How I Surrendered to My Summer Cold & the Old-School Remedies I Used

This isn’t the message I thought I’d be writing in the middle of summer, but maybe it’s exactly the one that needed to come through.

I’m sick...and not the cozy, stay-in-bed-with-soup kind.

No, I’ve been taken down by a summer cold which feels unnatural, unfair, and frankly, rude.

It started mid-week. I had just returned from a weekend away with friends. My husband had been sick while I was gone, but I smugly assumed I’d dodged it. After all, I eat well, exercise, take supplements, bask in the sun, and ground myself daily. I even made it to a lift class Wednesday morning but, by that afternoon boom. Fatigue. Sore throat. Foggy head.

By Thursday, I had the full package: runny nose, aching body, and that dry, hacking cough everyone dreads hearing in public.

And I’ll be honest: I don’t like being sick.

It challenges the superficially created identity I’ve built of being healthy, and strong. Getting sick, especially in the summer just doesn’t fit the brand.

So naturally, I resisted. I kept walking, moving slower but pretending I wasn’t sick. I told myself I was fine. That I could power through. But eventually... I surrendered. Kind of, I mean - I’m still writing this.

When I finally stopped pushing, I realized something:

When my kids are sick, I go all out: warm socks, honey, baths, onion syrup, all the love.

But when I’m sick? I barely acknowledge it. I just keep going but at a slightly slower speed.

This time, I decided to treat myself the way I treat my kids: with rest, some old-school remedies and shift in mindset.

I used to battle being sick I’d push through, pretend I was fine, and treat my body like something to overcome. But one of the most powerful things I’m learning is to stop fighting what my body is trying to do. This time, I let myself surrender to the cold and support my body in its healing process.

So, what does surrendering to a summer cold actually look like?

For me, it involved garlic, grounding, and some old school remedies you may want to tuck in a back pocket.

Here’s what some of them looked like:

The “Flu Bomb”

I’ve made this for my kids for years, inspired by Barbara O’Neill. But this time, I made it for me. It’s a spicy, healing mix of lemon, garlic, ginger, cayenne, eucalyptus oil, and honey.

It burns going down. But it clears you out.

Here’s the "Flu Bomb" video if you want to try it.

The Onion Poultice

This is serious old-school. I sautéed onions, wrapped them in an old cotton T-shirt, and placed it on my chest. Then I cut up a red onion (the only one I had – regular white onions work best) and stuck pieces into socks on my feet. If you want to know why am torturing myself like this, here is another Barbara O’Neill video for you.

I smelled… strong.

My feet turned purple.

But my chest cleared up. I’ll take it.

Homemade Cough Syrup

This one’s been a go-to since my kids were old enough for honey. Slice an onion, cover it in honey, let it sit. Within an hour, it transforms into a syrup that soothes even the nastiest cough. Sticky? Definitely. But so effective.

Lying in the Sun

I lay outside on the grass: no hat, no sunscreen. Just 20 minutes of grounding and sunlight. Did you know they used to prescribe sunlight (heliotherapy) to sick patients in the early 1900s?

Sometimes, the simplest things are the most healing.

Heat Therapy

As a little girl in Poland, I remember one remedy clearly: heat therapy.

My grandmother taught us that when you feel a virus coming on, the goal is to raise your body temperature to give yourself a mini fever to help burn it off.

So even though it was over 30°C outside, I went full in with three layers: a duvet cover, a blanket and a quilt. I tucked myself in and let the heat do its work.

It sounds intense, and it is. But it’s a remedy passed down through generations and honestly, it felt like a turning point.

It turns out, science backs it up.

Even a slight increase in body temperature can help the immune system function more effectively, slow viral replication, and support detoxification. Sauna research even shows reduced respiratory infections for people who do this regularly. So yes, my grandma knew what she was doing.

Note to self:

Being the strong one all the time is exhausting.

Being cared for even by yourself is healing.

And here’s the deeper truth I was reminded of: resilience isn’t about pushing through no matter what.

It’s not always about productivity or willpower.

Sometimes, resilience is about lying down, softening, letting your body heal - even if that means putting onions on your feet and smelling like a stir-fry.

This cold humbled me.

It slowed me down enough to remember what I teach:

that real resilience is a practice of rest, care, and compassion.

It’s not about being unbreakable.

It’s about being real and kind to yourself.

So, if you’ve been pushing, powering through, or ignoring your body’s quiet cues this is your permission slip to stop; to care for yourself the way you care for everyone else.

If you’ve got a weird or wonderful remedy that’s worked for you and your family please share it. I’d love to hear and build a community list of what tested home remedies.

Off to drink my flu bomb and lie down.

With love (and a trace of garlic),
Monica xo

P.S If this summer cold has reminded me of anything, it’s that our bodies are always asking for care and when we listen, healing happens.

I’ve been leaning on my 3-Day Reset this week: smoothies, meditations, and small, grounding shifts that really help.

If you're feeling run down or just need a gentle reboot, it’s a great place to start.

P.S.S Most of us are great at caring for others. The real work, the lifelong work, is learning to offer that same love and softness to ourselves.