The Common Cold

Keeping Colds at Bay… The Natural Way!

Along with the cold weather comes the onslaught of contagion and sickness, where germs breed in schools, at work, and even within the safety of our own homes! With all the hand sanitizers, disinfectants, and other chemically concocted cleaning products beckoning from the store shelves, you might have a hard time trying to find items that not only work to kill the microbes that can make us sick, but also let you stay healthy – without invading your breathing space with carcinogens.

We decided to disclose our own secrets about how we keep clean and stay healthy the natural way. You can avoid all the over-the-counter drugs and chemically-scented cleaning products this year by taking our tips to heart. Health not only includes a good diet, but also extends into your home and what lingers in your atmosphere. So, check out our details on how to stay cold-free for the holidays. Instead of sharing germs, share these ideas with your friends and family.

Home for the Holidays

If you need to know how to keep your home healthy for the holidays, then you can take a hint from these very effective tips that we use for our own families. Keeping your home clean does not mean inviting nasty synthetic ingredients into your home. You can employ these methods for the same amount of, or less money.

Baking soda, of high importance in the housecleaning world, should make your number one need in cleaning products. Why? You can use it to deodorize and cleanse with incredible ease. Use baking soda as an alternative to laundry detergents by measuring it out into your washing machine – the same way you would with store-bought detergent. Put a light, even dusting on your carpeted surfaces, and leave it for about thirty minutes. Then, vacuum it up to finish deodorizing your carpet. You can also use baking soda to clean your dishes by soaking them in baking soda and hot water for a few minutes, before scrubbing the grime off.

Apple cider vinegar, alongside baking soda, can also be used as a tool for house cleaning. If you have a tough, nasty clog in your drain, pour baking soda into it, then the vinegar. The chemical reaction between the two will blast out the clog effectively. You can also use apple cider vinegar to spot treat your carpet for stains. Pour one part hot water and one part vinegar into a spray bottle, and apply this mixture to the stains. After allowing it to sit, use a shampooing vacuum to suck it up. This will remove any stains. You can also use this mixture to clean tile and wood surfaces, windows, and clothing stains.

If your household contains wooden floors or furniture, you can create an effective oil finish to keep the quality maintained by mixing one part coconut or olive oil and and a few drops of cedarwood or lemon essential oil. Glide an even coat of the mixture along the surfaces of the wood you wish to polish. It does not take much, so only wet a little of the rag you use to perform this task.

You can also purchase brands like Green Shield Organic, Free and Clear, and Seventh Generation for a line of trusty, green-friendly products that will not pollute your home with carcinogens and free radicals. Whole Foods Market provides another example of a brand that supplies green cleaning products for family households. Sites like GoodGuide and EcoLogo also provide consumers with resources to sort out the greenwashers from authentically green brands.

Keeping Colds in Check

Another way to help manage your health naturally during this time of year is taking immediate action when family members or people sharing your household fall sick. We know of numerous ways to handle these situations, and we want to share them with you. These methods will help control spread of germs – even filter them from the air!

When a family member suffers from a virus, one way to keep it from spreading is to use an organic onion as a type of filter. Onion has antiviral properties that attract and soak up viruses. You can utilize the onion method in one of two ways. First, eating slices of raw onion will help soak up any harmful microbes that lurk in  your body. It also helps improve circulation to ease congestion. So, if you are feeling sick and think you can stomach it, eat some onion to detox the germs out of your body. You can also implement the onion method by slicing an onion in half and placing the two halves somewhere in the room of the sick person. The onion will soak toxins right out of the air, and start turning black in some areas. Do not eat the onion after this! It now will contain the virus matter it soaked up from the air.

Olive leaf extract, a supplement that supports the immune system, also helps keep colds at bay. Whenever you experience sinus pressure from mucus buildup, you can take a couple of these tablets. The pressure will start releasing within an hour of taking the olive leaf extract, so make sure you have tissues handy. This supplement is proven to treat the common cold, influenza, and pneumonia. You can also use olive leaf extract as a long-term option to help maintain a stronger immune system.

If your family has an issue with viruses, then stock up on some organic white tea this year. White tea has antiviral properties that can disperse into the body’s systems when ingested in sufficient quantities. Replace those sport drinks and ginger ales with white tea. A study performed at Pace University found that this brew can impede viral and bacterial growth. Boost its flavor with organic lemon juice and raw, organic honey for a sweet tartness that offers reinforcement against these microbes.

Keep a supply of organic apples and bananas on hand during this season so that anyone who gets sick can have an easy, healthy snack on hand. Apples contain pectin, which can  help the body maintain stool consistency when struggling with diarrhea. If you have a juicer, you can juice the apples – or de-core them and put them in a blender. Fresh apple juice has a strong antiviral effect on the body. Bananas contain lectin, a substance proven to inhibit the duplication process of many viruses, including HIV.

Fuel Your Immune System with face naturals

All of our products contain organic botanicals that stimulate the immune system and benefit health. Instead of exposing your skin to harsh hand washes that kill even the benign bacteria with synthetic chemicals, use our line of hand cleansers. Each one is scented with natural essential oils, and formulated with ingredients that act anti-virally, anti-bacterially, and anti-microbially.

If you know of any ways to help keep the germ-flow down, feel free to share by commenting below! We want to know what organic methods you use to keep your family healthy and toxin-free, so that the rest of our readers can give it a try too! If you have any questions or concerns about our products or brand, please drop us a line. We are happy to hear from you!

References

• Apple Cider Vinegar in the Home
• Medicinal Qualities of the Onion
• Olive Leaf Extract
• White Tea: Health Benefits, Brewing Methods, History
• Antiviral Effect of Apple Beverages
• A Lectin Isolated from Bananas is a Potent Inhibitor of HIV Replication