Nighttime Coughing

Many of us grew up with moms who rubbed Vick’s VapoRub on our chests at night if we were suffering from a cold. I clearly recall those strong vapors rising into my nostrils. Do you?

I always like to tackle problems from more than one angle though. As an adult, I would choose an essential oil that is a decongestive and expectorant, such as Eucalyptus globulus or radiata (for cough) and Eucalyptus dives (to break up mucus) to massage into my chest. One or two drops mixed into a carrier oil is perfect.

I would also then massage the mixture into the lung reflexes of my feet (located on the plantar surface on the heads of all the metatarsals), perform a little reflexology on those reflexes, don some warm socks, slowly swallow a tablespoon of raw honey, take a deep inhale of the scent permeating my own hands – and go to bed!