Beat the Flu With these Spices and Herbs

Cold and flu season is here again and it's time to load up on spices and herbs.

The weather gets cooler and the sniffles begin. Ugh! Who has time for that? I quickly realized I needed to put together my own medicinal cabinet and concoctions.

When I think of the spices and herbs I keep in my home to build my immune system, stop the sniffles and soothe my throat, a few things always top my list.

Ginger (fresh) (zingiber officinale)

It is spicy and warming.

Ginger has a ton of benefits that you'll love. It is anti-microbial, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and a great antioxidant. It is also used for nausea and indigestion.

For fresh ginger tea, cut 2-6 slices of the fresh ginger root and simmer in the pot. Try not to boil the ginger, just simmer to get it hot enough for tea. Sweeten with honey and add lemon. This is best used at the first sign of chills or sniffles.

Garlic (fresh) (alium sativum)

It is spicy and hot. Garlic is a great antibiotic for staph and strep bacteria. It is also anti-microbial, anti-fungal and anti-viral. You can rely on garlic when you need to kill many infections.

If I’m going to be home alone I may slice a clove of garlic and put it in my veggie wraps. It’s so good.

To make sure it can fight what ails you, use this only when sick and not every day unless you are having an intestinal fungal challenge.

Lemon (citrus limon)

It’s good and sour. It is a powerful anti-oxidant and a great source of vitamin C. It’s great in water and in tea. I also use this on my wraps, my salads, and my dressings. I also squeeze a little on my plate right before I eat. Lemon gives everything a nice fresh taste.

Honey (Raw)

It is both anti-microbial and anti-bacterial. It’s best to get this from your local farmer or the farmer’s market. Local honey helps your body build up a tolerance to the local pollen. This is a great allergy combatant.

Elderberry (dried) (sambucus nigra)

This is my favorite cure-all. The berries are anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-microbial, and pack a powerful antioxidant punch. It can also be used as a preventative measure.

Homemade elderberry syrup is the best thing to have on hand. It has also been proven to protect you during air travel. I have my 3oz bottle of elderberry syrup in my bag when I get on a plane.

Oregano (fresh) (organum vulgare)

Fresh oregano is divine and very strong. It is anti-bacterial and an antioxidant. It has one of the highest antioxidant ratings.

You can add dried oregano to a tea, but I like to use this on my salads with basil, sage, arugula, dandelion, garlic, and lemon juice. That salad is an anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, anti-fungal, and antioxidant punch! It always makes me feel better and breathe easier.

Basil (fresh) (ocimum basilicum)

I love this herb. It is anti-bacterial and an antioxidant. It is high in vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, and iron.

I put it in all my salads and make a wonderful no oil, dairy-free basil pesto.

Astralagus (dried root) (astragalus propinquus)

This is a powerhouse Chinese herb known for fortifying the immune system. It is an adaptogen, meaning it can be taken every day to protect the body against daily stress (mental/physical/emotional). It has anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

When I make homemade veggie broth I throw in a couple of astragalus strips to make it an immune-building veggie broth. It’s so good.

These are my favorites, but there are so many anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant, anti-microbial fresh herbs that you can eat daily and especially at the onset of any cold or flu.

Following are more tips on how to use these herbs and spices.

Ideas for Use

Here are my favorite ways to combine a couple of these great herbs:

Tea: Ginger, garlic, lemon, and honey with Traditional Medicinals Throat Coat tea or Traditional Medicinals Herb Tussin.

Garlic Honey: This is a great winter prevention item. It is essentially garlic honey. You take a small 4oz jar and pack it with peeled and slightly bruised and sliced garlic cloves. You can usually get a full bulb in a small jar. Then add the honey. Let it sit and take a teaspoon when you feel really tired or think you might be getting sick.

Antioxidant Salad: My anti-oxidant and overall feel-good salad is made with fresh arugula, basil, oregano, sage, thyme, dandelion, olives, green onions, lemon juice and a homemade no oil dressing.

Note: Before adding anything new to your diet, check with your doctor first for any contraindications with present medications.