Spring is here!
My 3 Go-To Remedies
for ear and throat discomfort.
Spring is here!! (And so is allergy/cold season)
So we thought we'd share with you our 3 Favorite Recipes for Ear, Nose, and Throat issues.
If you've never heard of Dr Tieraona Low Dog (pronounced Ter-oh-nay) you're in for a treat! She is a wealth of information on Herbal remedies and solutions to very common medical concerns. She has co-written National Geographic's Guide to Medicinal Herbs, and has multiple books on how to best care for yourself and your family.
One of my favorite of her books is “Healthy at Home” and in it you can find the following three recipes that we use around my house anytime someone has ear pain/pressure or a sore throat.
This Sage Gargle is fantastic for soothing a throat that feels inflamed or irritated. I will sometimes increase the amount of salt and use it in place of a salt water gargle.
Sage Gargle:
1 Tablespoon of Fresh Sage leaves or 2 Teaspoon dried Sage
1/4 Teaspoon salt
1 cup water
Bring the water to a boil, turn off the heat, add Sage, cover, and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain. Pour into a tea mug and add salt. Stir.
How to use: Gargle every 1 to 2 hours, or as needed for sore throat. (Don't swallow, swish and spit)
(The “Healthy at Home” book also contains a nice recipe for a Sage honey!)
This next recipe is helpful for calming down throat irritation caused by coughing. If I need this cough syrup, I almost always use the sage gargle first. These 2 recipes pack a one-two punch for throat tenderness and inflammation. This also happens to be my favorite of the three recipes I’m giving you guys.
Thyme Cough Syrup:
4 Tabelspoons fresh thyme
1 Teaspoon Lemon juice
1 Cup water
1/4 Cup local honey OR 1/4 Maple Syrup if using for a child under 2.
Pour near boiling water over thyme and steep, covered for 15 minutes. Strain. Add honey (or maple syrup) and lemon juice. Refrigerate for up to 1 week.
How to Use:
*For children under the age of 2, give the maple syrup mixture and give 1/2 teaspoon every 2-3 hours, as needed.
*For children over 2, give 1-2 teaspoons every 2-3 hours, as needed.
*For Teens & Adults, can take 1-2 tablespoons every 2-3 hours, as needed.
This garlic ear oil stores well and is great to keep around the house if you have school age children or small children that are prone to ear infections/pain.
Garlic Ear Oil:
Double Boiler is helpful
2 cloves of fresh garlic
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Chop 2 cloves of fresh garlic and let sit for 10 minutes. Then put the garlic in the double boiler and add 1/4 cup Olive Oil. Cook over very low heat for 15 minutes.
*If you don't have a double boiler you can use a saucepan over very low heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching the oil.
Strain well and let the oil cool completely.
Store the liquid in a jar with a tight fitting lid and use within a week.
How to use: Lie on side with affected ear facing up. Put 2-3 drops in the ear. Gently push/pull the outer ear to work the oil down to the canal. Lie in this position for about 5 minutes. You can use a cotton ball to keep the oil in the ear canal upon sitting/standing. Repeat 2-3 times a day.
*NOTE: Never put cold oil in the ear, as it can cause dizziness. Never put hot oil in the ear, as it can burn.
**Dr Low Dog says** I've used garlic oil many times over the years with great success. However, I've had a handful of occasions in which it actually worsened the ear pain. Once I put a few drops in a child's ears, and he started crying. I gently Wiped the ear clean with a cotton swab. When I examined the area, the ear was redder than it had been before I used the oil. So a word to the wise: Put 1 drop in the ear and wait 5-10 minutes, if there isn't a problem then proceed as directed.
If you want more info on Dr. Low Dog you can find her books here:
National Geographic Guide to Medicinal Herbs: https://amzn.to/2HTGcwC
Healthy at Home-- https://amzn.to/2YLFfMi
(Full disclosure** These are affiliate links, my kid appreciates his braces and I appreciate your support.)
You can also check out Dr Low Dog’s site here: https://drlowdog.com/
And her Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/lowdogmd/
Let me know in the comments if you've ever tried these home remedies, or know of some good ones to share!