It’s that time of the year here in Sydney, Australia where the common cold is making it’s generous rounds amongst the people and this week it’s been my turn to catch it. I’ve been strapped to my bed for the past four days, which is really not a bad a place to be despite suffering from the whole range of cold symptoms: shakes, shivers, fever, sneezing, runny nose, sore throat, coughing, lack of appetite and for some strange reason even nose bleeds!
Even though it’s not exactly the most pleasant experience, getting a cold is kind of like taking you car for a tune up. It is the perfect opportunity to clean and clear all the old, bad white blood cells and crap out that has been stored by your body over the past few months. It also strengthens your immune system by making you less susceptible to getting ill.
People tend to get more colds in the winter, not because it’s cold but because we spend more time indoors, in enclosed areas with other people who are carrying viruses. There are more than 100 different viruses that can result in a cold and new ones are continuously emerging so there is no cure as there is no way that people have all the anti-bodies to fight every cold virus that may potentially be transmitted. Each cold virus is different, and this is a good thing! We get to clean out our bodies and build our immune systems every single time which protects us from other dis-eases.
Nonetheless, no-one wants to spend un-ending amounts of time laying low, waiting for a cold to pass so here are the 3 most effective and natural remedies that will help your body fight those baddies and have you feeling super-human in no time!
Hot Ginger & Honey Tea
How to prepare: Buys some fresh ginger bulbs, grate about one tablespoon per cup (or to taste), let it infuse in a teapot or cup with boiled water for about 5 minutes and add a spoonful of honey. Ginger is quite strong so you can actually re-use the grated residue a couple of times over.
Benefits: This ginger tea with honey will help your cough and sore throat tremendously! Ginger naturally boosts the immune system and is a strong antiseptic. It is been shown to kill cold viruses and contains two natural antibiotics. Ginger is also high in potassium which helps with muscle soreness. Honey is famous for it’s healing properties which include its anti-bacterial effects which heal sore throats in no time as well as being packed full of antioxidants which build your immune system and get rid of any virus, such as a cold, much faster.
Raw Garlic
How to prepare: Now, I know that the pungent smell and after-taste is enough to put the most vampire-fearing minstrel off, however its healing powers are far to powerful to overlook. One easy way to deal with this flavoursome medicine is to slice up a clove and place the pieces between two slices of apple, which make it much easier to chew and swallow. Being quite an avid fan myself, I like to crush a clove and spread it on an avocado half along with some himalayan sea salt and freshly ground pepper. If you’re worried about garlic breath, follow it with some fresh parsley which will eliminate the odour. Or don’t invite your lover around!
Benefits: One of garlic’s most potent health benefits includes the ability to enhance the body’s immune system; basically it helps your body fight the baddies! It does this by providing the body with an antibiotic know as allicin which helps to inhibit the ability of germs to grow and reproduce. Garlic is also known to promote and support killer cells. All in all – it is one kick-ass anti-body that you want on your side when fighting a cold!
Lemon with Warm Water
How to prepare: Squeeze a fresh lemon and pour into a cup, add with one third room temperature spring or filtered water and two thirds boiled water from the kettle.
Benefits: Not only is lemon juice alkalising but it is also incredibly high in vitamin C containing over 80% of one’s daily requirement in one little lemon, as well as being full of antioxidants. This little gem helps protect your body from bacteria, is a blood purifier and decreases the toxicity of the virus in your body. It has also been found to shorten the duration of a cold. Water dilutes the strong sour acidity as well as flushes and purifies you body. You can never drink enough water, especially when you have any illness.
There you have it! Three very easy and natural ways to quickly end your suffering and get over your cold and back to being a super hero! Here’s a call to action: What are your secret fail-safe tips for increasing recovery back to health-fullness? Share your comments below!
Totally agree. I take my honey lemon and ginger all in one and squeeze out the ginger juice by grating and squeezing. Other than that, ideally neti with him salt for clearing nose, gargling with 1/2 tsp him salt 1/2 tsp turmeric for sore throats. Love the garlic idea. Pertinent for me as also with cold. Also making veg soups to keep fluids and vitamins up, taking echinacea and having an attitude of surrender. Really like your positive perspective on this, a great reminder. Oh and if you can manage a few asanas will help move lymph. Or at least body brushing oh and there is always burning lemon essential oils. I could go on. Healing and belief in ourselves with acceptance of what is part of now for me.
Love your additions pretty one!
It’s so cold at the moment that I totally do the bare minimum, brushing and neti will have to save themselves for warmer climates but they are definitely useful :) I agree, the best part of being sick is totally surrendering to being sick and somehow that makes it strangely enjoyable! It’s in the resistance that causes more pain and anguish than the actual illness!
Very true, I have been reflecting on that a lot of late. Reminds me of all those zen tales about just saying ‘we’ll see’ rather than isolating a segment of time away from the rest of reality and deciding it is good or bad. Oh btw the garlic seemed to really help, thanks. I didn’t have avo but smushed it up with some tahini and tomato and of course the beloved salt and threw some dulse on for good measure. Oh and I happened to have parsley in the fridge which was muchos convenient.
The weather here is incredibly changeble, very cold to very hot in quick succession, my body is confused. Neti isn’t really that recommended anyway if you’re super streaming and I haven’t been taking my own advice with the skin brushing but that’s nothing but my tamasic lazy butt. Oh and Hanuman reminded me of blessed cayenne. Will have to see if I can locate some here, as well as HC salt, sadly for us we have not found a lugar in cordoba with it yet, however I remain hopeful.