Simple things that can make a difference when its all about what YOU can do at home. An onion chest poultice is an old folk remedy that is often still used, because it is surprisingly effective. Among other good things, onion contain sulfur compounds that help fight mucus and promote the expulsion of mucus from your airways. Onion and its even stronger cousin garlic, are powerful natural antibiotics as well as being antiviral and antimicrobial. This makes them valuable for viral and bacterial infections. So yes make a poultice which will soothe from the outside, and that you’ll be able to inhale, but don’t forget to EAT them as well. Let them work from the inside too.
I love how Wendi talks about using fresh onions, but in the absence of them she shows us how to use dehydrated onions. This is so important and like her, I rarely have fresh onions in my house anymore unless they’re in my garden for the few months I can grow them, and maybe a few months after harvesting. I do keep dehydrated onions, but for the most part – I choose to use THRIVE LIFE freeze dried onions for most of the year. They come diced or sliced, and are always ready to use in all my favourite dishes. As with all Thrive Life fruits and vegetables, they’re flash frozen within only a few hours of harvest, sealing in all their natural nutritional goodness. This is very important to me. All the benefits of ‘fresh’, but easier and much more convenient to use, and with a shelf life of 25 years. That’s very important to me, because I’m all about long term food storage. Even after opening, we have at least a year to use them, depending on humidity in your area.
These two pungent herbs (onions and garlic) are probably best known for their immune enhancing properties, but that’s another topic for another day. Many folk remedies suggest sleeping with onions wrapped onto the bottom of your feet! Don’t laugh. And don’t be too quick to discount things that seem too simple or even silly at first glance. In fact, garlic and onions contain anti-inflammatory chemicals that have been shown to relieve some forms of arthritic pain. Onions are a rich source of flavonoids, one of which – the antioxidant ‘quercetin’, has been shown to inhibit inflammation-causing leukotrienes, prostaglandins and histamines in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Yeah, I had to look them up too – lol.
Q: What are leukotrienes?
A: chemicals your body produces, especially when you come into contact with something you’re allergic to. As a form of protection, they can cause coughing. build up of extra mucus and fluid in your chest and throat, as well as inflammation or swelling in your airway.
Q: what are prostaglandins?
A: fatty acids made at sites of tissue damage or infection caused by injury or illness. They control processes such as inflammation, blood flow, the formation of blood clots and the induction of labour.
Q: what are histamines?
A: chemicals your body makes to help expel allergens from your body through symptoms such as a runny nose or sneezing.
While we shouldn’t want to get rid of these natural protective functions completely, they can cause a lot of discomfort. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was something natural and ‘normal’ you could eat, that could assist in alleviating the worst of those symptoms though?
Let Food Be Your Medicine
Onions are members of the allium family, which includes hundreds of species, and they are one of the most widely used vegetables/herbs in the world, with some types growing in every climate except the arctic. Ones we’re more familiar with are the ‘onion’ of course, garlic, scallion, shallot, leek, green onions and chives. And even among these, there are many, many different types, each with its own special personality and qualities. In North America, the most popular onion to purchase is the yellow onion, for its long lasting quality. Named for its outside colour, not inside, it is cured (dried outside after harvest). If kept in a dry dark, semi cool place, it will last for months.
that could almost be a food group unto themselves.
They are a good source of nutrients and are known to offer a plethora of health benefits – many more than what we’ve reviewed here. Onions are a tremendously rich food source of flavonoids, in particular, the antioxidant quercetin (see above), which is known to prohibit the activity or creation of cancer-causing elements. A quercetin-rich diet is a recognized good defense against developing cancer.
Make onions more a part of your life.
– If you’re one of those people who don’t like the texture of onions, use freeze dried – they’re better than any alternative we can buy at the grocery store anyway.
– If you’re one of those people who don’t like the taste of onions, get over it and find a way eat them anyway. They’re really good for you. They’ve proven themselves enough times to be taken seriously, figure out a way to incorporate them into your daily diet. Hide them, disguise them if you must, but definitely EAT onions. Thrive Life’s freeze dried onions will help immensely with that.
– If you’re one of those people who have kids who think they don’t like onions, be the parent and find a way to use them anyway. If you need to hide them, then hide them! But use them! Thrive Life’s freeze dried chopped onions will become your new best friend.
Okay, its not possible for any food to have only good things said about it. I think we all know the one downside, and it has something to do with ‘the smell’. Not just the smell of onions, but the smell of ‘us’ after we eat them. Onions contain organic sulfur compounds, which are the reason onions have such a sharp, strong taste and smell. Yes, those sulfur compounds help reduce the level of cholesterol in our bodies, breaking down blood clots and lowering our risk of heart disease and stroke. BUT, those same sulfur compounds cause the only negative effects from eating onions – irritation to eyes when cutting, and body odor.
When our bodies break them down, those sulfur compounds react to sweat on our skin, creating what is generally considered to be an unpleasant odor. In our society, that’s a considerable downside. And in some individuals with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), they may increase gas and bloating. Small price to pay in my opinion, but I have found that freeze dried onions do not seem to create the same problems. As far as the tearing up aspect, try rinsing a peeled onion under water or chill it for 30 minutes before cutting. Or of course, you can skip the whole chopping step, and go straight for the freeze dried option.
As far as the onion poultice – this is new to me. I’m happy to know about it and appreciate Wendi’s thorough instructions. I have everything I need on hand and will take her advice to set aside some more clean, white cotton for that purpose.
Have you ever tried an onion poultice?
Or any other type of poultice?
I’d love to hear your opinion and your experience.
Warmly,
Cindy Suelzle