8 Of The Best Natural Cold & Flu Remedies
Do the sniffles have you down? If so, then perhaps it’s time to de-stress, eat some healthier meals, and supplement with vitamins that can boost your immune system. The following are some of the best natural remedies to overcome the cold and flu.
1 – Reduce Stress
Stress, stress, stress. Nearly everyone is plagued by having too much on their plates at one time. While this can result in productivity, over time, high levels of stress can impact your immune system and cause you to fall ill. Why? Because the body increases hormones (like cortisone and adrenaline) which, in turn, tax your immune system.
The simple solution, of course, is to de-stress as much as possible. To accomplish this, take time out of your busy schedule to do activities you like: listen to music, meditate, go for a walk in nature, and/or play with your pets.
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2 – Get Regular Exercise
Getting 30 minutes of physical activity a day will increase your blood circulation and also boost your immune system. This is because moving helps antibodies and white blood cells move around faster. As a result, they detect illness sooner. The increase in circulation also helps transport healthy hormones that help to warn the immune system of pathogens.
3 – Adopt a Healthy Diet
You don’t need to adopt a vegan or vegetarian diet to eat healthier. Simply, focus on adding more nutrient-dense foods to your routine, including fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, nuts and seeds, sprouted legumes and grains, seaweeds, and grass-fed and organic meats. For free plant-based recipes, visit Life in Bloom.
Eating healthily won’t prevent you from ever getting sick again, but it will help to protect your body from the billions of bacteria, viruses, and other germs that are constantly trying to invade. Some of the healthiest anti-bacterial foods follow:
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- Garlic, ginger, spinach, beans, and other legumes
- Active omega-3 fatty acids (EPA + DHA), found in salmon, tuna, and other cold-water fish
- Zinc-rich foods, like oysters, crab, grass-fed lean meats and poultry, and chickpeas
- Selenium-rich foods, such as broccoli, sardines, tuna, Brazil nuts, and barley
- Vitamin C-rich foods, like bell peppers, strawberries, papaya, Brussels sprouts, kale, and citrus fruits
- Vitamin E-rich foods, including almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts, and sunflower seeds
4 – Spend Time in the Sun
We need the sun to obtain sufficient levels of UVA (ultraviolet A) rays and vitamin D. Especially during the winter, try your hardest to spend at least 10-15 minutes in the glorious, golden rays.
Regular sun exposure has been found to boost the mood and immune system. If you can’t get enough during the winter, consider purchasing a Lightbox or a vitamin D lamp for your home or work desk.
See: The Book of Lost Remedies
5 – Stay Hydrated
Being hydrated isn’t just essential for brain function but for whole-body health. In fact, every system in the body needs adequate hydration to function properly. Adequate levels of H20 help to cleanse the body and remove toxins, including germs. By keeping the respiratory system hydrated, as well, you enhance your cold-fighting potential.
6 – Get Plenty of Sleep
Getting enough Zzz’s support healthy immune functioning. On the opposite spectrum, sleep deprivation can result in depressed immune function.
According to a sleep study published in the journal Seminars in Clinical Neuropsychiatry, significant detrimental effects on immune functioning result after just a few days of sleep deprivation.
Adults should strive to get 7-9 hours of restful sleep per night. Those who are currently overcoming a cold should get even more sleep. Quality sleep supports the immune system which will help minimize problems with cold or the flu during the winter.
7 – Make Way for Medicinal Mushrooms
When it comes to boosting the immune system, mushrooms are at the top of the list. Some of the most medicinal non-psychoactive mushrooms include shiitake, maitake, reishi, enoki, oyster, lion’s mane, cordyceps, turkey’s tail, and chaga.
Medicinal mushrooms contain beta-glucans (a unique category of large, branching, complex carbohydrates) that don’t affect blood sugar. Rather, they enhance immune activity against infections. The mushrooms also have ergothioneine, a powerful antioxidant that is retained even during the cooking process.
Add more mushrooms to your diet by sautéing or roasting them in olive oil with thyme, rosemary, or basil. Add them to wraps, salads, or eat them in soups.
8 – Drink Warm Water with Lemon + Cayenne + Raw Honey
To prevent the flu from and/or to kick a cold when it’s hit, drink warm lemon water in the morning with a dash of cayenne and raw honey. The medicinal drink is warming, cleansing, astringent, and purifying.
Warm water and lemon help to cleanse the liver and improve immune function. Cayenne helps open up passageways, expel mucus, and helps to receive pain. Raw honey is antibacterial and anti fungal and will help your body eliminate the pathogens in your system.
A simple recipe follows:
8 oz warm water
1/2 lemon, squeezed
1/8th tsp cayenne
1 Tbsp raw honey (local)
Directions: Mix well, consume immediately 3-5 times per day.
These are the most effective natural remedies to overcome a cold or flu. Do you have any more to add? Comment your thoughts below and share this news!
Amanda Froelich — I’m an RHN, chef, writer, activist, and entrepreneur who lives in Colorado. I share healthy plant-based recipes at Life in Bloom and cannabis-infused recipes at My Stoned Kitchen. Read More stories by Amanda Froelich
IMAGE CREDIT: Anna Bizoń
This article was sourced from Truth Theory.
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