12/23/2025
One! Eat RAW garlic! This has an incredibly long history of use dating back to the earliest human records of medicine. When minced fresh, raw garlic contains a mighty sulphur constituent called allicin. This is one of the heavy lifting properties that fights colds and flues! However, eating raw garlic can be hard on your stomach. Before I gave up gluten and dairy I would whip raw minced garlic with butter and honey and eat it on toast. These days, I mince it and sprinkle it on whatever it is I’m eating. It goes down fine but stays on your breath for a life time!
Two! Take your vitamins! You should be taking Vitamin D3 all winter to keep your immunity rocking. But another well respected vitamin therapy to boost immunity is Z.A.C.E.S. Zinc, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Selenium. Originally formulated as a low-cost to combat AIDS in Africa, it has proven a powerhouse combo to boost immunity.
Three! SLEEP! I could write a book about the healing powers of sleep. But, suffice it to say, you aren’t healing if you aren’t sleeping. Take off work, don’t spread your germs and GO TO SLEEP!
Four! Drink herbal teas! Not only will this keep you hydrated, but you will also get all the added benefits that herbs have to offer. Some thin mucus, help expectorate a cough, and bring on a sweat to cool the body. Others sooth sore throats, calm tummies, and so much more. Herbalism has been my perennial pursuit over the last 15 years and will be the topic of upcoming content! A few that nearly always nice during a head-cold are catnip, linden, yarrow, and marshmallow root.
Five! Lastly, my absolute favorite herbal remedy for head colds, sore throats, sinus infections, allergies, and some headaches is a good herbal steam. It is one of the most potent ways to get the herbal constituents directly in contact with their target tissues. The added benefit is the steam opens airways and heats the body, often bringing on a sweat. You know that fever is the body’s way of making an inhospitable environment for bacteria and viruses! My favorite herbs for a good steam are sage, thyme, oregano, peppermint, rosemary, lavender, and bee balm but there are so many more you can use! The basic idea is boil water in a big pot. Once it is at a rolling boil, remove from heat and throw in handfuls of dried or fresh herbs. Put a lid on it and let it sit for 5 minutes. Place the pot on a steady surface and make a towel tent over yourself and the pot so you can breath in the steam. Be careful not to give yourself a steam burn! I usually sit in mine for 15 minutes and require my kids to steam for 10 minutes! Go ahead and add a drop or two of an essential oil if you have those on hand, but essential oils high in 1.8 Cineol can be harmful to small children.
And now, I am gonna go take a nap! Stay well, friends!
