Want to know the best tried and true natural methods for kicking a cold or the flu? People all over the world have various natural methods that make them feel better fast. I know that my readers are intelligent and a gold mine for fabulous ideas and information. Here are over 20 cold remedies from you, the readers, from recent conversations.
Cold Remedies
Water, tons of water, Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate!
We know this, but do we always do it? I’m good at getting my kids to drink, but don’t drink enough when I’m sick myself. Flush out your system, get the ickies out! As well as staying hydrated, it is also important to stay warm in the home, so it should be your priority to make sure your heating is working correctly. If it is not, I’m pretty sure you will notice the change of temperature in the home. Plus, if you have a cold, this just makes it worse.
Teas
The most popular “go to” remedy was some type of tea or hot liquid.
- Hot Water with Lemon – lemon is slightly acidic and has Vitamin C. This makes it soothing to the throat, while also giving you that bump in Vitamin C that is supposed to help your immune system as it fights the sickness.
- Raw Honey – Adding Raw Honey to your hot lemon water will soothe your throat but also helps relieve coughs. Plus, using honey as a natural sweetener and getting extra nutrients from the raw honey at the same time is always a plus. One reader suggested leaving honey water simmering on the stove where she could take a little throughout the day.
- Ginger – if you’re making that honey, lemon water, why not add some fresh ginger as well. Ginger coats the intestines, relieves inflammation, and helps relieve nausea. Grate some fresh ginger into a pot of hot water and let it steep for 10 minutes before using.
- Herbal Tea – Tea with Echinacea, goldenseal, and rosehips was suggested. Here’s an Organic Lemon Echinacea Tea
- Russian tea – Russian tea is not really a tea, but is a combination of orange, apple, lemon, pineapple juices, cinnamon, and cloves. The juices will give you a great vitamin boost, while the cinnamon and cloves are known bacteria killers. This is a powerful punch to have simmering throughout the day. Add 1 cup of orange, apple, and pineapple juice to a pot. Add 2 Tbsp lemon, 3 cloves, and 1/2 to 1 tsp cinnamon. Yum!
Garlic
- Extra Garlic in Food – When you’re cooking, add that garlic.
- Raw Garlic – My sister-in-law eats raw garlic daily. They swear it’s the best thing for killing a sickness before it takes hold. One reader suggested smearing it on toast. My son does that; stinks up the house, but I don’t complain. It keeps him healthy!
Essential Oils
Essential oils are powerful as a cold remedies as well. They should not be used just because you read it somewhere – like here 😉 They are so powerful that you really should do a lot of reading before jumping in and slathering them all over you. That being said, they are my first “go to” when we are coming down with something (that and elderberry), because of their strength and effectiveness.
- Oregano Oil – Oregano essential oil should always be diluted! It is extremely powerful. Oregano is a great antibacterial. Along with cloves, I consider it the best. Yet, it should not be used if you are anemic or pregnant. Dilute: 1-3 drops in 8-16 oz of orange juice.
- Thieves from Young Living – your major essential oil companies will have their own E.O. combination ready made for you to buy and use to fight colds. This blend has clove, lemon, cinnamon, eucalyptus, and rosemary.
- On Guard from Doterra -You can easily make this blend as well using Wild Orange, Clove Bud, Cinnamon, Eucalyptus, and Rosemary essential oils.
- Your Own Blend – Oregano, Lemon, Rosemary, Eucalyptus Essential Oils – This combination was suggested by a reader. I enjoy using this same combo. in our diffuser!
To be honest, eucalyptus studies have not found it to be a very powerful oil against colds, but it has been used traditionally as an uplifting oil.
Homemade Herbal Concoctions
- Fire Cider – I have yet to make fire cider, but I’ve heard a number of people say it is a traditional method that is highly effective. Here’s the recipe I’m going to try: Craft Your Own Fire Cider.
- Elderberry Syrup – Learn how to make your own Elderberry Syrup. Definitely one of my favorite cold and flu remedies. It’s easy to make and very effective.
- Ginger Shots – My method is to grate 1 inch of ginger into a 1 cup hot water. Add lemon, cinnamon, and honey to taste.
Vitamins, Minerals, and More…
- Vitamin C – Kombucha is a great and easy source of vitamin C, so it orange juice.
- Vitamin D – Debate has arisen around vitamin D. It seems that those with low Vit. D are more likely to get colds in the first place, but dosing yourself after you’ve gotten a cold may not help you fight the cold off quicker. Like I said, it’s still being debated, but what’s clear is that it is vital to our health. Get that sun as much as you can (just don’t get burned).
- Zinc – high levels of zinc are found naturally in pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate, and garlic (to name a few). There are also many ready made combinations of zinc and vitamin C.
- Echinacea – get echinacea from teas, or grow your own (the cone flower).
- Colloidal Silver– I only use colloidal silver from Nature’s Sunshine. The reason is that it is made in a way that the silver does not build up in your system. No heavy metal toxicity here!! I have my essential oils, elderberry, and silver and we honesty never get sick for more than an hour or two, because I blast it out of our house.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – many people swear that a 1-2 Tablespoons of acv just when you are getting sick will kill the germs before they can spread. You can add it to a drink, or hold your nose and down it.
There are definitely more remedies. Please share your “go to” home remedy in the comments below.
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