Mommy, Make it Better

Whenever the weather changes, even just slightly, I tend to get cough and colds. However, among the many things I hate the most are medicines. And I’m definitely not a fan of cough syrup.

The following things are what my mom used to do to help me get rid of cough, or at least make me feel comfortable, the natural way.

Getting Rid of Cough with Herbs and other Natural Ingredients Found at Home

Oregano

My mom always had Oregano in her garden and it did wonders for me whenever I had a cough. So now, I have Oregano in my garden, too, for when my son is having a hard time coughing.

There are actually two ways to do it. One is to take a few leaves of Oregano, bring them to a boil and drink the concoction as you would with tea. Another way is to steam the leaves until they are tender, extract the nectar and drink the nectar straight.

Green Tea and Lemon

Squeeze a few drops of lemon into your green tea and it will definitely help soothe incessant coughing.

Anise Seeds

In your pantry or herb counter, look for some anise seeds. Put the seeds in a container and pour boiling water over them. Let the mixture steep for 30 minutes (as you would with tea). When the concoction is ready, strain the seeds. Add some honey to taste. This anise seed tea will surely calm down a coughing fit.

Grapes

Grapes are very good expectorant. So try and eat grapes on the days when you’re suffering with dry cough to help you feel more comfortable.

Rum and Coffee

Of course this one isn’t for kids, but for us mommies and daddies! I personally take this home remedy to help soothe me. All you have to do is add half a teaspoon of coffee (the instant kind) into a cup of warm rum. Savor the drink and be soothed from a rough bout of coughing.

Home remedies rule, don’t you think so?

What about you? Do you have other tips and home remedies to get rid of cough? Let the community know by commenting on this post or by emailing me at blog@mommymakeitbetter.com. I’d be so happy to hear from you.

To some people, sleep does not come easy. Even a long day at work sometimes isn’t enough to send some people off to la-la land.

While I am sure that most people are dependent on medications to induce sleep, some home remedies are effective in helping people who are having sleepless nights. Home remedies are great because they almost always cost very little (or none at all) and safe. With home remedies, you can use natural ingredients and avoid spending a lot on drugs filled with synthetic chemicals.

I have to admit, I too had used some medications to help me sleep. But, pathetic as it may sound, I am scared of taking these sleeping pills all the time. I sometimes think I wouldn’t be able to wake up at all. Haha.

Enough of that. Now that I found two surefire ways of inducing sleep, I am shunning all sleeping pills.

Home Remedies to Help Insomniacs

A Bowl of Lettuce

Boil some water and pour it over a bowl of shredded lettuce. Let it steep for a few minutes (as you would with tea). Strain and drink the concoction.

A Glass of Milk, with a Twist

A glass of milk still works wonders even if we aren’t children anymore. Milk is a good sedative and can definitely send anyone to sleep. But you might also want to add some honey for added sleep inducement.

Try these two tips. After all, how can you go wrong with anything natural (lettuce) and good (milk and honey). Unless you are lactose intolerant, of course.

What about you? Do you have other tips and home remedies for insomniacs? Let the community know by commenting on this post or by emailing me at blog@mommymakeitbetter.com. I’d be so happy to hear from you.

This is an entry written by a guest blogger. If you would like to contribute an article/blog post, please get in touch with me by emailing me: at blog@mommymakeitbetter.com I’d be more than happy to feature your articles, with a link to your website or your blog, of course!

It’s on everyone’s mind. It is frustrating, degrading, disappointing, worrisome and just plain “the pits.” Yes, I am talking about the economy…that word that sends us searching for answers and yet knowing it is all beyond our control. We are helpless to change the situation. Now that the horse is out of the barn, it seems it is going to take a lot of patience and time to get him back in.

It doesn’t make us feel better when we hear Martha Stewart lost 75 million dollars. (Do we care?) It is also unnerving to hear about some of the “bail-out” employees downing marguerites while they sit around the pool and sun. We don’t relish the thought of hearing one more stock report or how many people are unemployed.

Yet for me, now is the best time of my life and it’s also one of the most trying times. Charles Dickens said it best, ” It was the best of times; it was the worst of times” (A Tale of Two Cities, 1859)

There isn’t much we can do about rising costs at the grocery store except try to catch the sales. Above all, we should keep on buying good healthy food.

However, since the cost of heating and cooling has gone up and probably still will keep rising, there are a few things we can do. I found an article in the St Petersburg time, September 20, 2008, which I will paraphrase: (You probably know all of this already, but just a friendly reminder)

• Replace air conditioner filters regularly.
• Clear the outside air conditioning unit. Grass clippings, overgrown plants, lint or dirty coils can cost you hundreds of dollars each year, due to restricted air flow.
• Television sets, audio equipment, countertop microwaves, coffee pots and other appliances that are not in use should be unplugged.
• Replace old- fashioned light bulbs with fluorescent light bulbs. A fluorescent light bulb uses 75% less energy and is estimated to last 10 times longer.
• Close curtains on the sunny side of your home during the cooling season.
• Insulate, tape, caulk and seal every opening you can find.
• Turn your hot water heater off when you are not using it. It will reheat quickly. (This little tidbit saved quite a bit on our last electric bill)

Anyway, I can’t resist telling you my favorite mantra, “Life by the inch is a cinch, but life by the mile is a trial.”

Well, it is time for me to put Jim’s “energy-saving ” list on his desk and do some free things like taking a walk, calling a friend and just plain enjoying life, in spite of the “E” word.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Francine_Larson

What about you? Do you have other energy saving tips you’d like to share? Let the community know by commenting on this post or by emailing me at blog@mommymakeitbetter.com. I’d be so happy to hear from you.