It’s flu and cold season, and in our home, we use natural home remedies to ward off colds and the flu. As we see it, we’d rather not get sick in the first place than have to use (often not so great) over the counter medicine to put a bandaid on the symptoms. We work hard to help our immune systems remain strong, healthy and able to fight off colds, the flu and another illnesses.
When we do get sick, we use natural home remedies whenever possible. I’ve outlined our flu and cold home remedies, which can be used when you do start to feel sick or if you’re in the trenches of the yuck.
That being said, let me preface this post by stating that I am not a doctor, and I highly encourage every family to do their own research and treat their family how they best see fit. I highly respect modern medicine and most definitely think there’s a time and a place to bring both medications and medical doctors into the situation. These recommendations are what our family has found to be helpful based on our education, research and experience. As always, consult your doctor and make sure you’re doing what’s best for your family.
Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you click through and purchase from my links, at not additional cost to you.
When You Start Feeling Sick
Stay hydrated
What should be a no brainer is often overlooked. Our bodies NEED water every day and especially when they’re rundown or sick. The amount of water you need daily is dependent on your activity level, the climate you live in, etc. The general rule of thumb is 1/2 to 1 oz of water for every pound you weigh. If you weigh 150 lbs, you should drink 75 oz of water per day MINIMUM. And coffee, tea, wine, etc doesn’t count. 😆 We’re talking about straight water here.
Eat healthy
Fresh fruit and vegetables and lean proteins are ideal to eat when you’re feeling sick. You should aim to get most of your nutrients from the food you eat, so fill up on those veggies!!
Skip Junk Food
Even if you crave it when you’re sick, it’s best to skip the junk food. Research shows that eating low-nutrient foods that are high in sugar, refined starches and saturated / trans fats actually hurts the immune system. That means skipping those sugary sports drinks, potato chips and high-sodium soups. You’ll feel better faster … promise!
Take Homeopathics
The moment you start to feel symptoms of a flu or cold, take these homeopathic Boiron Oscillococcinum pellets. They dissolve in your mouth, so they are family friendly, though the instructions do say to check with your doctor if giving to children under 2. These work … and they work quickly, but you do need to start taking them at first signs of sickness.
They sell out FAST locally and are often more expensive. This link on Amazon is the best price, ships next day and is 100% authentic {and what myself and my family use}.
Get adjusted
Chiropractic care is crucial year round, but especially when you’re starting to feel a cold coming on. A properly aligned spine insures a properly functioning nervous system, which is the master control system of the body. Plus if you’re starting to feel the headaches and body aches coming on, make sure there are no subluxations that are the root cause.
Chiropractic is safe for newborns through elderly, literally all ages. All 3 of our girls have been adjusted since the day they were born.
If you’re in the Charleston area and looking for a trusted chiropractor, go see my partner: Dr. Blaine Crevar at Crevar Chiropractic. He’s the best, and I am very biased. 😄
Increase elderberry syrup intake
You should already be taking daily elderberry syrup, and if you’re not, it’s not too late!! When you’re sick, you’ll want to increase frequency and make sure your variation includes echinacea, which is an extra immune support. A sick person should be taking 1 TB of elderberry syrup every 3 hours.
I have the easiest homemade elderberry syrup recipe here, made using an InstaPot (seriously it takes 30 mins and 20 of those mins are the IP doing its thing). Homemade is ALWAYS best, so either make your own (all ingredients are linked) or buy from a local shop or mama who sells it.
Increase Vitamin C intake
Our bodies don’t make Vitamin C, but we need it to maintain our immune system, among other things (really, Vitamin C is LIFE and helps with sooo much). We should be getting it from our diets by eating citrus fruits, strawberries, leafy vegetables and tomatoes but often times we’re deficient.
Check out this chart for recommend vitamin C dosage in healthy individuals:
We follow the Vitamin C Protocol when we’re feeling sick, which is essentially taking super high doses of Vitamin C throughout the day. In my experience, you will start to see a relief of symptoms anywhere between 3-12 hours, depending on what your body is fighting. The idea is to achieve and keep the body at cellular saturation levels to overwhelm the pathogen and kick it out of your body.
A few things to note about the Vitamin C Protocol:
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- Because Vitamin C is water soluble, it’s important to take small doses throughout the day. If you take it all at once, you will lose it
- This protocol is safe for infants (of course, check with your doctor). The rule of thumb for general illness is to divide by 18 times a day. For example, a 100 lb person should take 1,6000 mg of vitamin C per day. You get that by 16 grams ÷ 18 times a day is 880 mg or .88 grams. Basically 160 mg per pound that you weigh.
- If you are interested in reading more about dosage determination, check this out.
- When you reach bowel intolerance, back off a bit.
This is the Vitamin C that we take when following the Vitamin C Protocol.
Probiotics
Your gut is the control center of your body, and it’s so important to keep it in check. Taking a routine probiotic is a great way to help promote good bacteria growth in your gut. We want the good guys to to grow, and as they get stronger, the bad bacteria gets killed off.
What your specific gut needs will of course vary, and you might need a certain type of probiotic. These are the probiotics our family uses:
Probiotics for infants and babies
Take Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar has a ton of health benefits including the ability to fight bad bacteria, which is why we take it when we’re sick. If you’re super adverse the smell and taste, you can take these apple cider vinegar capsules or add it to a class of water.
General dosages range from 1–2 teaspoons to 1–2 tablespoons per day, mixed in a large glass of water.
It’s best to start with smaller doses and work your way up to the recommended daily amount. As with anything, too much vinegar can cause negative health side effects like tooth enamel erosion, stomach upset and potential drug interactions.
We always use organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar with “the Mother” like this one.
Drink Bone Broth
Instead of reaching for canned soups high in sodium, heat up some bone broth instead. Not only will it help your throat feel better, but it’s very high in nutrients like:
- iron
- vitamins A and K
- fatty acids
- selenium
- zinc
- manganese
It also helps to heal your gut, ease digestion, improve joint health and even help you sleep thanks to the glycine.
You can make your own at home or find it in the store … and of course it’s on Amazon too. I’ve tried several and this kind is my very favorite.
Bone broth is safe for all ages (6 months and up)! Since it’s made from animal bones and tissues, avoid this home remedy if you’re Vegan or vegetarian.
Use Essential Oils
Essential oils only work if you use them, so keep them out and use them often when you’re sick. Some of my favorite ways to use them are:
- Diffuse thieves and lemon to clean the air (say goodbye to Lysol)
- Make thieves tea to sip on
- Use a few drops of purification and lavender in your bath, along with Epson salts, to detox
- Use thieves spray to clean and disinfect
I exclusively use Young Living oils and 100% feel safe and comfortable using them around our entire family because I know they are pure. If you have any questions about these oils, are interested in buying some or are curious about the membership that lets you save 20% every month, reach out! Happy to share what I know!
Please let me know if you try any of these home remedies yourself or if you know of others that you swear by. And if you’re reading this, chances are you’re not feeling well, so I hope you feel better soon!
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