When my daughter was younger, we battled many viral and bacterial threats.  I’ve been open about feeling helpless and feeling like I knew nothing. 

For our daughter, most respiratory issues ended up in her lungs.  In her first year, before we found the naturopath, she was diagnosed with RSV and I remember sitting in the western medicine doctor’s office with a nebulizer to help her to breathe.  It was scary, I didn’t really understand what was happening, and wondered if I was also going to need to do this at home. 

Our naturopath gave us a completely different recipe to use when our daughter ended up with respiratory issues in her chest.  You might shake your head a little when you read this, and I definitely did when the naturopathic doctor made this suggestion.

She had me slice a whole onion and sauté it in a frying pan with a little filtered water until it was caramelized.  Then I was told to add vinegar to it, enough to fill the bottom of the frying pan around the onions. Then I put a lid on it until it cooled to lukewarm.  The next step was to add enough flour to the mixture, so it was no longer soupy.  Then I spread it over half of a cotton kitchen towel, and folded it closed.  Our daughter got to lay on her tummy and watch a kids show on tv while I placed the towel containing the mixture directly on the skin of her back over the area of her lungs.

Sounds crazy, doesn’t it?  Our house smelled like one of the Jewish delis I visited when I still lived in New Jersey, and it still does whenever I mix this poultice up.

The naturopath explained that our lungs are closer to our back than our front, and the poultice penetrates through the skin into the lungs and helps break up congestion.  I was surprised and grateful that it worked.

Here’s How To Make And Use An Onion Poultice For Chest Congestion:

Ingredients:

• 1 large-sized onion
• 2 or more tablespoons of filtered water
• 2 or more tablespoons of vinegar
• 2 or more tablespoons of flour
• 1 clean cotton cloth towel or muslin

Instructions:

• Peel and slice the onion.
• Heat the skillet or frying pan over medium heat.
• Add the chopped onion and enough filtered water to keep the onion from sticking to the heated pan and sauté it until it becomes soft and translucent. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
• Once the onion is sautéed, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.
• Next add the vinegar to the pan with the sautéed onion. Let it sit for a few minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
• Add the flour to the onion and vinegar mixture. Stir well until you have a thick paste-like consistency. Adjust the amount of flour as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Work quickly so it doesn’t cool too much – it should be warm but not hot.
• Take a clean cotton cloth towel or muslin and spread the poultice mixture onto half of it, leaving some space around the edges.
• Fold the cloth over the mixture. Ensure that the poultice is not too thick, as it needs to conform to the body.
• Have the person lay somewhere comfortably on their stomach.  Place the poultice directly on the skin of the person’s back, covering over the lungs.  You can add another towel on top, and even a blanket to keep the person warmer and to help the remedy work into the body.
• Leave the poultice on for about 20-30 minutes, allowing the warmth and vapors from the sautéed onion to be absorbed into your respiratory system.
• After the recommended time, remove the poultice.  You can rinse off any residue left on your skin with warm water.  You may try to scrape the poultice back into the frying pan to reconstitute with more vinegar and use again later. 

The experience I just shared was before we discovered essential oils.  Our family uses many home remedies, essential oils included.

Additional things that I’ve learned that can help with chest congestion:

• Steam inhalation: Inhaling steam can help loosen mucus and relieve chest congestion. Boil water, transfer it to a bowl, and lean over the bowl with a towel draped over your head. Breathe in the steam for 5-10 minutes.
• Warm fluids: Drink plenty of warm fluids like herbal tea, warm water with lemon and honey, or broths. Warm liquids can help thin mucus and soothe the throat.
• Honey and warm water: Mix a tablespoon of honey in a glass of warm water and drink it. Honey has antibacterial properties and can help soothe a cough and sore throat associated with chest congestion.
• Saltwater gargle: Dissolve half a teaspoon of salt in warm water and gargle with it for 30 seconds. This can help reduce throat irritation and promote mucus drainage.
• doTERRA Breathe or Eucalyptus oil: Add a few drops of these essential oils to your diffuser. Eucalyptus oil alone, and the blend of oils in doTERRA Breathe have decongestant properties and can help open up the airways. You can also mix a few drops of either in a carrier oil and apply topically to the chest, back, and bottom of the feet.
• Ginger: Drink ginger tea or chew on a small piece of fresh ginger. Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties and can help relieve chest congestion.
• Elevate your head: Use an extra pillow or elevate the head of your bed to keep your head and chest in a slightly elevated position. This can help improve breathing and reduce congestion.
• Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids throughout the day to thin mucus and prevent dehydration.
• Rest and humidity: Get plenty of rest to support your body’s healing process. Also, consider using a humidifier or taking a hot shower to add moisture to the air, which can help soothe congestion.

We started to use a naturopath in 2003 and she taught me many things I could do to strengthen her constitution, rebuild her gut biome, and generally cool her body down.  The naturopath taught us to use tinctures, teas, things we had in our kitchen already, and to change up the food we ate to help make a difference – and it did.

Whenever we were facing a threat, our daughter picked up at daycare, I immediately made an appointment to see the naturopath.  She helped us to learn on the onset of symptoms to use homeopathics, those little white sugar pellets, to help remind the body how to deal with the threat. 

I’m grateful for we learned from the naturopath and she inspired me to build a library of books and remedies to help care for my family.  So, mamas – that’s why I do what I do. I want to share what I’ve learned over the years in taking care of my kids so you can take care of your kids without guilt, shame, compromise, or confusion. I want you to be able to mom, without learning things the hard way. I want you to follow me so I can redeem all the things I learned the hard way. AND I want to know how things work out for you.

Remember, these home remedies are not a substitute for medical advice, when needed. If your symptoms persist or worsen, please consult a healthcare professional.