What's your best frugal homemade cold remedy?

United States
June 16, 2008 1:36pm CST
What's your best homemade cold or flu remedy? My best remedy is Louisianna hot sauce. Just two drops on the tongue will clear a stuffy nose and clear congestion. If you prefer, you can mix two drops of hot sauce into tea or cola and that works as well. Also, I prop up on a pillow to sleep when I'm sick, so that my sinuses don't become congested. When I wake up, I can breathe, even though I have a really bad flu or cold. What type of homemade brews or teas do you use to clear up a bad sickness quickly? Do you have any frugal non-medicine based remedies or folk medicine for ailments? Please share.
3 people like this
5 responses
• United States
16 Jun 08
Honey with garlic. I know it sounds strange but it knocked my girlfriends cold out in a couple of days. Take a regular cereal spoon and fill it with honey. Take some garlic, we used jarred garlic but several pieces onto the spoon and swallow the whole thing. Skip chewing or anything, just swallow. Tastes odd but it works.
• United States
16 Jun 08
I like that idea! Sounds very like old medicine! I will try that next time. I don't mind the taste of garlic anyway. Honey is nice too. Thanks!
1 person likes this
• United States
16 Jun 08
I think my girlfriend did it maybe twice a day. I can't really remember. I doubt it would hurt you if you did it twice a day or anything. Sometimes she did it closer to bedtime because honey is supposed to help you sleep but she was miserable for a few days and then it was gone. Saved her a trip to the doctor for expensive meds.
• United States
16 Jun 08
I will keep that in mind. I wasn't sure of the dosage either. Mostly we try to stick to the all natural or homeopathic medicines, like you mentioned, because of my spouse's health. He can't take anything that will raise blood pressure. He had a bad experience with Dimetapp when he had a cold and it raised his blood pressure to dangerously high levels. So now he stays away from all cold medicines. We're lucky that he didn't die. Thanks for your home remedy. We will try that. Be well!
1 person likes this
@cdparazo (5765)
• Philippines
17 Jun 08
Mine is just plane old calamansi with its juices squeezed and mix with hot water. One could inhale the vapors from the mixture to clean the sinuses before drinking it.
@cdparazo (5765)
• Philippines
17 Jun 08
It's a local fruit and belongs to the lemon family. However, it is much smaller than lemon and green in color. It has lots of uses such as whitening, disinfectant and exfoliating agent.
• United States
17 Jun 08
Is that a fruit? We do not have any here in the US, I think. I will check our local Farmer's market. Thanks for the suggestion.
1 person likes this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
17 Jun 08
My favorite is Ginger Brandy. Takes away the congestion. Be careful not to feel good for too long or you will feel worse in the morning!
• United States
16 Jun 08
I do, but I would have to silence you... Just kidding. Seriously though, I cannot tell you here. It is somewhat illegal and involves moonshine and molasses... Believe me, one tsp and it knocks the cold right out of you.
• United States
16 Jun 08
I hear you! That does sound like folk medicine. I'm from the south so I know about moonshine. Never had it. But I've heard all the stories of the old days of moonshine.
@bagumbayan (2705)
• Philippines
12 Aug 08
Ill try hot sauce when I get cold or flu. I usually have this ointment vicks vaporub rub on my nose and head and my lungs or put a bit in hot water and inhale the smoke from it. Goes all whats in my nose.