If you've been listening to the news, then you likely know that this year's flu virus is the worst the U.S. has seen in years. Entire school districts are closing due to widespread flu and hospitals are setting up tents in their parking lots to accommodate the high number of patients presenting with flu symptoms.
The Dreaded Cold/Flu
The average adult has 2-3 colds each year & kids can have as many as 10 a year, with those yucky symptoms persisting for up to 10 days. The common cold totally stinks—but the flu, an upper respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus, can be much more serious.
Over 200,000 people are hospitalized each year in the U.S. due to seasonal influenza
The Flu shot has a 1% chance of being effective
Natural Ways to Prevent & Treat Colds/Flu
Preventing/treating the flu all comes down to your immune system!!!
Foods:
1. Eat light. This ensures that your body is not focusing its energy on digestion, so it can effectively fight the cold/flu.
2. Hydrate. Water, teas, juice, lemon water, bone broths, etc. Try a soothing cup of hot lemon water or green tea with honey & ginger.
3. Green Juice. Green Juice, Green Juice !!!!! Juice as often as possible!
4. Eat a plant-based diet.
5. Garlic. Eat one or two cloves of raw garlic at the first onset of symptoms. You can chop the garlic fine & let sit for 10 minutes to "activate". Then, mix it with food. You can also cut a clove into chunks & swallow them whole like pills.
6. No dairy/No gluten/No Sugar.
Supplements/Herbs (Immune Building)
7. Raw Vitamin C. (We use “Garden of Life Vitamin Code”); 1000mg daily; up to 4000mg day if you have symptoms.
8. Echinacea. We take this herb every other day during cold/flu season to boost immune function. We take 3x a day if we have symptoms.
9. Vitamin D. Low levels are related to increases in cold/flu illness, so keep your levels above 50. We take Raw Vitamin D 5000 IU (Vitamin Code) daily & year-round.
10. Mushrooms. (Reishi, Maitake, Shitake, Turkey Tail, Chaga, etc.). We take host defense organic mushroom extracts year-round on a rotating schedule for immune support.
11. Quercetin. Research suggests that this bioflavonoid prevents the common cold, fights viruses, soothes airways, & relieves allergy symptoms (prevents the release of histamine).
12. Astragalus. This herb will give your immune system a boost.
13. Probiotic. Take a multi-strain product to improve gut health/immune function.
14. Virasara. Take this herbal mixture at the onset of symptoms to reduce the duration.
Essential Oils
15. Try an essential oil chest rub (“Luv Rub”) by diluting eucalyptus with coconut oil. Rub on chest, neck, wrists.
16. 1 drop peppermint oil roof of mouth/behind the ear lobe
17. Rub peppermint & frankincense oil on the back of neck & bottoms of feet.
18. Diffuse peppermint, eucalyptus, “breathe” oils.
Other
19. Neti Pot. The neti pot (Ayurveda) is a method of nasal irrigation that helps to prevent illness, as well as quell cold/flu symptoms. Use the neti pot first thing in the morning and at bedtime.
Use:
8 oz. warm distilled water
½ teaspoon pink sea salt
3-4 drops of Biotic Iodine
3-4 drops of Emulsified Vitamin A
Follow Neti pot directions, rinsing each nostril thoroughly.
20. Rest. When you're not feeling well, it's important to give your body a little TLC. After a soothing bath, apply a dab of luv rub, curl up with a cup of herbal tea, diffuse some oils, then drift off to sleep. Adults should get 7-8 hours of zzz's per night in order to allow the body to heal & repair.
For more information about vaccinations, check these out:
*Always check with your doctor before changing things like diet/exercise/supplement routines/or anything else that may impact your health.