While winter is the more well-known time of the year for colds and the flu, viruses can strike at any time. Severe flus can potentially last a couple of weeks, causing you to miss time at work, reschedule appointments, and miss out on time spent with family and friends.

Thankfully, there are ways to act before the problem gets severe. Natural remedies for colds and the flu are readily available. The best part of natural remedies is they support your immune system without having to take anything that is artificially created in a lab.

Natural medicine is a trendy subject in the medical field that is here to stay. Therefore, if you want to stay healthy not only this holiday season, but year-round – make sure to consider these top natural ways to avoid colds and the flu.

Start with Lifestyle Choices

Before we get into natural solutions for fighting a cold virus or flu, make sure to follow recommended tips for your personal health. The daily lifestyle choices you make play a big role in your health, especially your immune system, which must be strong to resist the nastiest colds and the flu.

• Nutrition: Unfortunately, too many people make poor choices when it comes to their diet. Fatty and greasy foods are not good for you for several reasons. Poor nutrition lowers your immune system, making your more susceptible to diseases and viruses.
• Sleep: It is recommended that adults get at least eight hours of sleep every night. It is also important how you sleep – those that are not well rested are more at risk for health problems.
• Exercise: It is crucial to get regular exercise no matter how busy your schedule is. Exercise promotes healthy living in several ways and reduces stress. Try to exercise at least 3-4 days a week, even doing something as simple as going for a half-hour walk.
• Stress: Stress is a silent killer. It causes a number of health problems, one of many being a less effective immune system. As a result, your body is more exposed to bad viruses. Try to eliminate as much stress as you can from your job, finances, and relationships.
• Personal Hygiene: Hygiene is extremely important when it comes to avoiding the flu or colds. Wash your hands often, especially when viruses are going around. Make sure to use warm soap and water. One tip is to sing the ABC twice to make sure you spend enough time scouring your fingers, palms, and wrist. Also, avoid touching your face as much as possible.

Natural Remedies for Fighting the Flu

Despite making better lifestyle choices like eating more nutritious meals, exercising, sleeping, and reducing stress – the cold or flu can still attack. If that is the case, then you should turn to these natural remedies as soon as possible to fight the virus while it is still building in your immune system to hopefully reduce the symptoms. Natural remedies can lower the amount of time you spend battling the virus and provide some relief during the early days of the flu or cold.Probiotics and Food Supplements: Did you know that your stomach takes up nearly three-quarters of the entire immune system? When it comes to fighting a flu, your gut requires assistance. Probiotics and food supplements are your number one solution.

Probiotics and Food Supplements: Did you know that your stomach takes up nearly three-quarters of the entire immune system? When it comes to fighting a flu, your gut requires assistance. Probiotics and food supplements are your number one solution.

Probiotics have several health benefits and some experts encourage people to take them on a regular basis. Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts, yet a positive form that is more productive at fighting viruses like the flu. Your body is full of good and bad bacteria, and probiotics are the most helpful at keeping your gut healthy.

Probiotics are found in both foods and supplements. Yogurt, sauerkraut, kefir, pickles, kimchi, kombucha, and sourdough bread are all types of foods that carry a diverse source of probiotics. In addition to eating fermented foods you can also take a high-quality probiotic supplement to combat a cold or flu.

Eliminate Problematic Foods: While fermented foods like yogurt and pickles are excellent sources of probiotics and are proven to fight colds, the exact opposite is true of other types of foods. Any food that includes refined sugar or processed grains can cause inflammation in the stomach. These types of foods make your immune system more susceptible to getting sick.

Therefore, do what you can to eliminate these types of foods, especially most types of dairy and products that have caffeine like coffee and soda. It is also recommended that you don’t eat anything cooked with or involving vegetable oil.

Vitamins, Vitamins, Vitamins: Vitamins are good to take year round yet especially important when you get sick. First, make sure you are getting enough vitamin C and zinc in your body. Both nutrients are important for supporting a healthy immune system.

When the first symptoms of a cold or flu appear, start pounding your body with vitamin C and zinc. Oranges, broccoli, bell peppers, spinach, kiwi, and tomatoes are all rich in vitamin C. Meats, nuts, seeds, eggs, and whole grains are all loaded with zinc.

Vitamin D is another excellent nutrient for the winter, as well as when you are starting to feel sick. Foods like fatty fish, cheese, butter, and egg yolks contain a rich supply of vitamin D. The sun is a natural supplier of vitamin D, however, depending on where you live, you may not see much of it in the winter.

Another idea is to take dietary supplements (vitamin C and D) to get an ample supply of the nutrients. When you’re sick, some experts recommend as much as 1,000 mg daily of vitamin C and 3,000 mg of vitamin D.