Dr. Mercola’s Top 12 Natural Cold Remedies

Colds are one of the leading causes of doctor visits and missed school and work days. The average American adult catches about two to four colds per year.

Nowadays, patients who see their doctor for a common cold are encouraged to take a flu shot, which contains components of the swine flu vaccine. This is one of the ways the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) inflates its influenza statistics and justifies the need to order massive doses of the flu shot from big pharmaceutical companies.

Dr. Joseph Mercola points out that not every illness that appears to be the flu IS actually the flu.  An exclusive CBS News study shows that when you experience flu-like symptoms like chills, cough, fever, runny nose, and malaise, your illness is likely caused by bacteria and viruses other than the influenza virus 83 to 97 percent of the time.

The Real Cause of Colds and Flu

Dr. Mercola explains that colds and flu are triggered by viruses, but the real cause of these illnesses is an impaired immune system.

Studies have also confirmed that catching colds and flu may be a symptom of an underlying vitamin D deficiency.

As temperatures drop and leaves begin to fall, we begin to spend more time indoors and less time under the sun. This causes our vitamin D levels to drop and makes us prone to spreading viruses from one person to another.

It’s not because viruses choose to appear at certain times of the year. They’re always around – it’s your ability to fight off these pathogens that changes with the seasons.

Besides not getting enough vitamin D, other factors that weaken your immune system include:

• Consuming excessive sugar and grains
• Not getting enough sleep
• Insufficient exercise
• Stress
• Any combination of the above

Optimizing your vitamin D levels is the best way to beat a cold or flu. The best source of vitamin D is direct sun exposure. But this just isn’t possible for many during the winter or when too much time is spent indoors.

In the absence of healthy sunlight exposure, the next best thing is using a safe tanning bed or taking a vitamin D3 supplement.

Before starting supplementation, you need to take the 25(OH)D or 25-hydroxyvitamin D test to find out how much vitamin D you need. You should also test yourself after supplementing for a few weeks to check your vitamin D level. Find Dr. Mercola’s vitamin D recommendations here.

Eating chicken soup when you catch a cold appears to have therapeutic effects. Here are 12 other natural cold remedies:

1.  Vitamin C
Also known as ascorbic acid, vitamin C is a potent antioxidant. Use a natural form such as acerola, which contains associated micronutrients.

2.  Oregano Oil
Oregano contains an active microbial agent called carvacrol. The higher the carvacrol concentration, the more effective the oregano oil.

3.  Propolis
Propolis is a bee resin and one of the most broad-spectrum antimicrobial compounds in the world. It is also the richest source of caffeic acid and apigenin, two very important compounds that aid in immune response but are not easily obtainable and can be expensive.

4.  Olive leaf extract
Used by ancient Egyptians and Mediterranean cultures, olive leaf extract is widely known as a natural, non-toxic immune system builder.

5.  Ginger Ale and Tea
In South Africa, ginger ale is combined with honey and lemon and a few drops of eucalyptus oil. This mixture is heated and sipped slowly like a tea.

Ginger tea is a popular cold remedy in China and is consumed mostly during the early stages of a cold. The spicy tea is made by brewing small pieces of fresh, peeled ginger root into boiling water. The liquid is steeped for five to 10 minutes and then strained.

6.  Bitterroot
Bitterroot is known among American Indians as a treatment for a sore throat or a cold. Take a little chunk of bitterroot or bite off a piece. The root is hard, but soon softens up and becomes spongy for you to suck on it for hours.

7.  Wormwood
Wormwood has been used for centuries by the Inupiat Eskimos of Alaska. It can be used “green” (freshly picked) or dried. Put the plant in a pot and boil it for 20 minutes to make a hot or cold tea. Eat food with the tea because it’s very potent.

8.  Uhaloa
The juice from the inner bark of this native Hawaiian plant is believed to be beneficial against cold symptoms. The inner bark can be chewed to release the juice inside the plant. Swallowing this juice as it mixes with the saliva in your mouth can help soothe a sore throat. Dr. Mercola adds that the juice can also be boiled into a reddish-colored tea as a drink for a sore throat, as well as for bronchial and bacterial infections.

9.  Hot Black Currant Juice
This purple fruit is an excellent source of vitamin C. Both the fruit and its juice have a sweet and tart taste. Drink the juice — warmed three to four times a day — when your cold acts up.

10.  Hot Lemon Drink
Combine boiling water and lemon juice. Add honey to taste.

11.  Turnip Syrup
Turnips are rich in vitamin C and are consumed in the highlands of Bolivia and other parts of South America for their healing properties.

12. A tea made from a combination of elderflower, yarrow, boneset, linden, peppermint, and ginger
Drink this tea hot to help combat a cold or flu. It causes you to sweat, helping eradicate a virus from your system.

Dr. Mercola’s patients have had remarkable results in treating colds and flu within 12 to 14 hours when they administer a few drops of three percent hydrogen peroxide into each ear. Normally, you will hear some bubbling and possibly feel slight stinging. Wait until the bubbling and stinging subside — usually after five to 10 minutes — before draining onto a tissue. Repeat this with the other ear.

A bottle of hydrogen peroxide in 3 percent solution is available at any drug store for a couple of dollars. It’s amazing how many people respond positively to this simple, inexpensive treatment.

Tweet

Email

Share

Tags: cold remedies, Dr. Joseph Mercola, flu, influenza