Avoid Your Next Cold With These 10 Natural Fixes

 
 
Cold season is upon us, and it’s no fun coming down with a cold, especially as a mom. We moms rarely get breaks, and I don’t know about you, but when I have a break the last thing I want to do is feel like I have to get in bed and rest. Maybe I’m an overachiever, but when my ToDo list seems never ending, I would much rather knock off a few items waiting my attention – or even better, meditate, get some exercise, take a hot bath or do some reading!

Aside from breaks, getting to the everyday essential tasks is nearly impossible – like watching children! And it’s not at all fun when feeling run down and drained from a cold.

So when your nose starts to run and your limbs begin to ache, don’t just reach for the aspirin. Try an alternative therapy for fast, natural relief and for preventing the cold from taking hold.

 

Herbal Remedies

 

Echinacea certainly deserves its reputation as the number one natural remedy for colds—it’s effective in tablet, capsule, tincture, extract, or tea form. Limit continuous use to one week. Other herbal immune-boosters: goldenseal and chamomile. And try gargling an astringent tea made with bayberry, myrrh, or sage to soothe your sore throat.
 

Vitamins

When the enemy is upon you, take divided doses of up to 2,000 milligrams of vitamins C throughout the day to fortify your embattled immune system. Fellow antioxidant beta-carotene (25,000 international units daily) will also help to fight off infectious agents. Be sure to eat lots of fresh fruits and especially vegetables high in vitamin C. Good choices are sweet bell peppers, kiwis, dark leafy green vegetables like kale, broccoli and berries. You can get plenty of vitamin C from vegetables without all the added fructose that you’ll get from fruit.

 

Minerals

At the hint of a sore throat, take one zinc-gluconate lozenge every two hours (not to exceed six per day) for up to one week. Zinc can’t kill a cold, but it can soften the blow. I also take a daily zinc supplement during the winter months.

 

Homeopathy

 

Remedies include aconite at the first sign of a cold, Oscillococcinum to zap a bug in the bud, and Allium to dry up a runny nose. Homeopathics work great for symptoms as well as prevention. Many are now sold in regular pharmacies, but you can also find a lot more at a health food store.

 

Acupressure

 

Partially flex either arm and apply pressure just below the elbow crease, at the outer end. Or, press and massage from the top of your head down to the hollow at the base of your skull.

 

Relaxation

Stress lowers resistance to viral infections and nearly doubles your chances of catching a cold. When you feel the sniffles creeping up, try meditation and have a friend massage away those aches and pains.
 

Nutrition

 

Steer clear of rich foods; instead, load up on fruits and vegetables. If you’re game, hot, spicy foods such as chilies, red peppers, horseradish, and onions can help clear the lungs, while garlic enhances your immunity. And yes, it’s thumbs up for chicken soup—the latest studies praise its cold-bashing powers. Try to avoid sugar and mucus-forming wheat and dairy products.
 

Hydrotherapy

 

To ease the torments of aching limbs, throbbing head, and stuffed-up nose, soak your feet in a bowl of hot water and one tablespoon of mustard powder. Or substitute the essential oil of rosemary or sage. Soak in the bathtub and use essential oils such as eucalyptus to clear the sinuses.
 

Steam Inhalation

Make a towel tent over a pot of fresh herbal tea (sage, eucalyptus, or rosemary) and breath deep – through the nose, if possible. Or simply add a couple drops of tea tree, lavender, or eucalyptus essential oils to a bowl of hot water and inhale the steam.
 

Humor Therapy

Sure you’re feelings lousy, but anger and depression just make the germs stronger. Slip a comedy into the VCR—a chuckle stimulates the flow of feel-good endorphins, and studies show a positive attitude can help keep a bothersome bug from turning into sickbed misery.