Peppermint is a cooling herb to cool down a fever or sore throat and aids in healing you from other symptoms of the cold and flu. Peppermint herbal honey is a tasty and delicious way to add this herb to your cold and flu herbal remedy arsenal.

Peppermint honey has been used by traditions around the world for thousands of years to relieve the symptoms of colds and flu like sore throat, congestion, headaches, coughs and pneumonia. Peppermint is well known for settling stomach nausea and spasms also.

Menthol is one of peppermints volatile oils and is antibacterial. It fights infections, kills germs and relieves infections in the nose, sinus and chest. It loosens up the congestion and gets the mucous flowing, taking the virus out of your body with it.

Peppermint is rich in magnesium, phosphorus, riboflavin, calcium, iron, niacin, potassium and vitamins A and C. All of these minerals and vitamins aid your immune system to fight the infections.

To make peppermint herbal honey, just fill a small canning jar with the leaves torn into bits. Pour raw honey over the leaves and stir gently to soak them. Fill the jar with raw honey, cap it tightly and set it on your counter to infuse for 2-6 weeks. Stir or turn the jar over every day. You can start using it within a day or two, but as it infuses over time it will become more medicinal. To use it, just put 1 tablespoon of the honey in a cup and pour boiling water over to make a delicious tea.

Turmeric is a yellow spice with a warm and mellow flavor and is related to ginger. It is used in liberally in Indian cuisine mostly in every dish. Western cuisine does not use turmeric directly, but it forms part of several spice mixtures and sauces. They use it to give a bright color to mustard paste. It is an important spice for vegetables, rice and curries.

Turmeric has been used medicinally throughout Asia since years. Turmeric is said more of a medicine than a spice. Its benefits are as follows:

1. Mainly it is used to purify blood and skin conditions.
2. It is used for epilepsy and bleeding disorders.
3. It is used for skin diseases.
4. Its therapeutic uses include Anemia, cancer, diabetes, digestion, food poisoning; gallstones, indigestion, wounds, staph infections, poor circulation, parasites and IBS.
5. It helps to regulate female reproductive system.
6. It reduces fevers and coughs.
7. It is helpful in diarrhea and urinary disorders.
8. It is useful for lactation problems in nursing mothers.
9. It is used to treat external ulcers.
10. It builds semen in men.
11. It helps in detoxifying the liver.
12. It balances cholesterol levels.
13. It fights against allergies.
14. It stimulates digestion.
15. It boosts the immunity.
16. It is used for enhancing the skin complexion.
17. It is used to heal sores.
18. It is used to treat stomach and liver ailments.
19. It is used to purify blood and skin.
20. It is considered as an antioxidant also.

American Academy of Pediatrics and FDA agreed that there is not enough scientific evidence regarding safety and efficacy of cold and cough medications in children. Therefore, most of the over-the counter products were taken off your super market’s shelf. You might wonder about what else is out there to treat cold symptoms of your child.

What to expect when your child has a cold

Statistically speaking, cold symptoms are the worse on days 3 and 4. After day 5, you should expect to see some improvement daily. It is not unusual to have a fever even with a plain cold. However, fever should resolve after 3 days.

Cold Treatment in Infants

Water down her formula to help decrease mucus. You can elevate her head of bed to help with breathing when the infant has nasal congestion. Small children should not use pillows. However, you may slide something under the mattress (i.e. pillow, rolled up blanket, or a telephone book) to keep her head elevated at night. A vaporizer by the bedside and saline nasal spray will help to battle nasal congestion. Saline solution is a salty water, thus it is very safe to use as many times as your infant’s nose needs it. Children younger than 3 months should be evaluated for fevers by your health care provider as soon as possible.

Cold Treatment in Older Children

Clear fluids are crucial, especially when the child runs a fever. Chicken soup daily will help with nasal congestion, will break up mucus in the respiratory system, and will decrease mucus production.

Children over 12 moths of age can be given honey for coughs, 1 teaspoon three times a day or at bedtime if cough control is desired at night time only. Research shows that honey has better cough suppressing qualities than dextromethorphan found in most over-the-couter cough suppressants. Extra pillow, vaporizer and saline nasal spray will work as well! For aches and pains or fever you can use Tylenol as needed.

If your efforts to make the cold better fail, your child gets worse, or you are concerned, talk to your health care provider right away!

Most individuals do not need to seek medical treatment when contracting the H1N1 swine flu and are able to recover typically within seven days. However, it is essential when becoming ill with the H1N1 virus that you remain home other than to seek medical care and that you avoid unnecessary contact with other individuals for a minimum period of twenty four hours after your fever has gone away. While at home it is important to take the proper precautions to avoid spreading this virus to others in your home as well as reduce the length of time that it takes you to recover.

Avoiding the Spreading of H1N1

The first step that should be taken when treating the H1N1 virus at home is to create a “sick room” in your home if possible such as bedroom to be used only by the individual who is sick. This room can be also be shared by others who are sick and should have a trash can with a lid and disposable trash can liners. This room should be avoided by others in the home that are not sick with the exception of caregivers. Caregivers should take precautionary measures by keeping six feet away from the individual and avoid coming into contact with any items such as tissues that have been used to cover coughs or sneezing.

You should ensure to ventilate the room by leaving a window open for fresh air if possible or using a fan to keep the air circulating. It is essential to keep from dehydrating that you drink plenty of fluids, therefore, ensure that you have plenty of fluids available to you in your room such as pitcher of ice water or cooler with drinks as well as a drinking glass with a straw or a water bottle that is squeezable to make it easier for you to drink. If you do have to leave your home or come into contact with others, you should wear a face mask in order to avoid the spreading of germs.

Treating a Fever, Cough, and other Symptoms of H1N1

In order to reduce your fever with out the use of medications, use a wash cloth with cool water to wash down your arms and body or place it upon your forehead. Taking a warm bath can also help you to reduce a fever. When using over-the-counter medications to reduce fever, you should read the label to ensure that they contain “ibuprofen” or “acetaminophen” as these work best in reducing a fever. These medications should take affect within approximately thirty to forty five minutes; however, they may not bring your body temperature fully back to normal. It is essential that you monitor your fever closely as in some rare instances high fevers can produce seizures known as “febrile seizures” that can cause you to experience short jerking or spasms or pass out. If a seizure does occur, it is essential that you seek immediate medical attention.

In some cases having a cough can be beneficial in relieving congestion in the lungs by bringing up the mucus; however, a cough that is dry can cause your airways, throat, and chest to become sore. For this type of dry cough, you can purchase over-the-counter medications that are specifically formulated for dry coughing that will help in relieving these symptoms. If you are experiencing nausea or vomiting associated with the flu, ensure that you eat foods that are plain such as soda crackers, clear soup broths, or plain rice, as these will be easier on an upset stomach.