It’s That Time of Year Again…

It’s that time of year again…cold and flu season is upon us.  It can seem like everyone around you is sick or maybe it’s you who is under the weather.

I came up with some well known and some not so well known natural remedies to help you stay healthy, alleviate some of the symptoms and help shorten the duration of the dreaded cold and flu season.

When sick with a fever liquids are best.  Aim for 6-8 cups of fluid to prevent dehydration and constipation- Warm broth, vegetable juices and herbal teas work well  Parsley, celery, garlic, lemon, carrot and cococut juices nourish and help cleanse and promote healing.  Teas such as ginger with lemon is especially beneficial also try echinacea, astragalus, elderberry and slippery elm.   Limit sugar as it inhibits your immune system from working it’s best.

Vitamin C– great for preventing colds.  Use diluted orange juice as the glucose in the juice can compete with the Vitamin C.

Vitamin A – is vital to mucus membranes throughout the respitory system.  Take in the form of beta-carotene (orange fruit and veg)

Flax Seed Oil– for Omega 3’s and 6’s, helps strengthen cell membranes therefore healing and strengthening resistance to infection also acts as an anti-inflammatory

 Zinc–  good for immune support, take in lozenge form to sooth a sore throat

Garlic– especially good at the beginning of a cold, it warms the body and acts as an antiviral and antibacterial (you can use odorless garlic pills or fresh)

Red Beet Juice– makes flu virus inactive

Some Herbal Remedies– Echinacea , Goldenseal, Camomile, Eucalyptus and Thyme loosen mucus and heals throat and nasal passages and bronchial tubes

 Chicken Soup– it works in two ways.  First it inhibits white blood cells from increasing inflammation and second it aids in the movement of mucus from nasal passages.

Oregano Oil– is antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant

I hope you give some of these a try this cold and flu season and pass this article along to benefit your friends and family.

Becky Dixon CNC.,NNCP