Free Natural Remedies for for Colds, Flus, Coughs, Sore Throats, Laryngitis, Sinusitis, Respiratory & Allergies!

In case you want to play around with this (and/or bookmark for future reference), here are some of my notes on natural remedies that I've collected/researched and have used myself over the years. You can find most of the plants/herbs growing wild if you're out with someone who knows plants. The rest you should be able to find at an herbal supply or health food store. I stock this stuff beforehand, so that it's available for me or whomever at a moment's notice (since starting with these remedies ASAP after noticing the slightest symptom is the most powerful thing). I've come to use the list as a reminder to myself, as I somehow don't think all that clearly when I'm sick.... (Feel free to print and keep in your medicine cabinet. :)

Anyway, I hope this is useful to you or someone dear to you...and that you send me your additions! If something ends up working for you (or not!), so that I can pass the word on to others via this page. :)

That said, here's a couple things I know: Taking echinacea is unsafe in the case of autoimmune disease (eg, type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis), deliberately suppressed immunity (patients taking drugs designed to suppress immunity--after an organ transplant, eg), allergy to flowers in the aster family (ie, asters, daisies, chrysanthmums, sunflowers, and a number of common weeds--including ragweed and mugwort), pregnancy/breast feeding. Reduce all doses for children. Don't take goldenseal for more than 10 days. Also, I'm told by a knowledgeable friend that goldenseal is an endangered plant--so I now avoid buying/using it for that purpose alone. I'm told by another knowledgeable friend that taking either of these when you have hayfever allergies (which can look/feel like a cold/flu symptomatically), can actually worsen the allergic reaction. This is because the allergy is due to an already sensitive immune system responding, trying to expel foreign particles (dust, pollen, etc.) from the body. This makes sense to me.

*** Of course, being the special and completely unique person that you are, you might need to play around a bit with these to see what your body responds to best. As with any new anything you put into your body, it's best to take the minimal dosage once first and pay vigilent attention to your body for a day or so, to make sure that you don't have any abnormal negative reactions (such as an allergic one) to it. :-)

FOR COLD/FLU:

Prevention: Astragalus (take daily to build up resistance, safe to take indefinitely, look for astragalus tinctures or capsules in health food stores and use as per instructions...especially if you're prone to get every bug that goes around during the winter, work with children, etc.).

As soon as you start feeling the slightest symptoms (efficacy of most of these diminishes significantly after the first few hours of symptoms), here's some completely natural ways to "nip the bug in the bud"

Rest, rest, rest (as in sleeping!)
Push liquids
Meditate (blood purfication healing is also good, as is anything which lowers your stress level, thus boosting your immune system)
Echinacea/goldenseal [Notes: Echinacea immune boost wanes with extended use, so use only when you have symptoms and don't overuse; don't use goldenseal for more than 10 days; best echinacea to buy, prioritized based on 2/04 issue of Consumer Reports: Spring Valley Echinacea (Wal-Mart), Origin Echinacea (Target), Sundown Echinacea, Nature's Bounty Echinacea, Nature's Resource Echinacea, Sav-On-Osco Echinacea (Albertsons), Nature's Resource Echinacea Goldenseal; These products contain more than 1.5 micrograms of lead and should be avoided: Nature's Bounty Echinacea Goldenseal Plus, Solaray Echinacea Goldenseal, Origin Echinacea Goldenseal Root (Target); These products are extremely high price and low efficacy and should be avoided: GNC Herbal Plus Echinacea Root]
Organic Lemon (wash well and include the rinds/peel!) blended with a few cloves of fresh garlic and honey (can add water, too, or, better yet, ginger-eucalyptus tea)
Eucalyptus tea (boil with 2-4 broken/crushed leaves in the water, steep for 5-10min)
Ginger (best: pour a cup of boiling water over 2-3 tbs of fresh, shredded ginger root; if you don't have ginger root, just add powdered ginger to your eucalyptus/lemon tea)
Combo tea! (Mix any/all of eucalyptus, ginger, lemon, mullein, licorice and drink multiple cups per day)
Garlic
Hot, spicy chicken soup (add lots of fresh garlic, onions, ginger and hot red pepper)
Vitamins A & C (cut out all B vitamins, which feed bacteria; since vitamin C is water soluble [ie, it doesn't get stored in the body], it's probably best to take smaller doses [less than 1000mg] more frequently, rather than megadoses)
Fresh Oranges and other citrus fruits containing vitamin C
Zinc (inhibits reproduction of the rhinovirus, the chief cause of the common cold, and stimulates production of interferon, a substance that can improve the body's response to infections; keep daily dosage below 110mg for women, 135mg for men; use for extended periods may start to damage the pancreas, cause anemia by decreasing copper production, and possibly even lower the "good" HDL cholesterol, according to the government's Argonne National Labs--so use only when you have symptoms)
An Apple a Day Boosts the Immune System: Soluble fiber -- found in oats, apples, and nuts -- reduces the inflammation associated with obesity-related diseases and strengthens the immune system, a new University of Illinois study suggests.
Black Cherry (tea or fruit...add to lemonade or lemon tea)
Elderberry (Sambucol is a patented Israeli drug that contains elderberry and is now available in the US)
Onion
Anise (steep 1-2 tsp of crushed aniseed per cup of boiling water for 10-15min, then strain; drink once in the morning and once at night as an expectorant that will help you cough up whatever's loose and also help you fight the cold)
Ephedra (decongestant that opens up bronchial passages...start with a weak tea and use with caution since it's also a powerful stimulant that can raise blood pressure and cause insomnia and jitters...discuss w/a doctor before using)
Mallow (eat leaves to soothe throat, also for laryngitis, colds, coughs and bronchitis)
Licorice
Mullein (1-2 tsp of dried her per cup of boiling water, steep for 10 min)
Slippery Elm
Seneca snakeroot
Watercress (1-3 tsp of dry watercress to make a tea for cold-related runny nose and cough...or an ounce of fresh watercress, which also makes a great addition to a salad...good combined with ginger)
Wellness Formula (by Source Naturals) - Has Echinacia, Goldenseal, Horehouse, Astragalus, Garlic, Zinc, Vitamins A & C, and lots of other good stuff
Airborne is a similar concoction to Wellness Formula, with fewer and a bit different ingredients...still good, tho!
For flu SYMPTOMS (fever, chills, body aches), this homeopathic medicine works pretty well for many people, although I don't think it does
anything to actually "heal", just handles the symptoms: Oscillococcinum (With a name like that it's got to be good, right? ;-)
Achy muscles from a bout of the flu? Mix 1 Tablespoon of horseradish in cup of olive oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as a massage oil, for instant relief for aching muscles.
Push liquids
Rest, rest, rest (as in sleeping!)
Jin Shin Jyutsu: Trinity flow

FOR SORE THROAT (AND/OR COUGH):

Gargle with salt water and/or goldenseal (.25 tsp salt, .5 tsp of the contents of one capsule of goldenseal powder [won't dissolve completely], gargle for a few minutes at a time at least 4X/day)
Lemon tea (adding honey is good)
Herbal Mist Throat Spray (by Zand)
Warm salt water sinus irrigation (a couple times/day, as needed...clears the post-nasal drip with causes the sore throat and some coughs; I use a ceramic Neti-pot, and mix my own saline; click for more info)
Soothing Echinacea Syrup (w/Honey, by Webber Naturals)
Eucalyptus (boil with 2-4 broken/crushed leaves in the water, steep for 5-10min)
Honeysuckle
Slippery elm lozenges
Horehound (what many cough medicines are made from; for coughs and also for other respiratory problems like laryngitis, use 1-2 tsp of dried herb [leaves and flower tops] per cup of boiling water, add lemon, licorice and stevia [to sweeten the bitter taste], steep for 3-4 min)
Combo tea! (mix any/all of eucalyptus, ginger, lemon, horehound tea, honey--don't forget to sweeten it if you add the bitter but effective horehound; drink multiple cups per day)
Malva/mallow (eat leaves to soothe throat, also for laryngitis, colds, coughs and bronchitis)
Sore Throat? Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1 tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria.
Garlic
Ginger
Wintergreen

FOR COUGH SUPPRESSION:
Simple: Juice of 2 lemons + 1 cup hot water + 1-2 tsp honey, 3x per day

Neat: Layer slices of raw onion with honey (or sugar) and leave overnight. In the morning, collect the clear syrup and take for stubborn coughs. (Warning: effective, but not the most tasty ;)

Probably most potent: Steep 2 tsp of organic lemon rinds, 1tsp sage, 1/2 tsp thyme and maybe a chunk or 3 of ginger root in boiling water for 15min. Then add juice of 1/2 lemon and 1Tbs of honey. 2-3x per day.

Other (common) stuff for coughs:
* Add 1tsp dried licorice root to whatever other remendy
* 1-2 tsp crushed aniseed (anise) per cup of boiling water, steep 10-15min, 1-2x per day
* Tea from stinging nettle leaves
* Gargle with salt water (and/or warm salt water sinus wash...more info below)

From a friend:
Leeched loquat leaves also work really well for cough... - my son had croup once, and that was THE ONLY thing that worked for him.. it isn't hard to do, and they do grow all over...

FOR SINUS/RESPIRATORY:

Eucalyptus acorn steam (boil 3-5 acorns [or drops of essential oil] in water, hold towel over head and inhale the steam for respiratory problems, including chest congestion, bronchitis, bronchial cough and sinusitis...breathe through your nose for sinus probs; otherwise, breathe through your mouth with pursed lips, keep eyes closed, do at least 2X/day...also works with eucalyptus leaves and/or sage leaves or essential oil [use a handful of the whole leaves or a teaspoon of the essential oils...can be used alone or in combination...eucalyptus is also antibacterial)
Warm salt water sinus irrigation (a couple times/day, as needed; I use a ceramic Neti-pot, and mix my own saline; click for more info)
Warm salt water gargle several times/day is also good
Ephedra (decongestant that opens up bronchial passages...start with a weak tea and use with caution since it's also a powerful stimulant that can raise blood pressure and cause insomnia and jitters...discuss w/a doctor before using)
Horehound (for respiratory problems like laryngitis, use 1-2 tsp of dried herb [leaves and flower tops] per cup of boiling water, add lemon, licorice and stevia [to sweeten the bitter taste], steep for 3-4 min only)

CHRONIC SINUSITIS:

Cut out all dairy products (including goods baked with butter) and some yeast products (experiment: for me, this means beer). It can take up to 2 months to see/feel the effects after making the dietary change, but it's been extremely well worth it for me.
Wasabi (or wasabi peas from Trader Joes)
Warm salt water sinus irrigation (a couple times/day, as needed; I use a ceramic Neti-pot, and mix my own saline; click for more info)
Boiron's homeopathic/all natural/chemical free "Sinusitis/Nasal Congestion/Headache Pain" remedy works quite reliably for me (takes 20-30 min, however--tho that may be due to reduced efficacy since the batch I'm using [free from a friend] expired 3 years ago)
Aspirin! (Not just for pain, there's something in aspirin that's especially good for sinusitis. A friend who's had multiple surgeries and seen many sinus experts without full satisfaction finally got full relief from a regimen of aspirin recommended by one of the experts. Be sure to get the "enteric coated" kind that doesn't irritate the stomach. 1-2 of the Kirkland brand from Costco works fine for me, and usually a bit quicker than the homeopathic remedy (tho, again, this might not be the case were I not using full-strength, non-expired homeopathics :). For really serious chronic sinusitis, consult an sinus expert on how to do a more comprehensive aspirin regimen.)
It requires a bit more effort, and is a bit more invasive (applying a good amount of pressure with your fingers) than the Jin Shin flow listed below, but "The Nose Exercise" (page 127) from Dr. Stephen T. Chang's Complete System of Self-Healing Internal Exercises works quicker and even a bit more reliably (than the Jin Shin Jyutsu flow) and can also be done anywhere when nothing else is available. It's basically a series of acupressure points.
There's a Jin Shin Jyutsu sinus flow (energetic touch healing) that works almost as reliably as the other remedies, yet can be done anywhere when nothing else is available (or if it happens at night and you don't want to get up and just want to lie there effortlessly yet be alleviating the pain/pressure symptoms). To order the Book of Ancient Natural Remedies: Healing Yourself and Others with Herbs and Hands by Peter Bigfoot (the healer who taught me Jin Shin) and learn Jin Shin Jyutsu (and many other herbal remedies), click here.
Do I Have Sinusitis? (and several other Fact Sheets on Sinus Pain Tips, etc)
Causes, etc of Chronic Sinusitis
More on Sinusitis @ Mayo Clinic

FOR ALLERGIES:
* Stinging nettle (see below)
* Honey
* Garlic and onion
* Ginko biloba (60-240 mg per day; reduce dosage if you get diarrhea, irritability or restlessness)
* Vitamin C (1000 mg, 3X per day)
* Horseradish/wasabi (to clear the sinuses)

JUST IN (from a Dr. on the news, 3/2011)...
* Butterbur
* Green Tea, Broccoli, Onion (especially red onion)
* Bioflavinoids/Quercetin + Vitamin C (click here for more on benefits/side effects/drug interactions of Quercetin)

I used to have terrible allergy attacks each Spring. Now, they're virtually non-existent. (I only get them if I'm outside in a place where there's a lot of grasses and/or an excessive number of blooming flowers. In those situations, I just up the dosage a bit or, in really bad situations [rare], I take Chlor Trimeton [chemical].)

Here's what I use:
* "Oregon's Wild Harvest Nettle", Freeze-Dried Herbal Supplement (300mg each)
OR
* "Aller G Formula 25", by Olypian Labs, Inc.

(Although they're good ones, you don't have to use these brands. Any freeze dried Stinging Nettle extract should be fine. The "freeze dried" part is important, however, as it increases the potency. I've been told to stay away from large chains like Zand for environmental reasons.)

I take 1 pill per day (300mg) of the Nettle starting a month or so before allergy season, and continue until allergy season ends. When allergy season starts, or if I start feeling symptoms, I up the dosage to 2 or 3 pills per day (although you can safely go to 4, ie 1200mg). Since this is a plant, not a pharmaceutical medication, it works best if you build up the amount in your system gradually over a few weeks before allergy season (ie, _before_ you need it), and then continue through the season. It's also good for you nutritionally, so you can think of it as a vitamin that you take during allergy season.

Cautions: Consult with your health care professional before using nettle if you're taking a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication. Use with caution if pregnant. Discontinue if unusual symptoms occur.

* "Herbs, Etc. Allertonic Seasonal Support", Fast-acting softgel herbal extracts

I use the Allertonic for actual allergy attacks (or for when I know I'm going into nature in a place where lots of flowers will be blooming)...on top of the Nettle...as you would a normal chemical pill. I take 2-5 of these and they handle just about any attack. Warm salt water sinus irrigation (see above) may also be of use during an allergy attack, but I've never tried it.

Regardless of allergy season, I also take 60mg of Ginko 2X per day (for memory), 1000mg of Vitamin C 2X per day, and 500mg of Garlic (because it has a million benefits and I got a bunch really cheap when an herbal store was going out of business). Each of these also helps with allergies.

Hope you're feeling 100% soon, :)
Rich

----
Thought for Today: Worry is just needless suffering. When you decide you've suffered enough, ask yourself: "Can I do anything about this now?" If so, go do it. If not, banish the worrying thoughts from your mind. Anything else is just self torture, robbing you of the richness of life and serving no one...while weakening your immune system in the process!!

Reclaim Your Brain - the most powerful tool for health/healing that exists!
(I use and recommend this fun tool to reprogram the unconscious mind)

THESE JUST IN FROM A FRIEND:
Hi Rich,

Over the last year I have had many symptoms listed - last week I came across a book and then met the author (Dr. Cass Ingram) at his book signing soon after - I've had amazing and curing results from Wild Oil of Oregano - amazing, after searching a whole year for relief.

    The book is: The Cure is in the Cupboard, How to use Oregano for Better Health.

Dr. Ingram has also authored the books:

        The Respiratory Solution
            and
         Lifesaving Cures, How to use the latest and most powerful natural cures for the 21st century

From first hand experience, this information is credible and the books, I found to be interesting and useful.