the day.

Support the Immune system

Last but not least, when anyone has a cough, we need to support that immune system!

Cut back on sugar, which suppresses our immune system.
Eat lots of fruits, vegetables, and broths.
Cut back on dairy which can form mucus.
Add in antioxidants - Our fav antioxidant drink is Ningxia Red. We drink it everyday, so when someone isn't feeling good, we double up!
Thieves - We will never be without this little powerhouse blend. We put it on our feet every morning and every night for some immune support, and more often when someone is struggling with any kind of sickies.

That was a lot of info, but if you want more!

Here is my full guide on ALL THINGS RESPIRATORY

I wish you health and happiness, and hope that this prepares your wellness cabinet so that you are ready to tackle the next cough or sniffles that come your way.