There are many ways by using herbs and supplements that you can prevent your body from getting a cold or flu. Some work very well and some only moderately. Most of the ways focus on boosting your immune system to keep your body strong and resistant to these sicknesses. Over the years, I have tried many foods and supplements and some have worked well others have not. For people who exercise or train hard, fitness workouts can put an enormous strain on your immune system therefore it is important that you keep it strong naturally.
The most effective herb or herbal supplement that I have found and which I highly recommend is Oil of Oregano. It seems to do the best job for keeping me healthy and for helping me to avoid getting the cold or flu. Personally I do not get the flu shot. I got it one year and it didn’t help me much. First of all, it is not 100% effective. The flu vaccine is created by determined which flu will be prevalent during that flu season. Secondly, I think it is an attempt by the pharmaceutical companies to earn huge amounts of money for the products by convincing everyone to get the flu vaccine.
The best and most effective way to take Oil of Oregano is to place 2 to 3 drops on a teaspoon and to lick it. For about half an hour I do not eat or drink anything. At first it tastes horrible and is very strong, but after awhile, you will get used to it. It’s also great for relieving sore or dry throats. The best time to take it is when you feel the onset of something (very early stages) or if you feel you have a mild dry or uncomfortable feeling in your throat. You can also take a couple of drops of on a daily basis during cold and flu season.
If you cannot afford an Oil of Oregano supplement because it can be a little expensive although a 1 oz bottle or approximately 25-29mL bottle will last a long time, you may want to grow your own oregano. Not only do I use the oil product on an as needed basis, but I grow my own oregano and use fresh oregano when in season in salads and other meals. It goes great with any food that contains any form of tomatoes. During the colder seasons, I am now using dried oregano from my garden in a variety of dishes. In this way, you can get the health benefits of this herb on a daily basis without having to use the oil supplement. You can also create your own oil of oregano by distilling oregano leaves or infusing them in olive oil. YouTube has many videos to show you how this can be done.
I have also tried other supplements over the years, but they are not as effective as Oil of Oregano. Omega 3 is effective at first but its preventative properties in my body for preventing colds and flus seem to diminish over time. It seems to be not as effective a couple years later from the time I began to use it. Yet Omega 3 still has many other positive and beneficial health benefits for your body which you can read here. My recommendation is that either you eat foods high in Omega 3 or take 1 Omega 3 capsule per day as a supplement.
Years ago, I also tried Echinacea but I do not find it to be very effective so I don’t use it anymore and I wouldn’t recommend it.
Of course just taking oil of oregano or including it in the foods that you eat alone won’t keep you healthy. Other factors of equal importance are getting enough sleep, avoiding stress and eating properly especially limiting excess sugar intake from the foods you eat or you add to.
In my opinion, this is what I have found while using various herbs and supplements over the past few years in order to prevent myself from getting the cold and flu. Although Oil of Oregano has been effective in working for me, it may or may not work for you, but these natural immune boosting herbs, foods and supplements are worth trying in order to keep you healthy, active and strong during the cold and flu season.
Article by Peter Kudlacz. Owner of this fitness website popularfitness.com