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It’s Time to Stock Up On the BEST Natural Cold and Flu Remedies!
It’s that time of year again! Fall and winter are almost here (thank goodness, I am so sick of the heat!), so it’s time to think about stocking up on immune support. The last few winters brought a shortage of elderberries so I have personally been thinking about stocking up early. So I figured I would make a new post about all of the BEST cold and flu remedies.
Now I know that people don’t only get sick in fall and winter, but it is definitely the most popular time of year to talk about all of the illnesses that are going around. Plus, we’re in the time that kids are going back to school which is DEFINITELY a time where colds start getting passed around.
If you are one that is constantly catching every single bug that is going around, the best start is to address your diet. Obviously, we want to always aim for a clean, real foods diet but it is especially important to follow this to keep your immune system strong. Refined sugars, fake foods, and artificial sweeteners are foreign invaders to the body and will not help strengthen your health at all. Fresh fruits and veggies, grass-fed meats and dairy, lots of grass-fed butter and coconut oil and real sweeteners (used moderately) are part of an ideal diet.
The BEST Natural Cold and Flu Remedies to Stock Up On
- Elderberry Syrup: Elderberries are one of the best immune boosters out there. There is a lot of evidence that elderberry syrup is so strong that it is an effective treatment for the flu! Elderberries are high in vitamin C, which we know is a crucial nutrient for immune health. Elderberries are anti-inflammatory but they have a laxative, diuretic, and expectorant properties. You can get a printable form of the recipe here. You can buy syrup pre-made, but it is much more affordable to buy the supplies yourself. A whole pound of elderberries (which will make many batches of syrup) is the same price as a small portion of pre-made syrup.
- If you find it hard to use Elderberry syrup, you can also use a tincture! This one from Earthley is one of the best I have been able to find since it has the herbs that are synergistic to elderberry as well.
- Earthley’s Feel Better Fast tincture is also incredible!
- Cod Liver oil: Vitamins A and D are absolutely crucial for immune health. There is so much focus on vitamin D these days, but vitamin A is likely an even more common deficiency. Cod liver oil has the BEST ratio of these 2 vitamins, especially when it is a good quality product. My favorite CLO is NutraPro. It is the best value and best quality. You can snag a bottle here, and save 10% with the code SASSY at checkout.
- Vitamin C: Vitamin C is a very important nutrient for immune health but we have been lied to about what true vitamin C is. 90% of the supplements you will see out there that have “vitamin C” on the label are really ascorbic acid which is just the shell of the vitamin C complex. . Read all about whole food C here. Ascorbic acid can actually cause copper deficiency while whole food vitamin C supports proper copper balance. Copper is an antioxidant and another nutrient that is needed for proper immune health. I love Synergy Pure Radiance for a supplement, and Earthley has an amazing whole food C as well. Perfect Supplements now has a pure Acerola powder too (you can use the code SASSY for 10% off as well!).
- Fire Cider: This is some STRONG stuff! You can find recipes for fire cider all over natural health sites, so I recommend finding one that appeals to you. Usually, this concoction includes garlic, onions, apple cider vinegar and some hot peppers and you take a small dose each day to help with preventing infections. I like this one from Herbal Academy.
- One of my favorite things to keep around just in case we end up with a cold is the Seasonal Sampler teas from Traditional Medicinals. This box includes Echinacea Plus, Gypsy Cold Care, Throat Coat, and Breathe Easy. My favorites are the first two (and they do have their own boxes of each of these- it’s usually just easier to find the sampler box in stores).
- Herb Pharm also has many things specific for immune support: tinctures for adults and for kids, and even this spray!
- Oscillococcinum homeopathic is the best overall remedy for the flu. They also have Coldcare which is great for more milder colds.
- Chest Clear from Urban Moonshine is a strong remedy that can be used for chest congestion! This is truly an amazing remedy. They also have Immune Zoom which is yet another awesome cold/flu supporter.
How to Keep your Immune System Strong Naturally