thyme

Thyme is a “natural antibiotic” much like cinnamon or garlic.  With the flu season approaching fast, as well as the threat of swine flu, keeping a decent stock of dried thyme as well as the following recipes handy is well advised.

If fresh thyme is available, use it first.  If no fresh thyme is available, use the CUT dried herb: 2bsp of the dried herb equals 1 handful of fresh thyme.

Any of the following solutions can be used to bath wounds and burns or as an eye wash for red, irritated eyes. Make sure the solution is moderately cool before applying it to the eyes.

• Tea for gargling (sore throat), mouth wash (tooth decay, cold sores) and drinking (common cold, influenza, fever, allergies) :
  Boil 1 3/4 pints of water, remove from heat, add a dozen sprigs of fresh thyme, cover, let steep for half an hour.  Strain and drink 3-4 cups daily.
• For external purposes such as hot compresses on the chest to help break up lung congestion (in cases of asthma, bronchitis, cold or flu) or massage lotions for aching muscles and joints:
  Boil 2 pints of water,remove from heat,  add 1.5 handfuls of fresh thyme, cover and let steep for 40 minutes.  Strain and use.
• For foot- and hand baths (to increase blood circulation, get rid of nail fungus or athlete’s foot, reduce fever) and a douche (against yeast infection):
  Boil 1 1/4 pints of water, remove from heat, add1 handful of fresh thyme, let steep for 25 minutes.  Strain and use somewhat hot for hand and foot baths, but let cool to lukewarm for a douche.

I blogged about this before, and am thinking that it doesn;t hurt to have this too on here.  Honey and cinnamon are indeed a good combination.

Via: Gather

I don’t know if this is true or not, but it sounds reasonable.

Cinnamon and Honey ~ Bet the drug companies won’t like this one getting around. ~

Facts on Honey and Cinnamon: It is found that a mixture of honey and cinnamon cures most diseases.Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world. Scientists of today also accept honey as a “Ram Ban” (very effective) medicine or all kinds of diseases.

Honey can be used without any side effects for any kind of diseases.

Today’s science says that even though honey is sweet, if taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm diabetic patients.Weekly World News, a magazine in Canada, in its issue dated 17 January,1995 has given the following list of diseases that can be cured by honey and cinnamon as researched by western scientists:

HEART DISEASES
ARTHRITIS
BLADDER INFECTIONS
CHOLESTEROL
COLDS
UPSET STOMACH
GAS
IMMUNE SYSTEM
INDIGESTION
INFLUENZA
LONGEVITY
PIMPLES
SKIN INFECTIONS
WEIGHT LOSS
CANCER
FATIGUE
BAD BREATH
HEARING LOSS

Read the different recipes and applications here

Via: Eat. Drink. Better.

Ayurvedicaly speaking, the common cold results largely from an imbalance of the Kapha (water and earth) and Vata (air and space) elements in the mind-ody. Vata imbalances lower immunity and lead to a build up of the Kapha dosha elements to help ‘ground’ the system. However, Kapha mechanisms typically overcompensate to make up for the ‘dryness’ associated with imbalanced Vata and lowered immunity. The result is excessive ‘coldness’ that creates mucus. This in turn reduces your gastric fire often cuasing you to experience the ‘chills.’

Ayurvedic remedies use warming herbs and spices to help you break down and expel mucus while re-building your gastric fire. So, while the idea of a runny nose might not appeal to you, chances are that if you can transition from being ‘stuffed up’ to ‘blowing it all out,’ then you are well on your way to recovery.

My favorite herbal remedy for the common cold is a Ginger and Tulsi (‘Holy Basil’) tea. Tulsi is the universal immune booster and ginger helps to ‘loosen and liquefy’ stuck mucus. This simple Ayurvedic tea will help you breathe easy.

Full Story

The article below is full of interesting and unconventional pieces of advice, herbal and otherwise.

Via: Star-Telegram.com

Your body can throw you for a loop at any time. You wake up with a sore throat on the day of your office Christmas party, a seafood-salad sandwich leaves you with grumbling indigestion, or you overdo it at the gym and arrive home with a stiff neck. Wouldn’t it be great to have a live-in doctor/therapist/trainer to tend to your everyday aches and pains?

Here’s the next best thing: all-natural, expert-recommended ways to treat ailments quickly, safely and effectively at home. So clear some space in your bathroom cabinet, refrigerator and kitchen cupboard for these surprisingly effective (and inexpensive) remedies. They’re like having a doctor on call 24 hours a day.

See Their List of Household Remedies

The whole article Winter naturally is interesting, so have a look.  I am just blogging the end of it here where the author mentions uses for honey and cinnamon.

Via: cadillacnews.com

HONEY & CINNAMON

• A mixture of honey and cinnamon can be a great remedy. Honey can be used to treat diseases, and it doesn’t have side effects.

• Heart disease: Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder and spread it on bread; eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries. Eating this daily can relieve loss of breath and strengthen the heart beat. Honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and veins.

• Arthritis: Twice a day, drink one cup of hot water with two spoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder. In a study conducted at the Cophenhagen University, scientists found that when doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon honey and half teaspoon cinnamon powder before breakfast, within a week about 35 percent of the people treated felt vast pain relief; within one month, most patients who could not walk or move prior to the honey and cinnamon treatment could now walk with no or minimal pain.

• Bladder infections: Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. The mixture destroys the germs in the bladder.

• Toothache: Make a paste of one teaspoon cinnamon powder and five teaspoons honey and apply on the aching tooth three times a day until the tooth stops aching.

• Cholesterol: Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of cinnamon powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water and given to a cholesterol patient was found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10 percent within two hours.

• Colds: Those suffering from common or severe colds can try one tablespoon of lukewarm honey with 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon powder daily for three days. This process can cure most chronic coughs and colds and helps clean the sinuses.

• Upset stomach: Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach aches and also clears stomach ulcers from the root causes.

• Gas: According to studies in India and Japan, a person may be relieved of gas if honey is taken with cinnamon powder.

• Immune system: Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder can strengthen the immune system and protect the body from bacteria and viral attacks. Scientists found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles to fight bacteria and viral diseases.

• Influenza: A scientist in Spain has proven that honey contains a natural ingredient which can kill influenza germs and save a person from getting the flu.

• Longevity: Honey and cinnamon, when made like a tea and taken regularly, can arrest the ravages of old age. Take four spoons of honey, one spoon of cinnamon powder and three cups of water; boil to make a concoction that is similar to tea. Drink 1/2 cup three to four times per day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft.

• Pimples: Three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and rinse off the paste the next morning using warm water. Try this process daily for two weeks.

• Skin infections: Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected areas can treat eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections.

• Fatigue: Recent studies show that the sugar content of honey is helpful in terms of strengthening the body.

Full Story

Here is some advice that could very well have come from my grandma…  “If you have the flu, go to bed”, is one of them – common sense, people, use common sense !

Via: canada.com

For years, common wisdom for a cold was to take a pill. But scan pharmacy shelves these days – not to mention bookstores – and the message is changing.

While over-the-counter cold and flu medications have lost favour in light of studies that show the only worthwhile ingredient is the painkiller, natural remedies are gaining ground.

In fact, around 20 per cent of Canadians – about 5.4 million – use alternative remedies and treatments, according to a recent Statistics Canada report.

“Consumers are becoming more wary and are thinking more cautiously about everything we put into our mouths,” says Toronto-area pharmacist Sherry Torkos, author of The Canadian Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine (Wiley).

“With over-the-counter medications, for example, they might mitigate symptoms, but there are side-effects for people with asthma, diabetes and heart disease, all of which are on the rise,” says Torkos. “Overall, along with an increase in people turning to natural alternatives, there are more questions being asked: Are there side-effects? Are there benefits? What are the risks?”

It’s a state of affairs that doesn’t surprise Michele Boisvert, a Montreal pharmacist and Canada’s first female homeopath who recently launched her book Healthy…Naturally: A Guide to Homeopathy. Boisvert says interest in natural therapies is increasing, particularly during the cold and flu season. “There are other ways to deal with those ailments that are safe and gentle,” she says.

For a cold

Wash your hands frequently.
A recent survey by the Health and Hygiene Council Canada found that 90 per cent of Canadians know hand-washing helps avoid contracting the flu or colds, but only 37 per cent of children and 44 per cent of adults soap up before eating. “Wash your hands, especially during winter when we spend more time inside with each other,” advises Boisvert. “Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth unless you have just washed. And think about the tissue you used to blow your nose. Put it in your pocket and you’ve stored 1,500 germs right there.”

Increase your allicin.
You might call it garlic- or onion-breath, but the active compound in those vegetables is both antibacterial and antifungal. Animal studies published since 1995 show that allicin does more than ward off the sniffles. It can reduce atherosclerosis, balance lipoprotein, lower blood pressure and act as an anti-inflammatory. Torkos recommends taking products like Kyolic regularly to support immune function.

Get lots of sleep.
“It seems simple, but when we’re tired, exhaustion impairs immune system function and makes us more vulnerable,” says Torkos, who suggests relaxing activities and avoiding caffeine or rigorous exercise before bedtime. If sleep still evades you, try melatonin, a hormone naturally secreted by the brain that affects diurnal rhythms. Otherwise, she recommends Bach Flower Rescue Sleep, a mild distillation of relaxant flower essences like Star of Bethlehem, rock rose, cherry plum and impatiens.

Echinacea or not?
Is echinacea good for treating a cold or not? Torkos says studies have shown mixed results in its impact on cold severity, but not all research examined the same strain.

“I would say the majority of evidence has shown that one type, echinacea purpura, is good, not for prevention, but to shorten the duration of the cold.” As with all natural remedies, however, she advises talking to your doctor first. Echinacea should not be taken by anyone with an autoimmune disorder.

Drink green tea.
Best known for its weight-busting ingredient, epigallocatechin galeate, green tea also offers an immune function boost and L-theanine, a relaxing amino acid that has been shown to reduce the severity and duration of colds and flu. According to a 2007 peer-reviewed study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, researchers from the University of Florida and Harvard Medical School administered a form of L-theanine called Immune Guard to 120 participants. After three months, cold and flu incidence dropped by 32 per cent and the need for medical attention decreased by 58 per cent.

For the flu:

Go to bed.
The bad news is that if you have the flu, it can lead to more serious illnesses like bronchitis and pneumonia. The good news is that it won’t last more than 48 hours. “The flu comes and goes in a short period of time,” says Torkos. “Really, the best thing is to get rest. If you have a high fever, aches and pains, take Tylenol or ibuprofen.”

Drink fluids.
“You may not feel like eating, but you must stay hydrated,” says Torkos. However, avoid alcohol, coffee and colas since they can make dehydration worse.

Take Homeocoksinum (9doses) Brand: Homeocan
or Oscillococcinum Bonus Pack (12 doses total) – 12 – Dose
As with many homeopathic remedies, the medical fraternity sees little value in taking a dilution of a Barbary duck’s liver and heart (otherwise known as Anas Barbariae Hepatis et Cordis Extractum) to fight a flu. Nevertheless, Oscillococcinum sells briskly in 50 countries during flu season and has been produced in France for 65 years. “If you catch it in the first eight hours, there’s an 80 to 90 per cent chance you won’t get the flu,” Boisvert says. “If you’ve passed that stage, you’ll still get it, but it’ll reduce the duration of the flu by half.”

Elderberry, Oregano, mushrooms – here are three more ideas on how to fight the flu this winter, without vaccination !

Via: Collingwood Enterprise Bulletin – Ontario, CA

Natural cold and flu protection

It’s getting to be that time of year again, when the warm weather gradually gives way to colder temperatures and the inevitable rise of more colds and flus. As such, we need to have our immune defenses ready for the change in season.

Many people will be putting their faith into flu shots, but is this really an ideal form of protection? Much has been written about the highly questionable efficacy (and safety) of vaccinations in recent years. As Alan Phillips, researcher and co-director of Citizens for Healthcare Freedom (CHF) explained in his eye-opening article,Dispelling Vaccination Myths,”natural immunity is a complex phenomenon involving many organs and systems; it cannot be fully replicated by the artificial stimulation of antibody production.”

Reaching for a bottle of cough syrup or some other over-the-counter medication to deal with cold symptoms isn’t an ideal solution either. These methods may cover up the symptoms of a cold, but they do nothing to improve the immune system or battle the underlying infection. In fact, certain drugs promoted as cold-relievers like aspirin actually deplete and inhibit the body’s absorption of key immune-supporting nutrients like vitamin C. By contrast, herbs like Elderberry and Oregano support and strengthen the body’s immune resistance to cold and flu viruses.

Full Story

And this is for all of you with little ones:

Via: ajc.com

Cold medicines and children: a dangerous mix?
OTC medicines are risky, so use caution and try alternatives first

By HELENA OLIVIERO

As the seasons change and parents reach for over-the-counter cold medicine for their icky-feeling children, they may be baffled by new instructions: Do not give them to kids under 4.

Drug companies recently announced they are voluntarily changing the labels for OTC cold and cough medicines in a nod to pediatricians long arguing they do little good and aren’t worth the risks.
So now what?

“I just want my children to be comforted, to sleep well at night and get over it,” said Ray Alyssa Rothman, Atlanta mom to three kids 4 and under.

Dr. Brad Weselman of Kids Health First Pediatric Alliance said parents need not fret — or open the medicine cabinet.

He believes OTC options not only pose a danger of an accidental overdose, but also a threat of side effects. Some medications can make children excessively groggy, making it difficult for them to concentrate at school, he said. Others, he said, can make a child “wired” and increase their heart rate.

Instead, Weselman suggests saline drops, warm apple juice and gargling with salt water.

“We know parents want to give their kids something when they are miserable,” he says. “And I feel the same way. But the benefits don’t balance the side effects.”

The new labels — slated to hit the shelves this upcoming cold season — are being employed after a study found more than 7,000 children get rushed to emergency rooms every year because of adverse reactions with OTC cough and cold medicines. Most of the cases involve kids overdosing when parents aren’t around, according to the study published in the April issue of Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Full Story

Via: Julie’s Health Club

Children under 4 shouldn’t be given cough and cold medicines, according to the drug companies that produce these products, the Associated Press reported.

Most parents will probably ignore this advice as long as the products are available; it’s cold and flu season and we don’t know what else to try.

But there are several effective natural remedies have been around for centuries: Chicken soup to fight the cold, honey for a sore throat, salt to rinse stuffy nasal pasages and regular soap (skip antibacterial products containing triclosan) and water to wash your hands.

Though they’re all considered “folk remedies,” these traditional cures have stood up to scientific scrutiny, which is more than you can say for the heavily marketed drugs that may also carry some risks for children.

Here’s a list of home remedies that work from Consumer Reports on Health:

1. A saltwater bath for a stuffy nose
2. Chewing gum to relieve heartburn and speed healing from abdominal surgery
3. Chicken soup for colds
4. Yogurt for belly aches (look for those that contain live, active cultures or are labeled “probiotic”)
5. Honey for a cough (do not administer to children under 1 year of age)
6. Cranberries for a healthy bladder (look for drinks that list cranberry juice as the first or second ingredient)
7. Staying warm to prevent a cold

I also checked with the folks at Farmer’s Almanac. They sent this advice compiled by Deborah S. Tukua and the Farmers Almanac TV staff:

Got a cold?
Try this old Irish remedy: pour a pint of boiling water over a handful of rosemary leaves placed in a pot. Cover and infuse as you do with ordinary tea. Take ½ pint daily while cold lasts.

Coughing keeping you up?
Rub some Vapo Rub or Vicks on the bottom of your feet before you go to bed. It’s been known to help.

Can’t sleep?
Try some honey and warm milk or chamomile tea before bedtime

Got the sniffles?

Consider eating foods rich in zinc (oysters, crab, seafood and lean, red meats, beans, chicken, nuts and some fortified cereals), which can enhance your immune system, causing less susceptibility to colds and flu. Studies have shown eating foods rich in zinc and taking zinc lozenges at the first sign of a cold may reduce its duration and lessen the symptoms by 42 percent.

Cautions: Although zinc relieves the effects of the common cold, taking it daily won’t necessarily prevent the onset of a cold. Also, check with your doctor; too much zinc intake can be harmful. And don’t take iron and zinc supplements at the same time during the day because too much iron can interfere with the absorption of zinc in the body.

Sore Throat? Try these drinks.

* Chamomile tea: Make a tea adding 1 or 2 teaspoons of dried chamomile blossoms to a pint of boiling water; steep and drink a cup every few hours.
* Cayenne pepper: Add 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper to 1 cup of boiling water; stir well and gargle while mixture is very warm. This brings more circulation to the area and helps draw away the infection. To this formula you can add 4 parts Echinacea, 1 part garlic bulb, and 2 parts peppermint leaves to 1 part cayenne.
* Mustard: Grind one tablespoon of mustard seed and combine with the juice of half a lemon, one tablespoon of salt, one tablespoon of clear honey, and 1 1/4 cups of boiling water. Leave this mixture, covered, for 15 minutes and use as a gargle.
* Slippery Elm bark (Ulmus rubra): Helps to soothe sore throats or cough. For sore throats, slippery elm bark can be taken as a tea. To make the tea, add 1 tablespoon of dried bark to a cup. Pour 1 cup of boiling water into the cup. Steep it covered for at least 10 minutes and then strain. Have up to 3 cups of slippery elm bark tea a day. Dried slippery elm bark can be found in bulk in some health food stores.
* Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis): This herb found in Europe and North America, has been used for centuries as a sore throat home remedy. Like slippery elm, it also contains mucilage which helps to soothe sore throats. To make marshmallow root tea, add 1 tablespoon of the dried root to a cup. Add a cup (8 ounces) of boiling water, steep it covered for at least 10 minutes then strain. Drink up to 3 cups a day.
* Honeysuckle Flower: A sweet-tasting and smelling herb, honeysuckle flower is one of the most commonly used sore throat remedies in traditional Chinese medicine as a remedy for sore throats. Honeysuckle flowers aren’t as easy to find in stores as slippery elm and marshmallow. Besides health food stores, Chinese herbal shops often carry it.

Via: Epoch Times

By Dr. John Briffa

Last week I wrote about the role that vitamin C may have in the treatment of cancer.
Of course, vitamin C may have other potential benefits. In high doses, vitamin C is sometimes said to be a useful remedy for the common cold. Another nutrient that has some reputation for potential benefit in treating colds is zinc.

In natural medicine, it is sometimes recommended that the individual suck zinc lozenges to hasten healing from the common cold. There is indeed some evidence to suggest that there is merit in this approach, which dates back more than 20 years.

I was interested to read about another study, this one published earlier this year, in which zinc lozenges were tried by individuals with the common cold. Here, zinc acetate lozenges (13.3 mg of zinc acetate per lozenge) were used (previous studies have tended to use zinc gluconate or zinc acetate). Individuals were randomized to suck on zinc lozenges or placebo lozenges every two to three hours while awake, starting within a day of developing cold symptoms.

Compared to the individuals taking placebo lozenges, those taking zinc lozenges:
• Had cough symptoms for a shorter period of time (2.1 days versus 5 days)
• Had nasal discharge for a shorter period of time (3 days versus 4.5 days)
• Overall, had cold symptoms for a shorter period of time (4 days versus 7.1 days)
Symptom-severity scores were lower in the zinc-lozenge-taking group, too.

The authors of this study put the therapeutic properties of zinc in this context down to the mineral’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, it may also be that zinc can exert benefits through an ability to inhibit the common cold virus (rhinovirus) [3], as well as through some ability to affect the immune response.

However they work, there is now quite a body of evidence that suggests that zinc lozenges have real value in the treatment of the common cold.

References and about the author

Via: Oregon Healthy Living

For Sandi Thompson, proof of cranberries’ healing power is in her liver.

When Thompson’s liver faltered — the consequence of consuming cocktails of prescription drugs — a doctor suggested cranberry juice. Once Thompson started drinking it — and lots of water — her lab tests improved.

That was 17 years ago, but the experience cemented Thompson’s preference for natural remedies administered in her own home.

“Let’s start natural,” Thompson says. “Let’s start simple.”

Thompson’s liver problems followed a urinary-tract infection for which she was prescribed several medications. When side effects — including hair loss, aches and pains — cropped up, Thompson was given yet more prescriptions.

“They were medicating all these different things,” she says. “When they took me off all the medications, I returned to normal.”

Now a 37-year-old mother of five daughters, the Shady Cove resident has adapted numerous home remedies from “Natural Child Care” by Maribeth Riggs to treat scrapes, nausea, sore throat, warts and other minor health conditions. A 4-H advisor, Thompson has conducted classes on the topic of natural living for the Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center’s annual Carnival of Learning.

Proven home remedies

1. A saltwater bath for a stuffy nose

2. Chewing gum to relieve heartburn and speed healing from abdominal surgery

3. Chicken soup for colds

4. Yogurt for belly aches (look for those that contain live, active cultures or are labeled “probiotic”)

5. Honey for a cough (do not administer to children under 1 year of age)

6. Cranberries for a healthy bladder (look for drinks that list cranberry juice as the first or second ingredient)

7. Staying warm to prevent a cold

— Source: Consumer Reports on Health, June 2008 issue

Read the complete article

mustard, chives, ginger, thyme

• Grandma’s Old Time Mustard Plaster still helps for a variety of disorders, just like it used to do: asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, fever and chills, sciatica, neuralgia, gout, bumps, bruises, sprains, tendinitis, common cold and flu, eruptive sores and boils. Mash leaves and stems of fresh mustard plant into a pulp. Coat the surface of the skin with petroleum jelly (Crisco lard or Vaseline) before applying the pulp to prevent serious blisters or raising welts on the skin. Bind into place with gauze and adhesive tape and keep on for several hours or overnight for best results.
• Chives and ginger tea relieves headaches due to sinus congestion caused by colds and flu. In 1 cup of boiling water put 1-1/2 tbsps of finely chopped chives and 1/2 tsp finely shredded ginger root. Cover with a flat plate and steep for half an hour. Strain, then drink lukewarm. Headaches usually go away within 20 minutes or less. Repeat as often as needed.
• For hot compresses to put on the chest to help break up lung congestion, or as a massage lotion for aching muscles and joints, put 1 1/2 handfuls of fresh thyme in 2 pints of boiling water. Cover and move away from the heat. Let steep for 40 minutes. Strain and use.

Grandma’s Old Time Chicken Soup

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Chicken Soup indeed helps to relieve your common cold symptoms – maybe both the preparing and the eating will. Enjoy.

* 4 quarts cold water
* 1 4- to 5-pound chicken, quartered
* 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
* 1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
* 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
* 2 stalks celery, chopped
* 4 to 5 stems parsley
* 1 bay leaf
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Measure water into a large soup pot and add all the ingredients. Slowly bring to a boil over medium heat, then immediately reduce the heat and simmer for 3 hours, using a spoon to frequently skim the soup as well as possible. Remove from heat and cool. Skim fat from the surface and strain the soup. Wash out the soup pot and return the strained stock to the pot.

Remove and discard bay leaf and parsley. Mash the carrots, celery, and garlic and stir them into the soup. Remove the skin and bones from the chicken, chop the meat and add to the soup. (If the chicken meat has completely fallen apart, that’s ok, too; just use as is, with bones removed.) Heat and season to taste with additional salt and pepper.

Related Blogs

• Related Blogs on cold
• October is Just Cold!

• Related Blogs on common cold
• Cure for the Common Cold
• Hope for common cold treatment
• Curing a swollen throat and tonsils the natural way

If you are unsure about your home-brewed teas or if you lack time and patience for plasters, Alternative Health & Herbs Remedies Sinus & Lung Congestion 2 Ounces (Pack of 2) might be a good alternative for you.  Otherwise, try the following:

ginger, sage, thyme, mustard

• Hot ginger compresses break up mucus congestion well: 1.5 grated unpeeled ginger roots need to be tied in a small cloth, then hung for 7 minutes into a gallon of hot water that just stopped boiling. The ginger juice colors the water golden. Towels dipped in the still very hot water, then gently squeezed and applied to the aching spot, should stay warm for 15-20 minutes and grant relief. The procedure might be repeated for a total treatment of about 45 minutes, and repeated after 4-6 hours. These compresses also help with all kinds of muscular pains and even kidney stone attacks.
• A tea made of sage leaves helps to remove mucus from congested lungs, as well as provides soothing and healing for soar throats, loss of voice and tonsillitis: Steep 2 tsp dried or fresh leaves in 1-1/4 cups of boiling water for 35 minutes, strain, sweeten with honey if desired, and take 1/2 cup every few hours as needed. For raw, irritated throat, add 1/4 tsp of fresh lime juice and gargle well before swallowing.
• For hot compresses to put on the chest to help break up lung congestion, or as a massage lotion for aching muscles and joints, put 1 1/2 handfuls of fresh thyme in 2 pints of boiling water. Cover and move away from the heat. Let steep for 40 minutes. Strain and use.
• Grandma’s Old Time Mustard Plaster still helps for a variety of disorders, just like it used to do: asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, fever and chills, sciatica, neuralgia, gout, bumps, bruises, sprains, tendinitis, common cold and flu, eruptive sores and boils. Mash leaves and stems of fresh mustard plant into a pulp. Coat the surface of the skin with petroleum jelly (Crisco lard or Vaseline) before applying the pulp to prevent serious blisters or raising welts on the skin. Bind into place with gauze and adhesive tape and keep on for several hours or overnight for best results.

carrots, ginger, sage, thyme, mustard

• To relieve asthma, eat boiled carrots and drink the warm broth. Lukewarm carrot juice has the same effect.
• Hot ginger compresses break up mucus congestion well: 1.5 grated unpeeled ginger roots need to be tied in a small cloth, then hung for 7 minutes into a gallon of hot water that just stopped boiling. The ginger juice colors the water golden. Towels dipped in the still very hot water, then gently squeezed and applied to the aching spot, should stay warm for 15-20 minutes and grant relief. The procedure might be repeated for a total treatment of about 45 minutes, and repeated after 4-6 hours.
• (these compresses also help with all kinds of muscular pains and even kidney stone attacks)
• A tea made of sage leaves helps to remove mucus from congested lungs, as well as provides soothing and healing for soar throats, loss of voice and tonsillitis: Steep 2 tsp dried or fresh leaves in 1-1/4 cups of boiling water for 35 minutes, strain, sweeten with honey if desired, and take 1/2 cup every few hours as needed. For raw, irritated throat, add 1/4 tsp of fresh lime juice and gargle well before swallowing.
• For hot compresses to put on the chest to help break up lung congestion, or as a massage lotion for aching muscles and joints, put 1 1/2 handfuls of fresh thyme in 2 pints of boiling water. Cover and move away from the heat. Let steep for 40 minutes. Strain and use.
• Grandma’s Old Time Mustard Plaster still helps for a variety of disorders, just like it used to do: asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, fever and chills, sciatica, neuralgia, gout, bumps, bruises, sprains, tendinitis, common cold and flu, eruptive sores and boils. Mash leaves and stems of fresh mustard plant into a pulp. Coat the surface of the skin with petroleum jelly (Crisco lard or Vaseline) before applying the pulp to prevent serious blisters or raising welts on the skin. Bind into place with gauze and adhesive tape and keep on for several hours or overnight for best results.