Natural Cold and Flu Remedies

Did you know that there are over 200 different viruses that are caused by the common cold? It is apparent that when your surrounding environment starts to get sick that you need to increase personal hygiene. There are certain times of the year that you see more sickness than others. With a cold, the symptoms that can surface are sore throat, running nose, nasal congestion, watery eyes, cough, headache and fever. Generally, they last about seven to ten days. An important tip to remember is that if you are sick it is best to wipe down surfaces so the remaining family members do not get sick. A virus can live for several hours on every day surfaces. If you have the flu, some symptoms that may surface are fever, headache, muscle aches, chills, extreme fatigue, vomiting, and runny nose. The best part is that there are natural ways to cure the common cold and flu; which is better for your body long term. There are three herbs in particular that will help you have a speedy recovery- Echinacea, Vitamin C, and Garlic. Echinacea is commonly known to cure cold and flu. It’s properties have worked to cure the common cold and flu since the United States was inhabited by Native Americans. A more in-depth picture of how exactly it affects your body is a good question to ask. What Echinacea does is it increases the levels of properdin; which is a chemical that stimulates a portion of the immune system responsible for your defense system. There are a couple different ways you can take Echinacea. One way is by taking a natural Echinacea supplement. Another way is making Echinacea tea to drink and by adding a little bit of honey to your tea; which the honey also acts as a throat and tummy soother. Have you had an orange today? Vitamin C can bring relief to cold and flu symptoms; while adding an extra defense line against the virus. It can be found in a variety of fruits, especially oranges. One way to increase your vitamin C is to make a fruit smoothie. If you feel you need more vitamin C, try adding more citrus fruit to your smoothie. Digesting Vitamin C daily is important as it is water soluble meaning that it does not get stored by the body, but secreted through the urine. So maintaining a proper vitamin c level throughout your cold or flu symptoms is extra important. It is pretty common to include garlic in remedying your cold or flu. The Romans and Egyptians incorporated garlic into the daily regimen of the slaves and soldiers because of the strengthening power properties. It is full of anti-bacterial fighting agents that aide the immune systems recovery. Allicin, is an oily substance found in garlic that is known to be the most potent anti-biotic in the plant kingdom. Garlic is in the Penicillin family. There are a variety of ways you can consume garlic ranging from garlic supplements to roasted garlic cloves on a piece of bread. Stress also plays into how fast your body can recover. When you are stressed your immune system takes a backseat as it feels that there are more important things to worry about. It is also important to have proper hygiene and exercise. Each will help decrease the chances of getting sick because your immune system is stronger. Taking the three herbal remedies with plenty of rest should have you well on your way to feeling better again.