Whenever a loved one catches a dreaded cold or flu typically making the rounds during the colder months, I always recommend they go to bed with wet socks…. wait, WHAT?!

A tried-and-true naturopathic remedy to boost your immune system, the Warming Socks Technique (also known as the Wet Socks Treatment) has been my go-to for fighting off illness for years.

What you will need:

One pair of cotton socks.

One par of warm wool socks.

A tub/shower/basin

Thieves or similar essential oil (optional)

Begin by getting your feet toasty warm in some hot water… enjoy a hot shower, a warm bath, or simply soak your feet in hot water until your feet are pink and warm.

Dry off your feet, and then take this opportunity to put some essential oils on the bottom of your feet if you so choose. I like to use Thieves, an immune system boosting oil by Young Living that is great for colds, the flu, and other viruses. (I also sometimes add in a few drops of Frankincense or Lavender as well!) While this step is not necessary for this technique to work, I have found that throwing in another healing element can help speed up the recovery process! (Sign up for a Young Living account HERE.)

Now, take your cotton socks and soak them in room temperature water. Wring them out so they are wet but not dripping, and put them on your warm feet. Pull on your dry, thick wool socks on top of your wet cotton socks, and immediately jump into bed!

It is essential to not let yourself catch a chill, so pile on all the cozy blankets and get snuggly!

Although I typically find it hard to sleep with socks on, using this warming socks technique I often pass out much faster than I do any other night, and sleep much harder as well! Because of this, this treatment can also be used for insomnia as well.

Later in the night, you will wake to find your socks completely dry! As your feet are still warm, feel free to either get up to re-wet your cotton socks, or simply allow yourself to drift back to sleep.

It’s as simple as that!

(If you have any questions or concerns, be sure to check with your doctor or naturopath to make sure this technique is right for you.)

Have you ever heard of the Warming Socks Technique? Do you have another odd technique that helps you get over colds lickety-split? Share our experiences below!

During these cold, dry, winter months, it is not uncommon to have clogged sinuses, dry noses, and head colds. I hate reaching for over the counter cold-medicines, so I always try to use alternative remedies, like oils! Essential oils can be immensely beneficial both for opening up your breathing pathways and speeding up recovery with their healing properties. However, when you are sitting there stuffy and miserable, what is the best way to use them?

Steam inhalation introduces essential oils quickly and directly into the sinuses and lungs. When done correctly, steaming essential oils can be a great way to offer immune and respiratory support, along with helping clear the sinuses and mucus membranes. Sounds great, doesn't it?A naturopath recommended this technique to me years ago, and I have used it countless times since then! Go put the kettle on, and lets get started.

With a clean towel set aside, fill a glass bowl with hot steaming water. How hot, you ask? You want the water hot enough to steam, but not so hot that it will burn your skin or your sinus tissues.

Add one drop of high quality of essential oil into your bowl of steaming water.

Create a mini steam tent by placing your clean towel over the back of your head and shoulders, closing your eyes, and leaning over the steaming bowl of water. What should result is a lovely steam bath that should quickly provide relief!

Depending on your own judgement, lean further away or further in towards the bowl to find your ideal experience. Remember to keep your eyes closed so that you don't irritate your eyes with the oils. This should be a comforting and nourishing experience, not an uncomfortable or overpowering one.

I love to do this when I am feeling a cold coming on, or when I am desperate for relief from congestion or seasonal allergies. I've also found it helpful for insomnia and the occasional headache, so find what works for you.

(By the way, this is not recommended for young children, for people on medications, or for people over the age of 65, so I like to recommend checking with your doctor or a certified aromatherapist first if you have any questions or concerns.)

Have you done an essential oil steam bath? What is your favorite oil to help with sinus relief?

Let's face it.... you can do everything "right" by taking care of yourself, and you can still come down with that dreaded bug... a common cold!

Since it seems this cold currently kicking my behind is making its way around town, I figured I'd share a few of my go-to cold remedies. Having a cold is the pits, but being loopy off of drugstore cold medicine is also pretty awful, so why not do everything you can to get better quickly and naturally?

When I start feeling run down and sick, I take a high dose of Vitamin D3 Extreme for three days (make sure to consult your doctor about what proper dosage is right for you). If I take this as soon as I start noticing symptoms, I typically don't even have to take it the second or third day. (You do not want to continue taking a high level of D3 past three days due to toxicity risks.) In the case I don't get the vitamins in quick enough and my cold progresses (like the bug I am experiencing right now), there are some back up methods that are both comforting and healing.

Umka Cold Care, which can be found at your local health food or grocery coop, is a life saver. Taken three times a day, it will whoop your cold's butt! Unlike the usual drugstore cold medicine, this natural cold medicine will help you feel better without leaving you drowsy and loopy.

In between doses, stay plenty hydrated! I think Yogi's Echinacea Immune Support tea is delicious because, in addition to all of its other yummy and healing ingredients, the licorice root in it soothes your throat without being an overpowering flavor (which I have found to occur in similar tea blends). I alternate drinking tea and water all day, and I make sure that my water includes a drop or two of Young Living's Theives essential oil, which is a fantastic immune system booster.

Although it usually has zero appeal when you don't feel well, I have found that getting a light amount of exercise can sometimes help clear the sinuses and that dreaded brain-fog. If my cold is not terribly severe, I usually try a very gentle yoga routine and/or go for a walk with the dog (if it isn't as cold as it has been lately). Getting your muscles moving and your blood pumping a little harder than they would be just parked on the couch can work a cold out of your system a little faster, as long as you make sure not to push yourself too hard, you bundle up, and you don't dehydrate yourself.

Personally, I find that I am more susceptible to illness when I am stressed or overworked. Common colds are my body's way of saying "Whoa there, how about you calm down and put your feet up? Oh, you're too busy? Too bad, I'm going to make you put your feet up whether you like it or not!" So rather than get frustrated and repeat "I'm so sick. This is awful.", which can just make you feel worse, take a minute to give yourself permission to take care of yourself. Give yourself permission to put your health as a priority (which can be extremely difficult for people to do while the hectic world swirls around you). That way you will not only bounce back with a healthy body, but a healthy relaxed mind.

When it is time for bed, while I put on one of my favorite mellow albums, I put a little more Theives oil mixed with jojoba oil on the bottoms of my feet and cover them up with some thick wool socks. A homeopathic remedy I found at my local coop, Nighttime Cough and Bronchial Syrup, combines a variety of cold and flu specific remedies with a relaxing, mind-calming remedy is a great nightcap so I can drift off to sleep and wake up refreshed and renewed!

Alright, well I'm crawling back into bed in hopes that some more rest will have me back up and running in no time!

Do you have any cold remedies that you swear by?