At this time of year, if you stand still in the crowd, close your eyes and simply listen, you will hear it – the horrible hacking cough of the cold and flu season. Some poor soul over in the other aisle, or possibly right beside you is coughing and threatening to spit out a lung.
There are a couple of things you can count on in the fall of every year, yuppers, they come around every fall and winter as soon as school goes back in. The inevitable cold and flu bugs.
As I am watching people around me drop from the latest batch of icky virus germs, I thought it might be a great time to revisit a blog I wrote last winter about preventative measures for colds and flus.
The following are my favorite effective cold and flu chasers: (from my time in the Health Food industry)
Oscillococcinum –This is Europe’s #1 flu fighter. Homeopathic is safe for everyone, including children and it can be taken while on other medications and does not interfere with them. Europe has 3 stages of medical intervention: #1) homeopathy 2) herbal 3) antibiotics. Homeopathy is a whole other blog article but it works and is safe for everyone. Available in health food stores, Superstore and certain drug stores now carry this.
Oscillococcinum – the best way to take it is right at the beginning of a cold or flu, if you feel something might be trying to attack you, take it! The package contains little plastic vials filled with tiny pellets. You open up a one vial and dissolve all (the whole vial) of these little pellets under your tongue – they have no taste. If I feel like I am getting a cold or flu I will take these right away, usually 3 times on the first day and most of the time I do not get sick. They can stop colds/flu right in their tracks! But you must take it right at the onset of a cold or flu. For little ones you can dissolve the pellets into water and drop it into their mouths. During this season, I always have a box on hand. Just this past couple weeks, Brian succumbed to the latest cold, he does not always remember to take his vitamins, and he tried to share, but I started taking these pellets the moment I felt a bit of a sore throat – I never got it.
Olive Leaf – capsules. Olive leaf is a natural antibiotic, antiviral, antifungal. At the beginning of school when my boys were still at home, I used to give all of my family one capsule a day when cold and flu season started as a preventative. If they started to get sick, I upped it to 2 or 3 (but be careful, too much could send you running for the bathroom).
Oil of Oregano is certainly an option. I personally think it tastes awful but many people find it works awesome for colds and flus. You can get capsules or liquid and if you cannot swallow either, you can rub the oil into your skin of your feet and it can be absorbed that way, this way works well especially for children and babies. Be warned - you will smell like Italian food or pizza for the rest of the day.
I am also an advocate for extra Vitamin D especially since we live in Canada and the sun exposure in the winter wanes as the cold keeps us inside.
Stay healthy and well my wonderful readers!