Natural Cold and Flu Prevention

     It is cold and flu season. Half the people you know are sick. Everywhere you turn there are advertisements for medicines that will numb some of your cold and flu symptoms so that you can function. But wouldn't it be better to just not get sick in the first place? The flu shot is no solution because you can not immunize yourself against every virus you might encounter, there are too many. So the only way to stay healthy this season is to boost your immune system. I tried many different methods of boosting my immune system while working with 2 and 3 year old kids (who leak and spread germs constantly) and found some very effective herbs, vitamins, and tinctures.
Here are a few of my favorite remedies:

1) Source Naturals makes a product called Wellness Herbal Resistance Liquid. It is a tincture that contains Echinacea, Goldenseal and Yin Chiao Formula among other herbs. Both Echinacea and Goldenseal are very effective by themselves, but combined with the Chinese herbs in the Yin Chiao mixture, it really works! The same company (who did not pay me to write this) makes a tincture for children called Wellness Herbal Kids. It has basically the same active herbs in it but is less potent and made without alcohol but with vegetable glycerin instead so it taste much better. (I have also tried the Source Naturals Wellness Formula tablets or pills and found that they are less effective.) The amazing thing about this tincture is you can take it even after you start feeling sick and it will often kick the sickness before you get it. Most other immune boosters must be taken in advance so that they are in your bloodstream when you encounter a virus, but this tincture formula not only works that way but is also somewhat effect if you take it when you feel the first signs of an illness. (This product should not be used while pregnant or breast feeding.)  

2) Black Elder Berry extract is my new best friend (because I am currently pregnant). I have been using a concentrate made by Sambucus because it was inexpensive and was recommended to me, but I am sure other companies make great extracts as well. This is just the highly concentrated juice of the black elderberry plant mixed with a little vegetable glycerin. It is a great immune booster and is safe to take daily. Again you can find a more diluted formula for children. I drop a 1/8 of a teaspoon (kids don't need much) into my son's juice in the morning and he can't taste the difference. It is also safe to take while breastfeeding or pregnant. It is just a berry so unless you had an allergy to it, it should be safe for anyone.

3) Garlic has amazing flu fighting properties too. It is good for you anytime and is completely safe no matter who you are. Likewise Cheyenne pepper, if you can stomach it, is good at keeping colds away. Turmeric is equally amazing but also very intense. Food can be very powerful if you spice it right.

3) Another thing, safe for just about anyone, is good old vitamin C. I find it most effective if I take a 500 mg tablet once a day with a glass of lemon water. The tablets are good because they are concentrated but pure lemon juice absorbs better and faster. I squeeze an entire lemon into a quart of water. If I feel the first signs of a cold tickling my throat I suck on a lemon and swallow the juice slowly so it attacks whatever is attacking my throat. This is similar (but I find it to be more pleasant) to the method of gargling salt water.

4) Which brings me to my last tip: Drink more water! This should be obvious but most people are dehydrated. Water is good for you in many ways, but it helps maintain a healthy immune system too.

What do you do to boost your immune system already? What has or has not worked for you? I am always looking for more remedies. These are just some good ones I have found so far!