Natural Cold Care

Anyone who is the parent of a school age child knows that the beginning of the school year also means that children also enter the germ pool. Evening sniffles, sore throats, and coughs become commonplace. The natural angle on the beginning of the cold season is to boost the body’s own ability to heal itself, to stimulate the immune system so that we can recover in a shorter time and hopefully not get sick in the first place.

The most popular herb during the cold and flu season is Echinacea. This helpful plant is native to North America and was used by Indians before Europeans arrived. It is a beautiful flower, also known as purple coneflower. The most useful part medicinally is the root, as with most herbs, the root contains the most concentrated ingredients with useful properties. Echinacea can be used as a tonic herb, taken ongoing during the cold and flu season, and one should take a vacation from it on occasion so that the body doesn’t get dependent.

While Echinacea is good at stimulating immune response and fighting viruses, it is commonly combined with Goldenseal or other herbs which add properties which are very helpful. Goldenseal is very bitter and astringent, acting as an herbal antibiotic and should only be used short term, as it could imbalance the body if overused.

Astragalus is an herb known to us through use in China, because of properties similar to Echinacea. If a person is put on chemotherapy in China, they are also given Astragalus to boost the immune system.

Garlic is wonderful, whether you cook with it or take the de-odorized capsules (sociable garlic), it is documented to help the body fight off colds and lower cholesterol.

Ginger also helps the body in many ways, I have friends who drink ginger tea all winter and never get a cold. Ginger is also wonderful in whatever form it is taken in, and there are many - capsules, candied ginger, ginger syrup, ginger ale, powdered and raw.

Propolis