With the recent cold snap and everyone spending time indoors spreading germs it’s easy to pick up a cold or the flu. We’ve had both kids off school leading up to the holidays and I was starting to feel snuffly and low in energy myself.

I knew I’d seen a post in our archives that Wendyl wrote some time ago with a few tips for boosting the immune system and a  recipe for a very effective (but not the best tasting) homemade cold and cough mixture.

“I was in the chemist the other day, and it was full of coughing and sneezing adults and children looking so miserable on a cold, wet afternoon. Long ago I gave up on cold and flu medicines that you get from the chemist because they don’t really work and I think you also get other side-effects. Nothing can get rid of a cold or flu once you have it, but you can ease the symptoms and shorten its length by supporting your immune system and soothing sore throats with natural remedies.

The sooner you get onto anyone who’s starting the feel effects the quicker you can help them. And remember natural herbs and minerals need time to work so stay on them for at least a week after your symptoms have disappeared to keep helping your immune system. If you are particularly prone to illness stay on them for a few months.

Some people swear by getting a flu jab from their doctor, but I don’t agree with those unless you are very poorly. If you are in good, general health, then I believe that we need to work with our own immune system to keep it updated and strong. So eat well, take some herbs, get fresh air and keep fit all year round to give your body the strongest immune system it can have, and when you do get a bug, let your body fight it off. Doing that updates the immune system, which has learned how to cope with the new strain of bacteria or virus. A bit like updating your computer virus software. I hope some of these tips help:

Take good doses of echinacea and olive leaf, which are herbs known for helping to improve the immune system.

Take 1000mg Vitamin C three times a day, liposomal/micron-particle is by far the best, this one from New Zealand Longevity Foundation is only $34.50 for 30 sachets, it doesn’t have all the fancy packaging but it does work.

Take zinc, which is known to be a virus scavenger

Take garlic if you’re not allergic to it, I find tablets are a lot easier to take than actual cloves.”

If you’re adventurous and serious about getting rid of your cold try is cough mixture that was shared by Madeleine Booths-Smits. She says it tastes particularly nasty but works a treat.

Serious Cold & Cough Mixture

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp fresh grated ginger or 1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 clove garlic, grated (I used minced garlic)
2 T raw honey
2 T lemon juice
Add all the ingredients in a jar and stir. You can heat to soften the honey. Take 1 dessertspoon every few hours or as needed. Store in the fridge and make more as you need. Will keep for several days.

Madeleine says: “This mixture looks, smells and taste disgusting! I honestly think it is THE most disgusting thing I have EVER tasted! But boy does it work! I got a great night’s sleep last night and feel much more human today. So even though it tastes foul, it is totally worth making. Just eat something yummy after taking it.”

Photo by Kelly Sikkema