Natural Remedies for Cold and Flu Season
NOTE: This is a quick list of natural home remedies you should have ready now for cold and flu season! It’s fall, after all! From staying well to taking care of symptoms of cold and flu like congestion, cough, and aches; this is a great place to start getting ready!
I well remember this experience: I was on an airplane one fall day, standing in the crowded aisle, waiting patiently for the passengers ahead of me to start leaving the plane. Well, the man behind me started hacking (coughing really grossly) into my hair! UGH! Are you kidding me? Now I know he couldn’t help it. But for Pete’s sake.
Then I remembered: I have my Herbal First Aid stash all ready to go this Fall.
It’s finally here! Fall! I must admit, I am SO happy about this. It’s my favorite time of the year. BUT with anything wonderful comes a few downsides. In the case of lovely autumn…it’s the beginning of cold and flu season in the Northern hemisphere.
As a former school teacher, I could see with my very own eyes, year after year, that fall was absolutely the advent of cold and flu season, and when those illnesses came through the classroom like a wave, it made me super conscious of natural remedies and things you can do starting right now (any time of the year) to be ready.
You know: Just in case that old cold or flu bug threatens to strike you and your family.
The recipes I’m sharing in this article will give you a good start! And, if you want, be sure to grab my FREE Herbal Remedy Guide and Cheat Sheet for 10 common and easy to find herbs!
Be ready for cold and flu season by getting these remedies started now, and making sure you have basic items on hand at all times. I say this because in my old village where I used to live, there were always folks who would ask me to make a quick decongestant for them. Or a cough syrup. Or to borrow some essential oils…..
Why not have certain things on hand yourself? Be ready!
My friends, these are EASY things to make and they require no skill at all. You just need some basic ingredients, like raw honey, a red onion, garlic, etc. So even if you aren’t planning on going all out on an herbal tincture, just be sure to keep certain items on hand so you can make your own.
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Fall is here, and that means cold and flu season is starting! Be ready this year! With a few easy-to-make items and ingredients to keep on hand, you can make your own natural cold & flu remedies yourself for toddlers through adults. Get rid of cough, congestion, sinus aches and more in these natural home remedies to get ready now. #cough #congestion #cold #flu #remedy #natural #naturalremedy #coughsyrup #nasalcongestion #coldremedy #fluremedy #healingharvesthomestead
Natural Remedies to Make This Fall to Be Ready for Cold & Flu Season
These remedies are ones I have been using for many years, and they work! They are my go-to’s any time I need a quick “get-better-fast” remedy, and some of them are wonderful for helping specific issues like congestion and difficulty breathing.
Anyhow, take a look through these, and be sure you’ve got everything you need in your house, ready to go. You’ll be GLAD you did!
Fire Cider:
Fire Cider is one of those tonic drinks that’s been around for centuries in different cultures. The recipe varies by location, but it’s filled with incredible immune boosting ingredients. Rosemary Gladstar popularized this tonic back in the 1970’s, and since then it’s been made by thousands of herbalists. You can find her recipe in her book: Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide.
You can also read through the Healing Harvest Homestead version of Fire Cider on the blog. Essentially, you just need raw apple cider vinegar, garlic, horse-radish, and a few more things….and in due time you will have a tonic you’ll be happy to drink every day for wellness!
BEST Natural Homemade Decongestant
This is one of my favorite recipes to whip up in a pinch when nasal and sinus congestion strike. Besides clearing up your nose and head, the ingredients in this fast and easy decongestant have some incredible healing properties too….which make that bad cold go away faster.
You can find the recipe for this natural decongestant in this link (just click). Essentially, you’ll need Cinnamon, Cayenne (as much or as little as you can stand), and a few other easy to find items. You don’t have to make this decongestant ahead of time, either, as it is quick to get ready in a pinch.
And the video below is for two different essential oil blends to help soothe sinus congestion, too. One is for adults and one is safe for even young children:
Here, I’m harvesting some mullein from a nearby stream bed. But you can purchase dried mullein in bulk from Starwest Botanicals (plus all your other herbal and culinary spice needs) if you don’t want to go out and find your own.
Breathe Tincture:
I love this stuff. Mr. V. and I use it during allergy season too. I used to have terrible allergies, and I attribute this tincture to not only helping with the inflammation caused by upset mucous membranes in my sinus passages, but also increasing my immunity to allergens.
At any rate, there are only two herbs in this tincture, and it’s likely they may actually be growing near you! You can find out How to Make a Tincture in this link, if you’re not sure how (but it is simple). And you can find out how to make this handy tincture that will support your respiratory system and sinuses here.
You may also enjoy this article: 7 Ways to Clear Up Congestion Fast.
Cough Syrup (ingredients on hand)
It is SO simple and easy to make a homemade cough syrup. There’s a popular version out there using honey and lemon (which is great), but I much prefer my version. I’ve found it works really well, the compounds in it help you get better faster, and it’s easy. You only need two ingredients: raw honey and a red onion. You can find out how to make this natural cough syrup here.
NOTE: Besides helping your cough, it will also soothe your sore throat!
Get this FREE Herbal Remedy Guide and Cheat Sheet. It’s a perfect reference for your kitchen or apothecary!
Essential Oils
There are certain essential oils I insist on having at the ready before the cold and flu seasons starts going strong. Essential oils that have antibacterial and antiviral properties are wonderful to diffuse for a few minutes several times throughout the day. These include cinnamon, clove, eucalyptus, rosemary, and a citrus.
You can find out more about these essential oils and a blend I make in this article. You’ll also get to read about the Legend of the Four Thieves!
Vapor Rub Salve
When I was a little girl with a congested head and lungs, my mom would pull out the Vics Vapor Rub. I loved that smell, and it helped so much.
These days, however, Vics is now made with petro-chemicals. I wouldn’t slather that on my child, let alone myself. The best thing to do?
Make your own. It’s simple, easy, and in the long-run a lot less expensive than the store-bought toxic formulas. You can find the recipe here.
You can learn more about making herbal salves, butters, and balms by taking my Herbal Medicine Making Basics course or the Botanical Skincare course!
Click the image above for more information about the courses at Healing Harvest Homestead School of Botanical Arts & Sciences!
Below is a video you might enjoy on how to make elderberry & echinacea tincture AND when to use echinacea versus elderberry. Tip: You don’t use them the same way!
Homemade Vapor Rub Salve helps open the breathing passages.
Tea for the Lungs
I’m so paranoid about having these cold & flu care items on hand because when I was a little girl I really struggled with severe illness in the Fall and Winter months. I’ve battled annual bouts of bronchitis, all the way up through my mid-thirties. And I’ve experienced Walking Pneumonia at least twice. NOT fun.
When your lungs are full of mucous, and you can’t breathe, and it HURTS to breathe, let alone cough, I for one, just wanted to die. To this day, my lungs are one of the areas in my own body I try to support well because of all the illnesses they’ve been through when I was a younger person.
Do you know when I started having less problems? When I started taking and using herbs. Yep. Plant medicine has made me a lot stronger, and I haven’t had a bout of dreaded bronchitis or pneumonia in about eight years now. I just use my herbs.
You can find the recipe for this Lung Support Tea in this link. I have to warn you, it doesn’t taste very good. But if you are battling issues with lung distress, breathing, etc., it’s worth the brief taste. You can drink it daily as a tonic if you like, too.
Having just a few main ingredients on hand all the time can make your life a lot easier if you or someone in your family starts getting sick with a cold or flu!
Relaxation Tea or Tincture
I love this blend of herbs. The reason I included a tea for relaxation in this Fall checklist of remedies is because being relaxed helps alleviate the stress response from being sick or being immune compromised. It helps you calm down and may also help you sleep!
You can find this recipe in my free eBook on How to Use Herbs to Relax, or you can also find it in this article too.
Natural Cold & Flu Care
Finally, you may enjoy my eBook: Natural Cold & Flu Care (Stay Well, Deal with Symptoms, Get Well Faster, & Keep the Recovery Going).
This book is a complete guide to all phases of dealing with colds and flu. From how to stay well in the first place, to what to do if you “feel” a cold or flu just starting, to dealing with symptoms of cold & flu, to helping with the natural recovery process….this book will help you be ready this Fall!
If you or a loved one gets sick, you’ll be prepared and know exactly what to do!
Want to start learning how to use herbs safely and effectively for your family’s wellness? Click the banner above to get started today! **You can save the email lessons to come back to later if you find yourself short of time.
**The video below is for an herbal relaxation tea blend. This is the FIRST YouTube video I ever made, so please forgive my lack of video skills. :-) But the recipe is still amazing!
Final Thoughts on Natural Remedies to Have on Hand This Fall
If you have kids, then you know how a classroom can be: One person gets sick, comes to school, and then everyone in the room goes down in waves. It’s frustrating, because this doesn’t have to happen so harshly every year!
Even just going to the store and touching the shopping cart, or being on an airplane, or going into any public place for that matter….You will be exposed to germs that cause cold and flu.
The question to ask yourself is, “Am I ready if a cold or flu wants to get going in my body? Or the bodies of my family?”
Do a little preparation now, and you’ll not be taken by surprise when your child comes home with that runny nose, cough, or fever. You’ll be prepared!
What remedies do you like to have on hand? I’d love if you’d share with us in the comments! Oh! And you may also enjoy this related article: The Healing Powers of Honey and How to Use It.
In fact, you may also enjoy these related articles and videos:
Video: A Sneak Peek Into My Herbal Apothecary
Video: Using Essential Oils as Part of Your Herbalism Practice
Video: Herbal Sleep Remedy That REALLY Works
Video: Sinus Congestion: Two Recipes, One for Adults and One Safe for Kids
Article: Best Ways to Diffuse Essential Oils
Article: Lung Supporting Tea So You Can Breathe Better
And there are hundreds more between my website and YouTube channel! I hope you’ll subscribe!
Hugs, Health, and Self-Reliance,
Heidi
P.S. Don’t forget to get your FREE Herbal Remedy Guide and Cheat Sheet! It’s perfect for your kitchen or home apothecary!
Disclaimer: I am NOT a medical doctor or professional. The information contained in this article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to treat, cure, diagnose, or prevent any disease. Please seek advice from your medical professional if you have concerns. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.