It’s cold/flu season. You’ll want to know this free healing trick. Pass it on.

Cold and flu season is the season in our house for “hot socks.” At least that’s what I call them.  I think most people call it the “Cold Sock Treatment.”  But doesn’t mine sound much better?  Cold is what they are.  Hot (or warm) is how they make you feel.

It’s a remedy I learned first from a naturopath doctor’s wife.  She happens to be a good friend of mine.

In our house it’s the trick we use for our kids or ourselves at the first sign of illness.

As long as you already have socks and running water it’s totally free.  All you need are a pair of cotton socks and a pair of wool socks.

And this is what you do:

1. Get out both pair of socks.

2. Wet the pair of thin cotton socks with cold water and put them in the fridge (or freezer if you’re going to get them out soon).

3. Soak your feet in warm water.  (This piece isn’t totally necessary.  I’ve done it both ways.  It’s a bit more pleasant if you soak your (or your kids) feet first, but ultimately it doesn’t matter.  Even my kids don’t mind it either way.)

4. Get out your cold cotton socks and put them on. 5. Put on the dry wool socks over the cotton socks.

6. Go to bed with your socks on.

It sounds weird– but it works.  Your body automatically begins to heat up to warm your feet and incidentally dry your socks.  The wool keeps it all in a nice container and helps the warming.  Your body heating up stimulates your immune system and basically induces a sort of a fever, but a lovely nice one, not a hot and bothered one.  That kills whatever germs are in your body threatening to get you sick.  Even half way through the night when you wake up you’ll notice that your cotton socks are already dry, and your body is a cozy temperature that feels lovely.

I do it when my kids have colds or any other illness.  And I do it on myself when they have something and I don’t.  I figure since I’m kissing their snotty faces all day long those germs are getting into me.  I’d rather kill them before they have a chance to sprout.

Once I read online that doing it three nights in a row was good.  Sometimes I do this, sometimes I don’t.  Either way it helps the body eradicate the invaders and get healthy quicker than it would be able to do alone.  And it feels delicious.  Even my three-year-old requests “hot socks” when he’s not feeling well.

Here’s another nice article from Bastyr Center for Natural Health about it and another clear write-up on the process if you want more info.