Try These 3 Home Remedies to Fight Colds and Flu Fast

Why Cold and Flu Season Happens

As the weather shifts, it can cause some stress on our system. The new pollens in the outdoor air, drying indoor air, and stress can make us more vulnerable to colds and flu. Simply being more dry can actually make us more susceptible to illness. A well-hydrated person has more defenses against seasonal bugs. 

Stress directly affects the way our immune system functions by essentially overdosing the system on cortisol and adrenaline. When our system is chronically in stress response, this state wears down the body and the ability to fight infection.    

How to Stay Well

As you might have guessed, one of the primary keys to staying well at this time of year is preparation. When we are prepared with the remedies that we need, we can quickly start battling that tickle in the throat or the drippy nose. In fact, you can begin taking certain types of herbs and remedies as a preventative measure to support the body in defending against a cold or flu before you even know you’ve been exposed. 

So, along with having the herbs you need on hand, being prepared by keeping these self-care habits in place is a great idea. I love my evening baths and a little strum on the guitar before bed.

3 Remedies to Boost Your Immune System

Now, let’s examine three easy-to-find and effective herbal remedies. I recommend that you stock a small but mighty “home apothecary.” Some of these ingredients may be available at home, while others can be found at a local grocery store or natural foods market.

1. Ginger Tea

Ah, the warming scent and flavor of ginger! It’s a lovely, spiced warm drink to keep in your repertoire. For this tea, it’s best to use fresh ginger root. I also like to make a variation with both fresh ginger and turmeric roots. (If you can’t find fresh turmeric root, turmeric powder can also work.)

1. In a teapot that holds 2 cups of water, add one knob of ginger (about the size of your thumb or a 1-inch piece). Some folks like to cut this into thin slices for more ginger flavor. Try it both ways to see which way works best for you.
2. Optional variation: Add turmeric root (a ½-inch piece cut into slices or ½ tablespoon of powder)
3. Now, pour over boiling water and let sit for about 10 minutes.  
4. Pour yourself a cup and, when it’s cool enough to sip, add a squeeze of lemon and a spoonful of raw local honey.  
5. Sip and feel the warmth of the ginger warm your body from the inside out.  

Why ginger? Ginger is known not only to help us warm up our body and soothe a tummy ache but also to actually protect us from viruses. Along with virus protection, ginger aids us in protecting against harmful bacteria and fungal infections, keeping inflammation down in the body, supporting the respiratory system and the heart—and the list goes on.  

The heat of the ginger can also help to loosen up mucus, which helps to move the virus out of the body. A hot cup of ginger tea can bring such comfort. There are not many herbs out there that warm the body like ginger.

If you add turmeric, the tea will have a more spicy flavor, plus turmeric has proven anti-inflammatory benefits. See 5 spices that fight colds and flu.

2. Elderberry Syrup

Elderberries deeply support the immune system, are antiviral, and are high in vitamin C and antioxidants. A trendy remedy today in the natural health aisles of stores, elderberry actually goes back centuries in human history, especially in Celtic traditions. 

The elderberry is a dark purple berry from the elder tree, which itself carries with it much myth and story, perhaps because of its potency in helping humans stay well. Both its flowers and its berries are known to provide important medicine.  

Elderberry syrup is made using berries and often additional herbs—such as ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, and clove—to deliver this medicine in a sweet liquid form. Look for a good-quality elderberry syrup at your local health food store, farmers’ market, or favorite online herb shop. Or, make your own syrup! See the Almanac’s elderberry syrup recipe.

If you wish, grow your own elderberry trees! They are small trees that bud in spring and soon spread through the gardens with ease and medicine-rich berries and flowers. Harvest elderflower to help fight colds and the flu and soothe anxiety during stress. 

Not to mention, elderberry plants are a beauty to enjoy every year, bringing pollinators and medicine to your garden. We grow Sambucus Canadensis, which is self-pollinating via wind. It does not need a second variety, but having a second tree does help! See where to buy your own elderberry plants.

You can start taking a spoonful of elderberry syrup every day as you head into cold and flu season to prevent the cold or flu from taking hold. Elderberry syrup can also be used to make a delicious and quick sweet drink. Put a tablespoon or so in with water, ice, and lemon.  

Why elderberry? Along with its long history of use by humans to strengthen the immune system, elderberry is known to fight viruses, including the flu. It also seems to reduce flu symptoms when taken within 48 hours of the first signs. Elderberry is an important herb for treating respiratory and viral infections. 

3. Garlic and Honey Remedy

This is my #1 remedy for cold and flu due to its reliable effectiveness. We chop one clove of garlic and allow it to sit for about 10 minutes to activate enzymes that, in turn, activate additional immune-supporting compounds. Then, place the garlic on a spoon with raw local honey. Swallow, usually with a bit of water. That’s it! It’s best not to chew but to swallow straight down.  

Why garlic and honey? Just like elderberry and ginger, garlic has long been used by humans to take care of the body and prevent illness. Cold and flu being on this list, the antivirus, antibacterial, and antifungal properties of garlic do an excellent job of both preventing and treating cold and flu. Learn more about garlic’s healing powers.

While masking the strong garlic flavor, the honey also soothes the throat and tummy. Honey also has antibacterial and antiviral properties to aid your body’s defenses. Learn more about honey’s health benefits.

When you put the garlic and honey together, you have a truly powerful remedy. What a remarkable thing that two common foods put together can offer up such a powerful aid. Reason #134: why I love working with herbs!

Having these simple remedies on hand will help prepare you for when you can feel a sickness creeping in—or, even better, to enable you to take proactive steps if you want to prevent sickness altogether. They say that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Prevention gifts us time and quality of life. Waiting to get sick can set us back in so many ways.

Give yourself the gift of preparation this year. Stock your cold and flu apothecary with a few ingredients—garlic, honey, ginger, turmeric, and perhaps even elderberry syrup—and have these remedies ready in your cabinet. Remember that they work only if you use them!

Learn more natural ways to prevent colds and flu.

–Author Audrey Barron is an herbalist, writer, and herb Farmer in Indianapolis, Indiana. Audrey is also known for being the Owner of Ezra’s Enlightened Cafe in Indianapolis (2014 to 2022). She now runs her online program, Medicine Woman, and offers in-person workshops to help humans connect to the Earth and learn how to grow and use herbal medicines in daily life. Her farm, Wild Moon Acres, offers locally grown medicinal herbs, elderberry trees, workshops, tours, and more.