2007-03-18 16:37:27 · 22 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Alternative Medicine
Looks like I shot myself in the foot again with this question. So many great answers that I do NOT know which one to try or even vote for! So I'll let you guys help me decide BOTH. But in any event, thanks everyone.
2007-03-20 20:02:41 · update #1
Well it all depends on what your symptoms are...
Colds and flu symptoms are much alike...
Aspirin is very good for aches and pains and fever..
Cough drops for sore throats that contain Vitamin C or Zinc are also good for your throat...
Chest congestion or coughs do well with Robitussin brand cough and cold syrup...
Vicks vaporub is good on your chest to let you breathe easier throughout the night...
Honey and lemon in a cup of hot tea is good for your throat also...
Apple cider vinegar is good for coughs too...
If you are legal drinking age, bourbon is great on sore throats...
You should keep liquid in you with lots of water, orange juice, apple juiice, and fruit like apples, oranges, grapes, cantalope or watermelon...
Soup like chicken noodle is an all over warmer up soup easy to swallow...
2007-03-18 17:30:52 · answer #1 · answered by aspenkdp2003 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
That's interesting. Every year, I get a bad cold/flu at least once. It knocks me out for at least a week. But over the last year, I did something different. When I noticed it coming on, I made sure to drink a diet Rockstar drink (it has Vitamin C, among other vitamins and minerals) every day (along with plenty of fluids). I also used Hall's whenever needed. That's all I did and the cold/flu was gone within a day or two-completely gone. I've never had so much success fighting them off until now.
It seems to me the key is in not trying to medicate myself with cold/flu medicine. I don't even take anything for a fever. I think that the low-grade fever actually helps me fight it off faster. It's as if taking cold/flu medicines prolong the illness. That's the strategy I use and I've gone from being sick every year to having a minor sniffle for only a day or two.
2007-03-19 16:56:30 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Zinc is okay but the following is what I do to get rid of it fast!
1. Chiropractic Adjustment. This helps the nervous system and thus the immune system. You are going to need a strong immune system to fight off the grodies!
2. Citrus. I buy a pomegranite (or pomegranite juice if it's not pomegranite season), two lemons, a lime, and an orange. I juice them together and drink that. It's very acidic and strong ... make sure to swish water in your mouth to clean your teeth afterward
3. Black Elderberry Root Extract - this is good to help a currently compromised immune system (ie an immune system stressed due to current infection)
then for preventative measures, try echinacea. Don't use echinacea every day ... just moderately. It also works on allergies.
2007-03-18 23:42:29 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
If the congestion is in your chest, try a mustard plaster. I do all the time. Take Keens Dry Mustard, mix with flour and some warm water until you have a thick paste, pour onto a cloth, roll it over, and then place on your chest for 20 minutes. Then move it down for another 20. When completed, rub your chest with Vic's Vaporub or Mentholatum
2007-03-18 23:42:19 · answer #4 · answered by Ted 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Echinacea, Zinc, and Vitamin C. I take that every time I feel I'm catching a cold or the flu and I works great. Drink a lot of water too!
2007-03-19 02:57:06 · answer #5 · answered by Zen 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If it's sinus-type congestion, my favorite form of relief is steam and either peppermint or eucalyptus oil. Just boil some water, add a few drops of oil, take the pot off the stove drape a towel over your head and the steam and inhale...
Just be careful - it's hot!
2007-03-19 10:25:36 · answer #6 · answered by J m 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I do nasal irrigation with a neti pot.
This link provides really good info about how to use a neti pot.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neti_pot
But, basically in my own words, it's a form of nasal irrigation. I use it with the neti pot tincture from varcho veda: http://www.healthegoods.com/netiwashpluszincfree.htm
The process would be similar to why gargling with salty water is good for a sore throat. The neti pot tincture above has zinc in it. Zink helps prevent bacteria from sticking to your cell walls. The product Zicam, http://www.zicam.com/ is expensive and basically, all it is is zinc that you swab inside your nostrils. Using the neti pot with this tincture can get the zinc into your sinus passages themselves which I think is much more effective. The tincture also has Echinacea and goldenseal in it. Echinacea is good to help you fight off bacterial infections, and goldenseal is good specifically for helping mucous membranes fight off disease.
I know it probably sounds weird to you, but using a neti pot is THE most effective thing I've ever found for sinus infections or removing allergens from my nasal cavities. Once you try it, you'll really feel the difference. This is the number one thing I would recommend to you.
For congestion that is in the lungs, eating a mixture of fresh ginger and cayenne can help expel mucous from the lungs. Placing a hot water bottle on the chest can be nice too.
I make myself Echinacea and goldenseal tea, ginger tea, eat citrusy fruits like oranges or grapefruits, they help. Drink lots of fluids, eat vegetable soup.
Other things you can do is eat more garlic, garlic is a blood purifier. It helps you to fight bacterial and fungal infections.
Avoid dairy products and complex carbs like breads. They can increase phlegm production and thickness and increase swelling.
Aromatherapy oils such as eucalyptus and menthol can help you feel less congested. They're the active ingredients in Vicks Vaporub.
A humidifier in your bedroom on dry winter nights does wonders. You can even get the ones that allow for oil diffusion and put the oils listed above in the special cup to be diffused into your room with the steam.
A natural herbal vitamin supplement that I take that I think works better than antibiotics is called Ultra VirX. Here is a link to a site that sells it and talks about it a bit: http://www.totalsupplement.net/shop/?shop=1&cart=251544&cat=5&
Bee propolis is a natural antibiotic. Here is a link about that: http://www.beeunlimited.com/beepropolis.htm
If you use this, I recommend getting it in a capsule form instead of a tincture form. It's kinda waxy which isn't an entirely pleasant feeling to have in your mouth. Ultra VirX has propolis in it already though.
I'm sure I could think of more stuff, but this is enough already. Seriously though, try the neti pot.
2007-03-19 00:14:25 · answer #7 · answered by siddartha360 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
3 to 4 pieces of garlic mixed in a blender with lemon juice! It is not plea sent. But neither is a cold of flu no?
2007-03-19 01:14:29 · answer #8 · answered by ? 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
In Chinese medicine views, runny nose is resulted from an invasion of exogenous pathogens in the superficial portion of the body. Depending on how your body responds, a cold may present differently and thus needs to be treated differently.
Basically, clear and thin runny nose is referred to cold type, while thick and yellowish runny nose is heat type. They have separete folk remedies.
http://www.shen-nong.com/eng/lifestyles/tcmrole_cold_flu_folk.html
2007-03-19 00:02:52 · answer #9 · answered by tcmrose l 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
normaly when i get flu my mum will get a hot boiling water and a towel and ask to put my face there like steam honestly it work give it a try i'm sure that the best remedy good luck zinta
2007-03-19 19:25:23 · answer #10 · answered by ujijan 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋