steam.

January 19, 2011
steam supplies

extract and water
today, a remedy. 
i’ve had an awful head cold for the past few days. it’s the kind that’s made it hard to sleep, or even read. and has made me feel generally like someone people don’t want to be around. understandable. i’ll spare you the snotty details, but it’s been a doozy.
when i’m sick one of my favorite things to do is set up a simple steam. it makes me feel partly as though i’m undergoing a fancy spa treatment and partly like i’m laura ingalls, using all my prairie woman know-how. 
for this cold, i added a drop of peppermint essential oil to a bowl of steaming water. peppermint oil helps to clear out the old sinuses and is a sweet surprise when you realize you’re actually smelling something for the first time in days.
to get the full effects of the peppermint, you’ll need to get up close and personal. just lower your face to the bowl and cover your head with a dishtowel to trap all the healing vapors. admittedly, you might want to warn housemates before beginning, should they be concerned that your cold has made you truly batty. just sit with your head over the bowl for a minute or two, breathing through your nose and letting the steam work its magic. you’ll feel at least a little bit better. i promise.
{n.b. i’m obviously not a doctor or anything, this is just a little something that works for me. also, go easy on the peppermint. it’s strong stuff and too much can do more harm than good}.

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10 Comments

  • Reply Christine January 19, 2011 at 3:42 pm

    feel better erin!

    p.s. only you could make a steam look so beautiful!

  • Reply Liz January 19, 2011 at 5:17 pm

    Feel better soon! Loved your description…Part spa part Laura Ingalls haha!

  • Reply chels.e. January 19, 2011 at 5:20 pm

    i hope you feel better soon. i have been fighting head colds all winter, but haven't tried the pepermint steam. it sounds releaving. thanks for the tip.

  • Reply Linda Zimmerman January 19, 2011 at 7:59 pm

    LOVE the Laura Ingalls reference! Breathe the steam for 20 minutes under a bath towel and you will fell like a new woman! If one is out of peppermint oil, a lemon, lime or an orange work like magic as well. Feel better! xo

  • Reply annette January 19, 2011 at 8:54 pm

    I agree with Christine – you make steam look so beautiful!!

  • Reply Bonbon Oiseau January 20, 2011 at 2:49 am

    Feel better Erin . Thanks for your visit today!

  • Reply The Bella Life January 20, 2011 at 4:52 am

    Hi, love your blog šŸ™‚ It is beautiful.

    I have a cold right now, as I am typing this. Just reading this made me feel better. Somehow I imagined peppermint steam on my face and I swear my sinuses cleared up. Now, I'm going to go really do it.

    Kiersten, fancyhouseroad.com

  • Reply blue moss January 20, 2011 at 2:59 pm

    hope you are doing much better…

    and i was going to say the same thing….i was struck by how beautiful you made steam look!! amazing
    michelle

  • Reply Joan January 21, 2011 at 2:30 pm

    This sounds good for me right now.

  • Reply Conny January 21, 2011 at 7:28 pm

    Glad I found this post today – because I cold hit me over the head yesterday afternoon. I'm going to leave work early and head home to "steam up." I think I've got some eucalyptus oil somewhere.

    Thanks much. I hope you're feeling better by now (since it's now Friday when I'm commenting).
    Cheers~

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