100+ DIY Remedies for Sick Season

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I work in the medical field, but that does not mean that I am drinking the kool-aid (so to speak). While I think there is a very important role that Allopathic Medicine plays in our modern world, I do not think it is the answer for every illness. You sever a limb, go to the emergency room. Your develop a cough, or a cold…..maybe there are a few natural remedies you can try first before going to the doctor and starting on antibiotics. I have tried all of the natural remedies out there and I am very happy to report that my kids have never been on antibiotics, not even once!

But this can all be very confusing for parents, which remedy to try and when to toss the herbs/garlic/tonic and just plain head to the emergency room. Well, here is my general rule of thumb: look at your child (or anyone who is ill) and treat what you see. Go with your gut. Parents a lot of times “just know” when something is very wrong. Don’t try to treat something yourself at home if you think your child or family member is very very ill.

Call your health care provider if you are unsure or if any of these symptoms are present:

  • not drinking fluids (dehydration is bad and can quickly turn grave, especially in small people…kids)
  • excessive vomiting or diarrhea (this leads to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances)
  • fever >104* F (even lower than that in very small babies)
  • excessive sleepiness, unable to arouse
  • uncontrolled bleeding (call 911!)
  • confusion or personality changes
  • infection that is spreading (you see a red line running up the body, stemming from the wound)
  • foul smell or discharge that does not look right
  • intense uncontrolled/unrelieved pain

….you get the picture, if it seems like an emergency or if your gut feeling is that the situation is bad, then go to your health care provider and seek assistance immediately!

If the symptoms are common colds, or anything that I have categorized below then try some of these remedies on for size. This post is not meant to be taken as direct medical advice. I put together this remedy round-up to help people find their way around the typical pharmaceutical remedies for everything. We do not need to be taking so many antibiotics! Let’s do a little prevention here and not so much symptomatic management (pharmaceutical band-aids). Healthy kids are so important. I know the health of my children is the most important thing in my life.

I’d like to start with a few of my remedies and methods to combat illness.

Prevention

elderberry syrup

I make Elderberry Syrup and give a spoonful to my kids every morning during the winter months

Get the recipe HERE 

Detoxification

We need to have a properly functioning detoxification system in order to have a properly functioning immune system. This is why I think routine detoxification is important. While the methods I have listed below are not really appropriate for children, I do think variations can be made for them. For example, instead of the ginger in the Ultimate Detox Bath post, have your child sip on bone broth and take a bath with a smaller dose of epsom salts. Incorporate the detoxifying foods in the Liver Cleansing Detox Smoothie recipe into the child’s food. Make them a smoothie with beets, carrots and apples…something they will actually drink!

The Ultimate Detox Bath

The Ultimate Detox Bath is something that I do regularly to help get toxins out of my body!

Get the instructions HERE

Liver Cleansing Detox Smoothie

I routinely drink my Liver Cleansing Detox Smoothie to give my detoxifying organs a boost!

Get the recipe HERE 

The essentials that I always have on hand:

And now, here is my collection of DIY remedies. On with the show……

Boost Your Immunity:

Colds: 

The Flu:

Cough:

Congestion: 

Strep Throat & Sore Throats:

Earaches:

Stomach Upset: 

Fevers:

Pink Eye:

Allergies:

Wound Care:

Rashes:

Burns & Sunburns:

Poison Ivy & Bug Bites: 

BONUS Remedy Round-ups: 

I hope you have found this collection to be a useful resource for the health of your family. I am always open to new tried-and-true remedies, so please share yours in the comments below. 

None of these health benefits have been evaluated or approved by the FDA. They should not be used in place of personal judgment or medical treatment when needed, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. (Only your doctor can diagnose and treat disease.) Read my full disclaimer.

Order supplements through my Fullscript store.

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35 Replies to “100+ DIY Remedies for Sick Season”

  1. Just found your blog through the frugal days sustainable ways link up. I can’t wait to check out these posts. Some I already use, some I look forward to adding to our repertoire. Thanks!!

  2. Love the list Kate, the perfect resource of natural remedies, glad to see you are not “drinking the Kool aid” ;). Thanks for including Earth Friendly Goodies in your list. Now, I need to check out the detox bath… 🙂

  3. Hey! I know this is kind of off-topic but I had to
    ask. Does running a well-established blog such as yours require
    a massive amount work? I am completely new to blogging however I do write in my
    journal every day. I’d like to start a blog so
    I can easily share my experience and feelings online.
    Please let me know if you have any recommendations or tips for brand
    new aspiring blog owners. Appreciate it!

    1. It requires a MASSIVE amount of work! Some people hire assistants to help, but I cannot afford it so I do everything myself and its very time consuming. However, it is a labor of love because I am truly passionate about it, so that makes the work much easier to do! If you want to get started you will need to get a website set up, I suggest using wordpress. Next you will have to come up with a brand/logo and buy a domain. Then you have to establish a presence on all of the major social media networks to get traffic to your site. Good luck! In the footer of my page, there is a link to “how to make money blogging”, you can learn even more there.

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