4 Natural Cold and Flu Remedies

Reference: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/01/30/4-natural-cold-and-flu-remedies/

Summary: Many people go to the drugstore when they are sick, when they could try natural remedies instead. Eucalyptus oil is is the first of the remedies listed and is described as "the ultimate cold season decongestant." Fill a sink with hot water, add a few drops of the oil into the water, lay a towel over your head and breathe the vapors. This will open up clogged sinuses. The second remedy is ginger, which is great for stopping a sore throat. Break a piece off and grate or chop it into tiny pieces, then put it in a cup and pour boiling water over it. Let it sit for five minutes and then strain and drink it. If the taste grosses you out you can add honey. The next remedy is mint, and you basically do the same thing with it that you did with the ginger. This will help decongest sinuses. The last remedy described is umcka. It stops decongestion so take half a teaspoon of the syrup when you feel a cold coming on. The doctor also recommends rest, lots of fluids, and chicken soup.

Critique: I thought that this article was very informative. I already knew that ginger was good for stomach pain, but I didn't know it was good for sore throats. A lot of people are sick right now, so it's good that they are getting this information out there.

Impact: These will help people be able to treat their cold or flu without the side effects of drugs. If someone doesn't feel well enough to go to the drugstore immediately they might have some of these things laying around their house (but I don't know who has umcka syrup in their house because I have never heard of it until today).