My little Kendra has been fighting a cold the last few days. I was kicking myself night-before-last because I waited until midnight to put a crock-pot in her room. I KNEW I should have done it before she went to bed, and if I’d done it then, I’d have given her the gift of several extra hours of restful, healing sleep.

At first I would put a few sliced garlic cloves, a whole onion peeled and whacked in half, and some rosemary in the pot. It did a great job of vaporizing away the congestion! They were usually sleeping soundly within the hour.  Unfortunately it made the entire house smell like a bowl of French Onion soup.

Amid a bout of colds this fall, I wondered if the menthol properties of mint and tea tree oil might work as effectively. (I was sure they’d be less objectionable to our olfactory senses the next morning!) The mint worked beautifully!  Whether the child had been coughing for 20 minutes or half the night, they would be sleeping soon after I plugged in the crock.

I add about 1/4 cup of dried peppermint leaf, a few drops of tea tree oil, and some boiling water to a big crock pot. I then place a little step stool in the child’s room and cover it with a towel. Putting the crock pot on the stool, I cock the lid sideways to allow steam to escape, then leave it alone and let it simmer all night. It is nice when something so easy works so well.

Kendra’s upper lip is red and chapped, and her voice is a little scratchy, but she’s got her full spunk back this morning! 

Garlic, fresh fruits and veggies, and a minty-crock at night are our favorite ways to frighten off colds.  What are your family's tried and true methods?