UPDATE: This post originally ran on December 3rd 2013 but with the frigid weather we’ve been having lately, we found ourselves in need of these natural remedies!
I’m the kind of person who is bound to get one bad cold in the winter, and I can already feel it coming on. Stuffy nose, watery eyes, itchy throat…you know how it goes. The chilly temperatures already make it hard to manage exiting our warm houses, but add in some cold symptoms and we might as well say, “See you in the spring.” This year, I wanted to find some ways that I could easily boost my immune system so I could ditch colds faster and be more willing to embrace the cold weather. You may not know it, but some pretty accessible and common things can do just this.
Pine Cone Extract
You may not have heard of this one before, but pine cone extract, also known as immunophen, is an awesome immunity booster! This all natural supplement is made from Scotch pine cones, and is designed to strengthen your immune system and lower allergy symptoms and inflammation. This can be purchased at health food stores or online. Add a few drops to some hot tea and you are good to go!
Avocados
I’m convinced that Avocados are the magical fruit. They help in aiding adrenal functions, and contain many essential amino acids and antioxidants. Add more of these to your diet to help your immunity. A good recipe for the fall is an avocado pomegranate salad — try this recipe!
Mushrooms
Mushrooms, and specifically Japanese mushrooms, are great immunity boosters. They contain ergothioneine, which is a powerful antioxidant that isn’t affected during the cooking process, and great for curing colds!
Oats
Lowering cholesterol is a great way to start building up your immune system. Oats contain a lot of soluble fiber, which helps to lower LDL (that’s the bad cholesterol we don’t want!). I’ve started to eat oatmeal in the morning for breakfast because of the health benefits and warm texture.
Ginger
Ginger is great for helping clear out your lungs and sinuses of bad toxins. Widely used in Ayurvedic medicine, it’s believed that ginger helps to cleanse your body’s lymphatic system to lower the risk of infection. It’s always beneficial to have some of this, in root, fresh, or powdered form, stocked away for use.
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I needed this a couple days ago. Hello, winter cold. :(
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Great suggestions! Definitely trying these and hoping to beat an early winter cold.
xo, Juliette Laura
http://juliettelaura.blogspot.com
I’ve heard mushrooms are amazing for you and it’s nice to know now that cooking them doesn’t take away the health benefits. Thanks for the post! <3
xoxo Annejelina
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Definitely going to juice some ginger as both the hubby and I feel colds coming on, :( The pine extract is a most unusual and unexpected preventative. I will definitely stop by Whole Foods on my way home today. Used to take emergenC till I learned all C made in the USA is GMO. Blech!
When I feel myself on the brink of a cold, I drink echinacea tea several times a day or add a few drops of the liquid herb to my drinks until I feel the symptoms disappearing. People supposedly dispute its effectiveness, but it works wonders for me!
Gosh, the photos on the FP blog are just stunning! I have never heard of pine cone extract, it sounds really good though! I’ll have to look it up!
Avos all the way! No, seriously, I could easily live just from avocados :).
xx
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Echinacea tea has kept me from catching the cold this season too! Adding raw honey and fresh lemon juice is also beneficial. Another awesome remedy to prevent the flu is homemade elderberry syrup – elderberries are high in vitamins A, B and C.
Thanks for the heads up! Never thought about pine cones before. Boost away!
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Thanks for the tips! I feel myself catching a cold!
Xo christine
Bossdaily.blogspot.com
Crushed raw garlic also works wonders as an antiviral and antibacterial! It’s also a high alkaline food :)
Mmmmmm. This time of year I love to add lots more vitamin C into my diet to prevent colds! Pinecone extract sounds so yum, too!
Alex
http://freshhealthynatural.blogspot.com/2014/01/watercolor-printable-calendar-diy.html
When living in cold snowy areas, it is important to ‘warm’ your body. A fire cider is a great and simple way to create a personalized tonic that you can sip on every day to prevent/treat colds and keep your metabolism active during the winter!
You can steep a variety of herbs and roots in apple cider vinegar:
Garlic
Onion
Cayenne (just a little!)
Honey
Ginger
Horseraddish
Let this sweet & spicy blend work it’s magic for about three weeks, then strain out!
This is perfect! and just in time too. It was windy today and I feel like I’m coming down with something. Meghan, how do you do the fire cider exactly? I’m excited to try it.
I drink hot tea every morning, wash my hands before i eat, and have a spoon full of local organic honey and get a lot of sleep. so far i have not been sick once this winter season.
I am definitely a believer in these natural remedies. Another great one to add is elderberry extract, which is proven to reduce flu symptoms and the likes. Also, if you’re interested, I have a great recipe for a morning detox drink, perfect for boosting immunity and flushing toxins. http://www.remedyrogues.com/morning-detox-drink/