Fighting colds is no fun. My mom and I are visiting Ottawa for a few days, and she caught something pretty badly so I went out to the health food store.
I picked up a bunch of different herbal remedies for her, all of which she says don’t taste very good – except for the super-antioxidant-packed juice, which really is tasty.
You can use these kinds of things to prevent getting sick if you start to feel something coming on, and some of them are powerful enough to help stop something that’s already started.
The best preventative strategy, of course, is to focus on a healthy eating plan all the time – then your immune system is at its peak and best able to handle any germs that get thrown at it.
The good news is that after a day, she was starting to feel better, and after two days of herbals she’s getting back to normal! Just a lingering cough and some blowing of nose.
If you knew my mom, you’d know that this is a pretty big deal – she’s had pneumonia a couple of times, she has asthma and really severe allergies.
Usually, when a virus or bacteria gets to her, it sticks around for as long as it possibly can…
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Antibacterial/Antiviral Herbs
There are lots of medicinal herbs that fight bacteria and viruses – things like echinacea, astragalus and licorice root.
Depending on what kind of illness you have, one might be better than another, and often with herbs there are specific combinations that create synergies with more effectiveness than each component on its own.
I also got her oregano oil, which is a really powerful antibacterial, antifungal and antiparasitic. It’s so strong, that I also got her some probiotics to make sure her intestinal flora stay balanced.
Soothing Teas
There are lots of soothing teas out there – I had a tough time choosing one in the store because there were so many. Look for things like ginger, licorice or teas that say ‘soothing’ or ‘cold relief’ on them – they’re not really trying to hide it.
I’ve been making my mom tea with fresh lemon juice and fresh ginger slices, plus an echinacea tea, all day to keep her hydrated and soothe her throat.
Immune-Supportive Nutrients
Vitamins A, C and E, selenium and zinc are good ones for supporting your immune system so that it can fight off any infections.
BlueBonnet Antioxidant: This is a fantastic blend of immune-supportive nutrients + other powerful immune-boosting antioxidants.
If I ever feel a bit of anything coming on, I make sure to eat lots of dark green leafies (more than usual, that is) and lots of brightly colored fresh vegetables and berries.
It can also help to do a short cleanse. For an immune boost I usually an alkalizing and mineral-rich veggie cleanse to lighten things up while still getting all the nutrients and fiber your body needs to function and purge any toxins that need to be released.
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