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How to get over a cold the old fashion way!

Do you know how to get over a cold the old fashion way? In today’s market there are literally hundreds of cold medicines. I can’t ever pick the right one because it seems like none of them work. I normally catch a cold every year because my kids bring it home and they stay in my face. My son does okay with colds as he doesn’t catch them often but that little girl, she always brings it home with her. Since she is 7 and can’t take a lot of meds I have to go old school with her to try and get rid of her cold.

How to Get Over A Cold The Old Fashion Way

  • Vick’s Vapor rub – I rub some on her back, her feet (then I put socks on), her chest, under her nose and on the bridge of her nose, and then her pulse points on her wrist.
  • I make her drink a teaspoon of honey every morning, when she gets home from school, and at night
  • Room temperature ginger ale
  • Soup….I fix all kinds. I also get broth for her from the hibachi place. I get it big container of it and give it to her
  • I make sure I get her some pedialyte for drinking purposes so she stays hydrated

If I have to give her meds it will be advil or motrin if she has a fever. DayQuil can be given also for kids her age (something new) but other than that I don’t do any other meds for her. If I do the above daily she is normally over her cold within three days. For adults the story is a bit different. As a single parent…I can’t afford to get sick so I have to be very mindful of what I take and how I take it. If I feel a cold coming on I start with Emergen C packs The super orange one is really good! Then I start taking cod liver oil. I don’t take that all the time because it makes my doo doo green and I was concerned about that so I only take it when I feel it coming. At night I rub down in vicks and I start drinking ginger ale. Not the safe kind either the red rock one. That one is stronger and works wonders! It’s a bit hard to take and will make you gag a couple of times but it works….trust me. If I start to take those when I feel a cold coming….I usually don’t get the brunt of the cold and can bypass the hardest part. If I do happen to get really sick here are the meds I trust and some tips you can use.

Medications

  • Tylenol Cold and Flu – Tylenol doesn’t work for me on headaches or anything else but surprisingly the cold meds work wonders. I take the night time one because it helps at night to ease the pain
  • Cough Drops (Halls) I suck on those all the time when I have a cold. I actually suck on them right before I sleep and will fall asleep with it in my mouth. Don’t try that at too often but it works wonders at night to help you sleep
  • Robitussin – This works for coughs….it’s my go to if I can’t get rid of a persistent cough
  • Vicks – Get the big jar…trust me you will need it the entire winter

How to Get Over of a Cold the Old Fashion Way: Natural Remedies

  • Honey – I get the all natural honey specifically for the area that you live in. There is a farmers market near me that sells organic honey that I take. This also helps with my sons allergies!
  • Echinacea – I use to take this a lot when I was little but got away from it. You can take this or the cod liver oil both work well
  • Chicken noodle soup – You can make your own (I recommend it) or you can buy some. I prefer Progresso over Campbells personally because it’s more hearty but that’s just my preference
  • Sit up in bed – This helps my daughter with that persistent cough at night and it helps me sleep better
  • Tea – I like the sleepy time tea (the one with the bear on it) but I also get a honey Earl Greyer tea from Panera. That tea….OMG I don’t know what’s in it but it always helps me
  • Cut up a red onion and place it on your nightstand. I had the flu last year and this helped….it smelled bad but it did help
  • Sweat it out – I bundle up at night and sweat the stuff out of me. I wear socks, two t-shirts, sweat pants, and even a sweatshirt. You will be hot but will feel better in the mornings
  • Apple cider vinegar….I only take this if it’s to the bad point. I normally don’t do this one unless I have to…it’s disgusting
  • One more secret……Oregano Oil…..put this in some water and drink it down

Of course the best way to get rid of a cold is to get rest, drink plenty of fluids, exercise and prepare for cold and flu season.

We all want to get rid of colds quickly but sometimes the simplest of things will help. Click To Tweet

What tips and tricks do you have for how to get over a cold the old fashion way?

Tips for how to get rid of a cold the old fashion way.

19 Comments

  • robin masshole mommy
    January 9, 2017 at 12:52 pm

    I drink ACV every single day for help with heartburn/digestive issues. I had no idea I was helping my colds, too! Yay.

    Reply
  • Candy
    January 9, 2017 at 1:59 pm

    My mom use to do all of these thing and I did them for my kids depending on what was wrong with them. They do work.

    Reply
  • Franc Ramon
    January 9, 2017 at 4:27 pm

    I still use cold, drink lots of water and also soup to soothe a cold. It’s also important to have lots of rest.

    Reply
  • Vera Sweeney
    January 9, 2017 at 5:56 pm

    These are great tips for getting over a cold!! It is really crazy how fast a cold can take you out of things.

    Reply
  • Jenn @ EngineerMommy
    January 9, 2017 at 6:51 pm

    These are great tips for getting over a cold. I do some of these things too. Apple cider vinegar has many health benefits.

    Reply
  • Anosa
    January 9, 2017 at 10:10 pm

    Some of these tips brought back some memories, our old trusted favourite is ginger and honey.

    Reply
  • Bella
    January 10, 2017 at 12:31 am

    These are awesome tips to get over a cold. I almost exclusively use essential oils and my cold is here and gone before I know it.

    Reply
  • Liz Mays
    January 10, 2017 at 1:10 am

    I definitely like making noodle soup when I’m under the weather. My parents always gave us Vicks when we were younger too.

    Reply
  • Jacqui @FlightsFancyMom
    January 10, 2017 at 3:06 am

    I have trouble with medications too. They are either too much or too little. So of course, I tend to get the one that does too much to cover all my basis. But, I hear honey is always a great choice when trying to get well.

    Reply
  • R U S S
    January 10, 2017 at 12:15 pm

    I always always try to cure my colds and flu with natural remedies. I do the ginger ale, lemon ginger tea, and the onion method. Maybe I’ll try your ACV suggestion next time – I just have to muster the courage to take it, lol. BTW, chicken noodle soup ( with red wine ) is always a good idea. The medicine-medicine is my last resort.

    Reply
  • Garf
    January 10, 2017 at 2:31 pm

    I also have trouble with medication so I usually eat a lot of citrusy fruits, then a warm mix of whiskey and honey.

    Reply
  • Dawn McAlexander
    January 10, 2017 at 2:35 pm

    My husband’s grandfather used to take a teaspoon of honey every day. I don’t ever remember him having a cold. That trick must work.

    Reply
  • Emily
    January 10, 2017 at 4:21 pm

    These are great ideas! I actually have the beginnings of a cold coming on and will be trying some of these for sure. I always forget about cod liver oil as an option. These are all classic and so helpful ways to feel better. Thank you so much!

    Reply
  • Stephanie Jeannot
    January 11, 2017 at 12:37 am

    I remember when I had the flu for the first time in 2015. It was awful. I thought I had it before but never as bad as what I was faced with. But yes hydration is so important. So make sure she is getting as much water or water based fruits that she can. The fruit might actually be good because of the vitamin source. I did have some pedialyte too and it helped 100%

    Reply
  • Mimi Green
    January 11, 2017 at 1:00 pm

    Vick’s Vapor rub is a winner for us. We put it on our feet at bed time and sweat is all out.

    Reply
  • Wildish Jess
    January 11, 2017 at 10:59 pm

    We totally do all of these things before taking medication!

    Reply
  • ricci
    January 12, 2017 at 3:00 pm

    These are all great old fashioned tips to get over a cold. I am currently suffering from some cold or bug so I will definitely be trying one or two of these soon!!

    Reply
  • Joyce Brewer
    January 31, 2019 at 3:31 pm

    My husband is a firm believer in sweating it out. He wears multiple sweatshirts when he’s sick and quarantines himself to the guest bedroom.
    My sister is an RN and she relies on granddad’s whiskey when she’s sick.

    Reply
  • […] How do you boost your immune system? Do you drink a lot of Orange juice or take vitamins. You can read more about boosting your immune system and other things I take by reading this post. […]

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