Flu & Cold Prevention

We all know that washing of the hands frequently is very important, but did you ever notice how much you touch your face and eyes during the day? This is where transmission can be immediate. Be careful about hand sanitizers that have bactericidal chemicals because that chemical also kills off the natural bacteria your skin has to prevent outside invaders. Good old soap and water are the best.

At my office, if someone has the flu, which is spread by respiratory droplets, we will disinfect the room used to see the patient before seeing the next patient. This is to protect us and the next person.

If you live with a loved one that is sick, it’s always best to sleep in a separate room, especially if they are coughing all night (unless you want to get sick as well). Of course, many times it’s hard to avoid people that are sick around us. An atomizer with essential oil of eucalyptus can help sterilize the air of viruses traveling in droplets.

Natural Remedies That Help Block Colds & Flu

But, my most important preventive strategies are the natural remedies I have come to depend on to stay as healthy as possible during the winter months. I’ve linked my favorite products to this message for your benefit. My favorite TCM formulas are Yin Qiao (sore throat feverishness) and Gan Mao Ling (chills, body aches) for managing the early symptoms before you get really sick. There are smaller sizes available when you click on the links.  Adding Vitamin D3 5,000 IU daily to this mix provides another boost to the immune system. I’ve discussed the many benefits of vitamin D3 over and over. This vitamin is what saved me when I had the flu last winter. Reboost 

Here’s the trick I use to BEAT THE FLU:

If you definitely have the flu (high fever, body aches, respiratory symptoms, cough, congestion, runny nose), then take 25,000 IU of Vitamin D3 at the first signs of fever or flu-like symptoms. Repeat this dose daily for 3 days. When I had the flu last winter, my fever broke in 12 hours using this with two other natural remedies. Can you imagine beating the flu this quickly with natural remedies? Having my own experience with it, I know these remedies are powerful when used appropriately and sourced from high-quality manufacturers (such as the ones featured here).

The other remedy has been shown to have activity against both Influenza A & B. Remember, during any given flu season, the circulating Influenza virus could be predominantly one or the other. In the past, if the flu vaccine missed which strain became the more predominant one during a season, this rendered the vaccine less than 50% effective. With the flu vaccine a toss-up, it’s best to have an arsenal of natural remedies with proven efficacy against the flu. What are these natural remedies?

And what about colds and sore throats?

Now for the day to day sore throat that may start after exposure to the common cold, I use products like oregano oil and clove oil. Oregano has anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial properties. So, it is an all-around great anti-infective. Clove oil also has anti-microbial properties. These oils are basically made by these plants as their natural antibiotics. Clove also offers the added benefit of numbing the throat. You can make it into a spray using a spray bottle and mixing with filtered water. You control the strength by the number of drops you add to the spray bottle. You can also spray clove oil in the air if you’re on an airplane to protect you from germs flying in the air (but that may seem a little paranoid to those around you).

Here’s to getting through cold and flu season unscathed by a big one! May you ward off most colds that come your way, and get through any that you succumb to as fast as possible.