Natural remedies that work for your family…

[Donna]

Since winter is coming along with colds and flu, I thought it might be helpful to share natural remedies for different illnesses.

 

While dd and I were traveling a couple weeks ago, I ended up with a cold I thought was finished that turned into laryngitis. Honey and ginger tea helped a lot! Steamy showers and soup helped as well.

 

What natural remedies do you use to try to stay away from medication?

[VaKim]

Elderberry, oregano oil, garlic, and vitamin C and D. We always take vitamins, but at the first sign of a cold or sickness, we start on the other stuff. Seems to be working. We hardly ever get sick, and when we do, it is over in a few days.

[trulycrabby]

The most basic are sleep, fresh air, sunshine, and exercise. Elderberry is a great and scientifically tested anti-viral; we keep it around at all times.

[TammyS]

 Elderberry is a great and scientifically tested anti-viral; we keep it around at all times.

 

How do you take this?  Is it pills? Tea?

[TammyS]

Loads of Vit C at the first thought of anything (seriously 1000mg, every 1-2 hours until I'm sure the stuff is gone). 

 

Sleep.  Plenty of sleep.  7-8 hours for adults.  9-12 for kids.

 

Very little sugar.

[MercyA]

How do you take this?  Is it pills? Tea?

 

We use elderberry syrup, often Nature's Way Sambucus Immune, which also contains echinacea, zinc, and vitamin C. It really helps knock out viruses. 

[klmama]

For general cold/flu prevention we take vitamin D, wash hands often, and try to get enough sleep.  If we start to feel like we might be coming down with something or know we've been exposed, we use hydrogen peroxide in the ears.  We may also eat garlic, homemade chicken soup with garlic, and foods rich in vitamin C. 

[Laurie]

We use elderberry syrup, often Nature's Way Sambucus Immune, which also contains echinacea, zinc, and vitamin C. It really helps knock out viruses. 

 

I think I need to keep some of that in the house for the extra ingredients!

 

Usually I buy their Original Sambucus syrup, which my kids will take because it's raspberry flavored.

 

[Peaceful Isle]

2 t of Apple cider vinegar with agave in hot water each night keeps us from getting sick. It also helps with the digestive system ;)

[CupOCoffee]

2 t of Apple cider vinegar with agave in hot water each night keeps us from getting sick. It also helps with the digestive system ;)

 

I use AVC on a regular basis, 2 T mixed with some ginger and water, 32 oz.  I try to drink 2 of these per day...I use it for other reasons, but I wonder if it will help me stave off anything nasty in the cold department.

 

~coffee~

[Prairie~Phlox]

We drink this: http://www.blessedinhomemaking.com/2013/01/how-to-make-fire-water-and-why-you.html

[Carol in Cal.]

--Borage oil capsules are great for PMS moodiness/fury

--Fresh ginger steeped in boiling water makes an excellent tea for stomach problems, especially healing GERD damage

--Zinc tablets sucked under the tongue every two hours for the first couple of days of getting a cold reduce the intensity and duration a great deal.  You have to catch it right at the beginning for this to work.

--Generally B vitamins are depleted in stressful times so I tend to take extras around the holidays.  Good stress is still stress.

--I took Stuart's prenatal vitamins for years, and they helped a lot with my energy levels, I think because of the iron.  Since menopause I have backed off on iron and only take an iron-containing multivitamin about 2-3X per week.

--I drink dandelion root tea and take milk thistle capsules to help with fatty liver syndrome.  Along with increased leafy greens consumption, this seems to have helped.