Home Remedies for Preventing Cold and Flu – Fact or Fiction?

By the Vteam, Kamau Austin Publisher

If scientists ever were able to invent a guaranteed way to prevent the cold and flu, there’s no doubt that everyone in the world would wait in line for however long it took so they could get their hands on that magical product. Unfortunately, no major breakthroughs have yet been discovered.

There are however a number of remedies that claim to help prevent cold and flu viruses from invading our systems, and many others that promise to relieve the symptoms should we become unfortunate enough to catch one of those nasty bugs. But how do these remedies measure up? Are they everything they promise?

Let’s take a closer look at some of the cold and flu home remedies that have so far withstood the test of time.

Chicken Soup

Chicken soup is likely the most comforting home remedy you can prepare when someone you know comes down with a cold or flu. Mothers have been giving chicken soup to their sick children for generations, and moms today still swear by its comforting qualities. And so do some professionals.

In fact, placing a bowl of steaming hot chicken soup right in front of you nose can help unblock a stuffy nose. The steam has a way of breaking apart mucus, which helps it to move and makes it easier for you to breathe in that savory smell. When the mucus moves out of your nose, it takes along those nasty viruses that would rather cling to your nose lining so they can keep making you ill. Chicken soup also has been shown to be an effective anti-inflammatory. It seems there’s something in chicken soup that interferes with neutrophil movement. The hot liquid is also good for relieving sore or itchy throats.

If it’s made right, it’ll be loaded with vegetables and chunks of protein-filled chicken. Nutrient-rich chicken and vegetables can definitely help give your immune system a boost. Although there’s little difference when it comes to deciding whether homemade or store bought chicken soup is better for you, homemade chicken soup contains an ingredient not found in canned versions – and that ingredient is love. This special ingredient is what makes chicken soup that much more comforting. Eating a bowl of mom’s chicken soup can fill you up so you can get some rest. And getting ample amounts of rest is what your body needs to help it recover more quickly.

Vitamin C

Lots of people swear by this vitamin’s ability to help prevent the symptoms of a cold or flu from developing. But unfortunately, this just isn’t true. However, supplying your body with Vitamin C is great way to boost your immune system. When the immune system is functioning optimally, it’s better able to do its job which is to protect the body from foreign invaders. For some people, taking large quantities of Vitamin C at the onset of cold or flu symptoms helps make their cold or flu symptoms less severe.

Garlic

You’ve heard it’s effective at keeping the vampires away while you sleep, but can garlic really help you ward off a cold or flu? Well, the sulfur-containing compounds in garlic do have immune boosting qualities. It’s been said that garlic helps to ramp up production of white cells and helps kick the immune system’s natural killer cells into action. It can also make the production of important antibodies more efficient. So go ahead and add more garlic into your diet. If you can’t tolerate the smell, reach for a garlic supplement.

Herbal supplements

There’s a lot of talk about the benefits of taking Echinacea and zinc lozenges to help prevent colds and the flu and to help relieve the symptoms of both, but the jury is still out on these types of remedies.

There is a new herbal supplement that has so far shown promising results in terms of giving the immune system a boost. Remember the immune system is what keeps the body healthy by protecting it from bacterial and other types of foreign invaders. The herbal supplement is called Immunitril™ and it’s available right now at many better online stores and eTailers like www.Amazon and www.BODeStore.com.


Disclaimer: This article is for information only. It is not medical advice. Always consult with a health care professional if you’re sick and also before taking health or food supplements.