The 17 Best Natural Remedies for Cold and Flu Season

As the winter season rolls in, so does the season of sniffles, sneezes, and chilly winds. It’s the time of the year when our immune systems need that extra bit of love and care to keep us healthy. It’s also the time of year when we often need help boosting the immune system, alleviating symptoms, and promoting a speedy recovery. Thankfully nature offers a plethora of herbs and plants for natural remedies to help us get healthy and stay healthy during the colder months.

The Best Natural Remedies for Cold and Flu Season

Steam
Goot
Vitamin C
Elderberry
Essential Oils
Garlic
Homeopathy
Lymph Masssage
Fire Cider
Fermented Honey Garlic
Tea
Herbal Tinctures
Sunshine
Sleep
Bone Broth
Grounding
Water

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I make a small commission should you use my links. Read my full disclaimer here. Thank you!

1. Steam

Never underestimate the power of steam to help alleviate chest and facial congestion. Jump in a hot shower or fill a bowl with hot water and put your face over it.

If you want to kick it up a notch add essential oils to the water. Keep your eyes shut as the essential oils can burn your eyes. My favorite essential oils to use for this are peppermint and eucalyptus, especially if breathing issues are accompanying the congestion.

Keep in mind that peppermint can affect your supply if you are nursing. Peppermint and eucalyptus are also not child safe.

2. Goot Salve

Goot salve is infused with garlic which is full of natural agents that help it function as an antibiotic, antiviral, anti-fungal, antiseptic and a germicide. It is also helpful in flushing toxins out of the body because it is a diuretic. Goot salve is also really good at getting rid of the mucus that is so common with colds and the flu.

3. Vitamin C

Not only is vitamin C really good for the immune system, but it also is really helpful for thinning mucus and regulating histamine levels which are associated with congestion.

Vitamin C is not stored in the body, so it is something that needs to be consumed regularly whether that be in foods or supplements. Taking too much vitamin C does result in loose stool. It is often recommended when sick to take vitamin C to bowl intolerance. This can be several grams, depending on the person. Of course, children generally need less than adults.

4. Elderberry

Elderberry is high in vitamin c and contains antioxidants such as quercetin. It can be beneficial for reducing inflammation, supporting the immune system as well as lowering swelling.

Elderberry can be consumed in many forms such as elderberry tincture or elderberry honey. The honey is sweeter, whereas elderberry tincture is generally more bitter.

5. Essential Oils

There are so many good essential oils for cold and flu season. Always make sure you are using a good quality oil, that it is properly diluted and pay attention to which oils are contraindicated for children, pregnancy and nursing. Also be mindful that many animals cannot tolerate essential oils.

Peppermint and eucalyptus are great for opening up air ways and helping to clear congestion.

Eucalyptus is can also be helpful for reducing a fever if a fever is getting too high. Fevers are a good and beneficial tool of the immune system however.

Tea tree essential oil is great for fighting infections.

Lavender is great for headaches and helping with going to sleep.

Thyme essential oil is antibacterial, so it can be helpful for respiratory infections.

Essential oils can be diluted with a carrier oil and applied to the skin, or they can be diffused in the air.

6. Garlic

Raw garlic is more beneficial than cooked garlic when it comes to illness. It can be consumed in many ways such as fermented in honey, straight cloves (it is spicy and very potent), or tincture form.

Can’t stomach it raw, then eat it cooked in your favorite foods.

7. Homeopathy

There are so many homeopathic remedies that can be beneficial when dealing with a cold or flu. Some of the top ones are:

Belledonna
Pustatilla
Nux Vomica
Cell Salts

Not sure how to get started with homeopathy?

8. Lymph Massage

Lymph is so important for detoxing. Sometimes it needs a little help to get going. Lymph massage can be the catalyst to get it moving.

There are 6 spots to focus on to help the lymph get moving, the collar bone, right under the ears, arm pits, abdomen, groin and behind the knees. If you would like a visual and more thorough explanation of how to get the lymph moving this video will help.

9. Fire Cider

Fire cider is an herbal tonic that can be made many different ways. Generally, it contains garlic, apple cider vinegar, onion, horseradish, ginger, honey, turmeric and cayenne pepper. All of these things on their own are incredibly helpful when fighting sickness and together they pack quite the punch.

10. Fermented Honey Garlic

Garlic is such a powerhouse against sickness pair it with fermentation and honey and you end up with something even stronger. Fermented honey garlic can be purchased or you can make it yourself. It does take a month to make, so if you are going to make it do so before you find yourself sick and needing it.

If you want to make it yourself check this out.

11. Tea

There are so many amazing herbal teas that are available for sickness.

Echinacea
Peppermint
Chammomile
Elderberry
Ginger
Licorice Root
Marshmallow Root

If you can find loose leaf tea these are preferred because of the microplastics that are in conventional tea bags. Sacred Heart Tea and Mountain Rose Herbs are two great places to find lose leaf tea.

12. Herbal Tinctures

There are so many different herbal tinctures out there that are also great for sickness.

Mullein
Nettle
Onion
Garlic
Calendula
Honeysuckle
Cats Claw

Kingdom Come Home is a great place to find herbal tinctures.

13. Sunshine

Time in the sun is such a wonderful help to almost any sickness. Exposure for the eyes as well as the skin is really important when it comes to sun exposure. The sun ups our vitamin d levels naturally as well as contains red light which is fabulous for detoxing. Sunshine also helps to regulate our hormones, which is why sunglasses are not good for us.

14. Sleep

The body does most of it’s repairing while we sleep. So, getting good quality sleep when sick is especially important. What exactly makes up good quality sleep?

Try to sleep without being interrupted and without having anything that emits emfs around you while sleeping, such as a phone or computer.

15. Bone Broth

Bone broth is so incredibly nutritious and contains many vitamins and minerals. It often also contains several different herbs and spices that are good for fighting off illness as well. I have had different times where I have started to feel a cold coming off and drinking bone broth has stopped it in its tracks.

Bone broth can be found in the store, but store-bought bone broth generally contains some less than desirable ingredients such as artificial colors and sometimes gums as well. Thankfully it is really easy to make.

16. Grounding

If it is much too cold to get outside and put your feet on the ground the next best thing is to invest in a grounding mat. I have mine on my bed, so that I get the benefits of it whenever I am in bed, whether I am sick or not.

Grounding helps to balance the body and reduce inflammation, which is extra important when the body is fighting off sickness.

17. Water

Staying hydrated is extremely important when then body is fighting sickness. Not only does it help reduce the stress on the body if you are well hydrated, but it also helps to flush things out.

Which of these have you tried? Are there other natural remedies for cold and flu season that you can think of I would love to hear about them in the comments.