3 Great Home Remedies for Cold and Flu Season

Cold and flu season is just around the corner. Whether you have a cold now or want to prepare just in case you do get sick, we have some flu and cold remedies for you. Three simple foods ginger, turmeric, and honey are all you need to make natural home remedies for cold and flu symptoms.

Honey for Colds

Honey is known to be good for you. It can give your immune system a boost and it’s believed to help with sore throats. In fact, in one pediatric study parents rated honey as their most favorable form of symptom relief for kids with nocturnal coughs and sleep difficulty. If someone you love has a cold, try making these honey home remedies for cold and flu symptoms.

• Homemade honey cough drops. You can make your own cough drops with this recipe from The Coconut Mama. All you need is raw honey, coconut oil, and cinnamon. The cough drop soothes your coughs and boosts your immune system at the same time.
• Infused honey tea. Tea with honey and lemon is a commonly served to flu or cold sufferers. Jazz your tea up a bit by using honey that has been infused with herbs or spices. It adds extra flavor to your tea. For instance, you can make your own thyme-infused honey and add it to the tea.

Ginger for Colds

Throughout history, different civilizations (from the Chinese to the Greeks) have used the root of the tropical ginger plant for medicinal purposes. The root is said to have anti-inflammation properties, helping with aches and pains as well as sore throats. Ginger is definitely another food to have if you’re sick with the cold or flu.

• Orange and ginger juice. Do you have sick children that need something to drink? Consider making orange and ginger juice with fresh oranges, fresh ginger, and a juicer. The vitamin C will help boost their immune system. For more information, check out this post from bbcgoodfood.com

• Honey ginger lime tea. Not a big fan of tea? Try a warm drink made with ginger instead. The Kitchen Paper has a recipe made with four ingredients: fresh ginger, hot water, fresh lime, and honey. It’s refreshing and has a bit of a zing. You can find the recipe here.

Turmeric for Colds

Like ginger, turmeric has also been used in medicinal practices for centuries. And also like ginger, the bright yellow spice is also said to have anti-inflammation properties, helping with sore throats. If you’d like to use turmeric in your flu and cold remedies, try some of the examples listed below.

• Turmeric and ginger chicken soup. When a person is sick they are almost always offered some kind of soup to eat. In America, it’s often chicken noodle soup. When your loved one is sick, skip the canned soup and make your own. This Bon Appetit recipe includes chicken, onions, garlic, carrots, noodles, and, of course, turmeric and ginger.

• Cold and flu gummies. These gummies from The Cook’s Pyjamas are said to prevent colds, but they can also be eaten as a snack when children are ill. The gummies are made with coconut milk, fresh ginger, honey, turmeric, and gelatin. You can make these gummies in a fun mold like teddies bears or dinosaurs. 

Bonus. Looking for more home remedies for cold and flu symptoms? We’ve got you covered! You can replenish your energy with homemade electrolyte drinks and soothe a sore throat with a special “cold” popsicle. Read this Mindful article on natural cold remedies for more details.

Important Medical Note: Be sure to talk to your doctor first, before trying alternative flu or cold remedies.