COLD,FLU; Remedies by Herbal, Tips to Treat Colds and Flu the 'Natural' Way Cold symptoms often respond well to homeopathic remedies. Peppermint Massage
Herbal Cold Remedies 
Function
-
Herbal remedies for colds have value for the body's overall health and for specific cold symptoms. Herbs can strengthen the immune system to help prevent colds or to help reduce a cold's longevity. People often look for quick relief in nonprescription drugs. These chemical remedies for colds are advertised throughout the cold season. However, side effects associated with OTC (over-the-counter) drugs can be disturbing to the body's natural defenses and can create more problems than they solve. Herbal remedies, with their ancient healing histories, are natural alternatives to OTC's.
Benefits
-
Herbal treatments for colds help the body naturally inhibit the growth of bacteria and viruses. There are herbs that treat the inflammation that accompanies colds and that act as expectorants to expel mucus from upper and lower respiratory tracts. The best uses of herbs are as preventative treatments. But, herbal remedies are available in the unhappy chance that you get a cold. Use herbs to boost the immune system, and to hydrate and fortify the body against colds.
Echinacea
More and more peeps are ditching over-the-counter medications and turning to Herbal
Remedities, which fight colds by stimulating the immune system or
reducing symptoms. Check out on these herbal cold remedies.Echinacea, which is commonly known as the
purple coneflower, is one of the top-selling herbs in North America. It's best known for its ability to
boost the immune system. Unlike antibiotics, which kill bacteria, echinacea stimulates the production of
white blood cells and makes your body more capable of attacking viruses and fighting colds, coughs, flu and other respiratory conditions.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon flavors your latte and sweetens your toast, but it's definitely more than a kitchen spice. It's been used
medicinally for thousands of years in preventing infection and fighting poor circulation. The 12th-century German nun
Hildegaard of Bingen even recommended it as "the
universal spice for sinuses" and a treatment for colds, flu,cancer and "inner decay and slime."
Ginger Root
Ginger is generally used to treat an
upset stomach, but it also works well with the respiratory system. It fights colds by
removing congestion, relieving sinus pain and clearing sore throats. Chinese herbalist discovered its useses 2,500 years ago, and have been using it ever since to treat various ailments.
Honey Lemon Tea
If you don't have any of these herbs lying around in your kitchen, then try making this simple tea.
Squeeze the juice out of a lemon into a cup of hot water, and add honey to make it less sour. Both honey and lemon are natural agents in
soothing a sore throat. Lemons can also cause you to sweat, which helpsRelated St
Herbal Cold and Flu Remedies
Lemon Throat Spray Lemon is a traditional sore throat soother, and this handy spray can be put into a spray bottle of any size (look for travel-size spray bottles to take some with you when you're on the go) and stored in the fridge for up to two weeks. Combine:
- 15 drops lemon essential oil
- 5 drops peppermint essential oil
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup lemon juice
Add the ingredients to a spray bottle and store it in the fridge. Shake it before each use, using as often as necessary to soothe sore throats.
Sore Throat Gargle with Sage (or Hyssop) Sage is another traditionally calming herb. We see it often in recipes for mouthwashes because of its anti-inflammatory properties. Here, it infuses a throat gargle. Hyssop leaves have many of the same properties, and would work in this recipe as well.
Boil one cup of distilled water and pour over one tablespoon of fresh sage or hyssop leaves (or one teaspoon of dried leaves). Allow the herbs to steep for 20 minutes. Strain the tea, and add 1/8 teaspoon of salt. Store in the refrigerator for two to three days, gargling whenever you need some relief from your sore throat.
Cold and Flu Herb Tea If you're miserable with the cold or flu, and you're running a fever, this would be a good tea to try. Two or three cups of this tea will help you reduce your fever, relieve sore throats and congestion, and just generally make you feel comforted. If you don't grow them yourself, many of these ingredients can be found at health food stores.
- ½ teaspoon yarrow flowers (Achillea millefolium)
- ½ teaspoon elder flowers (Sambucus canadensis)
- ½ teaspoon peppermint leaves
- ½ teaspoon Echinacea root
- ½ teaspoon Echisandra berries
- 3 cups boiling water
Add boiling water to the herbs and allow them to steep for 20 minutes. Strain the herbs out and drink throughout the day. This mixture can be kept in the refrigerator and reheated as needed. Consider adding
honey and lemon juice for additional flavor and soothing.
Ginger Tea Ginger is another traditional cold and flu remedy, containing at least a dozen antiviral compounds. You can use fresh or powdered ginger for this recipe.
To make the tea: add 1 heaping teaspoon of grated fresh ginger (or 1/2 teaspoon powdered) to 1 cup of boiling water. Allow to steep for ten minutes, then drink.
Herbal Steam Inhalations When you're very congested, it is a relief just to breathe in the steam from a hot bath or shower, or put your face over a bowl of steaming hot water. It helps relieve congestion and sinus pressure. It is even more effective when you add herbs to the water. The easiest way to do this is to run some very hot water into your bathroom sink, and add some chamomile, eucalyptus, or thyme to a tea ball or tied up in cheesecloth. Lean over the sink with a towel over your head (to keep the steam in your little "steam tent") and inhale deeply for several minutes.
Echinacea Tincture Echinacea is commonly sold in pill form to help you avoid cold and flu, as well as to recover more quickly when you do catch one of these illnesses. But an even more natural way to take this helpful herb is to make an herbal tincture with it. To make a tincture, simply fill a quart canning jar about 2/3 of the way with fresh Echinacea blossoms, then pour 80-proof alcohol (or apple cider vinegar -- it won't be as strong as the vodka solution will be, but it will still work) to fill the jar. Let it sit in a cool dark place for two weeks.
To use your Echinacea tincture, strain the mixture and store in a clean jar in the refrigerator. Add a teaspoon of the tincture three times per day to fruit juice, herbal tea, or water.
Essential Oil Vapor Rub When I was a kid, I was sick all the time. I remember my mom applying Vicks Vapo-Rub to my neck and chest to help relieve congestion. Here is a natural version of that rub. Combine:
- 10 drops eucalyptus essential oil
- 10 drops peppermint essential oil
- 3 drops thyme essential oil
- 1/8 cup olive oil
Once the oils are combined, rub them over your throat and chest, then cover up to help increase the warming effect of the herbs. This is very effective when done right at bedtime, as it helps relieve congestion and allow you fall asleep easier.
I hope all of these herbal remedies help you get through cold and flu season a little easier. This list will also help give you an idea of which ingredients you'll want to have on hand for the next cold that comes your way.
Tips to Treat Colds and Flu the 'Natural' Way
With no cure in sight for the cold or the flu, current treatments can at best bring symptom relief or shorten the duration of those symptoms. You can take one of a variety of medications that may help relieve your symptoms. Or you can take the natural approach. WebMD went to Charles B. Inlander, president of The People's Medical Society, for some home remedies that may help you feel better along the way.
No. 1: Blow Your Nose Often -- and the Right Way
It's important to blow your nose regularly when you have a cold rather than sniffling mucus back into your head. But when you blow hard, pressure can cause an earache. The best way to blow your nose: Press a finger over one nostril while you blow
gently to clear the other. Wash your hands after blowing your nose.
No. 2: Stay Rested
Resting when you first come down with a cold or the flu helps your body direct its energy toward the immune battle. This battle taxes the body. So give it a little help by lying down under a blanket.
No. 3: Gargle
Gargling can moisten a sore throat and bring temporary relief. Try a teaspoon of salt dissolved in warm water, four times daily. To reduce the tickle in your throat, try an astringent gargle -- such as tea that contains tannin -- to tighten the membranes. Or use a thick, viscous gargle made with honey, popular in folk medicine. Steep one tablespoon of raspberry leaves or lemon juice in two cups of hot water; mix with one teaspoon of honey. Let the mixture cool to room temperature before gargling. Honey should never be given to children less than 1 year old.
No. 4: Drink Hot Liquids
Hot liquids relieve nasal congestion, help prevent dehydration, and can soothe the uncomfortably inflamed membranes that line your nose and throat.
No. 5: Take a Steamy Shower
Steamy showers moisturize your nasal passages and relax you. If you're dizzy from the flu, run a steamy shower while you sit on a chair nearby and take a sponge bath.
No. 6: Use a Salve Under Your Nose
A small dab of mentholated salve under your nose can open breathing passages and help soothe the irritated skin at the base of the nose. Menthol, eucalyptus and camphor all have mild numbing ingredients that may help relieve the pain of a nose rubbed raw.
No. 7: Apply Hot or Cold Packs Around Your Congested Sinuses
Either temperature may help you feel more comfortable. You can buy reusable hot or cold packs at a drugstore. Or make your own. Take a damp washcloth and heat it for 55 seconds in a microwave (test the temperature first to make sure it's right for you.) Or take a small bag of frozen peas to use as a cold pack.
Cold symptoms often respond well to homeopathic remedies.
At the very first sign of a cold, take 1/3 tube of Anas barbariae (sold under various brand names, including Oscillococcinum), as directed on the product label, three times daily for one day. Then, during the acute phase of the cold, take one dose of one of the symptom-specific homeopathic remedies below three to four times daily for three days. If there is no improvement at all after three doses of a remedy, it is unlikely that it will do anything more. Switch to another that matches your symptoms and temperament. If you feel better before three days have passed, stop taking the remedy.
Suggested Dosage: Take 12c every two hours for a maximum of four doses.
Aconite is often prescribed when you have a barking cough, a burning sore throat, and a bitter taste that lingers in your mouth.
Allium cepa is often prescribed when your runny nose feels as though it burns, your eyes water constantly, and you sneeze often. This is homeopathic red onion. It is recommended if your cold makes you feel even worse than you do when you are chopping a strong onion.
Arsenicum album is indicated iIf you feel chilly, restless, and weak. ( 30x or 9c.) This remedy is for the individual who, feels worse in a cold room but wants something cold to drink. You probably have a red nose and runny nasal secretions that burn the nose and upper lip. You generally want to be left alone, but like a bit of attention every once in a while.
Belladonna is called for if there is high fever and a headache.
Bryonia is indicated when the cold has moved into the chest and has become largely a cough.
Dulcamara Dulcamara is indicated for cold when you are opinionated and uptight and shows the following specific symptoms:
Brought on by weather changing from hot to cold Profuse, watery discharge from nose and eyes Aggravation from catching a cold Also gets conjunctivitis, diarrhea, cystitis, lower-back pain Hay fever, especially at the end of summer or in fall. Nasal discharge worse in warm room
Eupatorium 12x or 6c is indicated when you have a severe aching deep in the bones and a feeling of being sore all over.
Euphrasia: If your eyes are the main focus of the cold, take Euphrasia 12x. This is for symptoms that are the opposite of those calling for Allium cepa. The nose runs a lot, especially in the morning, but without irritation. You complain of burning eyes and stinging tears, wink frequently, and wipe and rub your eyes. You also yawn a lot and prefer to be inside, away from sunlight and bright lights.
Gelsemium may help if you have chills, aching arms and legs, and fatigue, or if your throat hurts. you have heavy, droopy eyes; feel weak and tired, with aches and chills up and down your back; and want to be alone. (30x or 9c)
Ipecac is especially valuable in treating an infant's bronchitis. Adults can use it for a deep cough that has much accumulation of mucus in the chest.
Kali bichromium is given at the later stages of a cold. It is also good for sinus headaches and blocked sinuses with nasal discharge.
Mercurius solubilis: If the cold is accompanied by a sore throat that resists treatment, take Mercurius solubilis 12x or 6c three times daily until the symptoms are resolved.
Nux vomica is indicated if you feel irritable and have a runny nose that becomes congested at night.
Pulsatilla: This remedy is often prescribed if you have a stuffy nose and thick yellow discharge. (30x or 9c). You feel worse at night, prefer to be outdoors, and want comfort and attention.
Spongia is often recommended for harsh coughs.
Ferrum phosphoricum is often taken to prevent a cold. Take one dose (6x) every morning during cold season.
Homeopathic Remedies Useful for Combating Flu
Aconitum napellus Allium cepa Antimonium tartaricum Arsenicum album Arum triphyllum Belladonna Bryonia alba Dulcamara Euphrasia Ferrum phosphoricum Gelsemium Hepar sulphuris Kali bichromicum Mercurius Natrum muriaticum Nux vomica Pulsatilla Sticta
Easing a Blocked or Runny Nose Naturally
Boiling the kettle and pouring the water into a mixing bowl adding a dash of eucalyptus oil and Menthol essential oils is a great remedy to clear the sinuses, put a dry towel over your head, lean toward the bowl and put the towel around the outside of the bowl, Breath in as deep as possible through your nose and breath out through your mouth.
The eucalyptus oil and the menthol are a fast and effective method of clearing your sinuses.
Peppermint Oil For Headaches
Natural Headache Cures
The herb rosemary has been found valuable in easing headaches resulting from a Cold or Flu. A handful of this herb should be boiled in a litre of water and put in a mug. The head should be covered with a towel and the steam inhaled for as long as the patient can bear. This should be repeated till the headache is relieved.
you could also add rosemary to the eucalyptus and menthol essential oils above to clear blocked sinuses and relieve your headache at the same time.
Peppermint Massage
To relieve headache pressure and pain caused by sinus congestion have someone gently massage your shoulders and the back of your neck. This treatment often unblocks congestion in the sinuses. Massage combined drops of peppermint oil and wintergreen oil into the temples and nape of the neck to relieve tension. Massage sinus region of the face to relieve sinus headaches.
.
