I love onions. Gently fried and used as a base for a bolognese, or a soup, or to accompany a chunky sausage in a barm! (bread roll/hot dog roll) Roasted with sweet potatoes. Mild onions thinly sliced in a salad or pickled onions whose strength forces you to chomp on them open mouthed. Onions are lovely and potentially addictive.
Social media can be a huge distraction when we are attempting to do proper stuff on our pooters and recently I was distracted by an image with slices of onions being inserted into socks. What on earth is that all about? I have written previously about the benefits of smothering your feet with Vicks Vaporub, so was curious as to what an onion might be able to offer.
I have visited the Eden Centre and am well aware of medications being derived from plant ingredients. With any scientific theory I try to be open minded.
Apparently onions have some very special and powerful properties, but the scientists are lagging behind with the research to back any of this up formally. The following suggestions are simply that, suggestions which are recommended but not backed up as yet with any firm science. I cannot think of any hazards to using onions in such a manner and if my cough is exacerbated, I will be reaching for the onions in the veg rack!
- Cut onions in half and place in a bowl. Leave them in various rooms of the house during the winter months – apparently they can hoover up bacteria in the atmosphere that can lead to colds and flu. The onions should be replaced after three months. People who do this state that they do not suffer from coughs and colds. The particular onion suggested is the white onion rather than the more common brown onion. I cannot see that such a practice would be hazardous, although visitors might raise an eyebrow or two.
- Slices of onions in your socks. The suggestion is that if you place slices of onions in your socks, they will help detoxify your blood and reduce the effects of respiratory illness. Supporters suggest they will help you if you have a persistent cough or are suffering with a cold or flu. An old pair of thick socks and perhaps a towel under your feet to protect the mattress??
- Onions were used in times of plague and more recently when ebola was rife in Africa. This suggests that the humble onion contains properties which will boost the immune system. For centuries, people have put their faith in the antibacterial properties of the onion.
- I have even managed to find a cough linctus. Honey and onion cough syrup. ‘Everyday roots’ “http://everydayroots.com/homemade-honey-and-onion-cough-syrup” provides detailed instructions on how to make such a syrup. I have tried nearly every cough syrup on the market and worry what this might taste like, but there is the reassurance that it does not contain any ingredients that might lead to overdose and also is safe to use when driving. I am tempted to get a bottle made tomorrow to have in the cupboard as a standby. This cough linctus is completely natural and does not contain any artificial additives. No sulphites to exacerbate an already troublesome cough.
I hope I have given you a bit to think about here. A troublesome cough can send you to a very dark place. Perhaps onions are an unrecognised cure?? Perhaps some of this can help?
I do hope so, love as always,
The CoughQueen xxx