By Amy Bell •
January 18, 2009
According to a study appearing in this month’s issue of Chest, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians, products such as Vicks VapoRub may stimulate mucus production and airway inflammation, which can have serious negative effects on infants and young children.
The ingredients in Vicks can be irritants which cause the body to produce more mucus in order to protect the airway. In children, whose airways are much more narrower than adults, this could lead to severe respiratory distress.
By Becky Striepe •
December 15, 2008

[Creative Commons photo by Matt Musselman]
Winter is close, and cold and flu season is here. That means lots of sniffles and a lot of tissues and over the counter medications. North American goes through about 156,000 tons of tissues each year, most of them during the winter months. Sales for medicines like decongestants also increase this time of year. When we’re sick, it’s easy to put some of this green living stuff on hold in the name of getting well. Here are a few tips for treating your sickness with less of an impact.