Ut Oh!!! You feel it coming on. You are tired, irritable and then your body feels achy and your throat is scratchy…………….NOOOOOO!!!! There is no time to be sick, I have too many things that I need to do!!!!!

We have all been there. We ignore our body’s subtle signs until you have to listen and provide it some love or else you are going down and will be forced to rest.

Winter seems to be the worst. We spend too many hours indoors and not enough time in nature. Our heating system dries out our mucus membranes. There are holiday parties with foods that do not support our digestive system and air travel to spend time with family. All of these things weaken our immune system and unless you are doing something to nourish yourself and support your immune system you will catch a bug.

NIP IT IN THE BUD

When I have over-extended myself and I feel that I am getting achy or a scratchy throat, I up my vitamin C, add zinc and an echinacea tincture. I make myself some freshly sliced ginger tea with a little drizzle of raw local honey and make the time to get more rest and sleep. Usually that in itself will stop me from getting a fully blown cold.  

Usually during this time of year I also make sure that I take a shot of fire cider every day. There are a lot of recipes out there and you can easily make your own and it will keep for a long time as long as you do not add honey until you are going to use it. It is helpful in maintaining your immunity and can help lessen the severity of any cold that you may catch. There are some great brands that you can find in your local herbal shop, just read the ingredients.

To help soothe my dry nasal passage, I like to use nasaya which is an Ayurvedic nasal therapy of special medicated oils used to clear the sinuses.

I am not one to use hand sanitizer, but during the winter when everyone around is feeling unwell, I take advantage of the wipes at the grocery store on my shopping cart handle and keep a little bottle of hand sanitizer in my bag and use whenever I cannot wash my hands with warm soapy water.

Don’t rub your eyes or touch your face with your dirty hands! It is so easy for those pesky germs to get into your body through your eyes, nose and mouth!

Get outside and take a walk, expand your lungs fully to breathe in some fresh clean air!

CONGESTION AND COUGH

When I get congested I will put a few drops of Eucalyptus essential oil on a washcloth on my shower floor and inhale. Rosemary essential oil works equally well to open the bronchi. A word of caution: do not put essential oils directly on the floor of your tub or shower as this will create a slippery floor and could lead to a fall.

Fresh pineapple has bromelain which is really good at breaking up congestion and drinking fresh pineapple juice also can help with cough.

SLOW COOKED, SOUPY, STEWY FOODS

I will give my body a break so it doesn’t have to work hard to digest food. Simple broths and soups with nourishing herbs and spices are all I need to help me heal. To keep from getting more congested stay away from creamy soups made with dairy.

Generally when we are sick, we don’t have too much of an appetite. It is our body’s way to divert our internal energy to fighting those germs and get them out. We just need to pay attention to ensure that we do no dehydrate ourselves so we can flush those toxins out of our system.

When I feel that I might be getting sick, I love to make myself a lovely pot of chicken soup (AKA Jewish penicillin). There is something comforting about it and the herbs and spices add an additional punch to help my body rebuild immunity.  

You may also want to peruse my blog for allergy season as colds and allergies should be treated similarly. Both are due to unwanted pathogens in your body.

SOME HERBS TRADITIONALLY USED TO HELP WITH COLDS AND BUILD IMMUNITY

Here are some of my favorite herbs with their healing properties for colds that are good to keep on hand in your kitchen apothecary.

Fresh ginger – analgesic, anti-asthmatic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, circulatory stimulant, diaphoretic, inhibits coughing.

Fresh garlic – antibiotic, diaphoretic, expectorant, antioxidant, increases circulation, strengthens immunity.

Onion and leek – antioxidant, anti-inflammatory.

Shitake mushrooms – immune stimulant.

Bay Leaves – bronchodilator.

Turmeric – antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-viral, diuretic, hepatoprotective, immune stimulant.

Coriander / Cilantro – digestive, laxative, appetite stimulant, alterative, diuretic, diaphoretic, antioxidant, febrifuge, refrigerant.

Cumin – diuretic, febrifuge, alterative.

Cardamom – antiemetic, expectorant, diuretic, analgesic, expectorant.

Fennel seed– mild expectorant, analgesic.

Black Pepper – antipyretic, decongestant, mild pain killer, anti-bacterial, antiseptic, detoxifying, diaphoretic.

Fresh Parsley – anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, diuretic.

Thyme -antiseptic, antibacterial, expectorant, anti-oxidant, antibiotic, antifungal, anti-tussive, anti-inflammatory.

Astragulus – adaptogen, immune stimulant, diuretic, antiviral tonic.

Cinnamon – alterative, antiseptic, antiviral, diaphoretic, anti-inflammatory, improves circulation.

Peppermint – analgesic, diaphoretic, antiseptic, expectorant.

Clove – antiseptic, refrigerant, analgesic.

Cayenne Pepper – diaphoretic, expectorant, muscle pain reliever, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory

Red or Green Chile – a staple here in New Mexico that most people have in their freezers. Loaded with Vitamin C it also acts as an analgesic, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, detoxifying, diaphoretic, expectorant, circulatory stimulant.

I hope that you found value in what you have learned to help you and your family to lessen the severity of any colds and keep your immunity up! Be well!