12 Natural Ways to Boost Your Immunity and Fight the Flu

If you think Flu is scary let me tell you Flu Vaccine is even more scarier! Common side effects are high fever, runny nose, sore throat, vomiting and diarrhea. Rare side effect includes Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS)( is a rare disorder in which a person’s own immune system damages the nerve cells, causing muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis). Huh! Really? So what’s the point taking a flu shot when you get the same symptoms after being injected with the toxic thimerosal (ethylmercury) containing Influenza shot?

You wouldn’t want to deal with the nasty side effects of the Flu shot when you can prevent and fight (in case you are already down with a Flu), would you?

Flu can be prevented and treated at home. Pregnant Women, Children, Older People and people who are immunocompromised are likely to catch the Flu but that doesn’t mean other age groups are any safer. The best bet is to boost your immunity so that you can stay away from the Flu or fight it and get ove rit quickly even if you get it.

Here are 12 Crunchy Ways to Boost Your Immunity and Beat The Flu

1. Vitamin D: Vitamin D is known as the sunshine Vitamin because our body can make enough Vitamin D by just being exposed to the sunlight for 15-20 minutes a day(without sunscreen). Lack of Vitamin D results in poor immune system and its no wonder that Winter is the Flu season because people hardly get to see any sunlight. Vitamin D Drops can increase your Vitamin D levels and boost your immunity. Carlson’s D Drops are one of the best Vitamin D Drops on the market and our family uses the same. You can use the 400IU one for the babies below 12 months and 1000IU for 12 months and up. You can take 2000IU during the Flu season and 1000IU as an immune enhancer during the rest of the year. Get sunlight whenever you can because that’s the best way to get Vitamin D and use supplements only if you aren’t able to get any sunlight.

2. Vitamin C: Vitamin C is rich in antioxidants and help your body fight free radicals. Its a wonderful immune boosting vitamin and you should get plenty of Vitamin C everyday from foods. Vitamin C rich foods are Orange, Kiwi, Strawberry, Cayenne Pepper, Guava, Bell Pepper, Broccoli, Lemon, Papaya, Watermelon, Indian Gooseberry and Tomato. If you are not getting enough Vitamin C from your food, its better to go for an additional supplement specially during the Flu season. Rosehip based Vitamin C supplement is a better bet. You can also try herbs like Thyme, Cilantro, Rosemary and Parsley.

3. Zinc: Up your zinc intake to boost your immunity and avoid the Flu.  Zinc is a mineral that helps prevent upper respiratory tract infections and plays a vital role in combating the Flu. Take zinc supplement (I prefer capsules over lozenges because  like lozenges because they are full of sugar ) as soon you feel fluish to prevent or shorten the duration of the flu. Have foods rich in Zinc like Sesame (lots of tahini on your toast), Oysters, Pumpkin Seeds, Low fat Meat, Dried Watermelon Seeds, Beans, Spinach, Asparagus, Pecans and Cashews.

You can make organic chicken broth with lots of fresh ginger, garlic and onion to make it more effective.

4. Elderberry: Black Elderberry or Sambucus Nigra is an amazing herb that can kill cold and Flu. Its antibacterial and antivural properties have been prized for thousands of years and is a number 1 herb in treating the Flu, Cold and Cough. You can either take it in the form of a tincture, tea or capsule.

5. Raw Garlic: If you are a garlic lover chances are that you are the last person to catch the flu in your family/circle specially if you eat raw garlic everyday. Raw Garlic is nature’s potent antibiotic and is wonderful in boosting your immunity. I love Raw Garlic and I use it liberally in salads, soups and just pop them when I feel Fluish and it works like magic every single time. Sometimes if I forget to take raw garlic during the flu season and if I can’t catch up with the initial popping of raw garlic it still works to lessen the severity and duration of flu and helps me recover quickly without making me feel drained and down. Have tons of raw garlic(as much as you can handle) as soon as you feel that you are gonna be coming down with the Flu and if possible make it a habit of eating raw garlic everyday to avoid the Flu. Garlicky breath is better than the Flu

6. Manuka Honey: This is one thing I can’t live without! I use it on my face, hair and internally to boost immunity and I call this a miracle product of nature which has so much to offer in terms of health and beauty benefits. Make sure you go for UMF 15+ (UMF 20+ is even better) and up if you are using this as immune enhancer. You can take 1 tablespoon everyday during the Flu season and use it as a sweetener in your Tea, Smoothie, Toast, Dessert etc. Its very thick and tastes yummy, there couldn’t be a sweeter treatment than Manuka honey for the Flu.

7. Ginger Lemon Honey Tea: Grab a cup of your Ginger Lemon tea during the Flu season and see how good it makes you feel instantly. Its refreshing, good for digestion, helps you lose weight and enhances your Immunity.

How to make Ginger Lemon Honey Tea for the Flu?:

Boil 1 and a half cups of water, using mortar and pestle grind 1 inch cube of Ginger and put it into the pot of boiling water and boil for about 5-6 minutes. Squeeze the juice of one lemon and place it in a Cup. Put raw honey (Manuka is even better but you can use any raw honey) into the cup and finally pour the boiled water into the cup. Stir well and your Flu Fighting Ginger Lemon Honey tea is ready.

8. Essential Oils: Anti-bacterial and anti-viral essential oils like Tea Tree, Lemon and Eucalyptus can do wonders for you. Burn some essential oils (5-6 drops) in an oil burner or use it as a room spray. To make a room spray all you need to do is fill a spray bottle with water and put 20-30 drops essential oils (you can use either one of them or mix all 3) and shake well. Spray whenever required. Make sure lemon essential oil doesn’t touch your skin because it can cause allergic reactions.

9. Apple Cider Vinegar: There are so many uses of Apple Cider Vinegar and Flu is one of them. You can mix 1 teaspoon Raw honey 1/2 a teaspoon  Cayenne Pepper and 1 Tablespoon Organic Unfiltered ACV (preferably Bragg’s) with a glass of water. Drink it everyday during the flu outbreak. You can sip it throughout the day for better results.

10. Homeopathy: I have been using Homeopathy since my 3rd trimester when my Midwife Carlita introduced it to me and I am so grateful to her for this Gift! It has completely changed my life. I knew about Homeopathy but was never intrigued by it until she introduced it to me and now its a part of my life. I was only using Herbs and Aromatherapy until then and you know how it is during Pregnancy, so many herbs and essential oils are a big no no but you can use most of the Homeopathic remedies during Pregnancy except for some that cause uterine contraction.

3 Homeopathic Remedies that are good for the Flu

Aconite: First thing that I grab these days when I feel I am gonna come down with cold or Flu is Aconite 30c, aconite only works if it is used within the first 12 hours.

Gelsemium 30c: If Aconite fails I go for Gelsemium 30c and it works every single time. Just 1 dose is enough to make me feel better and I repeat the dose if I feel I still need it.

Boiron’s Oscillococcinum commonly known as Oscillo: This is the most powerful Homeopathic Flu remedy and I have seen it work amazingly well in others but haven’t tried it yet because Gelsemium and Aconite work well for me along with the other remedies mentioned above. You wouldn’t want to use it if you are a vegetarian or vegan.

11. Carom seeds and Basil Soup: Carom seeds also known as Caraway or Bishop’s weed is a potent immune enhancer and has been used in Ayurveda for thousands of years for the same purpose. In India and some parts of Asia Carom  is a part of Postpartum Diet because it is believed that Carom seeds can boost baby and mother’s immunity and increase milk supply. You can find it in any Indian Grocery Store. This soup is also good for Bronchitis, Cough and any other respiratory illnesses.

How to make Carom Seeds and Basil Soup for the Flu?

 You need to grind the carom seeds and keep it in an airtight container. You can make 1 cup and keep it because you wouldn’t want to deal with the grinding process when you are already so down and agitated with the Flu. Heat 1 tsp. Olive Oil in a pan and add 1 finely chopped onion and fry for about 2 minutes. Add a freshly ground ginger (you can grind about 1 inch cube). Mix 1 Tablespoon of the ground Carom Powder and a cup of water and pour it into the pan. Now add some fresh or dried Basil leaves and let the mixture boil for about 10 minutes. Add salt and freshly chopped Garlic before serving.

12. Onion and Honey: Raw onion can be an effective treatment for cough and cold associated with the flu. Just grate one red onion, squeeze the juice, mix it with some raw honey and take it everyday until the symptoms improve.

Do not use Thyme, Rosemary, and Basil during pregnancy.

Do not use  Thyme and Parsley if you are nursing.

See the links below to know why Flu shot doesn’t work

Woman disabled by a Flu Jab

Read this to know why Flu Vaccine manufacturers are shooting in the dark and is nothing but a Guessing Game