Natural Cold Remedies

Cold season seems to be coming in early this year.  People are already coming into my office with the sniffles, sneezes, and headaches.

Try these quick natural remedies to prevent a cold.

1. Vinegar-  Viruses do not like acidic environments.  Vinegar is somewhat acidic, so eating foods with vinegar can help prevent the flu.  Another low pH food is wine.

2. Garlic-  Eating garlic, especially raw, has a lot of antimicrobial effects on the body.  A clove a day keeps the doctor away!

3.  Vegetable soup-  Soup is a great and delicious way to eat a lot of vegetables and get a lot of nutrients.  Using aromatic vegetables, like onions, garlic, scallions, are very helpful to prevent the common cold.

4. Seasonal vegetables from the farmer’s market-  It is remarkable how seasonal foods give us the right nutrients at the right time of year.  At the moment, squash and potatoes are coming into season.  In Chinese medicine, we say that these are warming foods, which help to boost our energy as the weather becomes colder.  Buying local food is fresher and helps to retain the nutrients.

Read more about Chinese medicine and colds

• Preventing Colds with Acupuncture, Chinese herbs, and other tricks
• How to Kick Your Cold
• A Rainy Day Ginger Beef Soup