Cold Remedies

Remedies probably isn't the right word since it implies that you can cure a cold but I am not sure what else to call it. These things will make your cold more bearable anyway.
When I was a kid my father had his own cold remedy which was always given to we children. He called it "hens oil" (which to us was all one word). It was nothing but the grease cooked out of chicken fat and given to us on a spoon with some sugar. Now some might find this rather disgusting but my mother always said that it was nothing but the grease in chicken soup that made you feel better anyway and perhaps she was right. I will say that it seemed to help with our congestion anyway.  I will have to say however, that I have never given it to my children though my brother gives it to his and still swears by it.
I do have a few home remedies for colds that I do use. My daughter Michelle always had a terrible time fighting off colds when she was little until I found that peppermint tea would work so well on her cough. Just one cup of peppermint tea (real peppermint leaves dried and saved) would clear up her cough for the longest time. I was so amazed, I wondered why it wasn't sold in the stores as a cold remedies.
For congestion I always gave my children a warm bath with dried basil leaves in it. The vapors help and it is also soothing and they sleep better. You can also just put it in a pan of hot water and put your face over the steam (covered with a towel).
For a sore throat there is nothing like plain old raw honey. Honey has antioxidant and antibacterial properties that help you recover faster. Raw honey is often preferred as a remedy over pasteurized honey because it retains its antibacterial properties. Honey mixed into any kind of warm drink will sooth your throat and keep it from drying out at night and help it to heal. I am lucky that there is a little stand in town that sells raw honey for $8 a pint.