Navigating the cold and icy winter season likely involves slipping into your favourite cosy slippers for those chilly mornings. But have you made sure that your natural medicine cabinet is well-equipped to combat any of the season’s lurgies? When illness hits fast and hard, you need to be prepared to go to battle quickly; that’s why it’s important to have the essentials on hand, to help minimise the symptoms of cold, flu or virus currently circulating.
At Chuckling Goat, we believe in nature’s pharmacy! So here are the five natural solutions our NT Sarah swears by for combating cold and flu season –
1. CG Oil
Our CG oil is the perfect blend of anti-infectious essential oils to help combat any throat infection or clear a bunged-up nose this winter! Including lemongrass, clove bud oil, lemon, cinnamon, rosemary and eucalyptus.
How to use:
- 2-4 drops in a pan of boiling water, pop your head under a tea towel and inhale the steam to help ease congestion or infection on the chest. Also helps with other respiratory issues.
- For small children with coughs, a pan of boiled water with 3 drops of CG Oil can be left under the bed for gentle steam to permeate the room.
- 4-8 drops in a bath – soak in the case of widespread infection.
- 2-4 drops in your mop bucket – smells delish and works as a great natural anti-bacterial.
- 1-3 drops diluted in water and in an oil diffuser to fill the room with a gorgeous scent.
2. Vitamin C
When the onset of a cold or the flu starts creeping in, reach for liposomal vitamin C! Vitamin C is very safe for both children and adults, with adults being able to tolerate 6 doses1https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6057395/ throughout the day of up to 1000mg per hour.2https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/003693307301800102 Vitamin C has low toxicity and is not believed to cause serious adverse effects at high doses.3https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/9810/dietary-reference-intakes-for-vitamin-c-vitamin-e-selenium-and-carotenoids Supplementing each hour with this vitamin helps give your immune system that extra boost to help battle the lurgies throughout the day and bring down any fevers or infections.4https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16373990/ It’s also a super antioxidant, leading to reduced inflammation and tension.5https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2762330/
Why lipo vitamin C? Because it is known to have a higher absorption rate compared to traditional vitamin C.6https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4915787/ You generally know if you have dosed too high – you’ll likely experience loose stools – so reduce the dose accordingly.7https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/9810/dietary-reference-intakes-for-vitamin-c-vitamin-e-selenium-and-carotenoids8https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12134712/ Vitamin C can be quite stimulating, so you may want to avoid taking it too close to sleep and stop supplementing after 6 pm.
3. Get Me Through the Day Tea
Why not brew your own Get Me Through the Day Tea with the soothing herbs of rosemary leaf, vervain leaf, peppermint leaf and mugwort leaf? This combination of specially selected herbs works on tension headaches9https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7256276/ and anxiety10 https://books.google.pt/books?hl=en&lr=&id=gMwLwbUwtfkC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&ots=_ExZIcBYTK&sig=ST97ynwPmUjDYy6Nak2JfhXFflY&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false. They are anti-infectious11https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7491497/ and indicated specifically for the flu!12https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10138337/ Altogether, in one cup of tea to help see you through any seasonal illness.
Simply cover 1 TBSP of herbs with 3 cups of freshly boiled water, lid and steep for 15 minutes. Strain and drink 1 cup 3 times daily. Tea can be reheated by adding more hot water.
4. Garlic Eardrops
The smell of garlic wafting from your ears may not seem ideal, but trust me, it’s a game-changer. This is a go-to whenever the pang of an earache begins or if your children start to rub their ears combined with a temperature. Garlic eardrops may stop an ear infection in its tracks!13https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7032553/ Usually combined with pain-reducing herbs such as White Willow or St John’s Wort, garlic (nature’s natural antibiotic14https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8362743/) works directly at the sight of infection, reducing pain and severity.15https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11434846/
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even consider making your own – it’s very simple!
5. Ashwagandha
The spike in cortisol (stress hormone) as you move into the colder months causes a raised immune response. Ashwagandha can help to maintain balanced cortisol levels.16https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6979308/ This will support a smooth, calm transition into the winter months, and help to prevent seasonal colds and flu!17https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5243227/ We recommend 1 ml (15 – 20 drops) in 200 ml of water, 3 times daily.
For more natural support this winter, check out our articles 10 ways to combat fatigue and Winter first aid for coughs.
Any questions? Contact one of our Nutritional Therapists via live chat, weekdays from 8 am to 8 pm.
References
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- 9https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7256276/
- 10https://books.google.pt/books?hl=en&lr=&id=gMwLwbUwtfkC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&ots=_ExZIcBYTK&sig=ST97ynwPmUjDYy6Nak2JfhXFflY&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false
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