5 Natural remedies for winter

Winter often triggers bouts of cold and everyone seems to catch the sniffles. Here are 5 natural ideas to fight these winter ailments.

Making the best of what nature has to offer us is a great way to stay fit in the cold season!

Read also: remedies to not fall ill

Royal jelly, a natural fortifier

Prevention starts right when the first chills are felt.

Reinforce your immune system to fight off winter viruses.

Since it contains a great many nutrients, royal jelly is an excellent natural boost for the body.

It unleashes a burst of energy and protects cells, too.

It is sometimes paired with propolis or ginseng.

Honey treats cough

This is another product of the hive that has properties which have been acknowledged since prehistoric times.

Honey usually is relevant to cure infections once they’ve already been detected.

• It especially helps treat cough, both wet and dry.

As an antimicrobial agent, honey helps cleanse the throat and soothe the irritation.

• However, its use isn’t recommended for babies and young children.

Ginger soothes sore throats

In traditional Chinese medicine, sore throat and cough are treated with ginger root infusions.

Twelve distinct compounds exhibit antiviral activity that also helps fight fever and nausea.

It must be used sparingly because ingesting too much ginger may lead to stomach burns and might trigger indigestion.

• Additional reading: health benefits of ginger

Garlic against fever

Drinking a glass of warm milk imbued with one or two cloves of garlic doesn’t sound very appealing… But this mixture actually helps fend off symptoms of the flu, like fever.

Thanks to its antiseptic and antispasmodic properties, garlic eliminates toxins. Whenever the recipe permits, add a clove of garlic to your meals to reinforce your immune system.

• Read more: garlic health benefits

Eucalyptus for runny noses

Anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and antiviral: eucalyptus is a time-tested remedy for stopped-up respiratory tracts.

It’s used for stuffy noses or on days when you feel you’re spending more time blowing your nose than doing anything else.

Simply add a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil to boiling water.

Inhale the vapors of this mix deeply. After a quarter hour, you won’t feel any stuffiness in the nose anymore.

• More on this remedy: health benefits of eucalyptus

M.B.