Tag: eucalyptus

Colds

by eileentroemel, posted in Uncategorized
Wednesday night my throat started to hurt.  It was scratchy and dry.  I actually lost my voice at one point during the evening.  Ice cream went a long way in easing these symptoms.  By the end of the evening my head was stuffed up and I had that clogged feeling as well in the back of my throat.  I was feeling pretty miserable. 
Thursday I got up and used eucalyptus in my shower.  I left the fan off so the steam would just linger even while I was drying off.  I was tired all day and just wanted to go home for a nap.  I made it all the way through work though.  When I got home Vicki had made a pasta dish so it would be easy on my throat.  She also made me hot cinnamon tea.  Now I’m not a tea or coffee drinker but this tea was pretty good.  It definitely helped with the throat.  She also pushed the fluids with me, got me water and an Izzie (best drink ever).  I spent the evening working on fleece blankets.  Oh and don’t forget the ice cream which again feels really good on my throat. 
Friday I took another eucalyptus shower.  I had the fan on this time so the steam didn’t linger which was probably a mistake.  I have a shorter day at work so will hopefully get to go home and finish the fleece blanket I have started.  I’m also hoping for more cinnamon tea and lots of relaxing. 

Yesterday and today I’ve been resting a lot, pushing the fluids, and staying out of the cold.  We had a hearty soup filled with good veggies especially onions and garlic.  Still the cold has settled into my head and throat.  Hopefully my preventative stuff will keep it from getting horrible.  I really don’t have time for a cold…

Upper Respiratory Crud

by eileentroemel, posted in Uncategorized
Here in Wisconsin the weather has turned cold, the germs are bouncing everywhere – particularly at the University with lots of students pushing themselves too hard, and the crud has started with cold like symptoms.
I used to get bronchitis at least once a year, sometimes more often than that.  I’ve found something that helps stave off all the upper respiratory gunk that visits us during the winter months. 
First let me say I’m not a medical professional and what I’m about to tell you is my home remedy that works for me.  (This is my disclaimer.)  As soon as I start to feel clogged up or have any of the gunk symptoms, I add in what a friend humorously calls my dragon’s breath to my shower in the mornings.  The dragon’s breath is essential oils – equal parts of lavender, rosemary, eucalyptus – mixed and in my bathroom.  I like to use the natural oils I feel they are more effective and have a better scent. I dribble some of this mixture onto some river stones that I keep in a bowl.  Then I place the bowl in my shower not directly under the spray.  I leave off my fan and turn the water on as hot as I can stand it to get a lot of steam.  Then I just go through my morning shower routine. 

Most of the time, it helps ease the symptoms and stave off a full blown cold or bronchitis.  I do still get colds but I haven’t had bronchitis since I started doing this.  I do other things too like adding in Welch’s grape juice (the all natural stuff) which is higher in vitamin C than orange juice and I can drink (can’t drink orange juice – too acidic).  I also try to get more sleep (stop laughing it happens sometimes) and do whatever possible to prevent the crud from creeping in.