I’m an extremely impatient person. So for most of my life, when it came to the common cold, the first thing I did was down Theraflu until my symptoms disappeared. This probably won’t surprise anyone, but these days, I try to avoid taking any sort of medication or over the counter drug unless I really, really need it. Many medicines tend to to be filled with sugar and other additives that I try to avoid in my day to day life, so I don’t think it makes much sense to start consuming those things when I’m sick. But I’m still very opposed to feeling like crap for an extended period of time. Besides the old standbys like taking Vitamin C and drinking water nonstop (seriously, nonstop, just keep flushing your system), these are my favorite natural remedies for fighting the common cold:
1. Ginger - I loooove ginger. But its even better when you have a small stomachache, nausea or any sort of cold symptoms. It works wonders, even though you need a lot of it. When I feel a cold coming on, a great way to go is by drinking the Juice Press‘ Ginger Fireball juice. Filled with goodies like cayenne extract, oil of oregano and ginger (obviously) – it is so potent that they advise you to only drink one a day. If you don’t have a Juice Press nearby, you can also sneak some ginger into your green smoothies or just chop up some ginger and add a tiny bit of honey to hot water for ginger tea.
2. David’s Tea Fired Up Fennel - I have my best friend to thank for this gem. I was in a panic when I couldn’t stop sneezing and she recommended that I try this tea. It definitely has a unique taste (especially if you are not a fan of fennel) and pretty spicy (there are red peppers in it!), but drinking a couple cups of this really does the trick for me.
3. Raw garlic - Chop up a raw garlic clove and eat it as quickly as possible. I know this sounds horrifying – it is extremely unpalatable. There are a few moments where you literally feel your entire mouth and throat burning, but it will pass. Think of it this way: do you want to endure a few seconds of discomfort now or a whole week of the sniffles? This trick only works for me when it is raw and no, you can’t just quickly swallow a clove to avoid the taste. You need to chew it to release allicin, a very potent antibacterial that is only present shortly after garlic cloves are chopped.
4. Sleep - I know I’m not getting any kudos for originality here. This is not news to anybody (or I hope it isn’t). It is NOT okay to force your body to survive on 5 hours of sleep a night for no reason. No, you don’t need to watch another episode of Homeland. Turn off your lights, put the damn laptop away and get some sleep. Trouble sleeping? I personally love a quick sniff of Tata Harper’s Aromatic Bedtime Treatment when I’m feeling a little wired before bedtime. It’s filled with lovely notes like sweet oranges, mandarin and lavender to help you relax.
I did all of the above last week when I had a cold scare and was completely recovered in 2 days. Pretty impressive if I do say so myself…
great post. I’d add probiotic foods (miso/kombucha), green juices and E3live. Have to try that David’s tea, they do great work.
I love probiotics! But I’ve never tried E3Live before, definitely need to try that one out….
This is a great post… thanks for the tips! xo
Glad you found it helpful! I think everyone should give the garlic trick a shot!
Oh, good call on the tea! I make this mexican remedy that involves boiling lemons and garlic and adding cayenne and honey and that really helps!
I rarely fall sick or catch a cold, but this will come in handy. Btw, I do struggle with allergies, and I am on the look out for natural remedies. I get antsy swallowing Zrytec D twice a day almost all year round. Any recommendation?
Hi there! You won’t get immediate results but it should help by adding more probiotics in your diet – think raw sauerkraut or kimchee. These foods strengthen your immune system and reduce inflammation, which should help reduce your allergy symptoms over time. I usually enjoy a forkful of kimchee on an empty stomach every morning! Homemade bone broth works wonders too!
I needed this so bad! Currently battling a cold. Need to up my sleep, and have been drinking ginger tea, but maybe I need to up the ante! Thanks
Ah! There is a Juice Press right by you on 1st and 1st. Try and stop by after work if you have time – the Ginger Fireball juice is sooo potent, but I think that’s why it works!
These tips are super helpful! I’m typically one to reach for cold medicine right away, but honestly, it’s only because I didn’t know what else to do! Next time I have a cold I will definitely try some of these out.
Isn’t That Charming.
[...] Got a cold? Try these all natural remedies. [...]
I do all of these things too. They really work wonders. I also make the spiciest soup I can handle with lots of cayenne pepper and chilies in an attempt to get a sweat going. My boyfriend actually skips the whole soup process and eats an entire raw chilli!
Hi Emily – Wow, that is INTENSE. But if it works, why not?! I honestly thing anything spicy really helps…something to do with clearing out your sinuses for getting rid of all those nasty germs!