Health Tip for April

In the last week, we have woken up to cold snow and seen it melt the same day under warm sunny skies. During the transition from winter to spring, drastic and sudden shifts in climate create the opportunity for colds and flus to flourish. What are some ways to combat the seasonal cold?

Echinacea

Echinacea is a herbal remedy and gives a natural boost to the immune system. If you follow a regular regimen of taking a daily recommended dose of echinacea for a period of 10 days at a time (more than two weeks reduces the effectiveness), you can often fight off a cold before it gets the best of you. It is important that you do so as a preventative measure or at the first sign of a cold coming on – once you have the cold, the echinacea won’t be as effective because your immune system is already compromised. Echinacea is not recommended for use in pregnancy or with children 12 and under.

Ginger

Ginger, like echinacea, gives a helpful boost to the immune system, so be sure to include plenty of it in your regular diet. If you do end up succumbing to a cold or flu, ginger is a helpful remedy for congestion in the lungs, fending off fevers and relieving headaches caused by blocked sinuses. It can also help ease nausea (recommended for morning sickness as well) and encourage the body to produce heat and alleviate chills. Add a few drops of ginger essential oil to a tablespoon of massage oil and rub into the chest to alleviate lung congestion or around the sinuses to ease sinus headaches. Alternately, slice up some fresh ginger, add it to a cup of boiling water and allow to steep for a few minutes. Ginger tea will help warm the body, boost immunity and reduce congestion. Cooking with ginger is also a great way to strengthen your immune system on a regular basis to fend off a cold before it strikes.

Reduce Dairy

While dairy is a great source of calcium, vitamins and protein when we are healthy, when we’re ill, it does inhibit the immune system and cause increased production of mucus, resulting in increased congestion, runny noses, headaches (from mucus building up in sinus cavities), coughs (increased phlegm in chest) and sore throats (mucus clinging to the back of the throat, as well as the wear and tear of excessive coughing to try to remove it). If you have a cold, reduce your dairy intake (milk, cheese, yoghurts etc) until you are feeling well again.

Reduce Alcohol

As much as you might crave that glass of wine or beer at dinner, alcohol also inhibits the immune system, making it more difficult for your body to fend off germs and recover from illness. If you have a cold, best to abstain until you are well again. That said, many people find the age-old practice of a “Hot Totty” effective before bedtime: Herbal or Decaf Tea, Lemon, and a nip of Whiskey will help clear congestion and make you drowsy for a good night’s sleep…but make sure it’s only a nip!

Salt Water Gargle

Take a teaspoon of table salt and dissolve it in a cup of warm water. Gargle a mouthful at a time for several seconds (and spit out) until you get through the whole cup. Five minutes of gargling will help reduce swelling at the back of the throat. It’s not dissimilar to taking a warm salt bath after an intensive work out – it helps ease muscle inflammation, which is essentially what is occurring at the back of your throat from excessive coughing and mucus buildup. Salt is also a natural disinfectant, so it will help to combat any bacteria at the back of the throat to ease soreness.

A Good Night’s Sleep

If you are not sleeping well as a result of your cold, consider a night-time sleep aid. If night-time cold medicine doesn’t appeal to you, try a natural herbal supplement such as Valerina to help relax you for sleep. Sleep is the best time for the body to repair itself – if you don’t give your body enough of it, the cold will linger on.

Your GP or Homeopath

If your cold has lasted more than two-three weeks, it’s time to visit the GP or a Homeopath. You might have a bacterial infection that antibiotics will combat more quickly in ways that natural remedies can’t. Alternately, an effective homeopathy treatment can often help your body build the necessary antibodies to fend off the bug.

Advertisement