Natural Cold Remedies
It’s that time of year again, where colds seem to be going around in abundance! I thought I would share a few of the Ladomato favorite natural preventatives and helps for colds.
Fresh Garlic Salve is an all-time favorite at our house. Although a bit stinky and messy, garlic is known to combat both viruses and bacteria. And, unlike antibiotics, rather than lowering your immune system, it actually improves it! Not only is it inexpensive and fairly easy to make, but it is safe for the whole family–even babies. The key to receiving benefit from it, though, is consistency. Once or twice a day is fine if you are just using it as a preventative, but if you are actually sick, you need to be rubbing it on your chest, back and the soles of your feet at least 4-5 times a day, and as much as every couple of hours. (As such, this is probably best used for children, or adults who are actually at home sick, as the general public might not appreciate the strong garlic odor. 
Further down in this post is a Super-Duper Tonic that can be used more easily by those who are needing to interact with the general public.) Garlic Salve will easily keep it’s potency for up to 2 weeks if left out on the countertop (which is where you want it if you are using it several times a day), or for much longer in the fridge. It is easy enough to make that I tend to just make a fresh batch when we start noticing that we are fighting something. Here is the recipe:
Garlic Salve
1/3 cup raw coconut oil
8-10 cloves of fresh garlic, peeled
up to 2 Tbs. olive oil (or I really like to use Wheat Germ Oil)
Put the coconut oil and garlic in the food processor and process until it is a fairly smooth paste. Add just enough oil to make it a spreadable consistency.
Another favorite of mine, once you have a cold, is a simple Peppermint/Eucalyptus Rubbing Oil. You rub it on the chest and back, and it instantly helps to clear congestion.
Peppermint/Eucalyptus Rubbing Oil
approximately 2 Tbs. Olive Oil (or any carrier oil of your choice–many people really like apricot kernel oil, but olive oil is much cheaper)
2-3 drops Eucalyptus Essential Oil
2-3 drops Peppermint Essential Oil
Store in a dark bottle, and rub on as needed. Note: you can adjust the essential oils up or down, according to your preference. Just be aware that essential oils are very potent, so be especially careful if using with young children. Better to start with less, and add more if you want it.
The final favorite Cold Preventative recipe that I will share from our house is Super-Duper Tonic. This is a bit more work to make, and it does have a strong taste, but we have found it very effective in fighting off colds if we take it faithfully at the first sign that we might be coming down with something. I make it by the half-gallon or gallon jar, which turns out to be about 1-2 quarts once it has been strained off. I then store the tonic in a dark bottle in the fridge, and when we feel like we are fighting something, we start taking 1 Tbs. every hour. Here is the recipe:
Super Duper Tonic
chop equal parts of onion, garlic, fresh horseradish (available at Meijer), fresh ginger root (also available at Meijer) and as much hot pepper (jalapeno or chiles work very well) as you can tolerate–up to equal amounts of everything else, but I usually use much less because it would just be too hot for us otherwise.
Put all ingredients in a glass jar and cover with Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (available at health food stores–different than the pastuerized kind you can get at the grocery store). Let set on the countertop for 2-4 weeks, shaking daily. Strain off and store in fridge. If you use a 1/2 gallon jar, you will get about 1 quart of tonic in the end.
It seems many in our day put their trust in doctors and medicine; others put their trust in herbs and “naturalism.” While we are thankful for the wisdom God gives and for the herbs (and doctors, when we truly need them) that He has provided, we believe that true salvation–be it spiritual or physical–is found in Jesus Christ alone. There is no other Name (or “remedy”) under heaven by which we are saved! We do hope, however, that perhaps some of these simple recipes may prove helpful to some.