Natural Integrative Remedies

 

NATURAL AND INTEGRATIVE REMEDIES

More on Prevention:

One integrative prevention remedy is to regularly take a botanical (plant) adaptogen such as eleuthero, ashwagandha, rhodiola, or astragalus.  Mushrooms are also great adaptogens: reishi, chaga, and turkey tail are examples. Check out the Natural Remedies Module for more information on adaptogens.  Adaptogen is a substance, usually plant based, that helps the body adapt to stress and exerts a normalizing effect on body systems, notably the immune system.  You can take them as a capsule, powder, as food or in food, or as a tea.

Stuffy Nose:

  1. A cup of herbal tea can help open a stuffy nose. Best herbs to use are any aromatics you may have such as peppermint or eucalyptus.  Other good herbs for a cold would be yarrow, wild cherry bark, marshmallow, thyme, elderflower, elderberry and echinacea.
  2. A hot steamy shower can also be very helpful to open up and soothe the nose.
  3. A steam of herbs can also help. Use one or more of the same herbs mentioned above.  Other kitchen herbs have strong healing properties as well; basil, rosemary, oregano and peppermint.  Make a pot of boiling water.  Get a large heat safe bowl.

Place the herbs, fresh or dry, in the bowl on a table and pour the hot water over the herbs.  Let them steep for about 2-3 minutes and let the water cool a bit, but still create steam.  Lean over the bowl, place a towel over your head, close your eyes and breathe in the healing aromatic steam for 5-10 minutes.  You could use a drop or two of an aromatic essential oil also of the herbs mentioned.  Perhaps lavender also.

Sore Throat: 

  1. Gargle: At the first sign of a sore throat make and use this gargle from Rosemary Gladstar’s Family Herbal:
  • Half cup strong sage tea (one tablespoon sage per cup of water steeped for 10 minutes)
  • Half cup of apple cider vinegar
  • Half teaspoon of salt
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper

Mix all the ingredients together, may be very warm, but not hot.  Gargle 4-5 times every 1-2 hours.   To gargle, take a about an half an ounce to an ounce of liquid in your mouth, lean back and keep the liquid washing your throat by exhaling air through the liquid.  You don’t swallow, but spit the gargle out.

  1. Honey: While you will see the recommendation to limit sugar in these modules, honey is in another category. Local, raw, minimally processed honey is the best to use.  Honey has healing properties that are beneficial for infections.  High osmolarity and a minute production of hydrogen peroxide are two theories why this is so. A spoonful of honey can help soothe a sore throat and fight infection.  Take before going to bed, don’t eat or drink anything for a couple hours after a spoonful during the day.  (Do not use on infants less than one year old)
  2. Tea: There are many botanical teas that can ease the discomfort of a sore throat. You can buy herbal teas formulated for sore throat.  You can also make tea from the specific herbs.  For sore throat look for: Marshmallow, Slippery Elm, Yarrow, and Sage.  Thyme has strong antimicrobial properties.
  3. Steam: A steam can be very soothing for a sore throat. See instructions under stuffy nose.

Fever:  

A fever is a natural body process to make yourself inhospitable to an infecting organism.  You don’t always need to eliminate a fever.  But if you wish to seek relief from a fever here are some remedies that can help.

  1. Yarrow and Elderflower tea have been used for centuries to help reduce a fever. You can make these teas into popsicles for an extra soothing  treatEat foods high in calcium and vitamin D. 
  2. Drink homemade bone broth. Links to an external site.
  3. Take a warm, not cold or hot, bath.
  4. Make an apple cider vinegar compress. Use one part vinegar to one part cool or warm water.  Soak a washcloth in the liquid and place on your forehead, tummy or feet.

Achy Muscles and Bones:

  1. A warm bath with Epsom salts can soothe sore muscles. Mix one or two essential oils in a small amount of milk (a natural emulsifier to keep from burning your skin) to add to the bath.  Lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus are possible choices.  Ten drops is enough.
  2. A gentle massage with arnica oil can help.

General Supplements that have evidence for helping with cold and flu:

  1. Probiotics
  2. NAC (N-acetyl L-cysteine). Your body makes this, taking more would just be a boost.
  3. Olive Leaf extract
  4. Echinacea
  5. Adaptogens (see above)
  6. Zinc (up to 15 mg per day -many lozenges have 5mg each)
  7. Umckaloabo (an African pelargonium with many positive clinical trials to shorten cold/flu duration.

There are many helpful integrative remedies for colds and flu.  These are just a few to consider. Be sure anything you try is recommended in reputable sources or by reputable professionals.

Return to Cold and Flu

 

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