Natural Remedies

There is a range of viruses, colds and flus going round at any time of the year. Pharmaceutical medicine is always important if you are unwell however there are many supplements you can take for certain ailments that will work just as well as those pain killers and antibiotics you get at the chemist.

Tea Tree Oil
One great solution for many ailments, can be found in your back yard. Tea tree oil is an amazing substance. Just put a few drops of the oil into a cup of water for a great antibacterial mouth rinse. When rubbed on to the scalp, it will help in getting rid of nits, dandruff and lice and a couple of drops applied to wounds will cure the affected area quickly.

Inhale a few drops in hot water and you should find relief from the flu, toothache and conditions such as whooping cough. If you dab it around your nose you will also find it can help soothing the sinuses.

It is a good home remedy for acne, it also helps to heal acne scars and unclogs the pores. A drop of tea tree oil dabbed on a pimple at the first sign should clear it up quickly.

Add a small amount of tea tree oil to your warm bath to relax and rejuvenate. It also helps to remove persistent body odor and soothe sore muscles.

The Common Cold
The common cold is a problem most people are struggling with at the moment. At first signs of a cold beginning or a sore throat there is a great recipe that might help stave off the cold all together.

Cold Infusion

• 30 g fresh ginger (sliced)
• 1 stick of cinnamon (broken)
• 1 teaspoon of coriander seeds
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 slice of lemon
• 500 ml of water

Put the ingredients in the water, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes and then strain. Drink a cupful of this hot, every two hours. Sweeten with honey to make it taste delicious.

To clear the nose and soothe the throat you can try a steam inhalation, put 8 drops of oil of lavender, eucalyptus or thyme (either separately or mixed) in to a bowl and pour 500 mls of boiling water into the solution. Cover your head with a towel and inhale. If you are making this for a child, ensure you only use half the amount of the essential oil. Don't give this to infants.

If you want to prevent a cold before it starts, you should include garlic, onions, watercress and cayenne in your diet. These are all great vegetables for keeping your immunity levels up. These toxin-fighting vegetables are also great for lower blood pressure, cholesterol and killing parasites in the body.

If you are currently fighting off a cough, don't worry about taking cough syrup straight away, there are plenty of natural alternatives that will do the trick. First you need to slice an onion into rings and put them into a deep bowl. Cover the onion slices with runny honey and let it stand overnight. In the morning, strain off the mixture of honey and onion juice, which makes a great cough syrup. Honey has a natural antibiotic effect and will draw out the phlegm. If you take a desert spoon of this mixture every day, you should notice a marked difference.

Asthma
New Zealand is well known for asthma, especially the young ones. Asthma is a condition that affects the small bronchial airways which are constricted temporarily, this makes it difficult for the person to exhale. Asthma sufferers can sometimes be allergic to something which is setting off the attacks so it could be an idea to do an allergy test at the doctors. If that is not the problem, there are plenty of great herbal mixtures that will help. Wild lettuce, hops, chamomile, lime flowers, skullcap and licorice are all great soothing herbs. If you have any of these ingredients at home, cut them up, weigh them to make 30 grams and put them into 500 ml of water. Boil the water, strain it then drink the herb infused water to help calm the effects of asthma.

If the person is highly allergic to many things it would be important to check they are not allergic to any of the ingredients you use in these solutions, however if done correctly this drink should work well.

Tonsillitis and Sinusitis
If you have recurring issues with tonsillitis you can gargle an infusion of echinacea, thyme and golden seal with 500 ml of boiling water, this is a great gargle which should calm down the painful tonsils. If the patient starts to run a fever you should seek medical attention.

 Those people who suffer from sinusitis probably experience snoring, tiredness, headaches and sore throats. A steam inhalant is one of the most effective ways to treat upper respiratory catarrh and sinusitis.  Here's how to make one at home:

• Mix 30 mls of friars balsam, 2.5 ml eucalyptus oil, 6 drops of peperming oil, 5 drops of lavender oil and five drops of pine oil.
• Shake the concoction well.
• Put a teaspoonful in a bowl of hot water (500ml)
• Cover your head and the bowl with a towel and inhale the hot water.

Mustard foot baths
These are also great ways of removing toxins from your body, Dissolve a tablespoon of mustard powder in 2 pots of hot water, bathe your feet for 10 minutes twice a day. If you cover your head while you are doing this, it will increase your body heat.

Once again, if you don't feel better, it always makes sense to see a doctor, these natural remedies work surprisingly well in conjunction with medication or without.

By Lucy Mullinger - Auckland