The fall season is not only the time for pumpkins and halloween but also most likely the time to catch a cold. The, sometimes sudden, change from warm to cold and windy isn´t for everyone’s immune system.

Especially at the beginning of fall a lot of people are getting sick, most of the time we use medicine to end the cold.

But another effective way to get well and support your recovery is using coconut oil as a natural household remedy. We will show you how!

Coconut oil to prevent – why is it so special?

Coconut oil contains approximately 90% medium-chain triglyceride, including lauric acid, caprylic acid and myristic acid. As has been proved, they have an antibacterial effect and can strengthen the immune system. One tablespoon per day can affect the body’s defenses positively. This is due to the fact that medium-chain triglyceride can strengthen the intestinal mucosa, where around 80% of our immune cells live, and therefore strengthen the immune system. The intestinal mucosa is dealing with all the inflicted substances from the outer world, like nutrition, bakteria, viruses and fungi. With its antibacterial and antiviral effect, the coconut oil fights the germs in these substances. This means that coconut oil kann prevent a cold and also help getting well when you are already sick.

So, to relieve the symptoms of a cold you can put some coconut oil in your tea. It tastes good and can be comforting when you have a sore throat or a tickle of the throat. Another option is to put some coconut oil in a smoothie that is rich in vitamins. The oil helps the body take the vitamins in more easily and effectively.  

In case your nose is sore from constantly blowing your nose you can use coconut oil to smoothen the skin in this area. It promotes wound-healing and smells like vacation by the way. You can also use IN your nose and rub it on your nasal mucous membrane with a cotton stick. With its antibacterial and antiviral effect the coconut oil fights the virus so that the inflammation can decline. 

We can recommend following recipes for natural household remedies with coconut oil

Cough drops with coconut oil, honey & cinnamon

We already mentioned it, coconut oil is known for its antibacterial and antiviral effect. Honey eases a dry cough, kills bacteria and calms the throat. Cinnamon is known as a traditional cure to ease cold and flu symptoms and has also an disinfecting effect and is stimulating the blood flow.

Ingredients:

½ cup coconut oil 

½ cup honey 

a pinch of cinnamon

Directions:

1. Cream melted coconut oil until it’s fluffy. Add honyy and cinnamon.
2. Put the mixture in an ice cube tray and in the freezer for at least half an hour. Then remove it from the mold and keep refrigerated. 

Cough syrup with coconut oil, honey and lemon juice

Maybe you already know the good old onion juice to be highly effective when you have a cough. While that is true, the taste is really not for everyone. The following recipe is a tasty alternative. The effects of coconut oil and honey have already been explained. Here we also add lemon which provides lots of vitamins.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup honey ( or agave syrup for a vegan version)

1 tbsp coconut oil

4 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions:

1. Warm up the coconut oil and honey over a water bath and stir thoroughly. It is vital that the mixture doesn’t heat up over 30 °C to keep the effective ingredients.
2. Let the mixture cool down and then add the lemon juice. The cough syrup lasts up to 3 weeks.

Cold balsam “honey wrap”

A good cold balsam that is easily made out of natural ingredients and effective against a cough. There are no chemical additives which makes the “honey wrap” suitable for children. It also saves money! 

Ingredients:

50 ml coconut oil

10 ml honey (maybe some more)

some flour

a small glass jar with a screw-top lid

1 napkin

plasters

Directions:

1. Warm up the coconut oil over a water bath (do not cook it) until it’s melted.
2. Stir all the ingredients together, if the mixture is too fluid, add some honey. Put it in a clean glass jar.
3. To use it put some of the balsam on a napkin and attach it with plasters on your back or chest. Grown-ups can leave it overnight, children for 3 hours.