Originally published September 3 2009
Use Natural Remedies for the Common Cold
by Barbi Trejo
(NaturalNews) During sometime in this year, you will most likely succumb to the common cold. Even the strongest or the bravest person will at times have the nasty old "common cold" bug. Many confuse the flu with the cold and there are some simple differences to help you know which treatment to take. Natural medicines should be taken at all times, as antibiotics will only suppress your immune system.
When is it more than just a cold?
- Shortness of breath or wheezing
- Sore throat
- Little or no appetite
- Excessive pain in the lungs, throat or ears
- A temperature over 101 degrees for more than 3 days
- A fever of 103 degrees or more.
It is important when looking at any natural remedy, to first increase your immune system and then attack the bug. A clean body cannot get the cold or the flu. There are approximately 200 different viruses that cause the common cold and the most known virus is called "Respiratory Syncitial Virus" (RSV). Colds are infectious disease and can be passed on to others.
What is the difference between asthma and the flu or common cold?
- Fever
What is the difference between the flu and the common cold?
- The common cold is basically an illness above the neck
- With the flu, you will feel bad all over
- lack of energy
- flushed face
- fever of 102-106 degrees
What are the symptoms of the common cold?
- Sneezing
- Runny and dripping nasal problems
- Nasal congestion
What are the natural remedies for the common cold?
- Vitamin C - Immediately increase your intake of vitamin C.
- Olive leaf - As soon as you get the first cold symptoms, you should take twenty-one capsules of dried olive leaf. The following days you should take 9 capsules each day. In most cases, the cold will not last longer than one day, if you catch the cold in the beginning stages.
- For a dripping nose problem, use a warm salt water solution - Take a tea glass of warm water and place one tablespoon of salt in the water and dissolve the salt. You can either use a dropper or the "push method." If you want to use the push method, then place the salt water in your cupped hand and push quickly to the nose and inhale. Do this for both nostrils.
- Chamomile tea - Boil a medium size pot of chamomile tea and take the pot over to a table. Place your head over the pot and inhale the fumes with a towel over your head. Immediately go to bed and pull the covers over your head and try to go to sleep.
- Chicken Soup - Researchers found that eating some chicken soup helped to unclog your nose. They are not sure if it is the aroma of the soup or the taste, but it did help to clear the nasal passages.
- Liquids - Drink between 6-8 glasses of water, juice, tea or liquids every single day. Stay away from all milk products.
- No smoking - Smoking aggravates the throat and interferes with the infection fighting cilia, microscopic "fingers" that remove the bacteria from your throat. So put out the "butt."
- Sip on hot teas - As your throat will be tender, the best solution is a nice herbal tea. Peppermint or chamomile tea will work wonders.
- Showers - Take a nice hot steamy shower. A nice hot shower clears up nasal congestion. This relieves your cough by moistening your throat.
- Garlic - Take at least 4-5 gloves of garlic per day.
- Echinacea and goldenseal - Both of these herbs are excellent natural antibiotics. Echinacea is best when you buy the fresh root and suck on the plant itself.
- Make sure your diet is full of fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. It is important to keep your immune system in very good shape, so go raw and go natural.
- Vitamins - At the onset of the cold, take your vitamins such as A, B, C, D and E. Ginger is very good for stomach inflammation also. So brew up a nice cup of ginger tea.
Ginger Tea:
1 cup of water
1 teaspoon of ground ginger
Bring the water and ginger to boil and then remove the pot from the fire and let it cool for 30 minutes. Then you may add some honey and sip the tea slowly. It will also soothe the throat.
http://www.essortment.com/all/commoncoldreme...
http://www.home-remedies-for-you.com/remedy/...
http://www.prevention.com/cda/article/dr-wei...
About the author
Barbi Trejo is a natural hygiene foodist and loves the medicine of the earth. After being diagnosed with MS and early onset dementia last year, she cured herself using herbs and juicing from the earth. She now spends her time helping others.
Barbi Trejo lives in Jordan with her cat, Baby. Barbi is writes for Suite101, Break Studios and Associated Content. She moderates four forums and six blogs in her spare time.
Barbi has just released her first eBook entitled, "Everything You Would Ever Want to Know About Black Seeds (Nigella sativa) and more. It can be seen at http://nigellasativa.weebly.com
Barbi is also a Twitter Manager for many of the top Natural Health Writers here on Natural News.com and Corporations. To learn more about how Twitter can benefit you, contact her at [email protected] and make sure to put Twitter as the reason for the email.
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