The Go To Remedies –
Sick While Abroad
When three sick kids, a foreign country, and a mama’s instincts collide — you brew something magic.
Nobody warned me about the new germ pool.
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I mean, people warned me about a lot of things when I told them I was packing up my life and moving my kids to Albania. They warned me about the driving. The language barrier. Finding a community . But nobody — not one person — said, “Girl, your children are going to get hit with every single illness known to man in the first few months.”
And yet here we were. Three kids, one exhausted mama, a rented villa in a city I’m still learning to pronounce properly, and a medicine cabinet that looked nothing like back home.
Albania is beautiful. Genuinely, breathtakingly beautiful. But it’s also a completely different climate, a different ecosystem, different bugs in the air (mosquitoes 😒), different everything. And our immune systems? They had no idea what hit them.
“I couldn’t run to the familiar remedies. So I did what mamas have done for centuries — I made tea.”
When all three of my babies came down at the same time with stuffy noses, fevers, upset stomachs, and body aches, I panicked for a moment. Then I found a local herb source and put the kettle on.
Meet the Herbs That Did the Work
I’d been slowly building a little herbal kit since we arrived, partly out of curiosity about Albanian folk medicine (which is rich, by the way), and partly because this mama always likes to have options. That day, every single one of those herbs earned its place (and a few more i had delivered from wolt 🫡).
My gentle anchor herb. Soothes upset tummies, calms inflammation, and most importantly — helps little ones actually rest. When my youngest was crying from a stomach ache, chamomile was the first thing I reached for.
This one surprised me. Sage is antiviral and helps reduce fever while soothing sore throats and congestion. I found it growing in a neighbor’s garden here — Albanians use it constantly and now I understand why.
A happy discovery in Albania’s markets as it was a favorite back home. Bright, lemony, and naturally appealing to kids. It eases nausea, helps break fevers through gentle sweating, and reduces body aches. My middle child asked for seconds (we did some hot coco style as well) that’s how you know it’s good.
Beautiful golden flowers with serious immune-boosting power. Anti-inflammatory and healing. Just make sure your little ones don’t have ragweed or daisy allergies before using (always worth checking).
The MVP of this blend. Echinacea directly activates the immune system to go fight the illness. I think of it as calling in reinforcements. Combined with the other herbs, this helps the body work smarter and recover faster.
The natural decongestant. Even the steam from a mint-heavy tea can help open stuffed-up little noses. It also soothes the stomach and has a cooling effect that’s welcome when a fever is running high.
The quiet powerhouse. Nettle is packed with Vitamin C, iron, and magnesium — all the nutrients a sick body desperately needs. It also has natural antihistamine properties that help with congestion and inflammation. Think of it as a multivitamin in plant form.
The Blend That Worked
Here’s exactly what I used. I eyeballed amounts like every mama does, but this gives you a solid starting point for a pot that serves the whole family.
Mama’s Go To Healing Tea
- 1 heaping tablespoon dried chamomile flowers
- 1 tablespoon fresh or dried sage leaves
- 1 tablespoon lemon verbena (dried or fresh)
- 1 tablespoon dried calendula petals
- 1 teaspoon dried echinacea flowers
- A generous handful of fresh mint (or 1 tbsp dried)
- 1 tablespoon dried nettle leaf
- Raw honey & fresh lemon to serve
- 4 cups filtered water
How to Make It
- Bring water to a gentle boil, then remove from heat and let it cool for 1-2 minutes.
- Add all herbs to a teapot or pot with a lid. Pour the hot water over them.
- Cover and steep for 10-15 minutes. Keeping it covered traps the beneficial oils — this step matters!
- Strain well and pour into cups.
- Add honey (for children over 1 year old) and a squeeze of fresh lemon.
- Serve warm — not hot — and aim for 2-3 cups throughout the day.
⚠️ A Few Important Notes, Mama to Mama
- No honey for babies under 1 year old — this is a hard rule, no exceptions.
- Under 2 years old? Check with your pediatrician before giving herbal teas.
- Calendula caution: Skip it if your child has ragweed, daisy, or chrysanthemum allergies.
- High or persistent fever? Please see a doctor. This tea supports healing — it’s not a replacement for medical care.
- Always watch for allergic reactions when introducing new herbs for the first time.
More Than Just Tea
Here’s what I didn’t expect: making this tea didn’t just help my kids feel better physically. It helped me feel better. There’s something grounding about standing in a strange kitchen, in a country you’re still figuring out, and doing something so familiar: nourishing my babies with plants.
Albania has an incredible tradition of herbal medicine. The grandmothers here know things. The markets have herbs I’ve never seen before (local mountain tea is everyones go to remedy). And slowly, slowly, I’m learning. I’m asking questions, picking up words, building a new kind of home knowledge in a place that’s becoming more familiar every week.
My kids were noticeably better within a day. Were perky by day two. By day three they were back to running wild again.
“If you’re a mama figuring out a new country — trust your instincts. The plants are here. The knowledge is here. And you’ve got more wisdom in you than you think.”
Save this recipe. Share it with a fellow mom who’s navigating something new. And if you’re in Albania and know of any local herbs I should be adding to my collection please, please tell me. I’m all ears.
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— A mama doing her best, one cup at a time 🇦🇱
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