At-Home Remedies For a Case of the "Sicklies"

This past weekend I visited my mother. We had a wonderful time exchanging cooking magazines, tips, and recipes. We cooked and she even helped me complete my first homemade skirt (up on the blog real soon). Yes, we shared many a thing this past weekend, including germs. 

On Monday morning I got the call that my mom was at home sick, diagnosed with the influenza virus. *cue horror movie scream* By no coincidence at all I had woken up that same morning with a sore throat and headache. Since then I have spent 100% of my time thinking healthy thoughts, eating healthy things, sipping on herbal teas and singing fight songs to encourage my immune system. So far so good. By this time I should be at home writhing on the floor, delusional from my fever. Yet here I am, facing the day with nothing but a sore throat.

I credit my quick recovery with a few things: homemade soup, a happy movie, Throat Coat, a neti pot, and a husband that does everything for you when you are sick (a definite bonus!).

Last night I made the most delicious soup. I got it off the Whole Foods website which, in case you haven't heard, has some awesome good-for-you recipes on it. The soup was Creamy Curried Cauliflower Soup and it whipped up in no time at all! The curry felt great on my throat and made me feel all warm inside.

Away We Go is my happy movie. For starters, John Krasinski cracks me up. The only thing that cracks me up more than John Krasinski is John Krasinski learning how to parent. As with most all Focus Features films this movie did an excellent job developing the characters. So much so that you even cry happy tears. Laughing and crying...both good medicine.

Oh man. This stuff works miracles. As a matter of fact, my throat needs a miracle right now so excuse me while I step away to brew some...

Ok. So I learned about Organic Throat Coat while working at my previous job. It was December and it was cold. Everyone in the office was sick so someone brought in a box to help everyone get through the day. I decided that next time I got sick with a sore throat I'd give it a shot and sure enough, the stuff works better than cough medicine (and tastes better too)! It is made with licorice root, slippery elm bark and marshmallow root to name a few. All work together to sooth and naturally numb your throat. Are you feeling under the weather? If so, pick up a box at your local grocery store or buy it online here.



Dwight Schrute giving a neti pot demonstration... incorrect in form, however.

The neti pot has been used for centuries as a form of ayurvedic healing. It is the pot used in the practice of irrigating the nasal passages with saline. Although not very lady-like it will do wonders to relieve sinus pressure and allergies if you suffer from seasonal allergies, frequent sinus infections, or the common head cold. You can pick one up at your local drug store and start using it today. You can use it frequently as a preventative, or just to help get some relief when you start to feel sick.

Perhaps the most vital ingredient to my recovery is my beloved, John. Thank you for cleaning mountains of dishes, bringing me bowls of my favorite cereal and running out to THREE stores to get stuff for dinner and make me feel better!