10 ways to cure a common cold, naturally.

By Amy Crawford

The common cold is a rarity in my life, but I can assure you that when it hits there's not a pharmacy in sight getting my hard earned dollars. Instead, it's off to the kitchen to get crafty with concoctions. 

Herewith my natural common cold treatment list to help kick your common cold symptoms to the curb, pronto! 

1. Turmeric

The curcumin in turmeric eases headaches, acts as a decongestant, helps reduce allergy symptoms and wards off colds. 

So, I make a turmeric tea. Combine 2 cups of water with 2 teaspoons turmeric, a black or herbal teabag, a dash of cinnamon and a knob of fresh ginger. Heat it all up on the stove. Serve with a slice of lemon. Serves two coldy peeps.

Alternatively, consider making my Turmeric Golden Milk! I've created two versions for the time poor and the less time poor. 

Read all about turmeric's amazing health benefits here.

2. Peppermint Oil
If you're feeling congested, this stuff is the business. Every morning and night, as part of my cold routine, I dilute a drop of peppermint oil with some coconut oil and rub it on my chest. Inhale that crisp minty aroma and feel the air passages clear! (oh and as an aside note, add a drop or two to your raw chocolate  - it's a mighty fine addition). You can grab yourself some doTERRA peppermint oil here.

3. Apple Cider Vinegar
Sickness can place the body in an overly acidic state, which makes it difficult for the immune system to fight disease. Combat this with apple cider vinegar. ACV is powerfully alkalising, it will kill your cold and squash the miserable symptoms. Here's how. Combine a few tablespoons of ACV in warm filtered water with a teaspoon of raw manuka honey and a squeeze of fresh lemon. Guzzle twice daily.

I could write about my love for ACV all day.

4. Manuka honey

Manuka honey will soothe and heal your aches and pains. Use it to boost immunity to prevent the next cold, or to treat the cold symptoms as they arise. The diverse array of antioxidant, antiviral, and antibacterial nutrients make raw manuka honey an excellent cold medicine. Add ACV to the drink I mentioned above.

5. Frankincense
I shared my devotion to this amazing stuff here or you can grab your own here. A couple of drops under my tongue each day, like clockwork.

6. Lemon Oil
Like frankincense, this stuff is liquid gold. Made from the peel of lemons, it's uses are many. However, for the sake of knocking a cold on it's head, I dropped one drop into 2 litres of water to sip across the day. Cleansing the body naturally, it acts as a powerful antioxidant and can help sooth a sore throat. Pop a couple of drops into your diffuser too, to help clear your respiratory tract. You can grab yourself some here.

7. Coconut oil
Coconut oil contains one of the most powerful antiviral compounds available to us. Directly targeting the virus, the medium chain fatty acids present in coconut oil absorb the viral cells, essentially stopping the virus in its tracks.

So, why not add coconut oil to your coffee, bulletproof style (many recipes available via google!) or consume it straight off the spoon. I also add coconut oil to bliss balls when I'm not feeling great.

You can read my 9 benefits of coconut oil.

8. Ginger
Ginger targets stomach upsets, so those suffering colds that involve the digestive system will experience relief here. Ginger root is a powerful healer, with anti inflammatory properties. Ginger also helps warm the body, which is highly effective at promoting perspiration and the expelling of toxins and other harmful invaders. I made a ginger infused green juice.

9. Oregano

Oregano is known for it's awesome purifying properties, and so I go to bed with a couple of diluted drops of oregano on the soles of my feet each night. You can read more about this oily goodness here.

10. Cinnamon

Soothe aches and pains with cinnamon. A natural antibacterial and antifungal, this warming spice stimulates circulation and increases the elimination of toxins. Steaming Hot Cinnamon Quinoa Porridge in the mornings when I struggled to rise got me through.

So come on, it's your turn to share. What's your 'go to' home remedy?