Food cures?

[wildeyed]

In honor of the flu epidemic, I thought we could do a thread about food cures. My family has been sooooo sick this year. We all got stomach flu a month or so ago, then got the regular flu this past week. My daughter is now on antibiotics for bronchitis, I have been flat on my back for almost four days and my son is running a fever of 103 as of yesterday.

The funny thing is, most years we don't get sick much at all. Until the past few weeks, my daughter hadn't missed a day of school for illness in something like three years. We all had the flu shot this year, too :( Anyway, I am lying here flat on my back feeling sweaty and ill, but well enough to post, so I guess that is a good sign.

I'll start. If you add turmeric to salty warm water and gargle with it, it helps with sore throat, even more than just plain salty water.

Also, plain miso soup goes down really well after stomach flu, but don't add tofu chunks or seaweed or anything weird like that 'cause that will make you feel vomity again.

[The empressof all]

1. Ultimate cure for colds/flu/congestion

This remedy will speed recovery but must be taken consistently when sick.

Every hour or two swallow a garlic capsule chased by a tablespoon of lemon juice sprinkled liberally with cayenne pepper. You can drink some water after wards to help it go down. If you can't get fresh lemon juice, I've used bottled Real Lemon as an adequate substitute.

You should have at least 12 doses per day.

[Duer 157099]

3. I'll bet if one does that every day, they'd never get sick in the first place!

Course, who could manage to get into a daily habit like that? But I bet it's healthy as hell. The cayenne is good for the heart, the lemon juice is good for acidification of the blood, the garlic is just plain ole good for everything. Add the turmeric gargle as mentioned above and put the pharmas out of biz (or at least get rid of most of their OTC stuff).

[The empressof all]

9. Well, it does make you stink a bit

All that garlic does leach through the pores especially when you are sick and feverish. It's never failed me though when I'm sick.

But you might be right --if you take this in the higher doses every day you'll never get sick in the first place because no one would ever come near you!

[eleny]

10. I used to work with a woman who never got ill

She'd buy herself a large number of empty capsules and fill them with powdered cayenne and with ginger. If I remember right, she would use a powdered ginger but I don't know where she bought that. She'd take one of each every day. Cast iron stomach! I never knew her to take a day off from work for illnesses we all seemed to share around the office.

Garlic is supposed to be a mild antibiotic. Amazing stuff. We use it liberally in our cooking. But those garlic capsules must really pack a wallop.

[joneschick]

2. I'm a fan of ginger tea

and not the powdered stuff, that's sharp and icky. Get a fresh chunk of ginger root, peel the outer stuff and chop up some fresh root (maybe a tsp/cup)pour boiling water and let it steep. Add a little honey, perhaps lemon and drink liberally. I usually make a big thermos. It's lovely for sore throats and upset tummies. It also helps soothe coughing-which can upset tummies, etc. I would google for more evidence, but I'm lazy this morning. :hi:

[sandnsea]

4. orange juice

Big jugs of it. That always makes me feel a lot better, physically.

And chocolate pudding is my favorite comfort food when I'm sick.

Hope you feel better soon. We have been lucky so far.

[Warpy]

5. Chicken soup is one of the few things proven to help a cold/flu

It supplies the extra fluid sick folks need, plus vapors to inhale to liquefy secretions in the upper respiratory tract, plus there's something about the collagen in the broth that also helps. It's not called Jewish Penicillin for nothing.

An old southern remedy for vomiting is pure Coca Cola syrup poured over cracked ice. It sounds awful, but it worked on me when I was a kid. Pepto Bismol just came right back up.

Another southern remedy I absolutely don't recommend is the demijohn of moonshine whiskey with a cup of turpentine in it for coughs and colds.

A hot toddy made with plenty of honey and lemon is much more effective. At the very least, it'll give you a pleasant buzz and make you feel better about feeling so bad. Just don't mix it with any OTC cold medicine or even Tylenol. Take aspirin or one of the NSAIDs like Motrin to bring the fever down.

However many cures you take for a cold, it's going to last a week. If you do nothing at all, the sucker will hang on for seven days.

[hippywife]

6. I've been able to knock colds down

in two days but not with food. At the first sign, I start the zinc lozenges every 3-4 hours. Keeps it from getting out of hand and in two days, it's run it's course.

We always called the Italian Wedding Soup recipe I posted a few weeks back "Italian Penicillin." LOL

[eleny]

11. Coca Cola syrup - does that bring back memories

Mom would always send dad two blocks down to Sweeney's candy store for a little paper cup of it. I loved it since it was so super sweet. Not over ice, either. Just a spoonful straight and it sure worked.

And yes, yes to the chicken soup broth.

The last time I had a terrible sore throat and fever I was worried about strep and went to the doc. She tested it but also told me that I should go home and do the things that my mother did when I was little. The comfort level and "tlc" nurturing factor goes a long way to get through that 7 day week.

[Warpy]

13. There are no more soda fountains

but the last time I got some of the stuff it was from a pharmacy down south.

I haven't checked around here to see if they stock it. I'm betting they don't.

Too bad. It works.

[housewolf]

15. Here you go, Warpy - Coke Syrup

Amazon.com has it!

http://www.amazon.com/Baar-9654-Cola-Syrup-oz/dp/B000M36L9E




Actually I'm not sure if it's the same stuff, but... :shrug:

[eleny]

16. Looks like the real McCoy - "Classic"

I wonder how long it'll keep in the fridge. Hmmmm.... :D

[eleny]

17. Walgreen's carries it

I'm going to check my local store for it.

[housewolf]

7. I've long believed that Good Earth Tea heals anything...

The original blend, with all that cinnamon and spice, feels so good and warming going down. Yum, love that stuff.

[sazemisery]

8. Chicken soup, zinc, Oscillococcinum.

At the first sign of sickness, I take Oscillococcinum. http://www.oscillo.com I was introduced to it after my stepdautghter and son went to France and they both began to feel like a cold coming on. They went to the pharmacy and this homeopathic was recommended. They both felt better the next day. The flu is rampant here in Oklahoma. Mrsazemisery was in bed for 5 days and still doesn't feel great. I started taking the Oscillo, along with zinc lozenges, at his onset and I only had a slight stuffy nose. They have used this in France for over 65 years and there are no side effects.


Edited to add:

A good Hot Toddy never hurt anybody either. :)

[eleny]

12. You got a lot of good advice so here ya go

I hope you and your family are feeling better real soon.

[wildeyed]

14. Thanks eleny!

I am much improved, just a nasty hack and a low grade fever. The kids are not so good, especially the youngest, but at least I will be in shape to take care of them. :hug:

[mysteryman2]

18. elderberry/ colidal silver

there sre people that swear elderberry for cold. colidal silver with antibotics. those people who seem resistent to antibotics. oh cranberry pills for urinary infection. after you quit smoking try pau d archo to kill cancer cells and clean up.

if you get strep throat gargle with green tea. if your a singer use slippery elm before a performance and much much more. i used to live in belize where they are known for herbal cures.

http://consejo.bz/belize/bushmedicine.html

http://www.jungleremedy.com/

this healer in belize has successfully cured people of hiv. he will not give out tea samples and will only treat patients who fly to him. several doccumented cases of him curing aids have occured. he wants to patent it but has not the resources or knowledge and distrusts the goverment.

the problems he finds is some are completely cured and others not, for this reason scientific studies will not validate it. but the proof is some people who drink his tea are completely healed. i know of only one ingreadient in his tea pau d archo. the others are highly guarded. i only know of one because while in belize he was seen harvesting the bark by someone i know for his tea.

[luckyleftyme2]

19. fever buster

hot ginger tea with a double shot of dark rum just before you lay down. wear sweats to bed
and extra covers. this breaks my fever every time.