This morning I woke up with the sick realization that I am, in fact, sick.
I hate that. I hate waking up with a gnawing feeling in the back of my throat that makes it hard to swallow and a pressure behind my nose that is unsettling. That's how most colds start for me, an uneasy feeling that first leads me into dread, then denial. Nah, can't actually be a cold. Except usually it is. And like many facts we don't want to face, it takes me some time to admit to my sickness.
The weather already sucks and my body is breaking down. So what do I do on mornings like these? Most likely I skip any dairy for breakfast, make sure I bundle up, and leave the house with zero makeup on. I also take a moment to make myself a hot cup of honey and lemon tea, a remedy I like to use that is simple and effective for a sore throat.
That tea reminds me of another tea, one that is steeped in a mother's love and brewed for hours to create the perfect richness of flavor and healing power. You guessed it: it's what my mom makes for me anytime my throat acts up and I feel under the weather. She takes a handful of dried jujubes plus whole ginger roots and brings everything to a boil until the water is a dark caramelized color, and then I chug it all by the gallon. Every time I drink it I can just feel the sweet and spicy goodness coating my throat which I imagine is like a jagged brick wall. Sorry if that sounds freaky.
Like my mom's unique tea, natural home remedies for the common cold are nothing new, being refined and passed down from generation to generation. Now, thanks to simple searches online we can even discover what home remedies are used in other countries besides our own. But while they certainly may be interesting to read, some may not always be feasible to try as they call for specific and uncommon ingredients. It would be ideal to not catch whatever bug is floating around during these cold winter months, but in the more likely case you do, try this shorthand list of practical home remedies approved by citizens elsewhere. Supplies can be found in your home or at your local grocery store! In the meantime, stay warm this year.
1. Green tea – Perhaps the easiest and most commonly available remedy for a beat immune system. Hails from Japan, but popular throughout Asia.
2. Onion tea – Also from Japan is a mix of grated onions with honey to make a sinus-clearing tea. Or you can eat it straight.
3. Towels for your calves – From Germany, it's like putting a towel on your forehead for a fever, except now it's on your calves. Doctors advise to use lukewarm water and remove them after 30 minutes.
4. Garlic tea – We're on a roll for stinky breath, this one popular with Spaniards. Creating a garlic tea with added lemon and honey guards against nasty microbes.
5. Tequila shots – Okay, so this is a thing! Mexican doctors have recommended this to patients in the past. Don't forget that lime.
6. Sage leaf gargle – Steeping sage leaves in warm water to gargle is a classic sore throat remedy among Italian grandmothers.
