My Natural Flu or Cold Prevention Regimen

I was encouraged to write this post because of the high rate of flu that has been going around. According to the CDC report, there has been a sharp increase in the number of flu cases since November of last year. My intention is to share the remedies I utilize to stay healthy.

So today I’m sharing my secrets, maybe not so much a secrets, but my natural flu or cold prevention regimen. If you know me you know I’m sort of a health nut, not a fanatic as I am with fashion and style, but love to stay healthy…who doesn’t, right?

Because I believe our bodies, when God created us, was endowed with the ability to take care of itself, and fight off diseases, all we have to do is enhance that natural capability. The foods we eat these days and our lifestyle does not help…don’t get me started on that topic either…maybe something for another day. Moving on to the topic at hand, my flu prevention regimen.

First, there are some issues that may make us more susceptible to the flu. Issues like
* Stress.
* Lack of adequate sleep
* Depressed immune response, especially for those on immune suppressants
* Age. The very young and the very old are prone for various reasons, which I won’t get into in this post.
* Pregnancy also increases the risk of getting the flu

What is my natural flu or cold prevention regimen?

• Vitamin C. At the very earliest sign of fatigue or sniffles, I double up on my vitamin C intake. The particular brand I take is the New chapter Activated C food complex. I love it because it’s made from whole food, and not synthetic ingredients.
• Activated Quercetin is a bio flavonoid complex which is though to enhance the effects of Vitamin C. I will talk more on this in a later post.
• Echinacea. This is one thing I swear by…I literarily can’t run out of it…I go into panic mode when I’m out. Why? Because it’s been shown to help boost the immunity, while also having anti inflammatory properties. It’s available in pill, liquid, and as a wellness tea form. I take the tea form and drink about 4-6 cups /day when I feel the sniffles coming. Keep in mind, this also counts as your total fluid consumption.
• Honey. I try to get the natural honey which I usually add to my echinacea tea. Nature Nates raw and unfiltered honey is one of my favs. Of course, there’s also the Manuka honey, known to support digestive, immune health, and sooth coughs and colds.
• Lemon. I squeeze in half a lemon into my echinacea tea as well.
• Zinc. I also take some zinc. Zinc helps shorten the course of a cold if taken within 24hrs of first symptoms
• Ginger is also effective because of its anti inflammatory properties as well. I drink 2-3 cups of ginger tea daily after meals for the digestive aide properties. My current fav is the Pukka three ginger tea with also includes turmeric. More on wellness teas in an upcoming post.

• Oscillococcinum. This is another medicine cabinet staple of mine. Although quite controversial in its effectiveness, it has not disappointed me thus far…call it mind over matter, if you’d like. According to the manufacturer statement, It is a homeopathic flu preparation that helps relieve flu-like symptoms like fatigue, headaches, chills, fever, and body aches by working naturally with your body.
• Last but not least, is water. Good old water. Drink at least 8 glasses of water per day to help flush out impurities and maintain the normal body water ratio.

What are your thoughts on this post? Do you have a Natural Flu or Cold prevention Regimen you’d like to share?