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What to Do When Illness Strikes: Natural Remedies for Cold, Flu, & Fever
Once you or your child has contracted an illness, there are a lot of natural options that can shorten the duration of the illness and lessen the symptoms, as some of the most readily prescribed options can have serious side effects. I’ve included my whole bag of tricks below, so pick and choose what works for you.
Garlic – This health-boosting powerhouse is naturally antibiotic, anti-fungal, and antibacterial, garlic can tackle almost any illness. Read more about its benefits here. For the most potent effect, finely mince 1-2 cloves of garlic and float in a small glass of water. Drink quickly — if you are sick enough, you won’t even notice the taste. NOTE: Pregnant women should not take more than 1 clove of garlic medicinally per day, and children often resist this remedy.
Hydrogen peroxide – At the first sign of sinus infection or ear infection, I put a dropper full of diluted 3% hydrogen peroxide into each ear.
Hot liquids – This one is pretty instinctive, but we load up on hot herbal teas and hot lemon water at first sign of illness. The heat helps boost immune system and a variety of herbs can help with infection. Lemon is also a great natural source of vitamin C.
Cinnamon – Good for more than just stabilizing blood sugar, cinnamon is an effective antiviral and antibiotic. Read about why it works and how to use it here. When sick, mix 1 tablespoon with 1 teaspoon of honey and stir to make a spicy and very effective tea that helps relieve cough and congestion and lower fever.
Face steam – In a pinch, make this herbal steam treatment with kitchen herbs. Boil 1-2 cups of water in a large pot. Remove from heat; add 2 teaspoons each of thyme, some rosemary, and oregano. Cover for 5 minutes with a lid, and then remove lid and put face directly over pot with towel covering your head to hold in the heat. Breathe in the steam as long as you can (aim for 15 minutes). This will help loosen congestion and kill viruses and bacteria in the lungs, bronchials, or sinuses. Alternately, you can use 1/2 cup vinegar in the steam. It won’t smell great, but it will help fight the illness.
Remove white foods – At the first sign of illness, completely remove all white foods from the diet. This includes grains, sugars, milk, cheese, dairy, sweeteners, soda, etc. These foods suppress immune function and slow the body’s healing ability. When you are ill, you don’t actually need to eat a lot of food, as the body needs to focus more on healing than digestion. Eat homemade chicken soup (or keep a quality store-bought broth on hand for a shortcut version) and drink hot liquids to keep strength up.
Hydrate and rest – If the body is running a fever (which means it is fighting the illness) the best support you can give is to stay well hydrated on water and herbal teas and to rest enough. The body needs several extra hours of rest a day when ill, and often several extra glasses of water also. If you are running a fever, it is easier to get dehydrated, so drink enough water! To be continued
