Germs, germs and Home Remedies

It's that time of year when the germs are rampant and vicious. Luckily our house hasn't been hit by any nasty flu viruses but this weekend we were hit by a pretty nasty cold and cough. DR and I were hit the worst. How is it that kids can get sick but they still have the energy to keep going? But when adults get sick, we get knocked down to our knees! 

This time of year I really don't like the idea of dosing my kids up on a bunch of store bought cold medicine. A lot of times I don't even think the stuff that you can buy from the store even works. Except NyQuil...I'm a huge fan of NyQuil only because it totally knocks me out! But it sure doesn't cure anything. 

This winter I've tried out a few different home remedies. Why not? I feel a lot better giving my kids something natural to relieve their symptoms than something full of funky chemicals. 

This first recipe was given to me by a neighbor who found it somewhere on Pinterest. 

MAGGIE’S COUGH REMEDY
¼ teaspoon Cayenne
¼ teaspoon Ginger
1 Tablespoon Cider Vinegar
2 Tablespoon Water
1 Tablespoon Honey 

Dissolve cayenne and ginger in cider vinegar and water. Add honey and shake well. Take 1 Tablespoon as needed for cough. Hoo-wee.
Note: this doesn’t dissolve perfectly. Always shake well before using.

If you make this in small batches as the recipe is written, there is no need to refrigerate.
If you prefer, you may refrigerate this. It keeps as long as you need it. I like to make small batches (it is so easy to mix up.) and use it up in a just a few days.

I gave a does to Yap last week after a particularly bad coughing fit. Afterwards he downed about a pint of water, it is rather spicy, but then he confessed that it wasn't as bad the store bought stuff. 

My favorite cold and cough medicine was shared on my friend's blog Amy's Assorted Adventures.  My kids really don't like this one though, they think it tastes too much like onions. I, on the other hand, could drink this everyday, cold or not. Of course maybe I like it so well because there's a bunch of whiskey in it.

First I slice 3-4 onions and pour a cup of honey over them. This needs to sit for 5-6 hours during which time the onions will soften and all the healthy goodness will seep into the honey. Next pour a cup of boiling water over a tablespoon of dried thyme and leave this to sit until it cools completely.
Strain the honey/onion mixture and the thyme 'tea', Combine them with a cup of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. Whisk in a teaspoon of dried ginger. Lastly add one cup of whiskey, any kind will do. (Kids 1Tablespoon 2-3 times a day, Adults 2-3 Tablespoons) 

The last home remedy I've been using is one I found on Facebook but I really doubt it works. The folklore goes that if you cut an onion and sit it by your bedside that it will "draw away" the germs. I don't think it works, germs are spread by contact, but why not try it? 

How are you feeling this winter? Are you staying healthy? Have you any home remedies that you swear by?