Be proactive to avoid and cut short colds and flus! Flu and cold season – which seems to get longer and longer – is a challenge to navigate. Even the flu vaccines are not totally effective because of the various strains of flu in a given year. There are additional over the counter medications and prescription drugs available as well. We are encouraged to avoid getting or spreading these conditions by washing our hands a lot, not touching our face, staying home if we are sick, etc.
In addition to all of this, I personally favor natural preventatives and treatments as much as possible. I found an article from a couple of years ago that offers 10 natural cold and flu remedies that work that you may want to consider. A couple of them were new to me and perhaps you also will find a natural preventative or remedy to try.
Here are some of the suggestions provided by the author on The Healthy Maven blog:
- Gargle with salt water – do this at the first sign you may be getting sick. I have personally done this just recently and it was effective.
- Honey – this can be as is, or in over the counter cough syrups (all-natural varieties). Raw honeys are the best if possible.
- Ginger which comes in a variety of forms – root, powder, capsules, even candies.
- Elderberry Syrup which both is a great preventative and treatment. There are a variety of other elderberry options. I have used and found elderberry to be very effective. Here’s more information in an earlier post: https://carolbrusegar.com/what-are-elderberries-health/
- Propolis – produced by bees to seal their hives and very anti-viral and anti-bacterial. It’s available as a throat spray. Reviews indicate that this throat spray is a good preventative when used daily, as well as to nip a scratchy throat or other symptoms quickly. Propolis Throat Spray
- Essential Oils – Eucalyptus and peppermint as well as combinations of various oils can be used effectively. These can be infused and benefit everyone in the household as well as being applied topically or ingested. It’s important to know exactly how to do this.
There are a couple of additional natural approaches that are widely recommended: hot green tea and turmeric.
Hot green tea is high in antioxidants and stimulates organ function; add honey for a double benefit. Turmeric reduces inflammation in our bodies, and we hear more and more that inflammation is related to many conditions. It can make us feel achy and sometimes lead to illness. Make a paste from powdered turmeric (from the spice shelf) with water and mix into warm milk or tea.
Let’s do everything we can to avoid colds and flus and to get rid of them if we happen to get them, using natural substances as much as possible!
