Natural Remedies for Faster Cold or Flu Recovery

Even the healthiest among us can still fall prey to the occasional cold or flu. This can be especially true during the winter months when it seems like the entire general population is sneezing, sniffing, or coughing.

Fortunately there are many tools in nature’s medicine cabinet that can help us make it through being sick with relative ease.

1. Rest/Sleep - Sleep is essential for healing, and when sick, we need more than the standard 8’ish hours - we need real, actual, lay-in-bed-all-day rest. If we want to get better faster, this is a priority. This break gives us the physical and mental downtime that our body needs to focus its energies on healing.

2. Supplements - There are many beneficial supplements that can assist with our recovery.  

• Cod Liver Oil can boost the immune system with its vitamins A and D and its anti-inflammatory omega 3s. 
• Elderberry is high in antioxidants and is thought to be able to reduce the duration and severity of a sickness.
• Turmeric reduces inflammation, boosts immunity, and has anti-bacterial properties. Incorporating it with turmeric teas or adding it to food can be highly beneficial. 
• Vitamin C boosts the immune system and may help to fend off or reduce the severity of colds and flu

All of these supplements can provide vital extra ammunition for our bodies in the fight against the illness. It’s important to note that everyone is different, so always consult with your naturopath or other medical professional for any supplements that may be beneficial for you.

3. Herbal Teas - When sick we especially need the power of herbs AND extra hydration, so drinking herbal tea is an incredibly effective healing tool. I like to make a special “healing tea” using olive leaf tea (high in antioxidants and anti-inflammation) with added ginger, turmeric, cloves, and ceylon cinnamon (spices that are all anti-viral and anti-inflammatory), as well as a little bit of apple cider vinegar, and local honey, both of which have additional healing properties.  

4. Healing Visualizations/Meditations - It’s important to keep stress as minimized as possible along with a positive attitude when sick, and these two tools can really help with that. A powerful practice is to visualize a healing light entering the body and slowly moving from top to bottom, destroying germs and areas of imbalance and bringing back homeostasis as it moves. Using visualization and meditation can help us to feel empowered and at the same time, help us to experience deep relaxation, which of course, can boost healing.  

5. Humor - Laughter really is the best medicine. Laughing stimulates our organs, circulation, and muscle relaxation, gives a boost to your immune system, can relieve pain, and improves mood—all things that are especially beneficial when sick! Watching a hilarious sitcom or stand up comedy routine can be a fun way to heal faster.

Of course prevention is key, and a lifestyle that prioritizes real, whole, nourishing foods, movement, stress management, and other health-promoting practices can greatly diminish our chances of getting hit with a seasonal illness, and certainly can help us avoid experiencing much worse illnesses too.

For those times when we just can’t avoid a cold or flu, I am so thankful for natural healing remedies that support our innate healing abilities. Our bodies know what to do—we just have to equip them to be able to do it.

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‍Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. The author is a certified nutrition coach, not a medical doctor. These recommendations are intended to be supportive measures and not medical treatments. Consult a healthcare provider before starting supplements, and seek medical care for concerning symptoms.