Secret Remedies To Rid You Of That Cold

Lately less antibiotics are being prescribed and a visit to the doctor with a cold or the flu could just find you heading home to take some over the counter remedies and get some rest.  This is the prescription that most doctors’ are offering for these ailments and as a result you may be heading to your local pharmacy or home to your medicine cabinet attempting to figure out what you can best use to help you feel better.

Thyme is a great healer especially in essential oil or dried form.  Keep this one on hand and you will discover that if you do become ill it can be used as an expectorant and can help to clear out your lungs by making your cough more productive.  Thyme also comes in tea form and when steeped in boiling water can be drunk or can be used to create steam to breathe in.  Either way you'll find that thyme is a really handy herb to keep on hand.

In Ayurvedia medicine, licorice root is made use of as an expectorant and since it contains glycyrrhizin it is a strong antiviral that can help ward off serious diseases.  When deciding to purchase a supplement or tea, make sure that it contains actual licorice as even candy makes use of anise not licorice for flavor.  You want to take actual licorice root to obtain the best healing effects.  Check with your doctor to learn more about licorice as it can interfere with some medications.

Garlic is a known healer and something which has been proven to increase immunity.  Taking garlic is something that should be done early as it works well to help prevent you from getting sick or to lower symptoms at the onset.  Of course, even if you do get really ill garlic is still a great way to help you recover more quickly.  Natural garlic is very effective, however since garlic smells you may want to consider some odorless garlic supplements to help you if you need to be around others.

Elderberry Extract can help you to cope with cold and flu symptoms.  It not only goes by the name Elderberry but also by Elder or Black Elder.   These berries tend to decrease the period of an illness and have also been shown to have a significant effect on fighting up to ten different strains of flu.

And while Echinacea is something that quite a few people swear by to enhance immunity it isn't on this list very simply because there is little to substantiate Echinacea’s ability to have any effect on colds, flu, or immunity.  In addition to this a lot of people are allergic to it so it is perhaps best to choose from the other remedies on the list.  They will help you more and will offer you a lot less by way of side effects.