Translate

Oct 20, 2015

Naturopathic Treatments for the Common Cold/Flu















Hot Drink
Prepare this at the first onset of a chill or sore throat. You may use some or all of these ingredients. Use what you have on hand. You can store this in the fridge and heat it up as you require.
·         1 oz. fresh ginger, sliced/ ¼ tsp dried
·         3 cloves garlic, minced
·         1 stick of cinnamon, broken
·         1 tsp coriander seeds
·         2 L filtered water                             
·         Decoct for 15-20 min; then strain.  Drink a cup every few hours.  Add honey and lemon.
Or  1 tsp of ground clove, ginger, cayenne and honey. Sip or gargle- recommended by Dr. Bill Mitchell, ND          

Sore Throat
  • Gargle with warm filtered water and sea salt
  • Sip 1 tsp of solid extract licorice in a cup of hot water (or 1TBS honey + 1 clove crushed garlic). 
  • Angioplex (Seroyal), Throat Spray (St Francis), Herbal Gargle (Eclectics), Biocidin throat spray (Bio Botanical Harvest)
Diet
  • Consume vegetable or chicken broth/soup containing onions, garlic, carrots, celery, cayenne
  • Consume fruits i.e. lemon in water, oranges
  • Exclude all sugar and caffeine as they suppress the immune system
  • Exclude dairy products and wheat as they increase catarrh/mucous production
Epsom Salt Bath
Add 2 cups of Epson salts to bath, sit in bath for 30 min or as long as you can tolerate. Drink plenty of water while in the bath.  After the bath, put pajamas and socks on and get under a blanket/duvet, and let your body sweat/ create a fever. The fever helps kills off the virus. Note: sauna therapy is also a good option.

Wet Socks
Dip a pair of cotton socks in cold water, wring them out and then put them on your feet wet.   Place a pair of wool socks over the cotton socks and go to sleep.  When you wake up in the morning your feet will be warm!  You may have to repeat it for a few nights depending on your symptoms.  The treatment helps re-circulate the blood from your head to your feet, preventing stagnation which leads to that congested feeling.

 Steam Inhalation
Inhale hot steam and a few drops of essential oil, without burning the nose and throat. Relieves congestion and provides a hostile environment for viruses.  You may use Lavender, Peppermint, Rosemary, Eucalyptus, Thyme or Tea-tree oil.

Supplements and Herbs
  • Echinacea,  licorice, (Defense-gen, Gammadyn Copper, Oscillococcinum-Seroyal), 1-3  gram vitamin C-please consult your ND
SLEEP and REST- this is most important!