With fall in full force and the holidays just around the corner, it’s time to brace ourselves because cold and flu season is on its way. Despite the fact that it’s coming full force, there are lots of natural ways to prevent getting trapped with an endless stuffy nose or hacking cough. From herbal therapies to simple natural solutions, here’s a peek at some natural cold remedies that will keep you feeling great all winter long.
1. Cinnamon – Not only is cinnamon a delicious spice, it works well as a natural antibiotic and antiviral solution. Make a tea using one teaspoon of honey and one tablespoon of cinnamon with hot water. Drink up! This will help with congestion and irritating coughs.
2. Drink up the hot liquids. The good news is that when you aren’t feeling your best, you often crave hot liquids more than anything else. Hot water steeped with lemons and herbal teas can help boost the immune system when taken at the first signs of a cold or flu.
3. Nettle Leaf – Loaded with vitamins and trace minerals, nettle leaf can help rid the body of toxins and stay hydrated. Add this powerful herb to tea – like peppermint or raspberry. This will work like a charm for boosting your immune system.
4. Garlic. There’s no doubt you probably have some of this lying around, but did you know garlic works great for combatting illness – it’s a natural antibiotic and boasts antibacterial and antifungal qualities. Got a bad cold or flu – mince up a clove or two and mix it up with a glass of water. Drink it quickly and let garlic’s potent qualities take their healing effect.
5. Ginger – This might be a delicious addition to certain recipes, but it also works like a charm when it comes to vomiting, nausea and other digestive issues. Believe it or not, ginger can also combat headaches, congestion and fever. Make a delicious ginger tea and reap the benefits of both the ginger and the hot liquid.
6. Face Steam – Seems like such a simple solution, right? Add some herbs like oregano, thyme and rosemary to a pot of water heating on the stove. Once the herbal water is nice and steamy, take it off the heat and hold your head over the pot – breathe in the herbal steam to help clear lungs and congestion.
7. Vitamin C – Feel a cold coming on? Start loading up on the vitamin C, stat. Taking loads of vitamin C can help speed up recovery, try taking between 2,000 and 5,000 mg’s a day for the best results.
What do you think? Will you try and combat cold and flu this season with natural remedies first?
