Flu and Cold Season
 Promote Your Health or Elder Care Related Service Here No matter where you live, it is flu and cold season again. We asked our ezine readers, 'What is your favorite home remedy that you and your family uses to stay well and ward off these viruses?' Better yet. 'What home remedies does your family use to prevent the Influenza virus from attacking you? What about intestinal infections?' Cold and Flu Remedies Submitted by Seniors And Family CaregiversCan you cure the cold and flu using oregano, chile peppers, or ice-cold vodka? Sleeping with a clove of garlic in your sock might not be an acceptable prescription by main-stream physicians but should we automatically discount family home kitchen remedies as mere folklore? Apparently a large number of families across the United States, Canada and India think they have the cure to the common cold. Senior Approved Services recently asked their ezine readers and web site visitors to share favorite family recipes to cure or prevent colds and the flu. Many of these remedies are natural and use simple kitchen ingredients while some will require a trip to the store to purchase vitamin, homeopathic, and herbal supplements. Of course it must be stated, ‘This is not medical advice, please see your physician”. Eleanor V. from Toronto Canada writes – Take Vitamin C and Zinc lozenges at the first tiny sign of a cold. This can help stop the cold from going through the entire process. Paul I. from Detroit Michigan writes – Take Echinacea and Goldenseal extracts. These boost the immune system. Shiata J. from Ahmedabad Gujarat writes - Put eucalyptus oil in 2 cups of boiling water and breath in the steam, this helps with congestion. Dove Tail from Nebraska writes – Native Americans use Hyssop in tea form as an expectorant and to fight viruses. Arlene M. from Cleveland Ohio writes – Gargle a mix of water and pure tea tree oil this helps sore throats. Drink chicken broth and potato peeling broth. Lindsay N. of Dallas Texas writes – A cup of hot tea, l tsp of honey and a shot of bourbon. Get in bed, cover up , sip slowly and you will begin to sweat . Finish all of your cup and go to sleep. Repeat as needed at night Barbara B. of Woodinville Washington writes – I suggest Transfer Factor+ 8-10 a day till major symptoms subside. Vitamin C - I like the Emer'gen-C 4-6 x a day Lemon/Ginger Tea with extra ginger. Rest and homemade chicken soup. Thomas D. of St. Petersburg Florida writes – Do not use handkerchiefs, use paper tissues and flush them after use, the cold virus lives for several hours, thus increasing the risk of re-infecting yourself. Wash your hands frequently; this reduces the chances of re-infecting yourself and others. I also use homeopathic remedies – all of these can be purchased at a health food store: Belladonna; Arsenicum; Aconite; Antimonium tartaricum. Loretta P. of Tampa Florida writes – I use Echinacea. I take it in capsule and drink it as tea. This herb is antiviral and antibacterial, speeds healing, and boosts the immune system. Loisha S. of Weston West Virginia writes – I take a pinch of Horseradish and put it in a piece of bread and eat this 2 or 3 times a day. You won’t want to go out talking with folks but it will take away a sore throat. It will also get the mucus up and out. Maggie T. of Warren Michigan writes – I like to use kava kava (this is an herb) as a gargle. It takes away a sore throat right away and stops the coughing. I’m not sure but I think it helps me sleep, maybe because of the herb, maybe because the coughing stops? Anonymous from Toledo Ohio writes – Myrrh is an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory, very powerful and excellent for chronic sore throats. It acts also as an expectorant and decongestant. It helps cure gum disease. Rosalind T. from Dallas Texas writes – I am originally from Europe where it is common to see singers use oregano oil to fight respiratory allergies, laryngitis and sore throat. We use it here and have been told oregano oil has anti-fungal and antibacterial properties. In fact, there’s a new product out called Oregacyn P73 that is suppose to kill all cold and flu viruses. You can get it almost anywhere now. Ted L. from Houston Texas writes – My grandmother always gave us sage to chew on and she made it in teas. She said this would cure a sore throat, stuffed nose, gingivitis and coughs. I use it when my children get sick. From what I understand it is a powerful antiviral, antibacterial and anti-fungal. Use as a gargle everyday if you have bleeding gums. Earl R. from Dovers Creek Illinois writes – I have always used wild indigo. I have read that it is an antiviral and antibiotic for infections, it stimulates the immune system, and cures chronic sore throats. All I know is I start with making a tea and drink one cup a day every day from Thanksgiving to Valentines Day and I never get sick. Anonymous from Scottsdale Arizona writes – If you even think you’re coming down with a cold - zap it with zinc. Sucking on zinc lozenges can cut colds short, to an average of four days but I found it will stop it if you catch it in time. My mother can’t tolerate the taste, we mash it up and put it in green tea with lemon and she can’t taste it. It works! Joseph A. from Del Ray Beach Florida writes – I have sinus problems, but I make a sinus spray that really works. It relieves the pressure and since I’ve been doing this I don’t get infections. Just fill a glass with warm water and mix in 1 teaspoon of sea salt. Then put this in a clean nose sprayer and spray. Maybe the germs are killed by salt? Not sure, but this will work. I also use (especially if I know I’ve been exposed to a cold from someone) colloidal silver nasal spray. When my uncle was in WWI he said colloidal silver was used the way we use antibiotics now. Carol K. from New York New York writes – My family is from Russia and we always drink an ice-cold glass of vodka with two teaspoons of black pepper. We even give this to our kids – it kills any germ. If it’s a real bad flu, I chop up one large clove of garlic, and mix it on a spoon with honey. Don't chew the garlic though. Sandra W. from Downers Grove Illinois writes - A good way to get rid of a cold is to cut up some garlic and ginger into a cup. Get enough so that the cup is about 1/4 full. Add half a lemon (diced) and fill with hot water. Stir and let set for 1 minute. Strain and add honey for taste. Drink and go straight to bed. This always works. Betsy S. from Simpsonville S. Carolina writes – Mix about four ounces of honey (Grandpa used clover honey), four tablespoons of lemon juice, and a shot bottle of "Wild Turkey" (Grandpa poured it directly out of the big bottle. He knew how much was enough). Shake it up really well and take it by the tablespoon, not directly out of the bottle. Cassandra U. from Simpsonville S. Carolina writes – My favorite recipe for a cold is 2 cups of water combined with the juice of one lemon, zest from half that lemon, 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, 2 cloves of chopped garlic, an inch of chopped fresh ginger, and honey to taste. Bring it to a boil, pour through a strainer, and drink it hot. All of these ingredients have proven natural anti-cold properties and I know it works. Nathaniel R. from Clermont Florida writes – I started using the product call ‘Airborne’ all the health food stores has it and so does Drug Mart. My mother, who I care for, gets sick every year no matter what. So far, this year since I’ve been giving this to her, she has not gotten the ‘normal’ winter cold that she tends to get. I can’t afford to get sick, I work full time and care for my mother so it’s been a godsend to me. This has a bunch of good stuff in it and it really helps. Misso C. from Phoenix Arizona writes – Take hot chile pods and soaked them in hot water for 15 minutes. Then put them into a grinder and ground them with the water they were soaked in. Give each one of your family members a spoonful with a piece of tortilla. As a preventive medicine, you can mix the chile with garlic and onions. It not only tastes good, but also keeps colds away. Violet F. from Denver Colorado writes – Add two tablespoons cumin seeds to 4 1/2 cups of water. Let it boil for a minute. Then allow the water to cool and drink a glassful, twice a day for a few days. It will stop a cold or flu dead in its tracks. Oliver G. from Rockfalls Illinois writes – If you are already sick, add a pinch of turmeric and 1/4 tsp crushed black pepper to a glass of warm sweet milk. Mix well and drink while hot. It provides immediate relief and will make you sleepy. Forget the stuff they sell you to make you sleep, this does it. Velma Y. from Sterling Heights Michigan writes – Add just under ½ teaspoon each of ginger powder, fennel seeds and cinnamon and a pinch of clove powder to one cup of hot water. Let the herbs steep for about ten minutes, and then strain them out of the tea before drinking. Drink as much of the tea as you wish. But if you are on medicine for blood thinners blood pressure medicine you might want to talk to your doctor or pharmacist first. My pharmacist told me because aspirin and ginger are both blood thinners; do not drink ginger tea within two hours of taking aspirin. Phyllis D. from Mountain Inn S. Carolina writes – Lemon is excellent for cold. The saying goes, "A lemon a day keeps the cold away." Mix the juice of two lemons in 2½ cups of boiling water sweetened with honey. Take this at bedtime. It is a very effective remedy for bad cold. For severe cold: Take one tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for 3 days.
Seona S from Scottsdale Arizona writes – This will cure most chronic cough, cold and clear the sinuses.
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