Beating Cold and Flu Season, Naturally

by kiwilog

In case you haven’t noticed, cold and flu season is upon us. My daughter awoke two days before Christmas with a runny nose and hard, wet cough. Saddened by the outlook of being sick for this much-anticipated holiday, she inquired, “don’t you have something to fix it?” Fortunately, as both a mother and a Naturopathic doctor, I have many tricks up my sleeve. Administered during the onset of a cold, the right herbal medicines can significantly reduce the cold’s symptoms as well as duration.

The million dollar question? What are those herbs and how do I get them? First, keep in mind is that similar to items like cars, food, appliances, or clothing, not all herbal products are created equal. As far as supplements go, if the product seems especially cheap, there is usually a reason behind this. An exceptionally low price usually signifies poor quality raw materials, and perhaps less integrity in the final product, suggesting a lowered efficacy. While you don’t necessarily need to purchase the most expensive herbal product you can find, you should investigate the company at hand and explore their manufacturing practice. Do they grow and harvest their own products? Do they import their raw material from China? Do they use organic herbs? Do they fill their capsule with unnecessary binders and fillers (this is usually the case with cheaper products, resulting in a lowered medicinal potency.)

That being said, what can you take for cold and flu symptoms actually works, and how much? For adults or kids over twelve who can swallow a capsule, try Gaia Herbs Quick Defense, a combination of high potency echinacea, elderberry, ginger, and andrographis that will rapidly diminish symptoms (Try two capsules five times per day for three days.) For kids, Gaia’s Composition Essence will do the trick. This great tasting liquid formula can be taken in water or juice at a dose of 30-60 drops three times daily.

For those of you who find yourself struggling throughout the entire cold and flu season, catching everything that comes your way, try Gaia’s Whole Body Defense, which works to strengthen the body’s immune system, in turn preventing sickness. (Try two capsules twice a day.) Finally, try to keep stress levels at a minimum by eating healthfully and getting enough sleep, as well as drinking plenty of water!

Keri Marshall, MS, ND.

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