Along with the beauty of all days comes the need to get ready and to get out your long underwear and warm wooly socks.

Lots of people don’t rely on modern medicine to keep them healthy. You may be wondering what you can do instead of getting the flu shot and some flu shots don’t give protection from all types of flu. Or maybe, like me, you prefer not to use shots unless absolutely necessary. You may wonder what herbs and remedies you have on hand to help your family deal with the flu. No matter what the situation, now is a good time to give your Wise Woman Ways to prevent and deal with the flu?

June is nearly here and we all know what that means, colds and flu are set to become another feature of life. But what exactly is the common cold or flu? The common cold may be summed up as an acute, short lived viral infection, resulting in inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, which is the nose, sinuses, throat and larynx. Influenza on the other hand tends to be specific acute viral respiratory disease, characterized by fever, coughing, headaches and inflamed mucosal membranes and a state of malaise.

WHAT CAN YOU DO IF YOU HAVE A COLD?

• The golden rule is ‘REST AND RECOVERY”, in a warm, comfortable and
isolated environment.

• At this time you need to get extra sleep. The immune system functions as its best while w are sleeping.

• Allow your body the time and opportunity to fight back. Don’t rush back into a full schedule as soon as start to feel better.

 • Take it slowly for a few days; get some early nights, to really allow your body to recuperate. Giving yourself the time to recover fully will help prevent a recurrence.

• At the first sign of a cold head for the spice cupboard in your kitchen and try out these very useful and proven home remedies.

SPICES THAT BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM.

TURMERIC – ARAD.
This is the bright yellow spice that is used in every Indian home around the world. Arad helps to maintain a healthy mind, reduce joint pain and boost your immune system.

Turmeric/ Arad contain the active compound cur cumin, which has a variety of powerful anti-inflammatory actions. On top of this, it’s a potent anti-oxidant. All of this is excellent news if you fighting a cold of flu. Turmeric with its antiseptic properties is an effective remedy for chronic coughs and throat irritations. ½ tsp of turmeric powder mixed in a cup of warm milk is very effective in these conditions.

The next kitchen wonder is:
BLACK PEPPER.
Something in black pepper called piperine actually helps you absorb more nutrients from your food. Piperine is so effective at improving the uptake of nutrients that you might literally double the nutrients you take in from food simply by going heavy on pepper. Piperine is particularly high in black pepper. Not white. And it’s not present in so called peppers, such as chilli, paprika and cayenne. These are fruits from the capsicum family with their own interesting properties. Chilies for example, are one of the richest known sources of vitamin C.

Some people are allergic to these capsicum peppers, but allergy to black pepper is rare, it can, however, make you sneeze. So. If you are fighting a cold, eat lots of fruit especially
strawberries, and drink orange juice, but make sure your savoury food is liberally sprinkled with black pepper.

Pepper is beneficial in the treatment of the common cold and fever. Six pepper seeds finely ground and mixed in a glass of warm water along with 6 pieces of sugar candy can be taken for a few nights for
good results. In case of an acute head cold. 20 grams of pepper powder boiled with a pinch of turmeric can be used once daily for 3 days.

GINGER.
Ginger is your immune systems best friend. It has been used traditionally for thousands of years within the

Ayurvedic medicine system.
While the learned doctors of this ancient and well respected treatment knew that it was highly beneficial for reducing inflammation and rheumatism they probably didn’t know why. 20th century technology demonstrates that ginger inhibits the synthesis of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins and thromboxanes which is another type of antioxidant properties. Ginger is an excellent remedy for coughs and colds. Extracted juice of ginger with honey is taken 3 or 4 x a day in case of coughs. In case of colds, ginger cut into small pieces is boiled in a cup of water. After straining, with ½ tsp of sugar, it should be taken hot. Ginger tea, prepared by adding a few pieces of ginger into boiled water before adding tea leaves, is another effective remedy for frequent coughs and colds. And not forgetting the ginger and methi paaks that made before the onset of winter to keep the flu away.

GARLIC.
According to research done by a doctor in Utah, garlic can prevent flu viruses if taken early enough. The doctor’s findings shoe that garlic is effective in killing the human rhinovirus, which causes colds. This doctor also believes in the cold-fighting benefits of garlic. The best home remedy for colds is to eat several cloves of raw garlic at the first onset of symptoms. It is recommended to take 1 or 2
cloves of garlic a day.

HONEY.
Honey soothes sore throats and raspy voices. Honey is a ciliary excitant that promotes bronchial mucus elimination. It is also an expectorant that promotes mucus membrane secretions. Try any of the following remedies.

• Combine pure fresh juice of ½ lemon with 2-3 tsps of pure honey. Take the mixture 3-4 x a day.

• Add a tblsp each of honey and fresh ginger juice to a glass of hot water and drink 3 x a day.

• Crush 2 cloves of garlic and boil in a cup of water. Add ½ tsp of turmeric powder. Sweeten with a tblsp of honey.

• Break a piece of cinnamon bark into small pieces. Boil for 10 minutes in 1 ½ cups of water. Strain, sweeten with honey, and drink twice a day.

A good old fashioned homemade chicken soup works wonders when you have a cold or flu. Lemons are also well known for their healing properties, especially when it comes to colds and flu’s. Hot honey and lemon drinks are popular, and you can make your own honey and lemon drink by taking 1 cup of hot water, a slice of lemon and 1 tsp of honey added to it. And of course not forgetting to drink lots of liquids when you have the flu.

Bishop's Weed /Ajmo
Has the power to open up clogged nasal passages. Its seeds are tied in a cloth and inhaled directly to clear congestions. It is very effective in treating nasal blockages in children.

Cinnamon
Cinnamon is boiled in a glass of water with a pinch of pepper and honey. This reduces the sore throat problems and also prevents the cold from becoming chronic, or developing into something serious like
pneumonia or influenza.

Cumin seeds/Jeera
Cumin seeds are antiseptic. So they have beneficial effects if the cold is accompanied with fever. It is also helpful in treating the throat irritations.

Ginger
Ginger extract taken several times a day is an excellent remedy for treating coughs that accompany common colds. Ginger tea is also very effective in treating colds.

Home Medications
Take a pinch of salt. Put a few drops of mustard oil in it and blend it till the oil loses its fluidity. Dab this mixture on the nostrils, neck and chest. It will tingle a bit, but the relief will be fast. Mix some Ghor and black pepper together. Boil this in water. Sip this quickly when hot as you do with tea. Squeeze the juice of two lemons in a glassful of water. Put sugar to sweeten the mixture. This must be taken at bedtime to seek relief from the nasal catarrh. Before going to bed, apply eucalyptus oil on the forehead, chest and the nostrils in the night. Then wrap yourself in a warm blanket and go to sleep. You will sweat profusely in the night, but let that happen.

 
In the morning, the common cold will disappear, and so will any fever if present. It is not advisable to remain in a cramped room when you have a common cold. Open the windows and let the air pass, but don't do this if it is cold outside. Take some walk in the fresh air and get enough rest. Another point to note is that common cold is infectious. Hence, if you have got common cold, you should take all due precaution that it doesn't pass on to others. Do not go near infants and children as they are the most vulnerable to attracting common cold. Also use a handkerchief when you cough or sneeze. Keep your utensils separate.

INHALANTS TO HELP YOU EASE BLOCKED SINUSES AND NASAL CONGESTION.

USE A LAVENDER STEAM INHALER:
2 litres boiling water
6 sprigs lavender
6 drops eucalyptus oil
6 drops lavender oil.

Pour boiling water into a large basin over the lavender sprigs. Add the eucalyptus oil and the lavender oil. Make a tent with a towel over your head, and bend over the steaming bowl, inhale the steam, keeping your eyes closed. Besides using lavender you could also use Vicks or even Friars Balsam
which is excellent.
 

SOOTHING OILS AND LINIMENTS.
Many of oils and liniments are very effective in easing a wheezy cough and a tight chest, particularly those which contain essential oils of eucalyptus, wintergreen, menthol peppermint camphor and clove. Remember that they are more effective if applied warm to chest and
throat and that the patient must keep his or her chest and throat well warm and covered afterwards.

You could make your on special oils by following this recipe:
To a cup of olive oil add 2 drops of:
Eucalyptus, pine, cinnamon and clove oil.
Mix together and bottle. Use to relieve congestion by massaging onto the chest and back.
 A few drops of oil on the pillow or handkerchief will help children breathe more easily and if sprinkled on a handkerchief taken to school or work will create an effective barrier against other people’s infections.

And then there’s an excellent home-made rub that you could make yourself, and you will need the following items:
1 bottle of Vicks
1 bottle of Vaseline
1 tin of zambuk.
1 small bottle of eucalyptus oil – ½ of it
1 small bottle camphorated oil – ½ of it.
Crushed ajmo can also be added to this mixture and this is optional.

Melt all these ingredients together in a small pot, and when slightly cool, bottle and use on babies over 6 months, children and adults.

EXCELLENT HOMEMADE REMEDY FOR COUGHS, COLS, FLU, BRONCHITIS, PNEUMONIA, CROUP, LARYNGITIS, POSTNASAL DRIP ETC.

Juice of ½ lemon
2 tblsps apple cider vinegar
4 tblsps honey
¼ tsp black pepper powder
¼ tsp cinnamon powder
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp bicarb
Mix well and drink 2tsp 3 x a day.