4 Cold and Flu Remedies Made Simple

© 2012 Katina Davenport

Whether you like it or not cold and flu season is here. Sniffles, sneezing, coughing, chills, body aches, and fever are all symptoms indicating your body has been invaded by the virus that causes cold and flu. The best remedy is prevention. In circumstances were the virus may have made it past all preventative measures you can treat the symptoms with common things you have around the house or can easily obtain from a health food store.

Allicin is the compound that gives garlic its unique flavor and anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. It may be a little stinky and hot if you eat it raw, but garlic has immune boosting properties. I cook with it year round not just during cold and flu season. I include it in a lot of my recipes.

If you happen to find yourself with a cold try consuming raw garlic twice a day to ease cold and flu symptoms. This can easily be done by peeling the garlic and shredding it. For easier consumption you can buy fresh refrigerated minced garlic. Just take a spoonful twice a day. For your little ones try putting garlic in soups and work them up to eating raw garlic. I have been giving my 4-year-old garlic since she was 12 months to help with her colds. I just gave her one small piece at that time. Now she asks for garlic when she isn't feeling well because she knows she can get better faster.

Caution should be taken when consuming large amounts of garlic as it can cause indigestion. I have also found that garlic can act like a laxative if you consume too much. So be careful with it.

Ginger does wonders for an upset stomach and indigestion, but it can be used to treat cold and flu symptoms as well. It is an anti-viral herb. It reduces inflammation in the mucous membranes as well as throughout the body. So if you are feeling feverish you can take this as a natural anti-inflammatory to reduce fever symptoms.

You can take ginger as a tea or boil fresh ginger root and drink. One of my favorite drinks I take during a cold is apple, carrot, orange, and ginger juice. This can easily be done if you have a juicer. Take one apple, 2 carrots, one orange, and a couple slices of fresh ginger root. This drink is an energy booster, packed with vitamin C with the added anti-viral property of ginger.

You may turn your nose up at the thought of eating onions, especially raw onions. For me raw onions are essential for ridding myself of congestion. I discovered this by accident as I was trying to get rid of my stuffy nose. I was eating a salad with lots of onions on top suddenly I was able to breathe, smell, and taste my food again.

Onions have loads of vitamin C, potassium, are anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-parasitic. It reduces congestion and inflammation which is the reason why my nose congestion went away when I ate the onions on the salad. Cut a few slices and eat them raw or put them on top of a salad. I prefer the white onions because they are sweeter.

You may have never heard of olive leaf before. I have been taking this food supplement for years to help prevent infections and treat colds after I get them. They are known to treat viruses because of its anti-viral properties. You can take it in pill or liquid form. I prefer the liquid extract. I just put two full droppers in some juice so that it goes into my system quicker and for taste.

All of the treatments listed can be consumed as a preventative immune boosting measure. I consume at least two items on this list on a daily basis. From time to time I take Emergen-C packs when I feel any cold symptoms. Eating a proper diet loaded with fruits and vegetables will assist your body in fighting off germs.

Remember to wash your hands frequently, make sure everyone in your house practices good hand washing, stay away from anyone that is sick, keep children home from school if they are sick, and keep your hands away from your face. Here's to your health.

Do you have any other natural cold and flu remedies? Please share.