Which brings me to today's post. I was contacted a while ago by Tracy from Healthline, an online health and wellness magazine to contribute a piece on my blog. Of course, I was happy to oblige!
So thank you Tracy for reaching out to me, and to Tammy Mahan for sharing her natural healing advice!
Make sure you check out their website, it has a lot of really great info! :-)
Peace & Love,
~Sabrina
Guest Post:
Natural Cold and Flu Remedies
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| Public Domain Image |
Most people know that the cold and flu are
viruses and unfortunately they have to run their course. However, there are
some things you can do to help lessen the symptoms and possibly even speed up
the duration.
One of the most important things you need to do
if you do catch a cold or the flu is to get plenty of rest and drink plenty of
water. I know it can be difficult to drink anything when you have the flu and
nothing is staying down.
The majority of people who end up hospitalized
due to the flu are because they are dehydrated. Typically this is due to the
inability to drink fluids due to having a severe sore throat. You should take
small sips even if you are very thirsty, do not try to take big gulps this will
not turn out well for you.
Aside from staying hydrated, rest is also very
important. Your body cannot heal itself if you do not stop and allow yourself
time to rest . Many people, especially from the older generations, swear by one
thing to break a fever and get you back up on your feet again. That is to
bundle up in warm clothes such as sweat pants and a sweatshirt with heavy socks
and pile blankets on top of you. Yes,
you may be hot and uncomfortable but you are also likely to fall asleep, as
most people become tired when they are that warm, especially when sick. As soon
as the fever breaks, you will start to feel better, so you can look at this old
“wives tale” of sorts as a natural way to lessen your symptoms and get over the
cold or flu quicker.
It is also important to eat while you are sick
(if you can). Chicken noodle soup is
still one of the best food options for people who are sick, especially homemade
soups with some spices and herbs. Use the spices and herbs that are known to
help you feel better such as garlic, curry, ginger, sage, and red root. They
can all be mixed into your soup. Chances are the person who is sick with either
the cold or the flu is not going to taste much of anything because the taste
buds usually take a vacation.
Another wonderful natural cold and flu aid is
Echinacea. If the person is having
trouble swallowing because of a sore throat, open the capsules (read the dosage
directions on the bottle) and mix them with applesauce.
Ginger root tea with honey is known to un-stuff
a stuffy nose and help relieve a runny nose. You will need a cheese grater to
grate the ginger root and a tea steeper spoon, fill the spoon with enough
ginger root to fit the spoon. Boil a cup of water and place the spoon in it,
when the water turns yellow remove the spoon, open it and squeeze out the
ginger root so the most potent part makes it in the cup, then add a little
honey for sweetness. Drink 3 to 4 cups a day.
Another great natural cold and flu treatment is
peppermint. It is known for soothing the
stomach and halts nausea as well as open up the nasal passages for easier
breathing. You can make a peppermint tea (hot or cold) with real peppermint
leaves. To help with breathing you can put a few leaves in a bedside vaporizer.
Having a cold or the flu is not fun. Your best
treatment is to take preventive measures such as good hygiene, avoid sick
people, and eat foods that will boost your immune system and get plenty of regular
exercise and sleep.
Tammy Mahan has been a nurse for over
20 years. She often shares her knowledge by writing articles for Healthline.com.
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