Avoiding Cold and Flu in Time for Back to School!

19. August 2011 · 3 comments · Categories: Uncategorized · Tags: , , , ,

Want to avoid cold and flu in time for the back-to-school season? Following is a special excerpt from my new eBook “Herbs Gone Wild! Ancient Remedies Turned Loose” (now only 99¢!) in which I share a few immunostimulants, herbs that help build up the immune system.  It’s the perfect time to start so the cold and flu season doesn’t catch you or your kids unprepared.

Immunostimulants

Whether you’re building up your kids’ constitution to avoid catching viruses at school, or you’re sick and tired of getting sick and tired from your coworkers’ colds, having a good immunostimulant or two as part of your herbal medicine chest is a fantastic idea. These herbs will help you to beef up your defenses so it’s tougher for those viruses to set up camp.

I can’t go without mentioning echinacea (Echinacea angustifolia or purpurea) right from the get-go. Echinacea can be taken before your kids even head back to school — say about a week or two before, 5 or 10 drops a day in some water for prevention — and can be continued right through the school year, if you so choose. I’ve heard talk about taking a break from echinacea so your body won’t “get used to” the herb. Not necessary. I’ve also heard grumblings that taking echinacea doesn’t allow your body to build up its own defenses. Simply not true. It’s quite the opposite, in fact. Echinacea helps your body build up its own defenses, which is what makes this herb such a powerhouse.

If you didn’t remember to start up that echinacea before cold and flu season has begun, you can still grab some as soon as you feel those first signs of illness. Other potential herbs at this point would be: balsa wood (Ochroma pyramidale), arbor vitae (Thuja spp.), marshmallow (Althaea officinalis), or even arnica (Arnica spp.) These are all great immunostimulants.  Even if life is getting particularly stressful and you’ve been wearing yourself thin, making you the perfect target for a virus, it’s good to have these herbal friends at hand. Take them when you’re burning the candle at both ends so you don’t find yourself stuck in bed later.

For more great herbal remedies to keep your family naturally healthy, be sure to check out my eBook “Herbs Gone Wild!” currently only 99¢ on Amazon and Barnes & Noble!

More Simple Cold and Flu Remedies

17. December 2009 · 3 comments · Categories: Cold and Flu, Remedies · Tags: , , ,

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Christmas Cold got you Down?

Christmas Cold got you Down?

Hopefully your family will get through the  holiday season with nary a sniffle.  But in the event you do pick up a cough, a sneeze, a chill and a shake, you’ll want some remedies to keep you and yours comfortable until it all blows over.  (Excuse me – I’ve been reading too many children’s Christmas stories of late and my verbiage is running away without my sense of taste following it.)

Sore Throat:  Your little one has a scratchy throat and doesn’t want those medicinal cough drops that have been in the bottom of your purse since last season. What do you do?  Squeeze 1/2 a lemon in a glass of mineral water (or tap if that’s what you have), add a large spoon of honey, and stir until it dissolves as best as you can.  Alternatively, you can prepare some very strong ginger tea, add some honey and lemon juice, and when it’s cool add a little mineral water for some fizz.

Cough:  Yes, it’s been proven. A simple spoon of honey is just as effective as your average over-the-counter cough syrup.  And it doesn’t contain alcohol, artificial colors and flavors, nasty things that make kids buy and sell it on street corners, a taste that could gag a…  well, you get the point.  Try it alone or use my homemade cough syrup recipe.  Honey.  Tastes great, less coughing.

Fever:  Too often we parents freak out when we our kids get a fever.  But don’t forget, a fever means the body is working hard to fight the virus.  High fevers and lasting fevers always warrant a call to the doc (as well as any that make your parenting radar say, “Hey, this just doesn’t feel right”).  A little fever is one thing, but to break a fever, you can try ginger tea or a nice garlicky meal.  For the brave at heart, a raw clove of garlic nibbled on will conk out that fever faster than you can say “Why do I have the sweats?”  It will also chase away vampires and family members.

Stuffy Nose:  A few drops of Eucalyptus oil in a humidifier that has a special reservoir for oils can easily clear not only stuffy noses but a congested chest.  Or mix a few drops of the oil in about a 1/2 oz. of olive or sweet almond oil for a chest rub.  Or go to this cute little online store I know where they (okay, I) sell a handy Breathe Deep roll-on with a delightful blend of essential oils.

In the end, I sincerely hope you and your family enjoy a wonderful holiday season without having to endure a cold or flu you got for free with your Christmas shopping.  But if you do encounter an untimely virus, these few simple remedies may just make things more bearable.