Excelle

When our family members or friends have a cold or flu, we typically recommend eating chicken soup. What other foods or remedies do you find to be helpful? We are entering the cold and flu season. Now is the time for us to gear up and get ready.

My mother always made sure we drank plenty of OJ and red juice. Any red juice as long as it was 100% juice- cherry/ grape/ raspberry/ cranberry/ blueberry/ strawberry. It didn't matter the berry, as long as it was 100%, and it was red. 

Raspberries have natural aspirin- so she would either open a jar that my great grandmother had canned- or thaw a bag of frozen berries. It still works though I am all grown up- or maybe it works because it makes me feel like a kid again. Yummm... warm oatmeal with raspberries and a little bit of sugar....

I picked up this tip somewhere and now do it year round. Whenever I am at a store and they hand me my sales slip to sign, instead of using the pen on the counter, I use my own. It is a simple thing, but those pens are full of germs. And I carry a little bottle of hand sanitizer and use it as I am walking out of the store. I promise you I am not a germ-a-phobe. Really I promise. Some germs in your system keeps you from getting sick. But this time of year, we should all be a little more careful when out in public.

At the office, I make sure to bring in a bottle of those Clorox wipes and wipe down my desk area and phone a few times a week. And I make sure to get the copier and fax machine key pads, the handles to the fridge and microwave- any of those communal places the cleaners may not think about.

changinglifestyles says ...

Of course, the old fashion standards still stand.

100% Orange Juice and other citrus fruits.

Hot Tea

Garlic and onions

Ginger

Chicken Noodle Soup (Again)

Mushrooms

Vitamin C Supplements

Remember to eat foods that are high in antioxidants. Berries are high in antioxidants.

 

 

 Another thing to help remedy the flu is to avoid is all together by keeping common things around you clean.  One interesting thing I came accross was for a purse hanger called the Clipa.  Here is what they had to say about purses and germs:

Flu season is around the corner and the virus can live for hours on many surfaces. In fact, the typical handbag has tens of thousands of germs and even bacteria on the bottom of it. Often after returning home from a day out, women will drop their purse on the kitchen counter along with the groceries, instantly transferring those germs to the countertop.

I never thought about that until I read this article.  I checked into their product: www.clipa.us and it looks pretty useful. Just my 2 cents!

Through my studies I have found the oj remedy quite misleading.  It is true that oj is good for you but in small amounts.  When consumed in LARGE amounts the acid in the juice causes certain cells in your body to burst, requiring more time for your body to absorb the vitamins.  This will not in any way result in anything bad but it significantly slows down the process.   Drinking about 4oz at a time is good.

I have also found that if you are congested simply look to your spice rack for a simple effective and affordable cure.  Thyme!   (THYME TEA) Put a tblspoon or 2 full of dried thyme in a mug/glass.  Pour boliling water over it and let it steep for about 5-10 minuets.  Strain out the leaves.   You may add a pinch of honey or a fresh lemon wedge for a little sweetness.  Drink warm once or twice a day.  Usually  in 3 days the congestions is all gone.  My 9 yeras old daughter loves it!  Herbal remedys come in handy if you have kids that throw up conventional medicine like mine.

Zinc lozenges are great to suck on when you have a sore throat from a cold or flu...chicken noodle soup or to me potato soup is soothing when I am sick.  Tons of Vitamin C - I take 3000mg a day.  Hot tea with honey and lemon are also very soothing to a raw, sore throat.

Homemade chicken soup for sure. If you want to jazz it up, replace the noodles with tortilla strips, add fresh jalapeno pepper, and garnish with cilantro and avocado.

Herbal tea with honey.

Food with ginger, garlic, and other aromatics. Thai food is perfect.

To prevent getting sick, I use Airborne (the natural remedy invented by a teacher).  

I do remember the whiskey with honey and lemon. Look at how things have changed!

Does anyone remember hot Dr. Pepper?