|
Coughing, sneezing, runny nose, sore throats, aches and pains?
Got a cold? Feeling miserable? What's in the cupboard that can
make you feel better? What will help you get over your cold
quickly? There are many natural remedies that can help, some you
already have at home. Try some of the following.
Ginger is a great warming herb to enjoy during winter. It warms
you up by getting your circulation moving. Ginger tea can help
to break fevers and remove mucus build up in sinuses, throat and
lungs. Grate about 2 tablespoons of fresh ginger root, pour 2
cups of boiling water over, cover and allow to sit for 30
minutes. Drink a cup of this warm delicious tea every 2 hours.
A good old fashioned home made chicken and vegetable soup can be
a great comfort when suffering from a cold or flu. It is warming
and full of vital nutrients to help get over sickness. Include
in your soup plenty of vegetables that are high in Beta-carotene
such as carrots, sweet potatoes, turnip greens and spinach.
Adding herbs and spices can help bring relief and loosen up
mucus. A pinch of Cayenne pepper in your soup can help to fight
off some of the aches and pains as well as helping to reduce the
fever. Maintain a healthy diet, especially at this time. Avoid
sugary and fatty foods; concentrate on nutritious fruit and
vegetables, soups, and oats.
Lemons are well known for their healing properties, especially
when it comes to colds and flus. Hot honey and lemon drinks are
popular. This delicious drink can be made with hot water, adding
honey and lemon to taste. However, for more effect try straight
lemon juice, warmed with honey. Don't drink it straight down;
swish it around in your mouth first. Other common additions to
this lemon drink are garlic, ginger and or brandy.
Honey is an age-old remedy for so many different things. When
it comes to colds, it can be used as a cough reliever and it has
some anti-biotic properties. A teaspoon of honey on its own can
be beneficial, or a cough mixture can be made up. Chop up 4-6
cloves of garlic and place them in a jar of honey. After a few
weeks the garlic can be removed, leaving a great mix for coughs
and sore throats. Garlic is a very effective tool against colds.
It is a strong antimicrobial and antiviral agent. Include garlic
in your soups and cooking when ever possible.
Soothing teas for coughs and sore throats can be made out of
herbs found commonly in your herb garden or spice rack. Sage and
Marjoram have antiseptic qualities, while Thyme is
antimicrobial. These herbs could be mixed together or taken
separately. Take 1-2 teaspoons of the herbs in a cup of boiling
water; allow steeping for 30 minutes. Drink warm. This tea is
good for soothing coughs, sore throats and tonsils, while also
killing germs. (Add these herbs to your soup.)
There are many products available in health food stores that can
assist your recovery. Antioxidants such as Vitamin C and A,
along with Zinc, can help reduce the duration and severity of
symptoms. These are also very useful as a preventive. Herbs such
as Echnicaea, Cat's claw, and Astralgulis can fight against
colds and flu's and strengthen the immune system.
When cold or flu hits, the most important advice that anyone can
follow is to rest. At this time you need to get extra sleep. The
immune system functions at its best while we are sleeping. Allow
your body the time and opportunity to fight back. Don't rush
back into a full schedule as soon as you start to feel better.
Take it slowly for a few days, get some early nights, to really
allow your body to recuperate. Giving yourself the time to fully
recover will help prevent a recurrence.
Drink plenty of liquid, water and herbal teas. When the mucous
membranes become dehydrated, they are more hospitable to
viruses. A high liquid intake will help repel the virus and also
help to flush out the system. Juices and sugary drinks should be
avoided. A high sugar intake decreases the ability of the white
blood cells to kill bacteria.
At the first sign of a cold, start treating it at once. Increase
your vitamin and mineral intake, especially the antioxidants.
Start using any of the above treatments or get onto some herbs
or tissue salts. The sooner you start to treat a cold, the less
severe it is likely to become. A cold should only last a couple
of days, if you are no better after a week, seek advice from
your health practitioner.
When you are recovering from illness, it is a good time to
change your toothbrush. Your toothbrush can harbour the germs
you have just been fighting off; changing it now can prevent
reinfection.
Without taking care, your illness can change from being a mild
cold to something more serious. Remember to take care of
yourself.
About the author:
Andrea Putting N.D., Naturopath, Writer and creator/owner of
health sites including, http://www.puttingitright.com.au,
http://www.naturopathsresourcefile.info, and
http://www.naturalhealth4cats.info . Explore the world of
Natural Medicine; take your health into your own hands. Know how
to be healthy and stay healthy.
|