Since I hate the cold and love herbal remedies, it should not come as a surprise that I’d like to do a round up of the best herbs to use during winter! We have already discussed some herbal remedies that can help you stay healthy during the cold season, like elderberry tea, cinnamon honey tea, and a DIY vapor rub but there are still so many possibilities out there! Read on!
Echinacea
Echinacea is a beautiful flower that’s part of the daisy family. It has been used for centuries in combating the flu and colds, which makes it perfect for winter! It’s said to be antimicrobial and be high in antioxidants, which means it also acts as a great immune booster. You can purchase this as a dried herb, but many places sell it as tea or in pill capsules already!
Garlic
Garlic is a natural antibiotic, but in the winter I prefer to focus on it’s immune boosting properties. I know a lot of people that eat garlic daily during winter so that they don’t catch a cold, some cook with it and others just take a clove down the hatch!
Ginger
Ginger has an abundance of health benefits, all stemming from the fact that it is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. Ginger is mainly used as an immune system booster, so I recommend trying to add it into your day to day life if you want to reap the benefits! You can get ginger essential oil to diffuse around your home, make ginger tea to drink before bed, or simply cook or make a smoothie with ginger powder or raw ginger. By boosting your immune health, you can avoid colds before they happen!
Thyme
If you haven’t tried thyme, it’s about time— haha, too far? But in all seriousness, thyme is a part of the mint family and has been used for hundreds and hundreds of years, dating back to the ancient Egyptians. Thyme can help fight coughs and bronchitis and boost your immune system (it’s full of vitamin C). While you can buy thyme as an essential oil, it’s more commonly bought as a dried herb and used in cooking and teas.
Goldenseal
Goldenseal, like garlic, is considered a natural antibiotic, though it has a ton of other healing properties as well. In fact, it’s one of the top five selling herbs in the nation! It is often combined with echinacea, and used to treat bronchitis, colds, and allergies. This herb is typically sold ready to use in a capsule. You can check out this article for more information about goldenseal and how to use it.
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is an anti-inflammatory, decongestant, antiseptic, antibacterial, and antispasmodic. This winter season it can help you combat bronchitis, sinusitis, a sore throat, a cold, a cough, or even just a runny nose. If you haven’t already, I recommend purchasing eucalyptus essential oil because it does have such a multitude of health benefits. With the essential oil, you can create your own medicines (like cough syrup) or simply diffuse it to gain the benefits!
Other herbs that are great for boosting the immune system and getting you and your family through the winter unaffected include rosemary, sage, eleuthero, mullein, rosehips, tulsi, and astragalus.
You can easily create a cough syrup with these herbs by boiling a cup of water and adding in some chopped herbs or drops of essential oils. Then you can take a shot of it when you’re feeling sick or even when the people around you are getting sick! You can also diffuse them, cook with them, and make delicious teas!
**With any herbal remedies, do your research and make sure you are using the herbs or consuming them properly. This article is intended for entertainment and you should always consult a doctor.
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