COLD AND FLU REMEDIES
As a mother to two adventurous and energetic children, I’ve had my fair share of snotty noses, high temperatures and persistent coughs. Not to mention sleepless nights tending to irritable children fighting off some bug they have caught from school or climbing the monkey bars at the local park. It’s safe to say I am ‘well seasoned’ with these experiences. The reality is, you would be hard pressed to find a human being that has not been ill at some point in their life. I think it is also safe to say that getting sick is part of our lived experience. However, I always wonder why there is so much panic around children getting sick when it’s a natural part of life and after a while, I came up with a theory. As parents we often feel helpless when confronted with our children’s suffering and want to fix it for them as soon as possible. It’s part of the “great unknown”. What is making them sick? How long will they be sick? And so on. This is often compounded with advertisements that demonise illness with the intention that their product will save the whole family from this terrible disease. Please don’t misunderstand me, I don’t like my children being sick, I’ve just accepted it as part of life and would like to share some of my strategies as to how I’ve managed it in my family. After all, it’s very empowering to have tools to manage these challenging moments in our families.
This is a guide only and does not replace medical advice from your practitioner. Please consult your Healthcare practitioner for any advice or dosages specific to yourself and family.
I will share this information in three parts.
- Home remedies for Colds and Flu which details everyday items we have at home.
- Back up remedies we can have on hand from a health shop or pharmacy
- What extra remedies might we get from our Naturopath
HOME REMEDIES FOR COLDS AND FLU
GARLIC
Fresh garlic has very potent anti–viral as well as anti-bacterial qualities and has been proven to boost the Immune System.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4417560/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26764332/
THYME
Thyme can be very effective for coughs associated with colds and flu. It also has powerful anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. It’s often mixed with Manuka honey and gargled for a sore throat.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7571078/
HONEY
Honey and in particular Manuka honey has been proven to be effective against Influenza.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24880005/
EUCALYPTUS OIL
Inhaling Eucalyptus oil in a vaporiser can help you breathe better as well as offer some anti-bacterial properties.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20359267/
TURMERIC
Turmeric is a very versatile spice that has also been proven to have anti- microbial and anti –viral properties.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6509173/
GINGER
Fresh ginger may help in preventing common colds as well as helping you recover quicker.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/ginger-for-colds
SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS
Shiitake mushrooms may help the reduction of symptoms of Influenza.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5992414/
DEEP BREATHING
Deep yoga breathing may boost your Immune System. You do this by taking deep breaths into the nose for 5 seconds, hold for 5 and exhale through the mouth for 5.
https://theconversation.com/the-right-way-to-breathe-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic-140695
REMEDIES WE CAN PURCHASE FROM OUR LOCAL PHARMACY AND HEALTH SHOP
Here is an example what we may want to keep on hand in our medicine cabinet.
VITAMIN C
Vitamin C is a great vitamin to keep on hand as it boosts the immune system and helps you recover much faster from cold and flu.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10543583/
ZINC
Zinc supplements have been proven to be effective in the early onset of symptoms of the common cold.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3273967/
VITAMIN D
Low levels of Vitamin D have been linked to an increase in cold and flu susceptibility.
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2017/02/study-confirms-vitamin-d-protects-against-cold-and-flu/
QUERCETIN
Quercetin may help with the symptoms of the common cold.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3360794/
There are many other over the counter formulations available to help cold and flu recovery as well as prevention. Please consult your health practitioner for one suitable for your family.
NATUROPATHIC REMEDIES
There are many remedies that help our Immune System. Naturopaths have access to exclusive practitioner strength remedies that may support your recovery and can advise you on what’s suitable for your family. I have decided to focus on a few herbs in order to highlight the potential benefits of extra Naturopathic support. Of course this is but a sampler as there are many other remedies in a Naturopath’s dispensary.
ELDERFLOWER
A herb traditionally used to treat colds and flu. It has been shown to decrease the duration of Influenza.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190423133644.htm
ASTRAGALUS
A herb traditionally used to support the Immune system
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/astragalus
CATS CLAW
A herb that may work as an anti –viral.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33680061/#:~:text=tomentosa%2C%20known%20as%20cat’s%20claw,treatment%20
NAC
NAC may help with excess mucous and improve your immune system.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7649937/#:~:text=As%20a%20dietary%20supplement%2C%20NAC,NAC%20for%
Eva Provataris ND
