Home Remedies to Prevent a Cold

The rule in our house is that mom can never get sick
because all of my sick days are reserved for everyone else!

My mom is an RN, and an amazing one at that, but growing up she always took the home remedy/ herbal route before resorting to western medicine.  This all stemmed from growing up in Mexico without much access to a doctor, pharmacy, or hospital.  My grandmother, Eulalia, the queen of home remedies, could cure anything that ailed you with the herbs in her garden.  Over the years I have really appreciated growing up with this knowledge.  Knowing how to use everyday items to help prevent a cold, or soothe a stomach ache, is something that unfortunately has been lost on my generation.  That is one of the reasons that I try really hard to remember all of the remedies that my mom teaches me.

The Garlic Remedy

The remedies that I have used non-stop since leaving home are the ones that help prevent colds.  Since I was six years old my mom has used this cold remedy on me.  Many studies have been done on the medicinal properties of garlic.  It has been found that garlic is an immune booster and has great antibacterial properties as well.  The key to both of the remedies that I will mention in this post is that they are preventative.  If you take this remedy while you are sick, although I'm sure it helps, it will definitely not have the same result.  Once people around you start getting sick you take the garlic remedy even if you are not feeling sick, it's your way of protecting yourself.  Or if no one you know is sick and one day you feel a small tickle in your throat, immediately start the garlic remedy.

So what is the garlic remedy?  It's very simple.

1 lemon wedge
1 clove of garlic
pinch of salt (optional)

1. Cut a lemon wedge.
2. Crush a raw clove of garlic.
3. Put the crushed garlic on the lemon wedge and sprinkle some salt on it (for taste of course, because while the garlic is burning your throat that little bit of salt makes all the difference).
4. You must not take this remedy on an empty stomach or the intensity of the garlic will probably make you throw up.  I like to eat a slice of toast before taking the garlic.
5. After taking the garlic do not drink water for 20 minutes, you'll be stinky but that way you're not washing the garlic out of your mouth and throat.
6. If I already have a tickle in my throat when I start this, then I take the garlic 2-4 times a day, depending on how much I have to interact with people.  If it's a work-night I take it twice in the evening, if it's the weekend then I take it 4 times.  I take the garlic until the sore throat goes away, which depending on how soon I start, can be anywhere from 2-3 days.  If people around me are sick and I'm not showing symptoms then I take it once a day.

The Fear Factor Remedy

Whenever I drink the Fear Factor Remedy I definitely hear
Joe Rogan giving me words of encouragement.

I don't know if this remedy has an actual name but my mom and her friends have named it Fear Factor because it sounds like something Joe Rogan would have made you drink 5 gallons of on the show "Fear Factor". Although this remedy sounds more intense than the garlic remedy I actually prefer it because it doesn't make me smell like garlic.  The same principles apply to this remedy as the garlic remedy, it is preventative so it's best taken when those around you are sick.  For the past 2 weeks Ethan and I have been sick and Jeff has been taking the Fear Factor remedy and hasn't been affected by our germs, thank goodness.  The reason I didn't take it was because I've had terrible heartburn during this pregnancy and although I did take a few doses, my digestive system was not able to handle it.  Looking back I should have put up with the heartburn to have prevented this terrible cold.

Now for the big reveal, The Fear Factor Remedy:

1 piece of ginger (about 5 inches long)
1 piece of raw horse radish (about 5 inches long)
1 head of garlic
12 habanero peppers
1 liter of unfiltered organic apple cider vinegar

1. Shred the ginger and horseradish in a cheese grater into a blender.
2. Peel all of the cloves of garlic and add them to the blender.
3. Take the stems off of the habanero and add it to the blender.
4. Pour as much of the apple cider vinegar as you can into the blender and blend everything together.
5. Pour the mixture into a wide mouthed jar (my mom likes to put saran wrap around the mouth and then close it with the lid to keep it sealed well).
6. Put the jar in a dark, cool place and every day you will swirl the solution well.
7. After two weeks of swirling the solution strain all of the chunks out of the vinegar and the vinegar that is left is your Fear Factor Remedy.
8.  You can put it in smaller jars or keep it all in a large jar, there is not need to refrigerate it but we do keep it in a dark, cool place.
9.  Do not take this on an empty stomach.  If those around you are sick take 1 Tbsp. of the remedy once a day.  If you are feeling a tickle in your throat already take 2-4 Tbsp. a day (not all at the same time though).

If there are any mom's out there that are also doomsday preppers by night we always joke that if the zombies attacked or the governemnt collapsed (whatever scenario you're preparing for), this Fear Factor Remedy would be a great defense against getting sick once the grid goes down, so make sure to store this remedy and it's ingredients in your bomb shelter.

I know this remedy sounds insane but it isn't any worse than eating the raw garlic, I see them on the same level as far as spiciness but I find the Fear Factor to be better at preventing colds.  If you ever find yourself to be the only healthy person in a house full of what looks like the cast of The Walking Dead I highly recommend you give one of these remedies a try.