This year, we were fortunate enough to have my sister and her family in from California to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with us. It had been over a year since we had last seen each other, and all of our children have grown so much since then. Not only was I incredibly excited to see my niece and nephew, I was beyond ready to host my first Thanksgiving dinner in our new home. I will take any chance to decorate the house early for Christmas and serve an apple cider mimosa punch!
However, a few late nights of getting everything in order combined with some sudden cold, damp weather put me in a prime position to get a minor head cold. It wasn’t anything serious; in fact, a little laryngitis made me sound a lot more awful than I felt. Yet, I knew that I had to get back in prime shape with all the festivities we had planned for the week. My sister was aware of this too and worked her magic in the kitchen to whip me up one of her famous “hot toddies” in an attempt to get me better. A cup of hot tea combined with copious amounts of honey, lemon, and a small shot of whiskey actually did the trick on Thanksgiving night after a satisfying dinner. The only missing ingredient (per my ginger-loving dad) was fresh gingerroot.
Now, I am by no means a whiskey drinker. Perhaps it was the alcohol or even just all the fun and excitement we had that day that got me feeling a little better. Yet I know that more than likely, the beverage’s healing powers came from fresh honey and lemon – powerful home remedies that help with a variety of ailments.
Whenever cold and flu season is upon us, I always recommend a dual treatment plan combining traditional medicine with home remedies. Conventional therapy – like ibuprofen and cough suppressants -works wonders in getting most people through the working day. Yet, more and more evidence is showing the powerful healing benefits from agents that can be found right in your own kitchen. Many people have been using alternative therapies for thousands of years with great success. Not everything is worth trying, but I do like to recommend a handful of agents that have some promising scientific evidence to support their use.
Cold and flu season comes with a variety of symptoms. From coughs to sore throats and everything in between, there may be a natural home remedy to help ease your symptoms and get you through.
Sore Throats
For a sore throat, try an easy gargle using 8 ounces of warm water with a teaspoon of salt. The salt has antiseptic and pain soothing properties.
Another convenient gargle is warm water mixed with lemon juice. The lemon juice creates an acidic environment which is hostile to bacteria and viruses.
Cloves are also amazing for soothing sore throat pain. Try mixing 5 cloves with 1 cup of honey and leave the mixture in the refrigerator overnight. Remove the cloves in the morning, and take 1 tablespoonful of honey as needed to sooth an inflamed throat. I also like adding clove oil to teas or hot water.
Congestion/Cough/Sore Throats
Trying drinking a cup of ginger tea made with fresh grated gingerroot, honey, and lemon. Ginger contains compounds called gingerols, which act as natural cough suppressants. Ginger also helps block the production of substances that cause nasal congestion. Honey coats and soothes an achy throat, while the lemon reduces inflammation and delivers a powerful dose of vitamin C which can help fight infections.
Facial steaming using boiled water in a bowl can also be a great way to ease congestion. Eucalyptus oil (about 10 drops or so) can help make the “facial” more effective. Just drape a towel over your head to trap the steam and breathe in for 5 to 10 minutes. If you don’t have eucalyptus oil on hand, you could also use a teaspoon of Vicks VapoRub or any menthol-containing rub. As a side note, menthol rub is a great product to keep on hand for the littlest of patients. Cough and cold products are not recommended in young children and also have spotty efficacy in older kids. For small children, dab some rub on their chest or even on the bottom of their feet.
Peppermint is also great for easing cough and congestion. A convenient therapy is to use peppermint candy dissolved in hot water, and then add lemon juice and honey.
Headaches
Essential oils, like lavender and peppermint oil, can be rubbed into the forehead and temples to ease tension and relieve pain. I also like using peppermint tea bags placed on closed eyelids. Just wet the bags and wring them out before placing them on for about 5 minutes.
Body Aches
A warm bath using a half-cup of Epsom salt can provide relief for body aches. The magnesium in Epsom salt helps promote muscle relaxation and has long been thought to “draw out” toxicities in the body.
Sleep
Try a cup of hot tea containing valerian root or chamomile. Chamomile tea was once considered a folk remedy for sinusitis. There is not a lot of evidence to support chamomile for nasal symptoms, but its calming properties can help you to relax and get some rest while your body works on getting better.
Cold and Flu Prevention
Consider getting a flu shot: I haven’t always been a strong advocate of the flu vaccine in the past, even as a healthcare professional. With that being said, the illness has been so bad in recent years that I now advocate at least a strong consideration to obtain one. The flu shot is indicated for everyone.
Elderberry/Vitamin C: Elderberry has gained a lot of popularity in recent years. Europeans have used it for centuries to help fight viruses. Current research is still conflicting, but there is no harm in trying it should you find that it is helpful. The standard recommendation is to take 20 to 30 drops of elderberry tincture three or four times a day for three days, preferably at the first sign of the flu. Vitamin C is also known to have infection fighting ingredients. However, I do find the recommended effective dose to be a little high – 500 mg every four to six hours at the first sign of cold and flu. A dose this high can cause diarrhea, and this can be a major issue for some people. However, I do recommend upping your vitamin C intake as much as possible through orange juice, lemon juice, tomato soup and other vitamin C-containing fruits and vegetables.
Zicam: Zicam is an inhaled nasal spray containing zinc. A recent study conducted at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation that people who used the nasal spray saw their colds resolve much faster than those who used a placebo. The zinc may play a role in bacteria binding in the nasal passageways.
Garlic: Most garlic-containing regimens used to prevent cold and flu are unbearable to most people, however garlic does contain active compounds called allicin and allin that help fight infection and destroy germs. I like to cook a lot of soups and casseroles in the winter months, so I add fresh garlic any chance I get. This is a much easier way to incorporate garlic into a healthy lifestyle as opposed to chewing on fresh garlic outright!
Echinacea: Echinacea is another herb that many people have used for centuries, but current research is conflicting. If you’d like to try Echinacea, the easiest regimen is to drink an Echinacea-containing tea three times a day during cold and flu season. However, it is best to stop if it is upsetting your stomach.
Wash hands frequently: Washing hands frequently is the single most effective practice to reduce your chances of contracting the cold or flu. One study found that people who washed their hands with warm water and soap cut their incidence of respiratory disease by about 45 percent.
Sleep: Illness strikes most when people are run down. Aim to get at least 8 hours, however 9 is even better. Sleep helps to strengthen immunity and keep the body in tip-top shape.
I hope everyone had an amazing Thanksgiving! Best wishes for a safe and healthy winter!
