That's what I called my newest home remedies for this season's inevitable bout of colds when I was talking to a co-worker recently. But aside from my usual tactics of a high-dose of vitamin C and an early bedtime, I've added a couple new ones. Last year, I got on the Airborne tablet kick, which my friend Sarah dubbed "placebo" when I mentioned it a couple weekends ago. And while I have no idea what its actual effectiveness rating would be in a consumer test against a sugar pill (or SweeTart?) my sister Aimee and I both agree that $6 is more than a fair price to pay for something that we believe makes us feel better, even if it actually does nothing for our physical symptoms!
I stumbled upon the next remedy when I felt the full onset of cold symptoms one night recently. I had sent the hubby off to the gym solo, and was about to curl up on the couch and watch Prison Break when I decided a hot cup o' tea was in order. I rooted around the cupboards to find a decaf version and came across something that the Barton had brought over from his old house, Throat Coat http://www.tealand.com/ThroatCoat.asp . I heated up some water and steeped it as directed, and drank it plain. Miraculous! OK, not really in the biblical sense, but my sore throat instantly felt better and my stomach was calm. I'm now convinced that after a couple of antihistamine pills to help me get through the next couple of long 12-hour work days that ensued, a few more cups of Throat Coat and a pretty intense yoga class Saturday morning ("now, everyone reach up and elongate your side body just a little bit more before taking three knee dips to the floor, raise your arms higher!" - say what?!?), I was as good as new. Seriously, try it if you don't mind the hints of black licorice/anise.
My last remedy to report on I read about in some health magazine last week on the treadmill. I picked up a teeny bottle of eucalyptus oil for $5 from Whole Foods, aka "Whole Paycheck" as the Barton likes to call it, and sprinkled a few drops on the steamy shower floor, and voila', an instant Vicks-like mist! That's pretty much what it smells like, though you can get a variety of scents http://www.goddess-within.com/aucaesoi.html, this one was recommended to open up your breathing. Good times.
I'll sign off now to eat my vanilla almond granola bar from Trader Joe's for an afternoon snack, but before I do that I'll note here that I have not turned into a crunchy Generation Xer, so not to worry. I'm still a regular retail-consuming (bad), Lexus-driving (bad for my husband's company, I know), sushi-eating, shower-singing, recycling, tattoo-bearing, Martha Stewart-watching, yoga-practicing, oatmeal-raisin-cookie-baking, churchgoing, conservative, Crackberry addict who loves her family & friends and weeps at the end of every Extreme Home Makeover episode. Yeah, that's right. So don't even try to slap a label on me. Holla!
P.S. Hope you're feeling better honey!
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1 comment:
i'm crazy for throat coat, but i haven't been able to find it in years. :(
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