Green Tea Hot Toddy and 6 Steps to Help Ease a Cold
With this Green Tea Hot Toddy and my 6 steps, you’ll be feeling better in no time! This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #TeaProudly #CollectiveBias
You get that feeling. You know the one I’m talking about. That scratchy throat, maybe some sneezing, and then the overwhelming tiredness hits you like a Mac truck. That’s the feeling I’m talking about. At least, that’s how I feel when I know I’m getting a cold.
It’s never a good feeling. There’s always feelings of dread that comes with it, too. How sick am I going to be? Will I have to call out sick from work? Who’s going to make breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Well, if you’re Mom this last one is going through your head.
1 – Take a hot bath!
Whenever these symptoms start, the first thing I do is soak in a hot bath. I mean, HOT bath. I start with brewing 2 or 3 Bigelow Tea green tea bags. Then I add 1 to 2 cups of Epson salts, a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil, and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. This last one you’ll just have to try in small amounts to see how the cayenne will affect your skin.
What’s the point? To raise your body temperature. You want to sit in there long enough so that you’re sweating like you’ve run a marathon. To help the toxins leave your body, sip on some Bigelow Tea green tea. Not only will it help with the toxins, but also boost your immune system to help it right the bug that bothering you.
2 – Get plenty of rest!
Then, I sleep. I immediately go to bed or as close to getting out of the bath as I can. That doesn’t mean you have to do this before bed. If you’re starting to feel these symptoms in the morning, take a bath and then take a nap. Your body needs rest to do its thing and fight the crud.
I know, you’re like me and you start to cough or wake up because you can’t breathe. Which makes sleep seem impossible. For me, I sleep with an extra pillow under my head. This props up my head so things drain and I can breathe. Coughing, for me, is directly related to having a stuffy nose. Consequently, if I can alleviate the stuffy nose, I don’t cough as much.
3 – Gargle with salt water!
If my throat is feeling uber sore from all that couching, I gargle with salt water. Salt is an anti-inflammatory. So, salt water helps to draw out the inflammatory fluids that are currently residing in your throat making it feel better. I know it sounds gross and painful, but you will feel better afterwards.
After this, I make some delicious Bigelow Tea Tea to sooth my throat even more. I steep some green tea with ginger, add in some lemon juice, and a little honey. I love the ginger flavor in their tea. It’s one of many favorite flavors in my pantry.
4 – Mentholated rub to ease a sore nose (and help clear it)!
Now, one of things I realized is when I start to cough, I need to blow my nose. I’m not sure why this is, but it seems to abate the cough when I blow my nose. Which is often when I’m sick. So much so that my nose, no matter what tissue I use, gets red and sore.
To ease this, I put a little mentholated rub on my nose. Not only does it help sooth my sore nose, but also helps to clear my sinuses so I can breathe better. Also, if my chest feels really tight, I rub some on there and it helps open it up. If it’s a really bad cold, I usually do this at night to help me sleep better.
5 – Eucalyptus oil is your friend!
If I’m taking a shower or a bath, I always put a few drops in the water of my bath or simply put a few drops in the bottom of my slower. The steam and the scent of the eucalyptus helps to relieve congestion. It also helps clear your nasal passages so you can breathe easier. And it smells good! At least to me.
6 – Chicken soup!
There’s a reason everyone says to have some chicken soup when you’re not feeling well. Not only does the hot soup help to relieve upper respiratory congestion, but research suggests that it might prevent white blood cells from migrating to the infected area. Whatever that means. I just know that chicken soup makes me feel better.
Drink a Hot Toddy!
Finally, before you go to bed, make a nice hot toddy. My parents made these for us when we were feeling pretty sick. It has everything you need in one cup to help you feel better and get a good night’s sleep.
The tea is the most important part of this drink. It has to be good tea that tastes great! For me, that’s Bigelow Tea . I love their Lemon Ginger Green Tea, Cozy Chamomile, and their Sweet Dreams. I usually use this last one for my hot toddy. It has a nice combination of chamomile and mint that calms and soothes.
This is a family recipe that has been passed down through the years. A cup of this Green Tea Hot Toddy always made us feel instantly better, but what also makes me feel better, now as an adult, is knowing that Bigelow Tea has 3 generations of great tea. They’re a family owned business which makes me feel a better about using their tea for my family. Not to mention that it’s made in the USA and comes in a super fresh, foil packet!
If you love Bigelow Tea as much as I do, then you’ll want to follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to see how they #TeaProudly, along with other people who love their tea like I do. You should also head to your local WalMart and pick up several packages! I suggest the chamomile, the sweet dreams, and the peppermint! How do you #TeaProudly? What do you do to feel better when you’re under the weather?

Green Tea Hot Toddy
With this Green Tea Hot Toddy and my 6 steps, you'll be feeling better in no time! #TeaProudly
Ingredients
- 8 ounces hot water
- 1 Bigelow Tea Green Tea with Lemon
- 1 tablespoon local honey
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 ounces whiskey (optional)
Instructions
- Pour the hot water over the Bigelow Tea Green Tea bag and allow to steep per package directions.
- Remove the tea bag and add the honey, lemon, and whisky, if using.
- Garnish with a slice of lemon and serve.
I like your hot toddy suggestion the best! Wishing you a happy and healthy New Year Christie!
Thank you! Dad always served those up when we were sick. TOTAL comfort food to me.
I love these tips. I think it is super important to nip a cold in the bud and not suffer. These tips for taking care of yourself are ones I could easily follow.
I agree! If you do at least a few of these at the onset, it could shorten it, too.
I currently have a sore throat and I think this is just what the doctor ordered, how did you know!?
Because it’s what helps me feel better, too!! I hope you feel better!
My hubby has been coughing for a week! I need to keep my resistance up and this hot toddy looks perfect!
I hope he feels better, Liz! It’s a rough one to get over. Hopefully, this will help get better and help you stay healthy!
These are fabulous tips. Tis’ the season for a bothersome cold. Thank you for the recipe!
Thank you! Yes, it is. One of my friends at work has one. I just got over one, and accidentally gave it to the hubs. So he’s getting over one, too, now. Cheers!
Nothing feels better than a nice hot bath when you are coming down with a cold. Hot tea is my first choice for sore throats too. My Dad used to make me gargle with salt water!
I love these traditional practices to ease the pain and discomfort of a cold or flu.
Great tips! I totally agree on the eucalyptus, too! That tea sounds delicious even if not under weather. Thanks for sharing! #client
Thank you! It is a drink I have often because Bigelow Tea is so soothing and delicious!