During the winter cold season, most people who prefer to use natural treatments and holistic approaches to health issues look for options for treating colds and flu. Here is a short list of items to consider:
- vitamin C supplements shorten colds, though may not prevent them
- research on zinc lozenges and nasal products is mixed - but zinc may help reduce severity of colds
- elderberry products can help with some of the symptoms
- common homeopathic remedies for flu include Oscillococcinum (from duck liver, one vector for carrying flu virus), gelsemium, bryonia, and eupatorium. Various over-the-counter products are either single remedies or mixtures of remedies like these
- cat’s claw as an herbal capsule or tea may have immune boosting capabilities against viruses, bacteria, and other infectious agents