7 of Our Favorite Natural Cold + Flu Remedies

The best cold and flu remedy is always prevention. Make sure your immune system works at full capacity in winter by drinking infused apple cider vinegar, eating a vitamin rich diet, getting enough sleep, and exercising.

Unfortunately, no system is 100% foolproof, so you might still catch a cold despite your best efforts. Rather than heading for the medicine cabinet, you can try these natural cold and flu remedies, which people have been using for hundreds of years to relieve all those annoying symptoms.

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Especially when combined with raw honey, ginger is an effective remedy for cold and flu symptoms, and it can even be used topically to kill bacteria and promote wound healing.

Homemade Ginger Tea

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Colds usually start with an annoying tickle in the throat. This ginger, honey, and cinnamon tea is meant to soothe your throat but it’s also really yummy to drink just because.

Soothing Honey Spice Throat Tea

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Which essential oils are best for fighting a cold? From peppermint to lavender, we share the most effective ways to use essential oils to relieve those dreadful symptoms.

9 Essential Oils to Get You Through the Cold Season

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Use elderberry syrup preventatively once a day during the cold season. Rich in vitamin C and anti-inflammatory properties, elderberries have been used for flu and sinus infections for a very long time.

Homemade Elderberry Syrup

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Steam inhalation is the easiest way to relieve congestion – even taking a hot shower helps! For a stronger, faster effect, use fresh eucalyptus, a natural decongestant with anti-inflammatory properties.

Fresh Eucalyptus Steam Inhalation

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Coughing is one of the symptoms that tends to linger for a long time, even when you feel healthy otherwise. Instead of opting for sugar-packed store-bought cough drops, make your own with honey, ginger, and lemon.

Lemon Ginger Clove Homemade Cough Drops

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Massage this natural vapor rub onto the chest, back, and feet to breathe easily and get a good night’s sleep.

DIY Vapor Chest Rub

Comments

Candice says
February 14, 2019 at 3:16 pm
Ginger, lemon, & honey tea is definitely one of my go to’s when I have a cold, as well as eucalyptus essential oil in my diffuser :)
Ethan Mills says
February 14, 2019 at 10:27 am
I never appreciate how nice it is to be able to breath until I’m sick! I’ve have to look more into these and find out if they work for me. I found a cool post that points out the grossest and dirtiest things we touch every single day, surprising stuff! (https://www.precisionchemdry.com/11-grimy-items/)