Natural remedies for cold and flu symptoms you’ll find at home

Sick of always reaching for over-the-counter products when you’re struck down by winter lurgies?

Vitamin C and zinc and be ingested through citrus fruits and some green vegetables.

Feel like every second person you know has a cold or a nasty bout of the flu?

Normally we reach for Nurofen, Panadol or Codral to help tackle the annoying symptoms of common winter season ailments.

But if we run out of tablets, can’t make it to the pharmacy, or forget to stock up at the local shops, can we rely on natural remedies – the ones you can find in your own home – to do the same thing?

We spoke with RACGP NSW and ACT chairwoman and general practitioner Dr Rebekah Hoffman to break down which ones actually help ward off symptoms.

Dr Hoffman stressed that while the natural remedies listed were helpful for tackling symptoms and “making you feel a bit more human”, they did not get rid of the infection.

HONEY

Grab your honey from the pantry, because Dr Hoffman said the sweet treat was just as effective as your go-to cough lollies and syrups.

”Honey is particularly good for a cough and there’s good evidence around that honey is actually as effective as any of the over the counter cough medications, any of the cough suppressants,” she said.

“You’re much better off financially actually just having honey before bed to help with that really dry cough.”

Honey is just as effective as over-the-counter cough medications if you need to soothe your throat. Picture: istock

VITAMIN C AND ZINC

Another great way to reduce the amount of infections caught during the winter period was consuming enough vitamin C and zinc, which can be ingested through a number of foods.

Capsicum, broccoli, strawberry, citrus fruits, peas and brussels sprouts are all great sources of vitamin C. For a bit more zinc, grab the shellfish, red meat, dairy and eggs.

”If you’ve got good levels of zinc and vitamin C, you actually get sick less often, so you’re going to have less viruses over the course of winter than someone who has inadequate levels of both of those nutrients,” she said.

SALTWATER GARGLE

Filling up a cup with tap water and table salt and gargling was a tried and tested method for targeting a scratchy or sore throat.

“Saltwater gargle is similar to Difflam, so it’s around making your throat feel better, less hoarse, less dry, particularly when you’ve got some inflammation of the throat, some laryngitis,” she said.

WATER

When you don’t have vitamins on hand, water is your best friend. Dr Hoffman said drinking plenty of fluids was the answer for fighting off a pesky winter infection. 

“The first line treatment is going to be fluids, so making sure you remain hydrated. And that’s because when you get sick often, you get a really high fever, and with that fever, you’ll often sweat a lot and sweat off a lot of your fluids. So replacing all of that fluid is really important with that temperature,’ she said.

Staying hydrated can help

OTHER HELPFUL TIPS

Rest is always best

We have heard it time and time again, getting enough sleep is a game changer for shaking off a nasty bug. Dr Hoffman recommended locking in enough sleep every night. ”Having a regular bedtime, not having too much screen time before bed, having a regular wake up time is really important,” she said.

No need to sweat it

Sweating out a virus doesn’t really have much evidence around it, Dr Hoffman said you are better off drinking enough fluids and resting.

“There is absolutely no evidence that going for a run or going in the sauna can make you feel better and it can actually make you more dehydrated,” she said.

“If you want to do that though, make sure you really stay on top of your fluids, and you really try and replace anything that you’re losing as well.”

Dr Hoffman said if you are really itching to get outside and do some exercise, just don’t over do it.

“That’s just moving your body a few times a week, going for walks, so that you remain fit and active, and that’s going to go a long way to improving your immune system and reducing how sick you get over winter,” she said.

When should I head to the GP?

If you are on day four or five and you still haven’t shaken your cold or flu, that is when Dr Hoffman recommended you book in an appointment.

“The next reason I want to see you is if you have already got significant immunosuppression, or if you’ve already got a significant respiratory problem, and you need to see me before then,” she said.

”For some of my patients, I actually will want to see them as soon as they’re feeling unwell, because we’ll need to change their regular management I’m going to add one more

”The third time I want to see you is really around paternal worries. Parents have an incredibly good gut instinct about when to worry and when not to worry.

“It is shown time and time again in hospitals that when parents say my kid is getting sicker, their kid is actually getting sicker and they need some more urgent attention.”

Originally published as Natural remedies for cold and flu symptoms you’ll find at home