Five Natural Ways To Beat Colds & Flu
With so many alternatives available to us, you no longer need to
head straight for the Chemist or Doctor at the first sign of a
cold or flu coming on. So to help you get through these annoying
times, we have put together 5 top ways to beat these nasty bugs
naturally!
When it comes to fighting off these traditionally winter bugs,
you really can't go past some garlic. Garlic has excellent
antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties so it is sure
to help relieve the duration and the severity of the cold or
flu. The pungent odour of garlic is actually called Allicin and
it is this component that is the most active in acting against
the bacteria. So add some extra garlic to your cooking or
alternatively take an odourless garlic supplement available from
your Health Food Store. If you are taking prescription
medication, check first with your Health Food Expert to ensure
the garlic supplement is suitable to be taken with your
medication.
Eat loads of fresh fruit & vegetables. Even though to maintain a
healthy immune system you should always try to eat 5 serves of
vegetables and 2 serves of fruit everyday, with a cold or flu on
the way, now is the time to ensure you definitely eat a well
balanced diet.
Drink some herbal tea. Tea has wonderful antioxidant properties
and there is nothing better than sitting down with a hot cup of
tea with lemon and honey or alternatively try a herbal tea.
Sweet basil is perfect for treating infections and one that you
can make yourself instead of buying from the supermarket. Just
chop up some fresh basil leaves and place two teaspoons into a
tea infuser and place in a cup. Pour the boiling water over the
basil, cover and leave to stand for up to 5 minutes. Remove the
infuser and sit down to enjoy and relax!
Drink fresh juice. Having fresh fruit or vegetable juice is a
fantastic way to boost your immune system. To get the most out
of your juice, drink it first thing in the morning when your
stomach is totally empty and your body can absorb the vitamins
and nutrients.
Get some rest. Your body will have a difficult time recovering
if you keep pushing it, in fact you could do your immune system
more harm than good. Our bodies rejuvenate when we are sleeping
so don't feel guilty about taking an extra hour or so if you
feel you need to. In fact several studies have now confirmed
that we really do need to sleep for seven hours plus to maintain
a healthy weight and a healthy body! Always remember though,
should natural alternatives not be successful and your cold or
flu symptoms persist, do not hesitate to seek medical advice.