You just want to breathe through your nose and sleep through the night finally, right?

So you reach for your Vicks Rub again.

Vicks rub is probably the most popular decongestant chest rub out there, but most of us don’t bother to check the ingredients of this stuff. We just want something, anything, to open up our nose and allow us to finally fall asleep.

Well, just because you don’t swallow this stuff, doesn’t mean that some of its components aren’t sneaking in through your skin. And some of these components are highly questionable.

 Did you know that Vicks contain parabens?

Parabens, which are used in many skin care products, have been linked to breast cancer in more than one study.

How about turpentine oil? Yes, there’s turpentine oil in Vicks.

Yikes. Would you want that stuff all over your child’s skin? I don’t think so.

Home Remedies for Nasal Congestion

(The Natural Alternative to Vicks)

Fortunately, as always, there are effective and easy home remedies for nasal congestion, which are completely safe for adults and children alike.

My 4 year old suffers from nasal congestion every winter, for months. After a few days the saline nasal rinse stops working so I’ve been looking for a good alternative for a long time.

 I’m excited to share this simple home remedy for nose congestion with you, because it really works, it takes 2 minutes to prepare and it smells amazing.

Homemade Vapor Rub

You’ll need a small container, extra virgin olive oil (for liquid rub) or coconut oil (for solid rub) and Peppermint/Eucalyptus essential oil.

In a small container (I get my wonderful little containers and my essential oils at Mountain Rose Herbs – Definitely the best online supplier of herbs, essential oils and natural remedies), place about 2 tbsp of olive oil.

Add the essential oil until you get the desired strength. If this is for your child, start with 3-4 drops of peppermint (it’s milder than the eucalyptus) and work up to 6 drops until it works. For adults Eucalyptus oil is better – It’s a little stronger.

And now… that’s it, you’re done!

This great smelling stuff can be rubbed on your chest, back and gently massaged on the sides of your nose. You can even rub some of it on your pillow.

My kid falls asleep after ten minutes, breathing calmly.

By the way, I’ve heard a few times that rubbing it on your feet will stop night-coughing for children and reduce a fever naturally. Worth a try, right?

Warning – Do not use undiluted essential oil directly on your skin, always use carrier oil (except for lavender oil, which is safe to use directly).

Give it a try and let me know how it worked, o.k?

To your health & happiness,

 Meital