Cold and flu remedies, drinks, you can conjure up at home

Cold and flu remedies, Drinks you can conjure up at home.

Chicken soup

Chicken soup may not cure, but it’s a great choice when you’re sick. Research suggests that enjoying a bowl of chicken soup with vegetables, prepared from scratch or warmed from a can, can slow the movement of neutrophils in your body. Neutrophils are a common type of white blood cell. They help protect your body from infection. When they’re moving slowly, they stay more concentrated in the areas of your body that require the most healing.

The study found that chicken soup was effective for reducing the symptoms of upper respiratory infections in particular. Low-sodium soup also carries great nutritional value and helps keep you hydrated. It’s a good choice, no matter how you’re feeling.

Ginger

The health benefits of ginger root have been touted for centuries, but now we have scientific proof of its curative properties. A few slices of raw ginger root in boiling water may help soothe a cough or sore throat. Research suggests that it can also ward off the feelings of nausea that so often accompany influenza. For example, one study found that just 1 gram of ginger can “alleviate clinical nausea of diverse causes.”

Honey

Honey has a variety of antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. Drinking honey in tea with lemon can ease sore throat pain. Research suggests that honey is an effective cough suppressant, too. In one study, researchers found that giving children 10 grams of honey at bedtime reduced the severity of their cough symptoms. The children reportedly slept more soundly, which also helps reduce cold symptoms.You should never give honey to a child younger than 1 year old, as it often contains botulinum spores. While they’re usually harmless to older children and adults, infants’ immune systems aren’t able to fight them off.

Garlic

Garlic contains the compound allicin, which may have antimicrobial properties. Adding a garlic supplement to your diet might reduce the severity of cold symptoms. According to some research, it might even help you avoid getting sick in the first place.

More research needs to be done on the potential cold-fighting benefits of garlic. In the meantime, adding more garlic to your diet probably won’t hurt.

Echinacea

Native Americans have used the herb and root of the echinacea plant to treat infections for more than 400 years. Its active ingredients include flavonoids, chemicals that have many therapeutic effects on the body. For example, flavonoids can boost your immune system and reduce inflammation.

Research on the herb’s effectiveness at fighting the common cold and flu has been mixed. But one review suggests that taking echinacea may lower your risk of developing the common cold by more than 50 percent. It may also reduce the length of a cold. If you’re a healthy adult, consider taking 1 to 2 grams of echinacea root or herb as a tea, three times daily, for no longer than one week.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C plays an important role in your body and has many health benefits. Along with limes, oranges, grapefruits, leafy greens, and other fruits and vegetables, lemons are a good source of vitamin C. Adding fresh lemon juice to hot tea with honey may reduce phlegm when you’re sick. Drinking hot or cold lemonade may also help.

While these drinks may not clear up your cold entirely, they can help you get the vitamin C that your immune system needs. Getting enough vitamin C can relieve upper respiratory tract infections and other illnesses.

Probiotics

Probiotics are “friendly” bacteria and yeast that are found in your body, some foods, and supplements. They can help keep your gut and immune system healthy, and research indicates that probiotics may reduce your chance of getting sick with an upper respiratory infection.

For a delicious and nutritious source of helpful bacteria, include probiotic yogurt in your diet. Besides its potential benefits for your immune system, yogurt is a healthy snack that provides plenty of protein and calcium. Look for products that list live bacteria on the label.

Other options

Salt water

Gargling with salt water may help prevent upper respiratory infections. It may also decrease the severity of cold symptoms. For example, it may ease sore throat pain and nasal congestion.

Gargling with salt water reduces and loosens mucus, which contains bacteria and allergens. To try this remedy at home, dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in a full glass of water. Swish it around your mouth and throat. Then spit it out.

Vapor rub

You might not like the smell, but some old-fashioned topical ointments, such as vapor rub, help to reduce cold symptoms in children older than 2 years. Just one or two applications before bed can help open air passages to combat congestion, reduce coughing, and improve sleep. Vapor rub is gaining traction among some doctors who encourage parents to avoid giving over-the-counter cold medicines to young children because of unwanted side effects.

Humidity

Influenza thrives and spreads more easily in dry environments. Creating more humidity in your home may reduce your exposure to this flu-causing virus. Increased humidity may also reduce nasal inflammation, making it easier to breathe when you’re sick. Temporarily adding a cool mist humidifier to your bedroom may help you feel more comfortable. This is especially true in winter, when dry indoor heat can exacerbate your symptoms. Adding a few drops of eucalyptus oil might also stimulate your breathing.

Get a humidifier online and start breathing easier.

Remember, the water used in humidifiers needs to be changed daily to stop mold and other fungi from growing. For the same effect without a humidifier, take a long shower or linger in a steamy bathroom.

Warm baths

Sometimes you can reduce a child’s fever by giving them a warm sponge bath. Warm baths can also reduce cold and flu symptoms in adults. Adding Epsom salt and baking soda to the water can reduce body aches. Adding a few drops of essential oil, such as tea tree, juniper, rosemary, thyme, orange, lavender, or eucalyptus, may also have a soothing effect.

Learn more

There are many ways that people treat their cold and flu symptoms with home remedies. Some of those remedies may seem a bit weird, but there are people and communities that swear by their effectiveness. To learn more about the oddest options out there, check out the weirdest cold treatments from around the world.

If you want to avoid getting sick altogether, you should proactively boost your immune system. For that, learn our secrets to never getting sick.

10 Immunity-Boosting Juices to Drink When You’re Sick

Your immune system is constantly active, figuring out which cells belong to your body and which don’t. This means the immune system needs a healthy dose of vitamins and minerals to keep its energy up and going.

The following recipes are packed with essential nutrients for everyday health or for fighting off the cold and flu. Learn which immunity-enhancing nutrients each juice has so you can start your mornings off with a refreshing boost to your body’s natural defenses.

1. Apple, carrot, and orange - Nutrients A, B-6 & C, Potassium &Folic Acid 

Carrots, apples, and orange are a winning combination for helping your body protect itself and fight off infections. Click here for a recipe by Taste, Love, and Nourish that’ll get you glowing and going in the morning. The tartness of the green apple really cuts through the sweetness of the carrots and oranges.

2. Orange and grapefruit - Nutrients : Vitamin A, B-6 & C, Folic Acid & Zinc

Vitamin C has antioxidant and other properties that protect your cells from substances that damage the body. A deficiency of vitamin C can lead to delayed wound healing, inability to properly fight infections, and impaired immune response. Fortunately, this citrus explosion by The Black Peppercorn contains more than enough of your daily intake of vitamin C.

3. Homemade tomato juice - Nutrients : Vitamin A & C, Iron And Folate

The best way to be sure your tomato juice is fresh and without added ingredients is to make it yourself. The Balance, a site about frugal living, has a wonderful recipe for homemade tomato juice. The best part? No juicer or blender required, although you’ll want to strain the bits and pieces through a sieve.

Tomatoes are rich in folate, which help lower your risk of infections.

4. Kale, tomato, and celery - Nutrients : Vitamin A & C, Magnesium, Potassium, Fatty Acid & Iron 

Kale is a staple for many green juices, but the Kale Mary — Serious Eats’ take on a bloody Mary — is truly one of a kind. Instead of cutting the taste of kale with fruits, this recipe uses tomato and celery juice, adding more than enough vitamin A. The horseradish in this recipe may also provide anti-inflammatory benefits. Blend it up for a drink that’ll awaken your senses.

5. Beet, carrot, ginger, and turmeric- Nutrients : Vitamins A, C & E, Iron & Calcium

This fortifying juice by Gourmande in the Kitchen has four root vegetables that’ll help your immune system and decrease inflammatory symptoms. Inflammation is often an immune response to infections. It can cause flu or cold symptoms like a runny nose, coughs, and body aches. People who have rheumatoid arthritis may especially benefit from drinking this juice, as the turmeric and ginger have anti-inflammatory effects.

      

6. Strawberry and mango= Nutrients : Vitamins A, C & E, Iron And Folate

Strawberry mango mocktail is the healthy way to satisfy your cravings for a bottomless brunch. This recipe uses frozen fruits, which have the same nutritional punch as fresh ones. You can also opt for fresh if you have them on hand. The vitamin E from the mangos add extra antioxidant benefits to enhance your immune system, especially in older adults.

7. Watermelon- Nutrients : Vitamins A & C, Magnesium & Zinc 

Not only does watermelon help your immune system, but it also can help relieve muscle soreness. Muscle soreness is a common symptom of the flu, especially in older adults. The heavy water content of this fruit may also make it easier to juice (and it feels like less of a waste of fruit). Take a look at Veg Recipes of India’s recipe for watermelon mint juice. You can also include watermelon juice in other plain fruit juices, such as apple or orange, that may not have as much vitamin A.

8. Strawberry-kiwi mint- Nutrients : Vitamins A, C & B-6, Magnesium, Zinc & Folate

Strawberries and kiwis are other healthy alternatives for a vitamin C-packed drink. But since it takes about four cups of strawberries to make one cup of juice, you may want to blend these fruits into a smoothie rather than a juice. We love Home Chef’s recipe, which includes Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt is a good source of magnesium and probiotics. Probiotics may help cells maintain an antimicrobial barrier.

9. Pumpkin seed - Nutrients : Vitamins : A, C & B-6, Magnesium & Zinc

Many pumpkin “juice” recipes online include a lot of added sugars or require store-bought apple juice. This is why we decided to include this pumpkin seed milk recipe by The Blender Girl instead. It’s one of the freshest, most natural recipes available online. And it works as a great base for fruit smoothies.

The extra benefits are also hard to ignore. Not only will this milk benefit your immune system, it may also help your:

·      \\ bone health

·         menopause symptoms

·         urinary health

·         hair and skin

·         mental health

·         prostate health (for men)

10. Spinach, lettuce, and kale- Nutrients : Vitamins A, C & B-6, Iron & Calcium

A vegetable-based green juice is a powerhouse of nutrients for a strong immune system. Jeanette from Jeanette’s Healthy Living has a wonderful recipe that’ll make anybody, including kids, happy to drink their greens. Throw in a handful of parsley for an extra serving of vitamin B-6. This vitamin plays an important role in immune cell proliferation and antibody production. .

·      

Keep your immune system strong

Making juices, smoothies, and nutritional drinks is one of the tastier ways to stay healthy. But no matter what juice you like, you can always add other super foods such as chia seeds and wheat germ for more health benefits. Other ways to keep your immune system strong include practicing good hygiene, staying hydrated, and exercising frequently.