Colds/Flu

*See also FEVER or COUGHS

FOODS TO EAT MORE OF

• Fruits: Apples, avocado, black currants, clementines, cranberries, grapefruit, lemons,  limes, oranges, pineapple, strawberries, tangerines
• Vegetables:  artichoke, beets, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, fennel, hot peppers, kale, leeks, onions, parsnips, spinach, squash, turnips, watercress
• Wheat germ, dried peas and beans, seafood and fatty fish
• Garlic, ginger and shiitake or maitake mushrooms, wild mushrooms
• Kelp, psyllium seed, brown rice
• Cinnamon, horseradish, cayenne, green tea
• Fermented foods (yogurt, kefir, kimchi, sour kraut, tempeh, etc)
• Honey (avoid for children under 1 year)
• Plenty of fluids

 
FOODS TO AVOID OR MINIMIZE

• Alcohol and refined carbs (sugar and white flour)
• Red meat & dairy products (except yogurt)

 
ESSENTIAL OILS 

• Steam inhalation - add 5 drops of thyme and/or eucalyptus oil to a basin containing 2 pints of boiling water, cover head with towel and lean over basin, inhale the steam for 10 minutes.
• For Cold: Ravensara, eucalyptus (on throat, chest, diffuse).
• For Flu: peppermint, eucalyptus, raven, lavender, tea tree, thyme, ginger, myrtle, orange, rosemary (thymus, bottom of feet, chest, back, lung area, diffuse).
• For excessive mucus: cypress, helichrysum, rosemary, eucalyptus (bottom of feet, lung area, diffuse).
• Pepper Oil can be used for coughs, chills, digestive upsets, aches, and pains associated with a cold.

 
HERBAL
Agrimony, Andrographis, anise, Asian ginseng, astragalus, basil,  buchu, burdock, catnip, cayenne, cinnamon, echinacea, elder, elecampane, eucalyptus, fenugreek, garlic, ginger, golden seal, goldenrod, Ground Ivy/Creeping Charlie, hemp agrimony, horehound (for wet/mucusy issues), lemon balm, licorice, linden, marjoram, marshmallow, nasturtium, nutmeg, oregano, parsley, pepper, peppermint, plantain, ​raspberry, rose hips, sage, slippery elm, St John's wort, star anise, sumac, thyme and/or yarrow

Teas (in addition to any of the above):

• For nausea: drink tea's containing peppermint, chamomile, ginger, and/or cinnamon.
• For Flu: tea made from wild raspberry and/or strawberry leaves (1 teaspoon per cup of hot water).
• For feverish chills, try tea made of fresh ginger root with a little cinnamon, or tea made with equal parts elder-flower, meadowsweet, and hyssop.  
• For fevers: sage, catnip or ginger tea
• Make a tea of elderberry blossoms, and peppermint.
• Yarrow Tea: Cover 1/4 cup fresh (or 1/2-1 Tablespoon dried) herb with boiling water.  Let steep for 5-15 minutes. Strain & drink. Sweeten with honey if desired.
• Add 1 ounce of  brandy, 1 Tbsp butter and 2-3 cloves to any of the teas mentioned above.  Have a cup before bed.

 
Gargles:

• For sore throats try gargling with strained and cooled infusions/teas of sage or raspberry leaf, or with lemon juice.  Or try echinacea tincture added to warm water (gargle). Add a little bit of chili powder to all gargles.

Other:

• Fennel, Fenugreek or hyssop for a chesty cold and to encourage coughing, clear phlegm.
• For Flu specifically: Elecampane tea - add hyssop if there is a lingering cough.
• For post-nasal drip: hyssop or fennel.

 
NATURAL
Teas (in addition to any of the above):

• Mix juice from 1/2 a lemon with hot water.  Sweeten with honey if desired. (Can also add 1/2-1 teaspoon baking soda if desired)
• Matcha tea

Chest Pastes/Poultices:

• Mix 3 Tablespoons dry mustard, 1 Tablespoon flour, 1 egg white and 1 Tablespoon melted lard into a paste.  Spread this on a cloth and over whole chest area. 
• Make a poultice of onions by slicing them very thin (about 3/4 cup).  Place in a skillet with hot lard (just enough to moisten).  Simmer until onions are heated through but not brown.  Put onions on cloth and place on chest.  Make it as hot as tolerable.  (can substitute leeks for onions). 
  
• Make a chest poultice out of bay leaves.
  

Baths:

• Add several teaspoons of ground ginger, mustard seed, or vinegar into bath water. 

Runny Nose:

• Push tongue against the roof of the mouth for 5 seconds. Then relax the tongue and use index finger to apply pressure to the spot between the eyebrows for 5 seconds.  Repeat and continue to alternate for 20 seconds.
• Steep 1 teaspoon ground mustard seeds in 8 ounces of boiling water for 15 minutes.  Strain and drink (add milk and honey if desired).

Other:

• For infants: 1 drop of castor oil in each nostril. (can be effective for adults as well).
• Concord grape juice or apple juice, often (organic and no additives).
• Clove or Zinc Lozenges: 1 lozenge every 3-4 hours as needed (do not exceed 150 mg zinc daily from all sources). Ingredient list of zinc lozenges should contain zinc gluconate, ascorbate and blycinate.  Avoid those that contain sorbitol, mannitol or citric acid.
• Mix 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger in 1 cup warm water and drink once daily. 
• Mix 1 Tablespoon baking soda in a glass of water.  Take 1-2 times a day for 3 days MAX.
• Put 1 cup boiling water into quart jar.  Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons red pepper and 2 Tablespoons honey.  Cover and let sit until cool.  Add 1 cup apple cider vinegar and shake/mix.  Take 1 teaspoon as often as every hour. 
• Pepper can be helpful for nausea, vomiting and diarrhea associated with a cold.  
• Warm up tomato juice and add juice from 2 cloves garlic, juice from 1/2 a lemon and a dash of cayenne pepper and drink.
• For coughs: layer slices of onion or leek with honey or sugar and leave overnight (covered). Suggested doses range from 1/2 teaspoon every 30 minutes to 1 teaspoon every 3-4 hours.  
• Cough Syrup: Chop 5 onions and place them in a double boiler with 1/2 cup honey and the juice of 1 lemon. Cook on very low heat for 3 hours.  Strain and take 1 Tablespoon every 30 minutes, or as needed. 

YOGA / MEDITATION THERAPY

• Yoga For When You Are SICK (20 minutes - Yoga With Adriene)
• Yoga For Colds (10 minutes - Christina D'Arrigo Yoga - ChriskaYoga)

 
SUPPLEMENTS

• Take cayenne and golden seal supplements every 3 hours. Gradually reduce dosage as symptoms subside (take at least 1 day after symptoms disappear).
• Echinacea: 200 mg 3-5 times daily.
• Garlic: 400-600 mg 4 times daily with food (should provide 4,000 mcg allicin potential).
• Goldenseal: 125 mg extract 5 times daily for 5 days (don't use if pregnant or with high blood pressure).​
• Magnesium: As directed
• Vitamin A: 50,000 IU twice daily until symptoms improve; if needed beyond 7 days, reduce dose to 25,000 IU daily (pregnant women should not exceed 5,000 IU daily). 
• Vitamin C: 2,000 mg 3 times daily until symptoms improve; if needed beyond 5 days, reduce dose to 1,000 mg 3 times daily (reduce if it causes diarrhea). A different source says up to 500 mg daily but combine with a zinc supplement.
• Vitamin D: As directed
• Zinc: 25 mg daily

 
HOMEOPATHIC

• Aconite 30c
• Allium cepa, for runny nose
• Euphrasia 6c
• Gelsemium
• Kali bichromicum 6c
• Natrum muriaticum 6c
• Rhus toxicodendron 6c
• For sneezing: Arsenicum, pulsatilla, allium cepa

MIND-BODY CONNECTION​​

• A cold can represent mental confusion - you have too much going on at once.  
• A flu can represent a response to extreme negativity or having too much faith in statistics.

FOOD MEDICINE 
Not all recipes are nutritionally perfect, but the options below are a great way to start incorporating beneficial foods into your diet in delicious ways. Always try to buy organic, and feel free to make substitutions to accommodate gluten-free, vegan, etc diets.

Abbreviation Definitions:
LC = Low Calorie (under 400 for breakfast, 600 for lunch/dinner, and 200 for beverages/sides/snacks)
GF = Gluten Free
KT = Keto / Low Carb
VG = Vegan
VT = Vegetarian

BEVERAGES

Apple-Orange Smoothie (GF VG VT)

Green Smoothie (LC GF VT)

Orange Smoothie (GF VT)

Sunrise Smoothie (LC GF VG VT)

Yogi Tea (LC GF VG VT)

Basic Fruit Smoothie (LC GF VG VT)

Mango Pineapple Smoothie (LC GF VG VT)

Peach-Berry Smoothie (LC GF VT)

Super Skin Smoothie (GF VT)

Blueberry Pineapple Smoothie (GF VT)

Mega-Greens Smoothie (GF VT)

Soothing Elixir (LC GF VG VT)

Tropical Smoothie (LC GF VG VT)

MAINS

Adult Ramen (LC GF VG VT)

Black Bean Chili (LC VG VT)

Chicken Bone Broth (LC GF)

Garlic Soup (LC GF VG VT)

Miso Soup (LC GF VG VT)

Salmon with Avocado Salsa (LC GF)

Shrimp Power Bowl (GF)

Spiced Lentil Soup (LC GF VG VT)

Vegan Jambalaya (LC GF VG VT)

Vegetarian Chili (LC GF VG VT)

Asian Broccoli & Rice Bowl (LC GF VG VT)

Black Bean Soup (LC GF VG VT)

Crispy Potato-Crusted Fish (LC GF)

Instant Pot Chickpea Curry (LC GF VG VT)

Mujaddara (LC GF VG VT)

Salmon with Red Pepper Sauce (LC GF)

Shrimp with Homemade Red Sauce (LC GF)

Spicy Black Bean Soup (LC GF VG VT)

Vegetable Broth (LC GF VG VT)

White Bean & Spinach Soup (LC GF)

Black Bean Bowl (LC GF)

Buddha Bowl (GF VG VT)

Edamame Rice Bowl (LC GF VG VT)

Japanese Onion Soup (LC GF VG VT)

Mung Beans and Rice (LC GF VG VT)

Sesame Salmon (LC GF KT)

Shrimp Scampi (LC GF KT)

Steamed Snow Crab Legs (LC GF KT)

Vegetable Curry (LC GF KT VG VT)

White Chili (LC GF VT)

SIDES

Beans & Greens Salad (LC GF VG VT)

Butternut Squash Risotto (GF VG VT)

Creamy Kale (LC GF KT VG VT)

Greens, Grains & Beans Salad (LC VG VT)

Mexican Chopped Salad (LC GF VG VT)

Mushrooms & Beans (LC GF VG VT)

Roasted Broccoli (LC GF VG VT)

Roasted Carrots (LC GF VG VT)

Spinach & Strawberry Salad (LC GF VG VT)

Brown Rice Pilaf with Saffron and Ginger (LC GF VG VT)

Cannellini & Arugula Salad (LC GF VG VT)

Dill Vinaigrette Greens (LC GF VG VT KT)

Guacamole (GF KT VG VT)

Miso Slaw (LC GF VG VT)

Pesto Vegetables (LC GF VG VT KT)

Roasted Brussels Sprouts (LC GF VG VT)

Roasted Onions (LC GF VG VT)

Steamed Edamame (LC GF VG VT)

Brussels Sprouts with Cashew Sauce (GF)

Couscous Pilaf (VG VT)

Glazed Carrots (LC GF VG VT)

Kale Salad with Sesame Dressing (LC GF VG VT)

Molasses Beans (LC GF)

Red Beans & Rice (LC GF VG VT)

Roasted Butternut Squash (LC GF VG VT)

Sauteed Spinach (LC GF KT VG VT)

Warm Red Cabbage Salad (LC GF VG VT)