Here’s to a speedy recovery! (2)

I’ve noticed that when a lot of people get sick here, they tend either to run to the doctor or the pharmacist. Often they are prescribed over-the-counter medicines and/or antibiotics.

When we get sick, though, there are some actions we can take to alleviate our symptoms and sometimes take care of the whole problem -- inexpensively, without running to a healthcare professional. We can make our own home remedies.

The great thing about home remedies is that most use ingredients that are easy to obtain, such as vegetables, fruits and herbs. Additionally they are often simple to make, they have no side effects and are they are inexpensive.

As it turned out, I ended up catching a cold last week. By employing many of the following remedies, my cold was a minor inconvenience and lasted only a couple of days.

My first action was to increase my water intake to four liters. I filled up eight one-half-liter bottles to make it easier to keep track. I’ve been hearing about drinking a lot of water for years now, but I never really put it into practice until recently. I can honestly say that I feel the difference. The trick is to spread out your water intake throughout the day: one-and-one-half liters in the morning, the same in the afternoon and one liter in the evening.

My next plan of attack was to make a batch of “nane limon” (“mint lemon” just doesn’t have the same ring to it). I drank that almost exclusively for two days in a row.

Nane limon

The recipe is simple: cut one half of a lemon into quarters, add four cups of water, heat to almost boiling, add two-and-a-half soup spoonfuls of dried mint and two soup spoonfuls of honey. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Strain into a tea glass and drink!

Honey offers antiseptic and antioxidant properties. In addition, it contains the vitamins B1, B2, C, B6, B5 and B3. Its natural anti-inflammatory effects and phytochemicals are known to kill viruses, bacteria and fungi.

Lemon has antiviral and antibacterial properties, contains vitamins A and C and is known to relieve fever.

Mint’s aroma opens the nose, throat, bronchi and lungs. It is commonly used for nausea, headache and coughs. It contains vitamins A, B2 and C. Additionally, it has essential minerals such as copper, iron, calcium and manganese. It has been found to inhibit the growth of bacteria and fungi.

For my cough, I made a batch of homemade cough syrup. When you see the ingredients, you might think that it is disgusting. But I have to tell you, it tastes so much better than anything I’ve been given by the pharmacy. It doesn’t have an alcohol “kick” to it and so it goes down real smoothly. I could even see giving this safely to children.

Homemade cough syrup is easy to make, low in cost and effective. Another positive aspect is the lack of waste. When I have bought cough medicine at the pharmacy, I usually use it for a couple of days until I feel better and then the leftover bottle (usually more than half full) remains in the fridge until I see it months later and throw it away.

The homemade version makes enough for a couple of days and then, if needed, you can make another batch. The first recipe also costs less than one lira to make.

Cough syrup (1)

Chop 1 small onion and 3 cloves of garlic, Sprinkle 1/4 cup of sugar over the top, Let set for about 30 minutes to 1 hour, The sugar will turn into a syrup. Take 1 teaspoon at a time as needed throughout the day.

Cough syrup (2)

1 cup chopped onion, 1/2 cup of honey some optional ingredients: 1 teaspoon of cloves (ground or whole) -- good for pain relief 1-2 tablespoons of chopped ginger root -- increases warmth and circulation

Put onions in a pot and cover with the honey (the honey should just cover the onions). Simmer the ingredients on a low temperature. When the honey liquefies, add the optional ingredients (you can use either or both). Cover and stir occasionally for about 20 minutes. Strain into a jar with a lid and keep it in the refrigerator.

Use as often as needed every half hour. For an adult, you can take one tablespoon at a time. A young child can be given one teaspoon at a time.

Neti pot

For my runny nose I dusted off the neti pot. A neti pot is a small container that looks like a small teapot. It is used for nasal irrigation to flush out excess mucus and debris from the nose and sinuses by pouring a saline solution through your nasal passages.

Neti pots can be purchased for TL 12 at yogamerkezi.com. Click on “dükkan.” I strongly urge you go to YouTube and watch videos on how to use a neti pot before you try it on your own. At first it feels really strange. But after you get used to it, the neti pot can be a great friend when you are all stuffed up.

Another action you can take is to make an herbal steam. The only caution here is that you don’t want to put your face over boiling water -- steam can burn severely!

Herbal steam

Create a steam by placing five to 10 drops of eucalyptus essential oil in six cups of boiling water. You can also add a couple of drops of mint oil. Pour into a heat-safe bowl. When the water is still steaming, but not boiling, put your face over the bowl with your eyes closed and put a towel over your head. Inhale deeply and exhale slowly.

For me, the most hated symptom of getting sick is a sore throat. Thankfully, this cold did not come with one. But when I’ve had sore throats in the past, I’ve used a couple of recipes that have always worked for me. My favorite is the cayenne pepper recipe.

Sore throat recipes

(1) Gargle with salt water, 1 cup of warm water, 1 tsp of salt, Stir and gargle. Repeat. (2) Gargle with water and cayenne pepper, 1/2 liter of warm water, 1 tsp of cayenne powder (acı biber) a pinch of salt, Stir this mix and gargle. Repeat.

Call your mom

Moms know a lot about getting over sickness. Maybe you can get her chicken soup recipe, or she will give you some other traditional recipes that didn’t fit in this article.

Basic maintenance

The above recipes are great, but they won’t work if you don’t take care to eat right, get enough sleep, take vitamins and hydrate your body. In fact, if you continue to take such preventative measures even when you are not sick, you will find that you won’t be sick very often, and when you do get sick, it will pass fairly quickly.

When it’s time to see a doctor

If you have a fever, cough or sore throat that persists for more than three days, it’s probably time to consult your physician. Your sickness could be more serious than the common cold -- and you may need a strong antibiotic or another medicine to kick it out.

Antibiotics

I find that here in Turkey, antibiotics are one of the first things taken for sickness. I’ve even been offered them at the pharmacy when looking for throat lozenges or another cold medicine. I would recommend never taking antibiotics unless a doctor prescribes them. Your body can build a tolerance to antibiotics, which could get you into trouble if you develop something that can only be cured by them.

If the doctor prescribes them, however, make sure you finish the prescription -- even if you start to feel better. And be sure to drink ayran or eat yogurt to replace the good bacteria that will be wiped out by the antibiotics.

There is no cure for the common cold, but by employing some of these home remedies, we can at least alleviate some of the symptoms at low cost and with a minimal introduction of chemicals into our bodies. Getting sick is not fun; take it as a sign to take a break from your hectic life. Geçmiş olsun!