If the cold and flu have struck your home, here are some ways to help.
Teresa Hunsaker shares home remedies that you shouldn’t overlook.
Homemade Hand Sanitizer
1/3 cup rubbing alcohol (90% SD40 alcohol, perfumer’s alcohol if you can get it)
1/3 cup aloe vera gel
½ tsp Vit. E oil
2 tsp. glycerin
8-10 drops essential oil: orange, lemon, etc.
Homemade Ice Packs
3 cups water
1 cup rubbing alcohol
2-3 drops food coloring
Mix ingredients together and pour into a quart heavy duty freezer bag or small size if you want smaller pack. Freeze. These do not freeze hard, and are great for wrapping in a wash cloth for those with a fever.
Delicious Cold Remedy and Cough Syrup
1/4 pound seedless raisins
3 ounces ginger root
3 cups of honey (honey is also soothing to the throat)
6 lemons
4 oranges
1 gallon of distilled water
FOR COUGH SYRUP #2
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup raw honey
2 TBS coconut oil
Put the water in a large pan. Add the softened ginger root, honey, and seedless raisins. Bring to a boil and simmer for about an hour. Skim the top as needed. Cool, strain and place in a tightly closed container overnight in the refrigerator.
The next day, squeeze 6 lemons and 4 oranges and add to the mixture. Mix well.
Drink 2-3 glasses of the cold remedy per day—hot or cold.
Shower Discs
1 cup baking soda
¼ cup Epsom salt
¼ cup corn starch
2 TBS coconut oil
15 drops eucalyptus oil
10 drops peppermint oil
5 drops lavender oil
10 drops rosemary oil
5 drops lemon oil
Water enough to make a paste
Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl, except the water. Once well mixed and combined add water a few tablespoons at a time to form a very thick dough, or paste. Place in silicone muffin pan by pressing about 1/3 cup of mixture into each. Let dry well and then remove. Use one disc in the shower.
Homemade Cough Drops
¾ cup ginger infused water (tea)
¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup honey
To make ginger infused water (tea):
1. Add approximately 2/3 cup peeled and sliced ginger to a pan with a tight fitting lid. Add water just to cover and bring to a boil. Place the lid on the pan, remove from the heat, and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain well. Measure 3/4 cup of the ginger tea (reserving any additional tea for later batches of cough drops).
To Make the Homemade Cough Drops:
2. Gather silicone molds or powdered sugar in pan, with imprints for forming drops.
3. Add the ¾ cup ginger tea to a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the sugar and honey, lemon juice, add the candy thermometer to the bottom of the pan, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring well (avoiding the sides of the pot) from time to time. Watch the candy thermometer. When the mixture reaches about 250°F, stir almost constantly, taking care to stir up the bottom well and still avoid the sides. When it reaches 310°F or hard crack stage(however adjust for altitude and thermometer calibration), carefully pour into silicone molds or a confectioner’s sugar mold. Let cool several hours or overnight before unmolding. Toss with confectioner’s sugar if desired. Store in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature.
Not Your Ordinary Chicken Soup
2 cups chicken, cooked cubes or shredded
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup sliced celery
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger, fresh peeled and chopped
3/4 cup Leeks
Juice from 1/2 lemon
Parsley, fresh
4 cups Chicken stock
1 cup pearl Couscous
1 Salt and pepper
1/2 tsp Turmeric, ground
Heat one tablespoon of the stock in a 4 to 5 quart Dutch oven or stock pot over medium. When it begins to sizzle, add the onions, leeks, carrots, and celery. Sauté until the vegetables are soft, about 6 minutes. Stir in the ginger and garlic and heat until aromatic. Sprinkle the turmeric over the vegetables and stir.
Add the stock, chicken, and couscous, and bring to a light boil. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer; cook for 15 minutes. Squeeze the half lemon into the soup, taste, and season with salt and pepper to your liking. Top with parsley before serving.
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