My Cold and Flu Trial Remedies

I don't know about you, your family and friends, but it seems to me that just about everyone has either a strong cold or the flu that doesn't seem to want to let go of their victims. I doubt that the air we city dwellers breathe helps us get better either. It's always good when we have rain or it's windy to help reduce the stagnant air.  Here are two of my home remedies to try out.

The first one is Vicks shower disks, a recipe I found either on Facebook or Pinterest. I got about a dozen disks out of the recipe I used. In theory you're supposed to put the disk on the shower floor when you take a shower. That way, with the steam from the hot water, the vapours should help you breathe better. I gave some to two of my friends. The first friend couldn't even smell the disks when she opened the jar. Because the smell is really strong, that tells you how unwell she is. Both say they're going to put the disks in a pan of water instead of in the shower. Well, whatever works.

Then here are my sweets for sore throats with honey, lemon, sugar, ginger and a bit of cloves. This is something that I saw on Facebook and decided to try. They, unfortunately, didn't come out as hard as they should, and I had to sprinkle lots of powdered sugar on them before I put them in the tin. I was uncertain about the results, because I have problems with fudge hardening too. I should have known when some of the drops started spreading. Madrid is 600 metres above sea level, so things cook differently sometimes. Another drawback to being so high up is that you tire easier than you do at sea level. I always notice a difference in my level of energy when I go to the US. I guess it could be that I'm on holiday too.

As I write this, I'm touching wood that I haven't come down with a virus yet. I did develop a cold sore though (that's a virus!), so that tells me my immune system is weak. Maybe fighting off all those germs and other viruses? Thank goodness for Carmax and the cold sore salve I got from Kathy. 

One thing I want to mention before I call it quits is a text message that I received this week from a friend. The text mentions a whole list of cold and flu medicines, among them Benadyrl and Contac, which supposedly all contain the ingredient Fenipropalamina. This ingredient the text claims has caused deaths due to bleeding on the brain and has been prohibited by the FDA, and the text warns people in Spain not to buy medicines with it in them. One that I use sometimes is called Frenadol, and it's not on the list. Although Frenadol contains caffeine, it makes me sleepy, so I have to be careful how I use it. As I say, I don't know if the message I received is true or not. I suppose I could do some research on it. I sure haven't seen it on any of the pages I consult in English.

I also suppose I'm rambled on enough for now. Hope everyone has a good last week of January, and don't forget those in need of prayers.