The season of sniffles tends to hit as the cold months arrive but colds can strike at any time of year.
Editor Jane Garton shares some natural ways to keep them at bay.
The start of a new school term often than not brings with it a new cold bug. And it’s no coincidence says GP and chairman of the NHS Alliance Dr Mike Dixon: ‘ Schools provide the perfect environment for the spread of germs, with children in constant close contact.’
So what’s the best solution when the kids come home with runny noses, hacking coughs and sore throats? There are many natural herbal remedies that can help to keep the sniffles at bay.
A member of the geranium family, pelargonium has been shown to help relieve the symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections including the common cold, and the good news is that it is safe for children to take. Research shows it can help to kick-start the body’s natural killer cells to fight the infection as well as helping to relieve typical cold symptoms such as a sore throat and nasal congestion. It may also put a stop to secondary infections such as bronchitis. Studies have also shown that as well as being anti viral and anti bacterial it can help to reduce mucus.
Look out for it in syrup form which is easy to take and pleasant to taste. Give it to children at the first sign of a sneeze to help lessen the symptoms.
Otherwise known as the purple coneflower, echinacea is a potent immune booster with proven antibacterial and antiviral properties that are thought to help increase the number and activity of the white blood cells involved in fighting off infection. Take it on-going to protect against a cold and in higher doses if you or your children start to cough and sneeze.
BLACK ELDERBERRY
If you are unlucky enough to go down with a bout of the flu, black elderberry may help to cut it short. Recent research, which tested the effects of three different elderberry extracts on blood from 12 healthy donors, showed that they increased production of immune system activators called inflammatory cytokines.
When it comes to fighting colds garlic deserves a mention. It’s been more closely researched than any other medicinal plant and studies show it has antioxidant, antibacterial and antiviral properties. Chop it up and add it raw to winter salads, use it to flavour veggie soups and stews or, if you can’t stand the taste or smell of garlic, look out for odourless capsules in your local health store or pharmacy.
TOP TIPS
- Remind children to wash their hands thoroughly. The Centre for Disease Control recommends washing hands with soap and water for 15 to 20 seconds or long enough to sing Happy Birthday twice.
- Make sure your kids go to school armed with a handkerchief or pocket sized tissues and teach them to “Catch it, Bin it, Kill it”
- Start herbal treatments at the first hint of a sneeze as colds generally get worse over the first couple of days and then begin to subside
- Encourage children to drink up. Plenty of liquids are essential to help flush the infection out of the body and loosen a blocked nose. Any drink will do including traditional remedies such as honey and lemon and chicken soup. They help to thin mucus as well as providing easily absorbable nutrients.
