Fight off colds & flu naturally

A naturopathic guide to surviving the flu season

By Lani Lopez Naturopath BHsc, Adv Dip Nat.

Many people confuse a cold with a flu.  It may be possible to soldier on with a cold, but you can’t fight your way through the flu, it lays you out for days if not weeks and this year’s seasonal flu, as it is every year, is a nasty and debilitating virus.

The big question is; Can I keep the flu at bay?  Yes you can! You can start right away too. We can all take some powerful and simple steps immediately, to fortify your body against the common cold and flu.

Start with a healthy perspective. Stop thinking illness and focus on activating your immune system. This advice applies if you are well (and want to stay that way) or if you already feel run down with cold or flu.

Here’s the do’s and don’ts to boost your immune system and fight-off colds or flu.

Flu Season Do’s

Fight stress.  Stress impairs immunity. Stop, breathe and relax. Do this often every day.  A few minutes relaxing your breathing, lowering your heart rate and easing tension out of the body is a powerful restorative.  

Ease the Load. When you’re run down take steps immediately to stop life’s pressure if you can.  Put on hold all the activities and obligations you can and ask for support from those close with what really must be done

Rest. I don’t recommend exercising if someone has a cold or flu. In rare circumstances the virus can damage the heart. Extra stress on the body reduces its capacity to heal itself when you should be resting.

Eat for immunity.  Feed your immune system, and keep it at optimum by filling up on vegetables, soups, fruits, lean meats and good carbohydrates rice and pasta.

If you have to have sugar, have fruit or hot drinks with Manuka honey, ginger and lemon to sooth sore throats, chests and sweetly warm you up.

Reduce alcohol and caffeine.

Attack the aches.  Pop a hot water bottle on your chest, back, stomach or wherever you need that heat and comfort. Wrap in a towel so it’s not too hot, just like grandma used too.  She really did know best!

Keep it clean.  If you are sick or those around you are, wipe germs away to stop bugs spreading.  Keep hands and surfaces clean.  Wash hands regularly.  Got the sniffles?  Use tissues or a hanky and dispose of them quickly.  Wash hands after sneezing or coughing. 

Supplements that help you ward off the flu and cold or help you fight it.

Olive leaf extract formulas and complex supplements like OLE-Up work wonders.  Take the directed dose for maintenance or the higher dose if you have an cold or flu. I rate these as the number one supplements and herbal extracts to kill bacteria and viruses and you can take them with prescribed medicine.

Congestion specialised remedies are great when you have a cold or flu (ask your health store or chemist).  

Inhale Friars balsam, lavender, eucalyptus oil or menthol based rubs are wonderful steam inhalants to help clear chest, sore throats and sinuses. Massage essential oils like these into chest, back and feet for congestion relief.

Flu Season Don’ts

Soldiering on.  If you are sick, to get better, you need to stop and rest.  Don’t share your sickness, don’t go work or any group activity. 

Junk food. Your immune system needs nutrition don’t sabotage it with junk.

Avoid refined sugar; too much simple refined sugar can lower the ability of immune system white blood cells to kill viruses. 

Smoking, every addicted smoker I know is constantly waiting for the impetus to quit. Getting sick with the cold or flu is the perfect prompt.

Lastly a note on antibiotics. 

If you have a virus they won’t work but if you have a bacterial infection such as strep throat, or infectious pneumonia and bronchitis take the full course. Don’t stop half way. That way you can make superbugs that are resistant to antibiotics.   After a set of antibiotics take acidophilus supplements to renew your beneficial bacteria. These are part of your immune system and fight bad bugs.

Got a comment to make on this article or a health question you’d like Lani to focus a Healthy Talk article on? email healthytalk@lanilopez.com