Preventative and Natural Care During Cold/Flu Seasons

Here in Western Michigan, we've had only 1-2 days of snow this winter. Being a long-time resident of Michigan, I've always been pretty confident of having a White Christmas - but not this year. Consequently, I believe that the cold and flu season appears to be a little worse this year as I believe that viruses may be thriving in this warm/wet weather. Now I'm not a scientist and this is not a scientific theory that I know of, just somewhat of a thought on my part. In addition, I've seen a lot more people around me with colds, sinus infections, the flu and even strep throat.

So what can we do to defend ourselves against these viruses? Of course you can get a flu shot, or the new thing - an anti-viral, but what can we do in a natural sense? Here are some suggestions for items to keep in your medicine cabinet for preventative purposes and for battle should you get a virus.

Old-Fashioned Preventatives and Remedies

Vitamin C - Probably the most well-known "natural defense" against the cold/flu is vitamin C. Vitamin C helps to build the immune system thus it will help your body to "fight off" those nasty bugs. Some other benefits are that it is a natural anti-inflammatory (which can help with swelling of the sinus membranes) and it is a natural pain reliever. Vitamin C is also credited with being a natural antihistamine. You can of course get Vitamin C from fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit, tangerines, etc. or in vegetables such as broccoli, brussel sprouts, sweet potatos and tomatoes. Nevertheless, most of us don't eat enough fruits/vegetables to get all of the Vitamin C that we need. As a supplement you might want to consider taking 1,000 - 2,000 milligrams daily to prevent sickness. If your immune system has already been compromised, possibly as much as 4,000 milligrams.

Vitamin D - A new study by Harvard researchers proposes that a lack of Vitamin D may be why many of us "catch" or get influenza during the winter season. The natural way for your body to increase Vitamin D is through sun exposure, but depending upon what state you live in in the winter time, this might be quite difficult. Of course our parents always told us to drink plenty milk for a good source of Vitamin D, but in actuality it doesn't really give us that much. Advocates of this research suggests supplementing your diet with 5000 milligrams of Vitamin D during the winter months.

Cod Liver Oil - I don't have good memories of taking cod liver oil. All I can remember is yuck, yuck, yuck - but today's cod liver oil is not that bad. You can get it in lemon and/or orange flavors. It also doesn't have the same after-taste that it did many years ago (I won't age myself by telling how many years ago). Mom & grandma were right - taking cod liver oil is a good defense against viruses. If the Harvard researchers are correct, possibly cod liver oil is a good fighter against viruses because it is a high source of Vitamin D. It is of course rich in Omega-3 oils, Vitamin A and many other nutrients. Cod liver oil was actually prescribed by doctors around the time of World War II to ward off colds and flu.

Herbs & Essential Oils

Herbs - There are many herbs that are credited with helping with colds and the flu. You might want to consider keeping some of these around.
Echinacea/Golden Seal - These can be found in combination and can be taken during cold/flu season to aid in building the immune system. I wouldn't recommend taking it all year round as the body can get used to herbs and they can thus become less productive in your body. These herbs are also available as a tea.
Elderberry/Zinc - Can actually promote sweating and help you to sweat out the virus. Also builds up the immune system.
Marshmallow, Red Raspberry, Sage - Can help with a sore throat and getting rid of the mucus. I've gargled with sage which can be helpful, and Red Raspberry tea is delicious and soothing.

Essential Oils/Aromatherapy - Eucalyptus, peppermint and sage are wonderful essential oils to help with a cold. Eucalyptus and peppermint will help to open up the nasal passages and as an expectorant (loosens up the mucus and makes your cough more productive). Use it in your vaporizer, or just put in a cup while you run a hot, hot shower. Peppermint is good for stuffiness and thus good for sinus problems, but I prefer eucalyptus with a cold because it really gets the mucus to come out of you and helps with muscle aches. I like combining eucalyptus with lemon as it's soothing. Lemon is also anti-bacterial so can aid in getting rid of an infection. Other oils that aid in building the immune system are - hyssop, tea tree, thyme and/or juniper berry. Also consider oils to aid in getting a good night's sleep such as lavender (also helps with muscle pain) and/or orange. You can also make up a massaging oil to rub the chest to get rid of congestion and rub the muscles to relieve aching and/or aid in sleeping. Be sure to use a carrier oil such as Sweet Almond, Jojoba or I just use Olive Oil to mix the essential oils with if you are rubbing on your body as essential oils can be quite potent.

Other/New Discoveries

Recently I discovered two other wonderful anti-virus, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal products.

Wild Oregano Oil - I can't say enough good things about this herb. Recently I had a sinus infection that I just couldn't seem to get rid of. I'd tried echinacea with golden seal, I was taking elderberry and zinc and I was even using an herbal tonic called Sinus Free. Although peppermint oil and eucalyptus helped me to feel better, the infection was still there and nothing seemed to get rid of it! After just a day of taking wild oregano oil I felt 10x better. To the taste it is absolutely horrible. It's like eating horseradish. I'd advise mixing it in a juice, but initially I took it under the tongue. Now this is not the same as the oregano we use as a spice so don't go cheap and try to take it instead. This somewhat newly discovered herb is sold in oil form to be taken orally or for topical use. It is said to be an anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant, anti-fungal and even an anti-parasitic. It is also used as an anti-spasmodic (good for cough) and a pain reliever. I don't believe I'll ever be without this product in my medicine cabinet again.

Colloidal Silver - My husband and I have been now taking this in combination with the wild oregano oil to keep us cold/flu and infection free this winter season. I also believe that I need to take it to make sure that all of the bacteria and/or fungus is gone from the sinus infection. Although I get sinus infections 1-2 x per year, that is 1-2x per year too many (sometimes it starts out as a cold and ends up as a sinus infection), so I want to be sure to kill whatever is causing it's recurrence and build my immune system. The gentlemen at the health food store recommended silver and I came home and researched it. This is a health food store that I frequent a lot and I somewhat trust their advice. It is said that silver particles/silver ions were used as an anti-biotic before the discovery of penicillin. It has been known to stop the growth of bacteria. Unfortunately, much of the research that has been done is very limited so I guess we take it at our own risk (as with anything else).

Simple Things To Do -

* Get plenty of rest. Rest allows your body time to detoxify and your immune system to build.
* Drink lots of fluids, especially water. This helps to flush out toxins. I drink water room temperature as it takes effort for your body to heat up cold water.
* Wash your hands often.
* Clean/disinfect items with daily cleaning such as door knobs and telephones.

Note: Again, do your homework and even consider talking with a natural health care professional before embarking on a natural treatment. These are simply suggestions.