I pride myself in having a strong immune system.  In fact, not so very long ago, I even bragged that I had not had a cold in over 3 years.  I am not sure that boasting is a good thing. Especially, after having done so, I caught the most horrible cold, and I am still trying to recover from it.

We have all heard about the healing benefits of chicken soup, drinking lots of fluid, and getting sufficient rest while suffering with a cold. So, I am not only going to give you my own chicken soup recipe, but I am going to pass along some other helpful home cold remedies.

Tea is not only comforting to drink, but it’s especially beneficial  in helping to fight a cold.  Try some ginger tea the next time you have a cold. Ginger is known to boost immune system activity.  Stir 1/2 tsp of ginger into a cup of hot lemon tea.  For extra soothing and sweetness add honey to taste.

Double up on Vitamin C.  For a “treatment” dose, take 1,000 - 2,000 mg a day - in two or four 500 mg doses - in order to shorten the duration of the cold and minimize severity of symptoms.   Note: At high levels of Vitamin C intake, up to 3,000 mg a day or more, diarrhea becomes a side effect.

At the first sign of scratchy throat, mix 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp table salt, and 1/4 cup warm water, and gargle twice a day.  This is one of my tried and true home remedies.  If you gargle soon enough, it will prevent a nasty throat infection.

To make your own decongestant vapor, boil one quart of water, and remove from heat.  Add 5-10 drops of eucalyptus oil to the water, and stir.  Test the heat rising from the pan with your hand before placing your face over the pot.  Once the water is a comfortable temperture, drape a towel over your head to trap the steam as you breath in the decongesting vapors.

As I promised, here’s my chicken soup recipe:

Using a large soup pot, add the following:

2 (16 oz) cans of tomato sauce

1 package already shredded carrots (fresh, not canned, not frozen)

1/2 package frozen peas

7 stalks chopped celery

1 chopped onion

2 tbsp chicken bouillion powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp salt (or more to taste)

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper powder (the heat in this pepper helps to drain sinuses)

3 chicken leg quarters

Add enough water to fill the pot 3/4 full.  Boil all of the above ingredients for about an hour. Take chicken quarters out, remove the meat, and throw away the skin and bones. Return the chicken meat to the pot.

While water is boiling, add 8 oz. of whatever kind of noodles that appeals most to you. I like pretty soup, so I used bow ties. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so that the noodles do not stick.  Serve with biscuits, crackers, or garlic bread.

Serves 6 -8  (Or you could just freeze some for another time. )

ENJOY!

Now it’s your turn.  What are some of your tried and true cold remedies?