Having a cold is no fun, however, there are plenty of natural cold remedies and tips that will nip a cold in the bud, or make it less severe and speed up the healing process. It’s a good idea to have these remedies on hand so you can begin treating your cold as soon as you feel like you might be getting sick.

Begin Holistic Treatments ASAP

When it comes to caring for a cold, one of the most important things is to take action as soon as possible in order to minimize the effects and duration of the infection. As soon as you feel that subtle telltale sensation in your throat, or unusual fatigue and aches, start your holistic cold care regimen. Don’t wait for symptoms to get worse!

Foods to Avoid

• Dairy
  

  Ice cream sums up all the foods to avoid when you have a cold: dairy, sugar, and cold foods.

  Consuming dairy can thicken phlegm in the throat, making it more irritating and bothersome, so if you are already dealing with a phlegmy situation, put dairy on hold and opt for some of the delicious and readily available non-dairy options for milk, yogurt, creamer, etc. For a delicious homemade plant milk try our almond milk recipe.

• Sugar
  Sugary foods and beverages suppress the immune system. It’s obvious that when you are battling a virus or bacterial infection, you need your immune system to be as strong as possible, so avoid this sweet temptation to keep your body strong and resilient.

• Cold Food and Beverages
  Consuming cold foods and beverages can lead to qi imbalance leading to symptoms such as chills, mucus, congestion, and fatigue. If you are sick, you’re probably already feeling this way, so keep your foods and drinks on the warmer side. Opt for room temperature water, warming teas, and nice hot soup..

Use Essential Oils

Make a room spray or use a diffuser with Detox oil. This blend features antiseptic essential oils to help disinfect your home environment.

Make a lung-clearing steam by placing a few drops of organic Eucalyptus oil in a pot of hot water. Inhale the steam to reduce and loosen mucus in the bronchial tubes. You can also add a few drops to a bath, apply them to the shower wall when you shower or put some on your pillow.

You can also diffuse or apply:

• Immune Vitality Essential Oil Blend: This blend stimulates the deep reserves of strength and power within, awakening the body’s immune response.

• Sinus & Headache Essential Oil Blend: This essential oil blend is great for soothing sinus tension, relieving stuffy noses, and bringing a sense of ease and healing to the sinuses.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C contributes to immune defense so it’s a good idea to eat vitamin C rich foods including bell pepper, broccoli, cantaloupe, cauliflower, citrus fruits, kale, kiwi, papaya, sweet potato, strawberries, and tomatoes.

You can also use a bio-available vitamin C supplement such as this Vitamin C powder.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture can nip a cold in the bud if you catch it early enough and can reduce cold and flu symptoms including sinus congestion, sore throat, coughing, and body aches.

If you are feeling sick and you are unsure whether you should come in for an appointment or not, you can follow these guidelines: if you have a high fever, or are too unwell or tired to leave the house, stay home, get plenty of rest and continue with your natural cold remedies from the comfort of home. Otherwise, coming in for an appointment is a great way to strengthen your immune response and treat a cold and its accompanying symptoms.

Chinese Herbal Formulas

Yin Chiao formula

This traditional Chinese herbal formula is a Chinese household staple for the common cold. This combination of 9 herbs to combat cold symptoms can be taken at the first sign of illness and during the entire cold. It can also be taken preventatively if you know you might be exposed to someone with a cold. It is especially helpful for colds that include sore throat, fever, muscle aches, chills, and dry cough.

Gui Zhi Tang

This is another centuries-old herbal formula for the common cold and flu. This formula helps you to sweat out the toxins so it is best for colds that present symptoms like chills and fever that are not relieved by sweating, as well as headache, stiff neck, aversion to wind, nasal congestion, and fatigue.

Gan Mao Ling

This highly effective Chinese herbal remedy is best to take right when you just start to get sick. It revs up your immune system and helps keep the cold from worsening. This formula is best taken when symptoms include sore throat, swollen glands, fever, and muscular stiffness.

Stop by the shop to pick up our high-quality herbal tablets.

Not sure which Chinese herbal formula to take? Schedule an appointment with Arogya acupuncturist Gregor Bertram or a Wellness Consultation with Arogya director Wei Bertram to receive the best herbal remedy for your condition.

Hydration & Herbal Teas

Hydration is paramount! It will help you clear your body of toxins, promote sweating if you have a fever and will keep your system running smoothly. Drink plenty of water and healing herbal teas:

• Cold Support Tea
This immune-boosting, throat-coating, and soothing herbal tea helps speed up recovery and soothe the body during colds and flus.

• Turmeric Ginger Tea
This healing blend has similar throat-coating and immune-boosting properties as the Cold & Flu tea, with a spicy and warming taste.

• Lung Cleanse Wellness Tea
This is a great tonic to cleanse, coat, and repair the lungs and respiratory tract, wonderful for coughing, bronchial congestion, and asthma.

• Energy Boost Tea
Once you are on the mend, herbs like ginseng and astragalus will help build and strengthen your Qi to bring you back into a state of wellness. Energy Boost Tea contains Yerba Mate, Ginseng and Green Tea to help your energy and strength return.

Colloidal Silver Tincture

Silver has a long history of medicinal use. It was first described by the father of modern medicine Hippocrates, who wrote about its antimicrobial properties. Today, colloidal silver tinctures are used for a variety of health concerns due to its antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties. Taken orally, it can help fight infections; taken as a nasal spray it can treat sinus infections, and when applied topically it can sterilize wounds and fungal infections. You can find colloidal silver online or in most health food stores.

For more natural home remedies, check out our blog Creating a Holistic Medicine Cabinet.

by Chloe Bolton