Herbal Remedys for colds

Some do not believe in over-the-counter drugs remedies for the aiding in the fight against the common cold, unless the symptoms are so severe that it may suggest something much deeper than that of just a cold or light flu symptoms. For anything more than the common condition, you should seek a doctor's advice or care. Many have over the years devised their own way of attacking the nagging cough and sniffles that come with that dreaded condition.

Many suggested remedies can be researched and found in most self-care or herbal remedy books available today. It is not hard to find any information that you may be seeking in reference to herbal or natural care these days.

Natural care began the earliest recorded time and before. Since we did not have drugs in the ancient times we had to rely on other methods for our self proclaimed cures. Everything had already been supplied for us just by looking out our back doors and turning to nature.

Below I will list several examples that have been tried and weeded through to include only the best ones that are most effective. It is our hope that you will have great success with these wonderful weapons against the everyday common cold. Colds are caused by any one of about 20 different viruses. Continuing on, the following paragraphs are some of the many ways that people choose to fight the common cold.

Herbal Therapy

Garlic can help prevent colds and help reduce symptoms because it contains a potent antibiotic called allicin, which is released when cloves of garlic are chopped, crushed or chewed. You can add raw garlic to foods as a preventive measure, or you can buy garlic supplements, which are available in most health food stores. The best supplement form is "enteric-coated capsules". They are easier for the body to absorb. Please follow label directions for dosage. 300 milligrams daily is the norm for as long as symptoms persist. It has also been found that if you will boil a couple of very strong white onions and cover your head, as you would with a vaporizer, you will find good relief from nasal stuffiness. You may also purchase these capsules in an odorless and tasteless form for those of you that have an intolerance to garlic.

Juice Therapy

"Fresh" pineapple juice is wonderful for colds! It's less allergenic than citrus and less acidic in the stomach, it won't upset it and cause that burning feeling that you can get with orange juice, and it actually contains more vitamin C. It also breaks down mucus better. To treat a cold, drink four to eight ounces of juice at least four times a day. You can dilute the pineapple juice with the same amount of water.

Food Therapy

Grapefruit is a great food for fighting a cold. One reason is it is high in vitamin C. A lesser-known reason is that grapefruit helps detoxify the liver. Your liver is the front line to the immune system and when the immunity is impaired, you need something that is alkaline and not acidic to detoxify it. All citrus fruits become alkaline when metabolized in the body, but oranges and other citrus fruits are too sweet to promote proper liver drainage, so you get much better detoxification from grapefruit. By eating one or more grapefruit and their white bitter pulp each day, you will help prevent colds and build an immunity. Grapefruit is also known as a wonder drug for breaking down fatty tissue and helping you in weight loss.

Aromatherapy

At first sign of a cold, if you have one, turn on your aromatic diffuser. Scenting a room with the right scents can relieve the symptoms of a cold. Great ones to use are exotic essences such as ravensare and niaouli for their natural anti-infectious and antiviral properties. Because these oils have strong, slightly medicinal smells, you could blend them with a sweeter-smelling oil such as rosewood, lemon, fir, cherry, coconut, blackberry, eucalyptus, or pine. All if these have an antiseptic effect. The most important thing is to start using aromatics as soon as you start feeling weak and run-down.