by Hannah Eddy
Cold and flu season is undoubtedly among us (We’re sick editing this). But did you know the cold and flu virus are known to peak during the month of February?!
Our first instinct is usually to go straight to the medicine cabinet or doctor’s office the moment we feel a cough or running nose coming on. But we have to remember that our bodies are amazing machines with their own build in defense system against illnesses!
That is not to say our bodies couldn’t use a little to help every now and again to prepare for battle! But turning immediately to antibiotics and prescriptions can potentially wipe out our immune system if these things are overused.
Here are a few holistic remedies to have on hand should that a dreaded cold strike!
Vitamin A
When you think of fighting colds, people immediately turn to vitamin C. But Vitamin A is a key when you have a case of the sniffles! Vitamin A can help during a cold by strengthening the immune system and reducing inflammation in the body. Great sources of Vitamin A include carrots, butternut squash, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and kale.
Garlic
Garlic does more than keep vampires away. It can keep a cold away too, since it is a powerful, natural antibiotic and boosts the immune system! And if you don’t want to keep other humans away with your garlic breath, it is available in capsule form too.
Zinc
Zinc is also great when you have a cold due to its immune system boosting properties. Zinc can be found in spinach, beef, lamb, cashews, beans, and mushrooms. You can also this mineral by taking zinc lozenges. But be sure it doesn’t contain citric acid, sorbitol, or mannitol, for these will prevent zinc from effectively being absorbed by the body.
Astragalus
This is an herb that is helpful with colds because it promotes your body’s ability to make white blood cells, which are key in fighting infections. Astragalus can be found in many cold-fighting medical teas and in capsule form. However, it is advised that you not take astragalus is you have a fever.
Ginger
Ginger can also help your cold. It can also help settle an uneasy stomach. So if you are feeling a bit queasy, try a natural ginger ale or ginger lozenge. Here is a great ginger chicken noodle soup recipe that can help blast away your cold!
Do you have a remedy that you swear by?
Source: Balch, P. (2010). Prescription for nutritional healing: A practical A-to-Z reference to drug-free remedies using vitamins, minerals, herbs, and food supplements (5th ed.). New York: Avery.
Hannah Eddy is the voice behind The Wholey Trinity, a blog dedicated to advocating for holistic health and nutrition. She is a dietitian-in-training and believes that true health encompasses the mind, body, and spirit, aka The Wholey Trinity. Hannah is a current graduate student at Fontbonne University in St. Louis, MO where she is getting her Master’s in Multidisciplinary Health Communication Studies and completing her dietetic internship. She loves experimenting
in the kitchen, fitness, and curling up with a good cup of tea!