Herbal Cold and Flu Cure

Though there is no cure for the cold or the flu, many herbal remedies can help you fight the symptoms and weaken the viruses that cause your illness. If you have not yet come down with the flu, these herbs can also help strengthen your immune system against the nasty viruses that cause the cold and flu.

Basic Care

• Cold and flu are caused by viruses, so antibiotics do not work to treat them. Herbal remedies can help you get over your cold or flu faster and more comfortably, but they cannot replace the basic cold care a mother might give. Keep yourself well hydrated, especially if your symptoms include vomiting or diarrhea. Drink plenty of fluids and tea, and eat healthy foods such as chicken soup.

Grapefruit and Cranberry

• Grapefruit, orange and cranberry juices have powerful antiviral effects which can help you fight the flu. According to the National Institutes of Health, which published a study performed by the Biology Department at St. Francis College, cranberry, orange and grapefruit juice showed antiviral effects, even at low concentrations. Cranberry had the strongest antiviral effect of the juices. The St. Francis College study also showed that cranberry, orange and grapefruit juices inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria and can slow the reproduction of rotavirus, the virus responsible for the stomach flu.

Bitter Orange

• Bitter orange, also known as sour orange or Seville orange, is a common herbal treatment for colds and flu in Chinese medicine. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, bitter orange has also been used to replace ephedra in weight loss supplements because it raises the heart rate. Consult your doctor before using bitter orange to help defeat your cold or flu if you think an elevated heart rate might negatively affect your health.

Garlic

• Garlic is a common herb used to fight colds and flu. Its proven antibiotic properties make garlic a popular choice among herbalists. According to Jan de Vries, author of "The Pharmacy Guide to Herbal Remedies" and founder of Jan de Vries alternative healthcare centres, garlic has been shown clinically effective on many types of bacteria, including the bacteria thought to cause stomach cancer.

  Using garlic as an herbal remedy does have a catch, however. The bacteria-fighting components are most available and potent in fresh garlic, and their effects deteriorate quickly after the garlic is cut and the inside of the cell walls are exposed to air. A tasty and effective way to use garlic as an herbal remedy is to chop it up, pour olive oil over the chopped garlic, and quickly eat the garlic and olive oil mixture on some bread and crackers. Chewing thoroughly ensures maximum sublingual absorption of the active healing components in garlic.

Echinacea

• Echinacea can help you get over the flu by stimulating the processes in your body which help fight off infections from viruses and bacteria. According to de Vries, the cold and flu fighting components of echinacea stem from "polysaccharide and polyacetylene components" which occur in echinacea. These flu-healing compounds have anti-inflammatory effects in addition to their virus and bacteria-fighting powers.

Ginger

• According to de Vries, ginger can help with the symptoms of cold and flu by reducing fever and alleviating the stomach symptoms. Ginger "lessens irritation to the intestinal wall," de Vries says, which can help reduce flu-related intestinal spasms. Ginger is also an anti-inflammatory which can help reduce some of the joint pain and congestion of a cold or flu.