Alternative Cold and Flu Remedies
It's Flu season again so here are one or two alternative treatments that I've found effective over the years.
- Mustard Powder. Put a teaspoon of mustard powder into your bath (or a foot bath), to help ease the symptoms of shivering and feeling cold. You can also use ground ginger in the same way.
- Coltsfoot. This amazing herb is a fantastic decongestant, great for clearing the lungs in cases of bronchial infections. It's even possible to smoke coltsfoot cigarettes, they smell awful and will make you cough really hard, but it'll be a productive cough, clearing out all that nasty gunk. Your local health food store should sell it dried and loose.
- Honey. An old favourite for treating a cold, but what you may not realise is that your supermarket varieties, only do half the job. Raw, unpasteurized honey, straight from the hive, contains a natural antibiotic, particularly effective against streptococcal bacteria, the main culprit for a sore throat.
- Raw Garlic. Garlic contains a natural antibiotic which is particularly effective in fighting infection. You can crush it up and serve it in a small amount boiling water, sweetened with honey.
- Lemon Juice. This is another obvious one, as it's rich in vitamin C but did you know, that if you gargle lemon juice, mixed with water, it creates an acid environment in the throat, which is hostile to bacteria.
- Chicken Soup. Ingredients in chicken can prevent white bloods cells from congregating, which slows down mucus production. Poultry also contains tryptophans, which help you to relax and sleep (ever wondered why you always fall asleep after Christmas dinner?). Grandma really does know best.
These are just a few of the common, alternative, remedies for colds and flu. It's always important to stay hydrated (try to avoid caffeinated drinks and stick to herbal teas instead), always consult your doctor if symptoms become prolongued or persistent and always ask your herbalist when using a herbal remedy for the first time.
I'm sure many of you have favourite remedies that I haven't mentioned. Please share them in the comments below as I'd love to hear all your ideas.
Nice overview of natural remedies and treatments for the inevitable bouts of winter cold that come with the new year.
Thanks. There's loads of remedies out there, but I thought I'd stick to just a few simple ones, rather than overwhelm with too many or the more complex ones.
Coltsfoot and Mustard powder sound interesting to try.
I'm not really sure if lemon is hostile to all bacteria, as the stomach is quite acidic and bacteria happily live there.
Good post
Thank you for reading my post. The acidic environment in the stomach is fine for certain bacteria, especially to necessary intestinal flora, although the PH balance can vary slightly, depending on our diet. However streptococcus is the bacteria that causes sore throats and is more vulnerable to high acidity.
I see now, thanks for explaining that to me :D
You're welcome, although I'm by no means an expert. 😁
when it comes to cold , no one is an expert ... even doctors are baffled by it. So your words are just as valuable