Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.
Close Banner
Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.

9 Natural Cold Remedies To Try The Next Time You Get Sick

Heather Moday, M.D.
Author:
March 11, 2020
Heather Moday, M.D.
Allergist & Immunologist
By Heather Moday, M.D.
Allergist & Immunologist
Heather Moday, M.D. is the founder of the Moday Center for Functional and Integrative Medicine in Philadelphia, where she practices both traditional medicine and integrative medicine.

Ah, the dreaded common cold. With all the advances in medicine, you would think we would have figured out how to prevent this. Alas, we haven't. And many of us deal with the nagging symptoms of the common cold once or more per year. But there are some ways to get your body ready for cold season, shorten the virus's duration, and decrease symptoms without taking conventional medications.

What is the common cold?

One of the problems is that the symptoms of a cold are caused by over 200 different viruses1. The majority of colds are caused by rhinovirus, but many are by unidentifiable viruses, which make it impossible to completely prevent.

Common cold viruses infect the nose, throat, larynx, and sinuses, causing sore throat, hoarseness, cough, achiness, and congestion but lack the severe symptoms of fever and extreme exhaustion that you get with the "flu," or influenza. You can "catch" a cold through respiratory droplets in the air but also from touching contaminated surfaces, where they can live for up to three hours outside the human body. We tend to catch more colds in the fall and winter months, when the virus is more contagious and replicates more easily.

One of the issues with the cold is that it's our own immune reaction to the virus that can dictate the severity and duration of a cold. So here are some ways to get your body ready for cold season, shorten the virus's duration, and decrease symptoms naturally without taking any medications.

1.

Get more zinc.

Probably the most studied supplement for treating a cold: Zinc's mechanism likely involves interfering with the replication of the virus2. Several studies have shown that if taken within 48 hours of onset, it can shorten the duration. Zinc plays a strong role in improving our resistance to infection3, and people with low dietary zinc intake may have lowered immunity.

Some people get some nausea taking zinc on an empty stomach, but taking zinc capsules (up to 15 to 30 mg daily with food) at the first symptoms for the cold is safe and effective. There are many forms of zinc, which vary in absorbability, but I like zinc monomethionine because it doesn't alter copper stores in the body. Loading up on zinc-rich foods in the winter can help as well; these include lean red meat, oysters, crab, lentils, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, and pumpkin seeds.

2.

Build up your gut health.

We know that the diversity and health of our gut microbiome significantly affect many aspects of our immune health4. Multiple studies have shown that taking certain strains of probiotics5 can help prevent the onset of rhinovirus as well. The ones that have been studied include certain strains of Lactobacillus species as well as Bifidobacterium species. Results were even better when they were used in tandem.

In addition, probiotics only worked to reduce symptoms and duration of the common cold, so you will need to takes them daily for a few months before cold season. You want to pick a multi-strain formula from a reputable company. It's also important to eat naturally fermented foods that contain probiotic species of bacteria in them. These include foods like sauerkraut, kimchee, miso, and kefir.

3.

Boost your vitamin D stores.

One of the things that drops right around cold season is our natural exposure to broad-spectrum sunlight. UVB waves from the sun converts a substance known as cholecalciferol into active vitamin D. Many of us have very low levels of vitamin D in general, and in the winter months in the northern hemisphere, these numbers can plummet even further.

Vitamin D is an immunomodulator and plays a role in preventing autoimmune disease. Trials have shown that having higher levels of vitamin D also can reduce our risk of getting the common cold. Because food sources of vitamin D are rare unless you drink supplemented foods like milk and fortified cereals, I recommend taking a supplement especially in the winter months. You need to aim for at least 4,000 IUs daily.

4.

Rest and repeat.

When you get a cold, don't try to push on through. In order to clear a rhinovirus from our system, we need boatloads of sleep to support our immune system. One of the reasons is that excess cortisol secretion (our big stress hormone) weakens our immunity and makes it hard to heal. In particular, this happens when we skimp on sleep and hit it too hard at the gym. A study looking at sleep habits6 found that bad sleep efficiency and shorter sleep duration in the weeks preceding an exposure to a rhinovirus were associated with lower resistance to illness.

If you have a cold, take a week off from heavy exercise. Instead, do something restorative like yoga, tai chi, or just simply walking. Aim for eight to 10 hours of sleep nightly, and take naps if you need to. Your body will heal faster will this type of TLC.

5.

Turn to essential oils.

There are many things in nature's arsenal that may help your cold symptoms. For coughing, several studies have shown that eucalyptus oil may be able to help calm irritated airways when used in a vaporizer. It may also be a potent antimicrobial7.

Peppermint oil8 along with rosemary oil9 can potentially break up mucus and calm a nagging cough. These can also be vaporized or placed in a carrier oil and rubbed between the hands before breathing in. Lastly, frankincense, also known as boswellia10, has significant anti-inflammatory activity on respiratory tissue. This can be taken as an oral tablet and also gives significant relief for aches and pains caused by the common cold.

6.

Try elderberry.

Another great natural way to stop a cold in its tracks and reduce coughing is by using elderberry. One study showed it significantly reduced the duration and severity11 of cold symptoms in intercontinental air travelers. It's fairly easy to whip up a big batch of elderberry syrup for the season. However, if you don't have the time or patience for that, it's also sold as a syrup, lozenges, and capsules.

7.

Call on medicinal mushrooms.

Chinese and American herbalists have long known the effectiveness of certain mushrooms' antiviral activity. By stimulating natural killer cells in the human immune system as well as decreasing viral replication, certain mushrooms may be beneficial when you are fighting a cold12. Shiitake mushrooms are readily available and are delicious stir-fried and in soup. Maitake, or "hen of the woods," are also delicious roasted and can be taken in pill and tincture form. Lastly, reishi is a woody, mostly inedible mushroom, can also be found in tinctures, capsules, and teas.

8.

Irrigate those nasal passages.

Neti pots have come a long way from being used primarily in ayurvedic medicine. Now used by many on a daily basis for chronic allergies and sinusitis, they can be a true godsend for anyone suffering from an acute cold. By irrigating the nasal passages and sinuses, you can wash out bacteria and viruses, hydrate swollen and irritated membranes, and also deliver soothing and natural remedies to the mucus membranes.

The basic recipe is to use slightly tepid distilled water with sea salt and a pinch of baking soda. Irrigate both sides one to three times daily for as long as your symptoms last.

9.

Feed your cold.

Chicken soup as a cure-all for the common cold may not have any human studies—but there's a lot of anecdotal data on the ability of Grandma's "penicillin" to help fight off a cold. The combination of a hot liquid and a nutrient-packed soup probably is the source of effectiveness. Chicken soup must be made with real chicken bone broth, which delivers tons of collagen, amino acids, and minerals to help expedite healing. It also tastes really good and is easy to digest.

Bottom line

There are a lot of things you can do to both prevent and treat a cold. If you are prepared with some of these natural cold remedies at home, you may not find yourself sniffling and wandering into the 24-hour pharmacy this season.

If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking medications, consult with your doctor before trying natural antivirals. It is always optimal to consult with a health care provider when considering what treatment is right for you.

Watch Next

Enjoy some of our favorite clips from classes

Watch Next

Enjoy some of our favorite clips from classes

What Is Meditation?

Mindfulness/Spirituality | Light Watkins

Box Breathing

Mindfulness/Spirituality | Gwen Dittmar

What Breathwork Can Address

Mindfulness/Spirituality | Gwen Dittmar

The 8 Limbs of Yoga - What is Asana?

Yoga | Caley Alyssa

Two Standing Postures to Open Up Tight Hips

Yoga | Caley Alyssa

How Plants Can Optimize Athletic Performance

Nutrition | Rich Roll

What to Eat Before a Workout

Nutrition | Rich Roll

How Ayurveda Helps Us Navigate Modern Life

Nutrition | Sahara Rose

Messages About Love & Relationships

Love & Relationships | Esther Perel

Love Languages

Love & Relationships | Esther Perel

Related Videos (10)

What Is Meditation?

Box Breathing

What Breathwork Can Address

The 8 Limbs of Yoga - What is Asana?

Two Standing Postures to Open Up Tight Hips

How Plants Can Optimize Athletic Performance

What to Eat Before a Workout

How Ayurveda Helps Us Navigate Modern Life

Messages About Love & Relationships

Love Languages

Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.

More On This Topic

more Health
Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.
Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.