315: Effective Cold And Flu Home Remedies
Ashley James
Effective cold and flu remedies are what I'm going to share with you today since it's flu season. You surely don't want to be sick during the holidays, so it's best to bookmark this episode of effective cold and flu remedies that have been tested and proven.
First of all, it's important to know how your immune system works. Our blood circulates through the heart and lungs. It got oxygenated and pumped out to all the cells in the body. This is how the body receives oxygen and nutrition to the 37.3 trillion cells in our body.
And the lymph system is responsible for collecting the fluid from the cells and brings it back to the circulatory system where the blood is. It's the white blood cells get to go into the lymph system.
When there's a presence of virus and bacteria, the lymph system detects it. Hence, the lymph nodes harden. But don't be alarmed when you feel it because it's a good thing. The lymph system holds those bad bacteria inside those lymph nodes. It brings in the lymphocytes which are the white blood cells to attack the bad bacteria.
While that's happening, this is also when we feel under the weather, experiencing anything from a cough, sore throat, chills, fever or sinus issues. But we can counter all that with effective cold and flu remedies.
Our immune system is spread throughout our whole body, but most of it is centered around the digestive system. And the digestive system is one of the main areas where a virus can get into our body. That's why we have to make sure our gut is always healthy. And we can achieve this by having a diet that supports gut health.
For our immune system to work optimally, the body needs 16 vitamins, 12 amino acids, two essential fatty acids, and 60 trace minerals and elements. And an excellent way to get all these nutrients is by eating right, particularly a variety of vegetables and fruits.
Cow Dairy
Some people notice a decrease in immune response once they drink cow's milk. Some people find that drinking cow milk is healthy for them. So it's all about listening to your body if it responds well to cow milk.
If you notice any symptoms after drinking cow milk, consider 100% omitting cow milk from your diet for 30 days. Then re-introduce it after a month and see how your body responds.
The thing is, people don't realize that in drinking cow milk, you are drinking the immune system of another animal. That's why for some people, it negatively affects their immune response. Hence, Naturopaths usually recommend eliminating dairy from their diet.
Processed Sugar
Processed sugar also tears down our immune system. So, eating foods that contain processed sugar or flour, it spikes blood sugar. And in eating processed sugar, we are also feeding an infection like candida or some other opportunistic germs because they live off sugar.
Consider lowering or eliminating sugar or any processed sugar like agave or honey. Stevia, on the other hand, doesn't create sugar in the body because it's an herb.
Recommended Foods
I can't stress this enough—eat lots of veggies! Start with protein-rich foods, in your case it would be eggs and wild-caught fish as well as lentils.
A colorful variety of veggies contains all of the antioxidants and immune boosting phytochemicals we need. Mushrooms and onions, for example, are excellent immune boosters.
Shopping List
Below is my list of proven activities to help relieve the suffering and support your immune system in recovering faster. Do what you can, when you can.
Relaxing and giving the body time to heal is the best thing you can do. Immune-supportive activities would include resting, staying warm and doing things that make you happy.
But first, here's a shopping list of what you'll need:
Throat Coat Tea: https://amzn.to/2QU0fix
Colloidal Silver Nasal Spray: https://amzn.to/2GkFubP
OLBAS: https://amzn.to/2A3gZKy
Epsom Salt, high-quality bulk bag: https://amzn.to/2GiTaEi
Rebounder – See below
4 Organic Lemons
2 Packets of Fresh Thyme
Two thumbs of Fresh Ginger
Cayenne powder, optional: https://amzn.to/2GhKhut
Neti Pot, optional: https://amzn.to/2GvmZ4L
Two pairs of organic cotton socks: https://amzn.to/2rBDFNs
Large wool socks: https://amzn.to/2GgAbdi
Rebounding
Rebounding is a way to strengthen the lymphatic system. Get a small trampoline for adults which you can find on eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Offer Up or Craigslist. Here are some examples:
High Quality, around $200 New
- Sportplus Silent Fitness Mini Trampoline – https://amzn.to/2GjLamx
Good Quality, around $100 New
What to look for in a rebounder for Lymph circulation:
- The kind that does not have springs, but instead has bands that hold the trampoline mat in place. This will make it a quiet experience, so it doesn't squeak every time you bounce.
- Be sure the max weight is above what you weigh.
- Get one that folds away so you can store it under your bed or couch when not in use.
- Get one with a handlebar for safety and stability.
- For fun, you can also pay a bit more and get one that comes with attachments and workout DVDs, so you can also use the rebounder for great home cardio workouts that are fun!
Jump on the rebounder for ten minutes a day. Ideally, do it once in the morning and again at night. Don't jump to the point your feet are leaving the mat. Because if you are, you're not rebounding. Just bounce. Do some slow, deep breathing as you bounce.
By doing this, you'll notice you have way more energy, and you'll feel calmer. And it supports your immune system. It helps to pull all that fluid out and back in through the lymph nodes.
Importance of Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a hormone the body makes when we expose our skin or eyes to direct sunlight. The vitamin level you are looking for is anywhere between 50 to 60. Some doctors recommend it to be higher than 60.
Ideally, you should do your blood work at least once a year to test your vitamin D levels. If it falls below 50, you have to take some vitamin D supplements. And if it's below 30, some Naturopaths will recommend taking 10,000 international units for 30 days. Then back to 5,000 international units for the next two months after which you need to get tested again.
If your vitamin D levels are not trending upwards or close to 60, it's probably because you are not taking enough supplements, your gut is not absorbing it. You may also have something going on with your parathyroid or other factors.
If your levels are lower than 30, you are at risk for cancer, a lowered immune system response and lower energy. Not a lot of people know that you can get fatigue from lower vitamin D levels. Also, check out episode 34 where I did a whole episode about vitamin D with Dr. Heidi Semanie.
There's a vitamin D test from Walkinlab.com is about $60. Get your vitamin D tested at least once a year. If it is still low after taking a daily supplement, please consult a Naturopathic doctor or a physician that is trained in understanding vitamin D deficiencies and how to address them.
Take Your Supplements
If you're a regular listener of my show, you most likely have noticed that I often mention www.takeyoursupplements.com. I could not express enough how they have significantly helped my family's health over the years.
From their website, you can buy the liquid vitamin, amino acid and mineral drink that my family and I take. You can also get a great vitamin D spray for your kids and an excellent liquid mineral supplement for your whole family.
The dose is also based on body weight. As you grow, the more nutrition your body needs. And once your body gets the nutrition it needs, the body starts functioning better.
Cold Sock Treatment
The Cold Sock Treatment is a simple hydrotherapy technique that is especially effective for relieving nasal congestion in bed at night (frequently better than medications and without the side effects).
It also helps to stimulate the immune system in the upper respiratory tract and is relaxing for aches and chills and helps bring on a more restful night’s sleep when sick.
We find it helpful in such conditions as colds, “flu” (not the “stomach flu”), earaches, sore throats, and sinus infections. It is useful with people of any age from infants to the elderly. The Cold Sock Treatment is especially good to use with the nasal congestion of colds and influenza.
You want to do this treatment for five or more nights in a row. And do it whenever you feel the onset of a cold or flu as sometimes it is all the stimulation your immune system needed to get the job done!
Most sporting goods stores and some department stores carry wool socks. For small children you can use safety pins to hold a wool sock on that is too large, or rap wool cloth around each foot.
For this treatment, you will need two pairs of large cotton socks and a pair of wool socks. They must be at least 90% cotton and 90% wool, respectively.
Preparations: In the evening before going to bed, prepare by having two pairs of large cotton socks and a couple of wool socks.
At least 1 hour before bed soak both pairs of cotton socks in cold water and place in the freezer. The wool socks are to remain dry and warm.
- Step 1. Remove socks from the freezer and add a bit of cold water to them to make them damp and malleable. Place the cold socks close to the basin or bathtub used in the next step.
Note: If your feet are already warm (e.g., you have already been in bed, or you just took a hot bath) you can skip to Step 3.
- Step 2. Put your feet into a basin or bathtub of hot water to warm up your feet. Soak them for a few minutes until they are hot and pink.
- Step 3. Remove your feet from the hot water and quickly dry them off. Immediately put on the two pairs of cold, wet cotton socks, and then over them, put on the dry wool socks.
- Step 4. Go directly to bed and keep the feet covered through the night. The therapy does not work if you or your feet are uncovered, such as when walking around or sitting in a chair uncovered.
Use extra blankets to create an artificial fever. See my instructions on creating a good fever using a hot bath and extra blankets below.
When the Cold Sock Treatment procedure is followed the feet correctly will start warming up within a few minutes of getting covered in bed. The congestion will usually begin to be relieved within 30 minutes.
It will often work better than a decongestant or antihistamine to alleviate congestion during sleep.
Also, it is not uncommon to see a small child or infant fall immediately to sleep after they are put to bed with the Cold Sock Treatment. After approximately four hours the socks should be totally dry, the feet warm, and the symptoms will be much improved (if not gone).
If necessary, the Cold Sock Treatment can be repeated through the night or used on consecutive nights. Just add more pairs of wet cotton socks to the freezer ion the evening if you want to repeat it a few times in the night.
In repeating the treatment in the same night or if an illness starts during the night, it is not necessary to warm the feet in hot water since they will already be warm. Just apply the cold, wet socks and the dry wool socks and go back to bed, using extra covers to stay warm. And be sure to drink plenty of warm calming tea.
Fresh Thyme Tea
This is a WONDERFUL herb for expelling congestion and also as an antiviral. You will take 4 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Remove from heat. Add half a package of fresh thyme and cover for 6 minutes. Serve with lemon or honey or drink plain.
You want to drink this earlier in the day as it will stimulate you to cough because it loosens the mucus and helps get rid of it! If drank too late into the night the coughing might keep you awake. The thyme does not cause you to cough. It causes the mucus to break up and move. Your body then wants to cough it up. So best if you are not lying down when that happens.
Because this works so well as a decongestant, I like to drink about 8 cups of this a day when I am congested, so I will easily go through two to four packets of fresh thyme during a bad cold.
Throat Coat Tea
For this tea recipe, use two bags of the Throat Coat tea for 16oz of water. So, you will want to buy a few boxes of it as during one bad cold you may go through a few boxes because it does bring relief from the scratchy, itchy throat!
There are no side effects to drinking this tea. There are wonderful herbs in the tea that support being calm and feeling good.
The organic tea is by a company called Traditional Medicinals. They also have another product called Breathe Easy. It's a great blend, too.
Hot Water And Lemon Juice Tea
This tea is something from my childhood. Citrus is a mucus creator, but the juice of two lemons in four cups of water help cut the mucus especially if you have a really bad sore throat. You can also use limes if you don't like lemons.
We add ginger because ginger calms to stomach. You can play around with the concoction by adding more herbs like peppermint.
OLBAS
I discovered OLBAS when I was a teenager. OLBAS is not a massage oil. It's 100% essential oil. It's like Vicks Vaporub because a lot of essential oils used in Vicks Vaporub is in OLBAS.
OLBAS is a bunch of essential oils that are perfect for the respiratory system like frankincense. It opens up the airways, so it's really good for asthmatics. However, frankincense is not an OLBAS. Eucalyptus is also fantastic for the lungs.
If you can't find OLBAS in your area, you can use other blends that are also wonderful for addressing congestion. Incidentally, OLBAS is also effective in treating sinus, bronchial or lung congestion. Only use one or two drops at a time.
OLBAS Steam Towel Treatment for Sinus Congestion
You will need a large bowl or pot, OLBAS, boiling water, a large towel, and tissues. Then follow the procedure below:
- Place something safe on your kitchen table to protect the table from the hot bowl or pot.
- Place the big bowl or pot with boiling water on the table and sit in front of it.
- Have more water boiling in a kettle on the stove.
- Add 1 or 2 drops of the OLBAS to the hot water.
- Take your large towel and put it over your head and over the pot making a tent to trap the steam. Your head is now leaning over the pot directly above it. Keep your eyes closed as the vapors will sting your eyes.
- Take a deep breath through your nose.
- Do this for the next 2 minutes.
Then remove the towel. Blow your nose a bunch, cough up any mucus you feel the need to expel and repeat by adding only one drop of OLBAS this time.
After a minute or two add more hot water from the stove and repeat a third time adding 1 or 2 drops of OLBAS, using the towel as a tent and inhaling all the vapors through your nose. Taking breaks to blow and clear your sinuses.
You will want to do this more than once a day as your sinuses may refill in a few hours. Be sure to do it before bed if you are not going to take the hot bath I have outlined above.
After you have completed the OLBAS treatment and you have blown everything out of your nose use the colloidal silver nasal spray liberally. With each spray change the angle of your head, so you start to look up making the last spray so that you are looking directly at the ceiling. This angle change as you spray and inhale into your nose will help to direct the solution into all sinus passages.
Even when you have not done the OLBAS treatment, please use the silver spray liberally through the day. I have killed sinus infections with this one supplement alone! You also want to keep a bottle by your bedside and do it whenever you wake in the night to blow your nose. Three to five sprays per nostril while inhaling. And you can also spray the back of your throat while inhaling as well.
Colloidal Silver Nasal Spray
Seven years ago, I had the worst sinus infection. Apparently, in the presence of silver, pathogens can't survive.
This is how to use this product:
- Sit up straight with your nose facing the wall.
- Spray three times while inhaling in one nostril and three times in the next nostril.
- Then take your nose and eyes and look up approximately on a 45-degree angle. Spray again and inhale as you spray.
- The third time you do it, make your nose point all the way up to the ceiling.
You cannot overdose on the spray. So it's very safe. But as always, it's best to have a Naturopath to guide you. Use it every few hours especially after the OLBAS treatment if your sinuses are very clogged.
Artificial Fever Treatment
We want to create an artificial fever to support the body in killing the germs! Because pathogens cannot survive in heat or a feverish environment.
One thing that is very interesting about the immune system is there are powerful white blood cells that do not even turn on until the body is in a fever state. So, doing things like hot baths, drinking hot fluids and saunas can help to stimulate all of our immune system to fight a cold or flu when we feel one coming on.
First, make one of the teas of your choice or chamomile tea. You can also make this concoction:
- 4 cups water
- The juice of 2 lemons
- One teaspoon Cayenne
- One thumb of freshly grated ginger
- Stevia, maple syrup or honey if you need it to taste good. However, be cautious as germs feed off of sugar, so stevia is the safest option.
Simmer the water and add the ginger and Cayenne. Then remove from heat and the lemon and optional sweetener. This helps with sore throats and congestion. Bring a large mug of your hot drink to the bath.
This is how to prepare the hot bath:
- Prepare a bath as hot as you can stand it.
- Do not burn yourself but make it very warm.
- Keep the door to the bathroom closed while drawing the hot bath to keep the warm steam inside.
- You will want to breathe it in along with the essential oils you will place in the tub.
- Add 4 cups of Epsom salt, roughly half the bag, to the bath as the tub is filling up with hot water.
Have ready several blankets in your bed as you will create a cocoon once you come out of the bath.
Before getting into the bath add ten drops of the OLBAS and stir the water to make sure it mixes in and that the salt has dissolved. Close the bathroom door, so you can breathe in the OLBAS and warm, moist air while in the bath.
Get in, relax and drink your hot beverage. See if you can get your husband to refill your drink. Soak for 20 minutes minimum. You can add more hot water to the bath to increase the temp as you will become accustomed to the heat.
When you start to sweat, stay in 5 minutes longer, then you can get out. Do not stay in longer than 60min. Make sure you have drunk at least two mugs of hot tea while in the bath.
If at any point you feel dizzy or light-headed, ask for assistance in getting out of the bath. You can try adding some cold water to the bath to bring down the temp a bit to see if the dizziness resolves itself.
Make sure your husband is within earshot in case you need help. Sometimes hot baths can make people feel light headed when they stand so to prevent an accident, please be aware that you may need to ask for a hand in getting out of the bath safely.
If you develop a headache while in the hot bath, take a hand towel, the kind that is long enough to wrap around your neck, soak it with cold water from the tub's faucet and wrap it around your neck. This will cool the blood flowing to your brain and trick your brain into thinking you are not as hot as you are.
Have another mug of hot tea waiting for you by your bedside.
When you are ready to get out of the bath, towel off quickly and wrap yourself in one of your many blankets, then get into bed and create a cocoon. Cover everything, even your head. Just have your face exposed so you can breathe and sip tea.
At this point, you can do the cold sock therapy as well. Get your husband to bring you the frozen socks and dry wool socks. Stay bundled up for at least an hour. You will begin to sweat and feel feverish.
Fight the urge to throw off the blankets! You want to create a little sauna in your bed. This is stimulating your immune system to kill the germs AND germs also cannot live in a feverish environment as their proteins denature at a higher temperature. So, they explode and break apart when we get too warm for them to handle. YAY! Visualize your white blood cell soldiers coming to life and winning the battle with the bugs as you lay in your cocoon.
At this point, you can fall asleep like this, or if you did this during the daytime you can take a nap or get out of bed after the hour is up. You will want to shower off when you do get out of bed, and likely the blanket you initially wrapped yourself in will be wet from sweat.
Still, bundle up and keep as warm as possible both day and night for the next week. You can do this daily while your cold or flu symptoms are around. Please be sure to drink extra water and make it warm or hot instead of cold.
Bottom line, don't be afraid to seek help from a health practitioner if you still feel too sick. Get checked out before it gets worse.
Homeopathy
Homeopathy is so affordable and buy the kits or vials to keep in your medicine cabinet for your immediate use whenever you need them. If kept in a cool, dark area, they can retain their potency for years.
Do check out a guest I had in past episodes who talked about Homeopathy and other natural flu remedies extensively. Dr. Cilla Whatcott specializes in homeoprophylaxis which is a natural version of immunization. Because you can use it to train the immune system to mount a healthy immune response to pathogens.
Homeopathy has no side effects, yet it gives amazing results when it comes to helping people move through illnesses faster.
Get Educated
Whenever you try any remedy in Natural Medicine, you still need to understand if any risks or side effects may crop up. Because even herbal medicine if misused, may be dangerous.
Continuously do research and get as many references and resources from reputable Naturopathic Doctors and health practitioners. The more perspectives you get, the better you can advocate for yourselves.
Thank you for taking the time to listen to my tips and tricks on how to reach optimal health naturally and effective cold and flu remedies. I have lots in store for you this coming January, especially my very affordable $37 workshop. Those are four live webinars about creating healthy habits that make a huge difference in your health.
Have a fantastic day and enjoy this wonderful holiday season!
Recommended Links:
Four-day Webinar:
Fevers in children and what to do:
Article on Using Homeopathy to prevent Flu and to relieve flu-like symptoms by Cilla Whatcott, Ph.D.:
Listen to my four interviews with Cilla Whatcott:
Episode 305: How To Naturally Avoid The Flu
Episode 228: Homeopathy
Episode 155: Real Immunity
Episode 137: Homeoprophylaxis
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Ashley James
Health Coach, Podcast Creator, Homeschooling Mom, Passionate About God & Healing
Ashley James is a Holistic Health Coach, Podcaster, Rapid Anxiety Cessation Expert, and avid Whole Food Plant-Based Home Chef. Since 2005 Ashley has worked with clients to transform their lives as a Master Practitioner and Trainer of Neuro-linguistic Programming.
Her health struggles led her to study under the world’s top holistic doctors, where she reversed her type 2 diabetes, PCOS, infertility, chronic infections, and debilitating adrenal fatigue.
In 2016, Ashley launched her podcast Learn True Health with Ashley James to spread the TRUTH about health and healing. You no longer need to suffer; your body CAN and WILL heal itself when we give it what it needs and stop what is harming it!
The Learn True Health Podcast has been celebrated as one of the top holistic health shows today because of Ashley’s passion for extracting the right information from leading experts and doctors of holistic health and Naturopathic medicine
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