Holistic Treatments for Colds and Flu

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