Kick a Cold – Teas

Winding down the Kick a Cold series, today I want to talk about teas other than the garlic tea I mentioned previously.

Teas and infusions have been used through the ages to administer everything from pain relief (willow bark tea) to digestive relief (peppermint tea) to pure comfort (tea time on the continent!). The powerful antioxident qualities of black and green teas have been widely touted in recent studies, and especially when you’re under the weather, there’s simply no substitute for the warming qualities of tea.

A cold with a sore throat and/or a cough begs for Throat Coat. I love the Traditional Medicinals brand of teas for their healing tea blends, but you must be sure to follow the directions for maximum benefit. Typically you’re instructed to steep the tea bag in a covered mug for about 15 minutes. Throat Coat is a thicker, viscous tea that coats and soothes the throat and can calm a cough and warm the chest.

Because Throat Coat is so thick, for my kids I might choose the old standby of Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Herb Tea with some local honey or Honey Loquat syrup for cough suppression. This classic blend of herbs and spices still works to relax wound up bodies and encourage sleep.