Last Updated on August 30, 2016
We woke up this morning to get ready for church and my little one had a sore throat, so my husband graciously offered to stay home with her. Her big sister and I felt fine, so off we went. On our way to church I felt that familiar “tickle” and knew what was coming next.
Being on the Autoimmune Protocol, I have to kick these things quickly because antibiotics are just not an option for me (unless I am in the hospital dying, of course!) I have worked so hard to repair my leaky gut that I do not want to take any steps back.
The FIRST THING I did was start roasting a whole chicken. My plan is to roast the chicken to perfection and then make a 2-hour bone broth in my Instant Pot. Afterwards, I will combine my bone broth and chicken with some carrots, celery, onions, and garlic for a nutrient-dense and healing dinner.
Treating Symptoms:
My little one is not AIP, but is gluten free and refined-sugar free and we do not give her any processed foods, so her options are a little bit more broad than mine are. Her symptoms are:
- Fever
- Sore throat
- Cough
- Irritability
My go-to essential oil at the first sign of a sore throat used to be Thieves, and I still use that for her. The clove and cinnamon oils make my Psoriasis flare up like crazy, so I can no longer use that. The first thing I did was put some on the bottom of her feet and start diffusing it. I have no idea if diffusing it will cause a reaction for me – I guess I will find out!
The ingredients in Theives are safe for most people on AIP. If you have Psoriasis, you may also find that the “hot” oils will cause flare-ups. Yes, this means I have to avoid cinnamon too, much to my dismay.
I also make her a Theives Tea using filtered water from our Berkey Water Filter. I warm the water, add one drop of Thieves, 3 drops of lemon essential oil and a teaspoon or so of local raw honey. She doesn’t love it, but she will sip on it.
Later, as she developed a fever, I used some Bergamont Essential Oils on her feet as it is known to reduce fevers. Her cough has become bothersome, and I actually found a cough syrup that has all natural ingredients and no added sugar, so we have added that to our arsenal too.
Here are the ingredients: Buckwheat Honey, Apple Cider Vinegar, Sea Salt, Lemon Peel, Cinnamon, Lemon Balm, Cayenne Pepper, Cloves, Marjoram, Zinc Gluconate, and Olive Oil.
Obviously the cayenne pepper would be a no-go for someone on AIP, but for her, we use it and it does help. I tasted a tiny bit and it was pretty pleasant for a cough syrup.
Treating my Symptoms (AIP):
I make a gargle that normally kicks it using a combination of about 6 oz. filtered water, 1 drop of peppermint oil, 2 drops of Melaleuca (Tea Tree Oil), and 2 drops of lemon oil. I gargle with this every few hours. It offers immediate relief and helps clear up my sore throat.
I also warm about 1/2 C water and add a TBSP of apple cider vinegar and a 1/2 tsp. of local raw honey. I usually have to plug my nose as I down it because of the ACV. Make sure you are using organic, raw, unfiltered with the “mother.” The “mother” really kinda grosses me out, but that is the stuff with all the healing properties, so I just ignore it floating around in there.
Sipping bone broth always feels so good on a sore throat and drinking lots of water helps clear your body of toxins.
Of course, we are both taking our supplements and probiotics and drinking water kefir that Jen makes for us. I suspect that tomorrow we should already start feeling better!
How about you? What are your natural remedies for kicking a cold to the curb?
The statements in our posts about essential oils have not been evaluated by the FDA. Products and methods recommended are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The information provided here is in no way intended to replace proper medical help. These are simply things that have worked for me and my family personally. Please consult with a qualified medical professional to address specific health concerns you might have.
