What exactly is the common cold?
When I got sick I was given natural remedies such as: castor oil packs, netty pot and high grade salt, Epsom salt baths, hot water bottles, local bee honey, blackstrap molasses, lemons, vitamin C without junk in it! and lots of other cool things that I would drink.
My Sicilian great grandfather didn’t speak a stitch of English but boy oh boy did he communicate non-verbally. He would put whole raw onions, garlic and peaches in front of me at the table when I was sick and kept pushing it at me till I ate ALL of it. He and great grandmother Teresa were big on ice and heat bags, too. These remedies enriched our immune system. We did not run out to the store and take pills and bottled syrups to STOP the cold. We understood getting a cold is the body’s way of healing, pushing the toxins out.
Nowadays, my clients tell me about the numerous over the counter, TV and magazine “popular” products and shots their doctors gave them to STOP THE SYMPTOMS before coming to our wellness center. Thankfully many are listening and learning more natural ways to assist their bodies in healing.
One of the herbs I’d like to mention is : purple cone flower aka: Echinacea
Echinacea is a mainstay in my holistic health kit of essential remedies. I’ve found nothing better than echinacea extract for treating the onset of a sore throat. Also, echinacea is especially beneficial if taken at the first signs of flu and cold symptoms rather than waiting until you are in the full-bloom of the nasty’s. I have also found this healing herb to be a benefit to inflammatory distress.
Benefits
Wildlife Use: Echinacea spp. attract butterflies and hummingbirds.
Use Medicinal: Extracts thought to improve white blood count. Echinacin stops bacteria from forming the hyaluronidase enzyme, which helps make cells more susceptible to infection. It’s a mild natural antibiotic. Small amounts taken a few times daily are better than large doses.