cough/cold/flu recipe

[motivated]

I would like to share my favorite remedy for the flu season. 1 quart chicken stock ( I buy it at Trader Joes), put on the stove to simmer with 8-10 cloves of chopped garlic. Add 1 tsp. tyme, 1-2tsp. of curry powder, a dash of red pepper, the juice of 1 lemon, and a handful of fresh mint. Let it simmer for 20-30 minutes. You can drink from a mug or bowl as much as you can take. Its great for opening up the nasal passages and is a wonderful anti-viral. My husband says it'll kill you or cure you! (the garlic)

[moonwolf]

I believe in eating lots of garlic. It's a natural antibiotic.
The best way to fight flu is to prevent it by getting a flu shot if you can before the flu season is in full swing. It takes a few weeks to get immunity after vaccination.
For cold prevention, echinacea is suppose to be good, but not everyone should take it from what I hear if there is something like autoimmune disease.
In Canada a new study revealed that a product called COLD-fX was effective in preventing the 'second' cold better than the 'first' cold you would get. This product is a purified and standardized ginseng extract. It's beneficial probably for anyone prone to getting colds, or works where they someone in the staff is always coming in to work to spread the cold in close contact.

[amelia]

I swear by mega-doses of timed-release Vitamin C and, more recently, wild oregano oil. The combination, taken for about a week, has for me reliably aborted colds and flu time if taken soon after the first telltale signs that "it's got me" have appeared. Wild oregano oil is not cheap (nor easy to find), but the expense pales in comparison to the cost of being out of commission for the better part of a week.

[sapphira]

Jodi - thanks for this chicken stock recipe. I printed it so I can try it when the time comes. Unbelievable, the Walmart store here carries a variety of fresh herbs ! I hate to shop at wallomarto but I will go for the herbs. Sapphira

[Alice In TX/MO]

When I get that "cold coming on" feeling, I take the following:

1. Extra Vitamin C
2. Zinc tablet
3. Echinacea
4. Slippery Elm
5. Colloidal Silver
6. Nyquil right before going to bed, and keep another on the bedside table if I wake up in the night.
7. Zinc lozenges if I have a sore throat

Usually stops the cold in its tracks.

[OD]

Oscillococcinum. It's a homopathic medicine that will get rid of a case of the flu in hours. It's the leading flu remedy in France, but almost unknown in the US. Really works, but you need to have it when you first feel the flu coming on.

[vegascowgirl]

When I get a cold, especially one that goes to my chest, I swear by three things.
Chicken soup (thanks for the stock recipes)
Peppermint tea (helps open my sinuses, and seems to help break up some of the flem in my throat)
a Hot Toddy (nothing works better to burn that crud right out of your chest)

Here is my hot toddy recipe
two parts whiskey (I prefer Jack Daniels but have used the cheap stuff and it worked just fine)
juice of half a lemon
one part hot water
Three whole cloves
one cinamon stick
honey
add all ingredients together and allow the cloves and cinnamon stick to "steep" for a minute or two, then add honey to taste.

If you prefer a non alcoholic Toddy you can substitute lemon tea for Whiskey. It's not quite as effective, but will help quite a bit with several doses and is great for sore throats

[BlessedMom]

No flu shots here unless you are one of the high risk people. We have a severe shortage of the vaccine. We eats tons of garlic and also hot peppers. I have to say that since we began eatting differently we rarely got sick.

This past Spring we became guardians of two girls...one is 19 and special needs and her daughter is almost 2. I have known them for almost 1 1/2 years and they were NEVER well. Since coming to live with us they have not been sick.

Hmmmm...

BlessedMom