In my last post I shared how we can keep our immune system strong which most of the time works, but we’re not perfect, so what do you do when life throws you a curve ball – say you’ve been extra stressed lately, burning the midnight oil, exposed to a bunch of sickies floating around work and you’ve missed out on some opportunities to take your trusty “essential four”….and (ugghhh!) you’ve caught a nasty bug.
Not to worry, super natural tips and herbal busters that beat a cold or flu fast are comin’ right atcha!!! These are extremely helpful to start implementing at the first slightest feeling of any imbalance – you know the ones, like a little tickle in your throat, a slight twinge of nausea out of the blue, a little sniffle or sneeze – whatever it is, you know when your body just feels “off.”
One thing for sure is time is not on your side and you must act quick! The faster you start to implement these tips and herbal remedies the quicker you’ll beat this thing.
When a virus or bacteria has already started to take up residency in the body there is a really small window of opportunity to kill it and 9 times out of 10 most people don’t make that window – sorry to ruin the party folks :(. Which is why I’m going to show you how to fight cold and flu fast!
The good news is, at this point if you start pumping the body full of immune boosters you can greatly shorten the length of the illness to a day or a few days instead of 9 days (which is how long the common cold lasts) to 3 weeks if it’s severe, and even reduce the severity of the symptoms. Sooo much better than just letting it take its course.
Reduce Symptoms and Duration of Colds and Flu
If you’ve already been taking your “essential four” immediately starting to increase the amount of vitamin C (follow directions on the label for immediate use) and probiotics (I would double the amount until you feel better) will pump your immune system with extra support.
There are many herbal and homeopathic remedies that are extremely helpful, safe with no side effects and contain ingredients that actually help your body heal rather than just put a band aid on the problem – so I will list the ones I, family members, friends and clients have experienced personal success with.
I would suggest keeping at least one if not a couple different ones stocked as arsenal in your natural remedy/healing tool kit so you’re not having to waste precious “window of opportunity time” time running to the store to grab some in the moment. Again, you need to take advantage of this window and get right on things.
Don’t just take my word for it either – I will add a link to reviews for each product so you can see the results people are experiencing :)
Herbal Cold Busters
Kick-Ass Immune for adults & Kick It Immune for kids – The adult version of this liquid herbal tincture is a potent herbal blend of Yerba Santa, Baptisia, Elderflower, Yarrow, Osha, Goldenseal and Echinacea – a kung fu fighting team of immune, respiratory and lymphatic herbal heroes that truly kick ass.
Wishgarden
As far as the few negative reviews regarding the taste, if you’ve never tasted liquid herbs they are quite strong but I like that because it tells me they work. I have tasted some pretty awful herbs, Wishgardens formulas are by far some of the best tasting – some of the other options here may suit you better if you can’t stomach herbal tinctures.
Check out reviews here
Grapefruit Seed Extract – GSE contains super potent bioflavonoids that fight against all kinds of microbes, viruses and bacteria which also makes it a flu buster too.
In a study from the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine grapefruit seed extract proved to be effective in killing over “800 bacterial and viral strains, 100 strains of fungus, and a large number of single and multi-celled parasites.” Nuff said.
You can find GSE in liquid (my favorite) however it does have an extremely bitter taste so just mix it in juice if you want or use capsules instead.
A small bottle lasts us a good couple of years and we use it for cleaning too. For more detailed information on what this super seed does see this article. And check out reviews here.
Oil of Oregano – Oregano oil has antiviral, antibacterial and antimicrobial properties which is a fancy way of saying it has the ability to kill germs including viruses and bacteria making it another flu buster too.
It contains Thymol, a natural fungicide and antiseptic that boosts immune system and acts as a defender against toxins. Carvacrol has been found to be effective against various bacteria including staph, E. coli, salmonella, giardia, listeria, candida albicans and aspergillus mold to name a few. Terpenes also act as a powerful antibacterial.
Look for wild Mediterranean source. It is extremely potent and a little oil goes a long way. Click here for reviews.
Colloidal Silver – Even though this one isn’t technically an herb, it’s too powerful not to mention. Many medical experts recognize the power of this remedy and it’s abilities as an antibacterial, antifungal and germicidal making it another flu buster too.
In a study done at UCLA in 1988, it was verified that within minutes of being exposed to colloidal silver solutions, bacteria, viruses and fungus are killed.
Another test done at Syracuse University proved the same outcome, even killing strains resistant to known antibiotics. Unlike antibiotics it has been shown to have no negative side effects and leave good bacteria intact.
There has been some controversy mainly due to some negative press that one can turn blue (a condition known as argyria), although extremely rare, it has happened but the person would have to ingest extreme amounts of improperly formulated homemade silver salt solutions.
Instead of entirely writing off this incredible remedy I think the takeaway here is to purchase colloidal silver through a reputable manufacturer (I use Sovereign Silver) rather than try making your own unless you really know what you’re doing and do it right. If you’re still a bit skeptical see this reference for a variety of articles on colloidal silver. Check out reviews here.
Herbal Flu Busters
Oscillococcinum – Say that five times fast…oscillo, oscillo, okay never mind. Oscillo for short is the number one Pharmacist recommended brand and hands down my absolute favorite homeopathic flu remedy. We always keep it in our natural remedy stash and have benefited from it every time we’ve had to use it. It’s a great treatment for body aches from flu and the other symptoms it brings.
This one is actually a homeopathic remedy based on “like cures like” in which a small dose of the thing your body is trying to fight off stimulates an immune response to fight it off. Homeopathy can sometimes be a wee bit difficult to explain so all I can say is try it for yourself – these vials of tiny pellets work wonders for us – and apparently many others too!
Sambucus – AKA Elderberry extract, rich in antioxidants including bioflavonoids and vitamin C, has a potent antiviral agent that blocks viruses from penetrating the cells.
Another component anthocyanins, protect the mucous membranes by reducing inflammation and swelling in the sinuses and throat.
In 1995 Elderberry was used to treat a flu epidemic in Panama. It was reported to reduce severity of symptoms and reduce duration over those who didn’t take it. Studies have shown it to shorten the duration by about 3-4 days.
GSE, Oil of Oregano and Colloidal Silver mentioned for colds above are also helpful for flu.
Bonus
For those times when you need some extra support to soothe a cough, sore throat, or open up your airways especially at night while you sleep I have great success with some natural herbal alternatives as opposed to conventional products that make you feel groggy or drowsy and have questionable ingredients and side effects.
For cough support – Wild Cherry Bark Syrup, Olbas Cough Syrup, and Olbas lozenges are excellent. For sinus and chest congestion Breathe Deep Tea, Olbas Inhaler, Himalayan Salt Therapy, and Breathe Easy Rub are wonderful. To soothe sore throat Singer’s Saving Grace, Throat Coat Tea and Olbas Pastilles are super effective.
*Mix a couple drops of eucalyptus oil with coconut oil for a homemade decongestant vapor rub.
Now For the Tips
This part is pretty self explanatory but as obvious as these tips may seem, they often fall by the wayside even though they are extremely crucial to kicking a cold or flu to the curb.
- Reduce intake of sugar, processed foods and artificial sweeteners. These are a ball & chain for weak immunity.
- Stay hydrated with lots of fluids. Drink plenty of water and hot liquids – herbal teas with honey, lemon and ginger and mineral rich broths like bone broth (recipe here) are healing tonics.
- Get plenty of R & R. Resting and taking it easy allows your body downtime to heal and lots of sleep allows for cleansing and repair.
- Avoid too much stress since it can weaken your immune system.
- Wash your hands often and wipe down surfaces (more germs are found here than the air) with GSE and tea tree oil mixed in water and spritz the air with it to rid any airborne bugs – you can also dilute Thieves Essential oil blend in water for a germ killing room spray.
Wrap Up
Contrary to what some people think, natural remedies for cold and flu can be extremely powerful and effective when it comes to fighting it fast, especially when taken at the first sign of imbalance. Nature really does provide everything we need to heal holistically, it offers powerful yet gentle solutions that not only take care of symptoms but also help build our immune system back up so that it can come back stronger.
What are your favorite remedies that work well for you? Let us know in the comments below!
A few years ago, a good friend introduced me to essential oils. I was almost always sick. I would see doctors, take medicine and it never worked. Then it would be in my chest. Chest colds are awful. And for me they lasted a month before I could get rid of them. Next thing you know, I am sick again. It was a vicious cycle. My friend showed me how to use essential oils and I can say I have not been sick in 2 years. Not even a tiny cold. It amazes me because I used to catch anything and every cold anyone had. Now I have built up my immunity.If I were to get the signs of a cold, I could immediately treat with essential oils and it stops it. Thanks for the great post. Keep up the great job!
Thanks for sharing your experience Kristie! Yeah that’s the trouble with antibiotics, after given one antibiotic many times the original illness evolves into another and so on needing more and different types of antibiotics (the vicious cycle).
What a great friend to share with you how to beat a cold or flu fast using essential oils – I find eucalyptus and thieves both work great as complimentary therapies. Herbs and homeopathy help me get over a cold or flu super fast too. Nature rocks! I’m so happy you’ve found what works for you and no longer have to deal with awful chest colds :)
Some great advice there, defo taking onboard. I tend to love natural cures and indeed prevention much better than just taking pills for something.
I usually take in a lot of fluids anyway and lot of vitamin C. When I do get the flu I do turbo charge it with organic vitamin pills of 1,000mg taking 3,000mg 3xdaily as part of a vitamin therapy regime (popular in 1960’s and 1970’s) and seen a documentary with world renouned experts on national TV a couple of years back. on the effectiveness of taking 9grams of Vit C daily when you have the flu!
You go Derek! Sounds like you have a great thing going on that works for you, there are plenty of studies to back up high doses on vitamin C as a healing therapy. Many people get scared off by the high levels but if it’s in a safe food form it can be really effective, plus it doesn’t store in the body. In fact, it’s on my list of essential four supplements that boost immunity. 4 Essential Supplements That Boost Immune System for Wellness.
It has also shown very great results to prevent cardiovascular issues. People who take high amounts tend to have cleaner arteries. Personally, I try to get most nutrients from foods but it sure is nice to have a few herbal remedies up the sleeve for those times when we need extra support, especially when it comes to beating a cold or flu fast! Stay well :)
Some helpful tips here!
I’m a doctor from Scotland and one of my passions is promoting a healthy lifestyle. Great to do this with a healthy diet and regular exercise. Staying healthy helps to prevent illness and increase longevity. Stay healthy and keep up the good work with you’re helpful website
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, Dave! It makes me so happy to hear that as a doctor you are passionate about promoting a healthy lifestyle, we sure could use more doctors out there with your mentality, we can do so much to stay well through preventative care, so thanks for what you do :) I will indeed continue to stay healthy and help others to do the same!
I tried the Oil Of Oregano. Works amazing, thank you! I take it immediately with my water as soon as I feel like I am getting sick.
Awesome Tabitha! Thanks for sharing, I’m so happy it works for you :)
Lot’s of useful information here Jess. Thank you for sharing. Some years ago I worked for an ENT & Allergy practice. The first thing the allergist would tell his patients was to take large amounts of vitamin C. It seems that vitamin C increases your white blood cell count and white blood cells are what fights infection. This is really good advice.
Great to hear this was helpful, and thank you for sharing your personal experience regarding the use of vitamin C as a recommendation from an Allergist. I have seen many people get effective allergy relief through combining the powerful effects of both quercetin and vitamin C, which are both found in citrus fruits. Great stuff!