Natural Ways to Prevent and Remedy Winter Colds and Flu
You’ve probably seen the signs – flu vaccinations are here! Yes, winter is the time for more colds and flu. Have you ever wondered why the holidays bring more colds and flu than any other time during the year?
Colds and flu are viral infections and it’s no surprise that our bodies would be more susceptible to these infections during times of high stress. In fact, a recent poll found that about 75% of people in the Americas and Asia experience stress on a daily basis. With more intense stress during the holidays, our immunity is more compromised.
Here are some tips to keep you healthy this season:
1. Thyme for a Cough
If the worrying news about over-the-counter cough syrup has you down, try this natural alternative .
Add three tablespoons of dried thyme to one pint of boiling water. Let cool, then add one cup of honey. Take one teaspoon every hour as needed. You can store the mix in the fridge for up to three months.
2. Vitamin C to Prevent Colds
To ward off these common winter illnesses, boost your immune system with natural food sources of vitamin C. Studies have shown that vitamin pills aren’t as effective at warding off many diseases. Other potential natural cold-preventatives include the herb andrographis, zinc and elderberry extract, but vitamin C has the best track record.
3. Garlic for a Runny Nose
There’s no cure for a runny nose like getting the snot out, and garlic can do the trick.
Just add garlic to your meals for both a short-term treatment and long-term fortification against the next cold or flu virus.
4. Leafy Greens for Nosebleeds
Dry indoor air, coupled with a sneeze, can be a recipe for nosebleeds.
A daily cup of leafy greens can provide enough vitamin K to fortify sensitive capillaries and help your blood clot quickly.
5. Tea for Sore Throats
A little illness can take a lot out of you — like your voice or your desire to speak at all.
For a sore throat, the tea remedy is as old as time, it seems. Try jujube tea for an extra vitamin C boost.
6. Carrots for Headaches
If the foot traffic at the mall gives you a headache, fortify yourself ahead of time with this natural remedy: a simple salad.
Phytonutrients in fresh produce, like the beta-carotene in carrots, can reduce inflammation in the blood vessels of the brain. Eating two cups a day can help some people reduce headache incidence by 70 percent!
7. Nuts for Energy
There’s nothing like watching the sunset from your office window night after night to suck the energy out of you. No question: Winter can be tough.
Find time to exercise and to laugh, get enough sleep — and look to unsalted nuts like almonds for a good energy booster. Raisins or dried apricots are also good options.
8. Lavender for Anxiety
You’re hosting your family for a holiday meal, you have presents to buy and the household finances are tighter than they have been in years. Winter is a recipe for anxiety.
Lavender can help. Apply lavender oil or a sachet to your pulse points — the arteries at your wrists, neck and feet are a good start — for a subtle soothing experience.
Other natural anxiety remedies include sipping chamomile or black tea, or bathing in hot water sprinkled with dry valerian root.
9. Pineapples for Better Digestion
Eating well during the holiday season is a goal more than a reality for many of us. All that bad food can make your digestive tract complain loudly.
Make a half cup of pineapple part of your routine to reduce intestinal inflammation, speed the breakdown of protein and, most important, reduce gas.
10. Tomatoes for Burns
A pellet or wood stove can be an efficient way to warm your home, but it can also leave you walking away with a burn.
For minor burns, slice a tomato and apply it to the burn, allowing the juice to fully dry. Tomatoes have nature’s biggest dose lycopene, an antioxidant that has anti-inflammatory properties.
11. Celery for Better Sleep
Cold nights, the stress of the holiday season and the shifting hourglass sands brought on by the end of Daylight Savings can throw off your sleep pattern.
If all the usual non-medicinal remedies have failed you, try munching some celery for the sedative powers of the phthalides it contains.
Be aware, though, that celery is one of the foods with the most pesticide residue, so buy organic whenever possible.
12. Walnuts for Dry Skin
Dry, cracked skin is a part of the season for many — but it doesn’t have to be so bad.
Fortify your skin by eating one ounce of walnuts daily. Within two weeks, the natural omega-3 oils will not only keep your energy levels up, but improve the elasticity and natural moisture in your skin.
13. Honey Yogurt Lotion for Dry Skin
If dry skin has already set in, set about soothing and restoring cracked, itchy spots with this natural salve:
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 cup plain regular yogurt
- 1 teaspoon grapefruit zest
- 1 cup iced black tea
Apply mixture of first three ingredients to skin and leave for 15 minutes. Splash off with the tea.