A few weeks ago I wrote about Caring for a Sick Child. I promised you a few home remedies suitable for children. Grated Green Apple and Daikon Cough Remedy are two that I use fairly often.
As with anything I offer on this site, I am not a doctor or registered nutritionist. I provide information about what has worked for me and other people I know. These remedies are wonderful to have in your pocket as you are caring for a sick child who has mild or moderate symptoms. If you are at all concerned about your child’s health, please seek professional medical advice.
Grated Green Apple
I have only used grated green apple for fevers, but some macrobiotic counselors recommend this for a wide range of mild childhood discomforts including coughing.
There are several different ways to use green apple. I usually just grate a quarter slice of organic Granny Smith finely on a microplane or ginger grater and serve in a small dish. Other ways I have seen green apple remedy prepared is to take the grated apple and squeeze the juice through a cheesecloth. You can give a few teaspoons of the juice every few hours. Another variation is to lightly cook the grated apple.
I think it is important to use a sour apple, like Granny Smith, because of the way it interacts in the body. I don’t think a sweet apple will have as much of an effect. You can try it, though.
Daikon Cough Remedy
I use this one for coughs. To make, place small cut cubes of washed organic daikon radish in a small glass jar. Add a few tablespoons of brown rice syrup. Place lid on the jar and shake to coat the daikon with syrup. Let sit on the counter. Every few hours, give it a shake. The rice syrup will pull the juice out of the daikon. Let sit this way overnight or a few days in the refrigerator, until a good amount of juice accumulates in the jar. Shake one more time and remove the daikon cubes. The juice is the cough remedy. Give by teaspoonfuls as needed. This will last for a few weeks in the refrigerator.
I have seen this remedy made with other sweeteners, but I learned it using brown rice syrup so that’s what I feel comfortable sharing with you.