By Joan Jones
For those who seem to catch “everything that comes around,“ cold and flu season can be a nightmare of one illness after another, lost days of work and generally feeling lousy. Do you get colds that frequently turn into coughs and respiratory problems lasting two weeks or even two months? Don’t despair. There are natural things you can do to boost your immunity, reduce the number of illnesses you get each year, and drastically shorten the number of days your are sick.
Some natural remedies don’t cost anything at all:
1. Getting enough rest is one of the most important things you can do to stay healthy. Don’t let you body get run down in the first place, especially during times of stress or when others around you are ill.
2. Drink lots of water- It keeps all the toxins and impurities flushed out of your body.
Here’s some natural remedies which are inexpensive, easy to find, easy to use:
1. Nasal irrigation -To ward off colds and greatly improve your allergies, try nasal irrigation-Use a small, inexpensive bulb syringe and a cup of warm water with a quarter teaspoon of salt or baking soda. Squirt water into one nostril and let it flow out the other. Repeat on other side. Do this until the water in your cup is gone. Nasal irrigation will also greatly reduce or eliminate sinus infections by keeping the germs rinsed out of the nasal cavities.
2. Take vitamin supplements to start each day. A good multi-vitamin is important as well as Vitamin C (500 to 1,000 mg) and Zinc (10 to 25 mg) help boost the body’s immunity.
3.Take Astragalus, an herbal extract which boosts your immune. Astragalus doesn’t lose it’s effectiveness over time so it can be put into juice or water daily to help ward off illness.
Natural remedies include foods and teas to boost the immune system:
1. Green tea
2. Berries - Add blueberries and other berries to your diet. They are good sources of antioxidants which help boost the immune system
3. Ginger-use ginger tea or candied ginger-also an anti-inflammatory and a great remedy for an upset stomach.
If you do start to feel tired, feel you have an illness coming on or are exposed to someone who is ill, try these natural remedies for a few days to boost your immune system:
1. Echinacea herbal extract. Extracts or liquid form hold their potency better than pills which vary in potency and can sit on shelves for months. Limit your doses of Echinacea to one week each time you use it or it will lose its effectiveness to fight illness.
2. Elderberry extract can kill a virus before it takes hold in your body-be sure and take elderberry with some food as it may upset the stomach
3. Garlic-fresh garlic fights and defeats virus’ in your body. Make some toast and butter. Put one clove of garlic through a garlic press and spread on the toast.
4. Cayenne pepper-Chinese medicine says if you have a cold or respiratory problem, you should heat your body. Make a bowl of soup and put as much cayenne pepper in it as you can tolerate.
Homeopathic remedies have been around for over 100 years and if taken at the first sign of sickness, they can greatly lesson the severity of symptoms. These natural remedies contain no harsh chemicals or anything for people to be allergic to, Since flu can strike without warning, it's good to have an arsenal on hand, just in case.
One homeopathic flu remedy is Oscillocococcinum, which comes in small vials of powder. Also shop for homeopathic cough syrups which are very effective. A knowledgeable health food store associate can help you choose homeopathic remedies to fit your needs.
Herbal extracts can be expensive so shop around for the best prices. For those on a budget, try growing your own herbs and drying them or purchase dried herbs which are sold by the ounce and offer the same protection. You can make tea by boiling some water and steeping two teaspoons of herbs for 3 minutes. Strain and drink. Fresh ginger can also be steeped this way. If the taste bothers you, add a little honey, which offers anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal protection.
Remember, medications may have a short term affect by masking symptoms but many produce side effects and toxins which must be filtered through your liver. Natural remedies allow the body to heal itself with virtually no side effects. Be sure to discuss these remedies with your doctor if you do become ill.
The time to begin boosting your immune system is before you become ill because prevention is easier than treating a cold or flu once you have it.
If you are a person who is sick frequently, take a look at your overall health program. Rest, exercise and proper nutrition are the core of any wellness and immune boosting regimen. Happiness and a positive attitude also helps the body maintain good health.
Here are some great recipes to take at the first sign of illness: http://www.path2healthyliving.com/RecipesToBoostImmuneSystem.html/
© Copyright 2006 by Joan Jones
Joan Jones is an award winning freelance journalist who has written extensively on health, nutrition, gardening and healthy recpies. For more weight loss and healthy living tips, plus recipes, book reviews, info on wellness vacations, mindful living and more, go to http://Path2HealthyLiving.com/
