Perfect Prescription: Sick Day Remedies and Routines

I don’t mind getting sick now and then. That might sound a bit strange, but don’t get me wrong, I definitely don’t like the actual sickness part of a sick day. But being ill forces the busy-ness of my life to stop, or at least, slow down for a while. Given the speed of life at which most of us live, slowing down is often the perfect prescription for recovery. Here are my family’s five favorite ways to keep the pace peaceful while we recuperate.

1. Sleep

It’s amazing how the simple act of sleeping — shutting out all noise and distractions for a while–promotes healing. Deep sleep boosts immunity and reduces inflammation, among other things. Unsurprisingly, sleeping is pretty much all we feel like doing when we’re sick anyway. We may pull out a special book to read or movie to watch, but we usually give in gratefully when our eyelids get heavy.

2. Essential oils

Depending upon the nature of the illness and the oils we have handy, we use these extensively to soothe symptoms and speed recovery. We diffuse them into the air, we apply them to our skin (especially our feet, which we cover up with socks), and we even take certain ones internally.

Lavender and peppermint are all-purpose oils that are great to have around, along with a proprietary antiviral, antibacterial blends from your favorite essential oil company. Along with addressing illness, essential oils offer additional comfort in the form of aromatherapy.

(Note: It’s important to use 100% pure, therapeutic-grade essential oils.)

3. Homeopathic and herbal remedies

We keep a supply of homeopathic tablets on hand for various ailments, such as belladonna for fever, Arnica montana for muscle soreness and Coldcalm and Umcka for minor cold symptoms. In addition, we take elderberry in the form of a tincture or syrup, both as a preventive and a healing aid. These natural remedies, if you have them around, ease any concerns you may have about potentially toxic ingredients in conventional, over-the-counter medicines.

4. Chicken soup

This ubiquitous cure-all is a staple when we’re sick. My new go-to recipe for this healthful elixir is Kresha Faber’s Quick and Easy Chicken Noodle Soup because, well, it’s quick and easy! And who doesn’t like that, especially when there’s sickness around? I puree all of the sautéed vegetables for my texture-averse patients, which makes it easier for them to actually get a good dosage down without a lot of effort on their part or coaxing on mine.

5. Colloidal silver and probiotics

Colloidal silver is a natural antiobiotic known to have antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties. We don’t take it daily, but we do take it when we’re sick to help fight any underlying pathogens. We also take probiotics alongside of it to replenish the healthy bacteria in the gut that colloidal silver — just like a synthetic antibiotic — might wipe out. By balancing these items, we can give the body the best chance to repair and rejuvenate itself.

Today, Ironically

As I write this post, my 8-year-old daughter is lying on the couch with a virus that is affecting her respiratory and digestive systems. She has a low fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit), and she’s wheezing, coughing, and vomiting. So today has been a sick day, and we’ve gradually moved through our routine.

This morning, I gave her some colloidal silver, rubbed and essential oil blend (to ease respiratory symptoms) on her feet and back, and propped her up on some pillows to watch her favorite movie (Soul Surfer). After that, she slept for several hours. I’ve been diffusing an essential oil blend into the air in the room where she’s resting.

A friend brought us homemade chicken noodle soup, so I didn’t even have to go through the quick and easy process of making it. 🙂 Because her fever is low, I haven’t given her belladonna or anything else to address it yet, but I might if her temperature peaks tonight. When she’s able to eat more, I’ll include some probiotics in her meal. Because she is sick, we missed our homeschool co-op today, but that’s okay. Slowing life down, even if it took a sick day to make us do it, was exactly what we needed.

What’s your sick day routine? What remedies are your go-to?

Also see: A Peek Into Our Medicine Cabinet: Fighting Illness with Food, 8 Reasons Why We’re Sick Even If We Eat Healthy, and 5 Supplements to Consider This Year.

Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor. All information is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You are responsible for your own health and for the use of any remedies, treatments, or medications you use at home.