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Hang the Onions: 5 Old-Fashioned Remedies to Help Cure the Common Cold

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Colds: They Happen Every Year

Every year, without fail, kids and parents get colds, stay home from school, and are generally miserable. The next steps are predictable: go to the drugstore, pick up some medication, and hope that it goes away. Well, I am not discouraging you from picking up some Tylenol cold medicine or classic Buckley's cough syrup, but if you're looking for something different, give these time-worn medical classics a try.

The five remedies from first to last, are: hang an onion in the room, use Vicks, harness the power of steam, drink "the tea," and get plenty of rest. These are all remedies that have been tried and tested in my home, and in my mother's home before that. I hope that they are of some use to you and your family and that your cold is gone is before you know it!

Painting by Edward Munch, "The Sick Child"

Painting by Edward Munch, "The Sick Child"

1. Hang an Onion

Take a white onion, cut it in half, and hang the cut onion in your bedroom. The smell of the onion permeates the room and gets into your throat and nose. Anyone who has ever chopped up an onion has experienced its strong scent that actually makes a person cry. Well, hanging up the half-chopped onion harnesses that power.

The best bag to use is the netted bag that onions usually come in. My mom passed this ancient secret unto me, and now my once-skeptical husband swears by it. My stepson thinks it's a bit creepy, but he's a teenager, and they are embarrassed by practically anything. This one might sound kind of weird, but it really does seem to help to clear our sinuses.

Not surprisingly, there is a scientific reason behind the onion cure. The answer as to why hanging an onion seems to work is kind of complex. For one, it has a good percentage of vitamin C (17% of your daily recommended amount) which is a known cold-fighter.

Onions also have an unusually high concentration of flavonoids, which seem to work to improve your immune system and help make you stronger to fight the cold yourself. The interesting part is that one study found these flavonoids' main strength was in the outer layers of the vegetable, which means you don't want to peel your onion much before hanging it.

Update: I just received some additional information from my grandma. I spoke to her a couple of months ago and she said that does the onion trick but she cuts into several pieces and places it on a plate. I tried this and it really seems to help, too. The main thing is that the onion has a chance to cut through your congestion.

2. Use Vicks VapoRub

Rub Vicks VapoRub, or a generic substitute, unto your chest and back. Okay, first the disclaimer. Don't use this product for children under the age of two, and be sure to supervise children under six with it, because it can be poisonous if swallowed. Checking the Vicks website, though, I see that Vicks now has a product for babies called "Baby Rub," suitable for babies, that has the same effect.

That said, this is a great old-fashioned way to loosen up congestion, and soothe your sore throat. How does it work? Well, the active ingredients are menthol, camphor, and eucalyptus oil, all of which are natural ingredients that help to break up a cold. Camphor is also used for muscle ointments, and is responsible for the cooling and then heating effect of Vicks VapoRub.

3. Use Steam Power

Steam is a powerful way to help soothe your troubled sinuses and congestion. Here are a couple of ways you can harness this natural force of nature to help get you or your loved ones feeling better.

1. Steam Bath: Boil enough water to fill a bowl, put in healing ingredients, cover the bowl with a towel, and breathe in for 10-15 minutes.

There are a couple of products good for using in a steamer: one is from Vicks, called Vaposteam, and is similar to the old standby, VapoRub, but is safer to use for steam, because it won't spill out and hurt someone. Another option straight from your kitchen cupboard is to use the spice thyme. This a known expectorant, and helps to clear up congestion. Another couple of options are putting cayenne pepper or parsley into the water.

2. Buy a vaporizer. The advantage of buying a vaporizer is that you can have steam going into your nostrils and mouth while you rest. Follow the instructions on the steamer carefully, and use only as directed. Be sure to place the steamer in a safe spot where it cannot be knocked over by pets or children. These are wonderful and work very well in a quiet room where the sick person is resting. The steam not only helps physically, but also is very calming and can help the patient to calm their mind.

Many thanks to Carolyn Coles for use of this photo.

Many thanks to Carolyn Coles for use of this photo.

4. Make "The Tea"

Make up some of this tea, which works wonders for soothing the throat, and helping to calm down the agitated coughing throat.

Recipe for "The Tea"

  • 3 cups of water
  • 1 tea bag
  • 2 Tbsp lemon (real lemon is best, but concentrate also works)
  • 2 Tbsp honey
  • 1 Tsp cayenne pepper

Steps:

  1. Boil water.
  2. Add tea bag and let steep in pot for five minutes or more.
  3. Add other ingredients. Adjust according to taste. Let steep for another five minutes.

This is a well-known formula for colds and works because of the combination of lemon (an excellent source of vitamin C), honey (a natural cough suppressant), cayenne (which works to break up congestion), and tea (which is naturally soothing and contains flavonoids)

Whenever anyone in my family has a hint of a cold, this tea comes on, and they drink it for a few days until the cold goes away. It usually works, in combination with the other cures, and definitely helps to calm down coughing, soothe a sore throat, and lessen a runny nose.

5. Sleep

Sleep as much as you possibly can, including missing a day or two of work, if possible.

Sleep is one of the best things you can do for your body when your immune system is broken down. It helps everything heal, and helps your body to recover. I have often found that a day off at the beginning of an illness helps to stop it before it gets worse. If you take that day off, use it to sleep, and not get caught up on housework, and odd jobs. Colds come because our immune system is damaged, often stretched too far from our busy lifestyles. Catching up on sleep isn't just a nice fantasy; it's a necessity.

Resources for Food Cures

Final Thoughts

There you have it: five old-fashioned ways to cure the common cold, straight from my home to yours. And as science does more research into nutrition and the way food works to help us stay healthy, we can start to see that "old-fashioned" is actually the latest thing!

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and does not substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, and/or dietary advice from a licensed health professional. Drugs, supplements, and natural remedies may have dangerous side effects. If pregnant or nursing, consult with a qualified provider on an individual basis. Seek immediate help if you are experiencing a medical emergency.

Comments

Sharilee Swaity (author) from Canada on March 10, 2017:

@sylvia M, thanks for the comment. I haven't heard of the marshmallows one. Very interesting! And yes, Vicks is still one of the best, I think. Have a wonderful night!

Sylvia M on January 05, 2017:

I have tried both of these and they work! Vicks vaporub on the bottom of your feet and then a pair of socks when you go to bed and also eating marshmallows to soothe a sore throat.

Sharilee Swaity (author) from Canada on January 30, 2016:

Thanks for your kind words, TAbuata. Have a wonderful day.

tabata on October 03, 2015:

I love your brilliant web page. Just what I was looking for! Best regards, Ron from Interval training

Sharilee Swaity (author) from Canada on June 05, 2015:

Poetry man, thanks so much for your feedback. I use the honey-lemon drink every single time my family gets sick, and it really seems to help. Thanks so much for dropping by!

Sharilee Swaity (author) from Canada on June 05, 2015:

@Sick star, I am glad it was helpful, and apologize for not getting back to you sooner! Have a great weekend.

Sharilee Swaity (author) from Canada on June 05, 2015:

@precy anza, I would to hear if that remedy worked for you. I do apologize that the response to your comment has taken almost two years! I have been away from HP for a long time, and fallen behind on comments. Thanks for the comment!

poetryman6969 on May 16, 2015:

Voted up.

I don't believe I have ever heard of the hanging onion technique.

The lemon honey concoction sounds like something I will try.

Sharilee Swaity (author) from Canada on November 28, 2014:

@FlourishAnyway, that is very interesting. Yes, I guess they don't want to prescribe antibiotics, especially if it's not needed. Thank you so much for the comment, even though my response is actually over a year late. I still wanted to acknowledge it. So take care.

sick star :( on March 07, 2014:

I've never heard of most of these. I will try them, Thank you prairie princess!

precy anza from USA on October 09, 2013:

Wow! Never heard if before, about the onion. I will keep it in mind as this will sure come in handy, specially colder days are coming.And I'd share it to people I know too. Thanks for this! Up and shared too! :)

Elaina Baker from USA on September 22, 2013:

Timely information, especially with cold season right around the corner. Often doctors are so reluctant to prescribe antibiotics that people are returning to tried and true remedies of yesteryear like these. Thanks for sharing these.

Sharilee Swaity (author) from Canada on May 12, 2013:

@Shelia, that is so, so interesting! It does make sense that these workers who are always in the kitchen, around the onions and the garlics, are more healthy. Thanks for the comment, and have a good night!

Sheila P on May 08, 2013:

I have a commercial kitchen--food processing business. At times we process 80# of onions at once and all of the people in the kitchen eyes are watering or they are wearing ski goggles--I have to say they have been staying quite healthy--me--I now work upstairs in front of a computer , away from the onion vapors--and I am sick! Need to hang out in the kitchen more!

Sharilee Swaity (author) from Canada on February 09, 2013:

@Catt, sorry about not responding to your comment. I missed it in on my comments thread. I hope it helped for you. I find it does help to stop the coughing, for our family. I would love to hear how it worked for you. Take care, and thanks so much for coming by!

@Becca, I hope it helps you. I had quite a bit of resistance from my family, too, when I first tried it with them, ha ha! Take care!

Becca on January 13, 2013:

For sure trying the onion thing! Didn't believe my friend. I thought he was trying to make me and my room smell like onion haba

Catt Arina on September 23, 2012:

I've never heard of this until it was suggested a few days ago through a facebook thread, which was found to be false for the flu. The cold on the other hand....My hubby, kids and I are sick with the cold, go figure after reading the onion and the flu, and I have cut up a huge onion and stuck parts in different places, not many so I dont forget where they are at, but just enough to permeate the house. Hope this works!

Sharilee Swaity (author) from Canada on June 10, 2012:

@Kelley, thanks for digging up this old hub. Yes, the old cures can be quite interesting. I tend to trust the old ways, although some of them are a bit far-fetched. Thanks so much for the share. Take care!

@Vellur, the onion thing does seem to help. I had a cold for a couple of weeks this year and didn't do the onion. I finally put out an onion and it was gone in a day. I don't know if it works for everyone but I've seen it work for our family. Thanks so much for coming by and have a wonderful evening!

Nithya Venkat from Dubai on June 10, 2012:

Excellent tips, I love the sleeping bit the most. Never heard of the onion bit but will try. Very useful. Voted up.

kelleyward on June 08, 2012:

Fantastic hub Prairieprincess! I was just thinking about writing a hub on the common cold and I came across the onion trick. Believe it or not I had someone in my family tell me to put an onion out in the center of the table to prevent us from getting swine flu! It's amazing the things people come up with. Sharing this one! Kelley

Sharilee Swaity (author) from Canada on May 19, 2012:

Jael, sorry for the late response but I hoped these tips helped you. Happy one year anniversary!

Jael Jimenez on May 17, 2012:

So trying these ideas when I get home tonight! My one year anniversary is this weekend and I have to get rid of this cold! Thanks for the tips!

Sharilee Swaity (author) from Canada on October 25, 2011:

Cyndi, thank you. That sounds like a great idea to add onion to chicken soup! And yes, the showers would have the same effect. The effervescent tablet is something new to me. Thanks for dropping by. Here's to a healthy winter!

Cynthia B Turner from Georgia on October 25, 2011:

Praireprincess, Great ideas. I cook lots of onion in homemade chicken soup when anyone in the house has a cold. My son takes very steamy showers at least 2x a day if not more when he has a cold. He uses effervescent tablets in the shower when he can find them at the drugstore. Just a bigger version of your steam bowl. The shower is probably not a good remedy for children when the effervescence is added. Appreciate you sharing your ideas.

Sharilee Swaity (author) from Canada on June 14, 2011:

Stephanie, the pepper was a relatively new addition for me, too, but it does seem to help. It's funny how there was no one like Mom to take of us when we were sick, right? Just the fact that it came from her probably made it 100% more effective.

Thanks for the great comment. Take care!

Stephanie Henkel from USA on June 13, 2011:

Those old remedies did seem to help, didn't they? Although I never used the onion cure, I still want my tea with lemon and honey whenever I'm sick. It was the first thing my Mom would give me, and still makes me feel better. We didn't add the pepper, though. Maybe I'll try it next time I have a cold. Nice hub!

Sharilee Swaity (author) from Canada on May 12, 2011:

Mrs. J.B., that sounds like it would be an effective solution! Yes, definitely an adults-only solution. Take care!

Mrs. J. B. from Southern California on May 11, 2011:

Great ideas. Some I have never heard of. I do know that for adults the best cure is a couple of asprins and a spoonful on Nyquil right as you feel the cold coming on is perfect then several hours later take 2 shots of tequila. I promise in the am you will feel 70% better do it again the next day and come the am 100% better. Only for adults!!

Sharilee Swaity (author) from Canada on April 21, 2011:

KKlatch, I know it does sound weird, but I find it helps! Exactly ... when you are sick, why not try everything you can? Nice to see you. Take care!

Susan Hazelton from Northern New York on April 20, 2011:

prairieprincess, I've tried all but the hanging onion cure. It does sound out there but if it works I'm all for it. It's miserable to have a cold and if a cut onion helps...well, I'll give it a try.

Sharilee Swaity (author) from Canada on December 17, 2010:

Wow, Gypsy! That is another very interesting remedy. It is so amazing how much power is in the foods we eat, to heal us! Thanks for the comment, and take care!

Kamezuru, that is excellent! Orange Juice with Vitamin C is also one of the best ways to keep up your immune system, and ward off the colds. I try to take Vitamin C daily, too, and it really helps! Thanks so much for the comment and take care!

Charles S, I know what you mean about the Vitamin C. I try to take it all the time, and it works wonders! Keep working on your Mom, and she might come around. My husband took no supplements when I met him, but now he swears by his Omega 3's. People just have to get used to the idea!

Take care, and thanks so much for the comment.

Charles Russell Stockdale from UK on December 17, 2010:

What a really well written article! Yes, as a kid I was always getting colds and hated mum rubbing on the Vicks - ugh, sticky, smelly...

I now live in the UK and my parents are quite old. It's snowing outside and freezing. Again mum is sick with cold or 'flu but she won't take C.

I've almost forgotten what it's like to have a cold, thanks to Vit C. At least dad's stopped getting them since taking a few grams of C daily.