10 Cold and Flu Home Remedies

Zinc

Posted by Prioris (Florida, US) on 10/15/2014

FYI: There are several kinds of zinc that you can take for colds. But only two kinds of zinc are actually effective against colds.

The best kind is zinc acetate. It's the only kind of zinc that consistently slashes the duration of a cold in half. Zinc gluconate was the second best choice, but zinc acetate worked much better.

None of the other kinds of zinc were effective at fighting colds.

Why are zinc acetate and zinc gluconate effective and other kinds aren't? Because they both release zinc in the form of a positively charged ion. The ionic form is what makes the difference in whether zinc can cure your cold or not.

They discovered that zinc acetate was best. Zinc acetate releases 100% of the zinc in an ionic form. Zinc gluconate was second best. It only releases 70% of its zinc in the ionic form.

The researchers also found that you need at least 75 mg of zinc acetate a day to fight colds. And finally, they found that zinc is only effective when cold viruses are exposed to zinc for at least 20 minutes at a time.

Since zinc needs 20 minutes of exposure to fight colds? pills, syrups, or sprays simply won't work. You need slow-dissolving lozenges that release the zinc right where the viruses are.

Colloidal Silver and Vitamin C

Posted by Mama to Many (Tennessee) on 06/22/2014
★★★★★

Last week I was coming down with a head cold. Constant sneezing and that "run down" feeling. I was sort of ignoring it because I was busy. So by bedtime I felt awful. I felt like I had the flu (aches and terrible sinus headache) and had a low grade fever. I really didn't have time to be sick so I got really aggressive with colloidal silver and vitamin C. I would take the C by the gram frequently during the day.

With the silver, I was practising Dave's method - in the nose, in the ears, gargle and guzzle! Every few waking hours I would gargle and swallow a couple of Tablespoons of CS. Then I put some into the palm of my hand and snorted it up into each nostril until I could feel the sting. (I would call it "burn." Really felt awful but I was encouraged that it was helping. I did notice the burn was less intense if I repeated the process pretty soon afterwards.) At night when I felt too bad to get out of bed, but kept a bottle of CS by the bed. If I woke up I put some in my ears, in my mouth and into my nose with an eyedropper. I didn't even had to sit up. It was less intense but it was better than nothing.

I felt a good bit better in 24 hours. In 48 hours I felt almost normal. I am continuing the routine for a few more days just in case.

Thanks Dave for all your patient and encouraging posting on the process. I sometimes need to read and study something a number of times before trying it myself. I have had colloidal silver in my house for years and used it here and there during that time. Now I find it is in use daily, it seems.

And thanks everyone for posting your stories. The details and variations are so helpful! Jeanne's recent story of healing a sore throat with silver was in my mind as I was doing this.

Have a super day! ~Mama to Many~

Liposomal Vitamin C, Colloidal Silver

Posted by Mama To Many (Tennessee, Usa) on 12/09/2013

Dave,

Thanks a bunch. I will try it that way.

~Mama to Many~

Liposomal Vitamin C, Colloidal Silver

Posted by Dave (Fountain Inn, Sc) on 12/09/2013

Mary to Many,

The timing is not an issue if one uses the Colloidal Silver as an irrigation. Most colds begin in the sinus cavity. To learn the irrigation (Neti pot idea that Opra has propelled) is very effective. The neti pot is like a pouring cleanse. The idea with CS is to pour a teaspoon into palm of hand and sniff into both sinuses. If an infection is there one will definitely feel a stinging usually more on one side than the other.

Liposomal Vitamin C, Colloidal Silver

Posted by Mama To Many (Tennessee, Usa) on 12/09/2013

Hi!

I am trying to nip a cold in the bud with my family and am using Liposomal Vitamin C and Colloidal Silver and Astragalus Root and am wondering if there are any thoughts on the best way to go about it all.

So far I have been trying to dose each thing separately and not on a full stomach, but when you are trying to dose frequently, it can be hard to find that many times during the day when the tummy is close to empty. I had seen a recommendation to dose Liposomal Vitamin C 15 minutes before meals.

For the record, last week my daughter (who tends to take sickness harder than the rest) was the first with some cold symptoms. I gave her CS a few times with the Astragalus once a day and she was basically better in 36 hours. Since then, I made my own Lipsomal Vitamin C and am trying to get that into everyone daily (a few more have the cold symptoms) and there is a ton of stuff going around that I would like us to avoid.

Would it be okay to dose the vitamin C and CS at the same time? (I do tend to give the Astragalus at meal time since it is a food.) And is is best to take CS on an empty stomach or does it matter?

Thanks in advance. I appreciate the wisdom here!

Have a great day!

~Mama to Many~

Echinacea

Posted by Michelle (New York, NY) on 07/16/2013
★★★★★

If everyone around you is getting sick: wash your hands!! And take an echinacea tablet (can be found at most drugstore, health food stores) at the slightest onset of any symptoms. This has helped me to prevent catching sicknesses from my roommate. Good luck!

Tomato Tea

Posted by Laura (Dallas, Tx) on 04/01/2013
★★★★★

The Tomato Tea WORKED--Knocked out a cold in under two days. Actually I used a three pronged "tea" combination for a serious head cold I picked up from my 20 month old: 1) ACV tea at meal times/3 x day with 2 Tblsp dosage to each mug and 1 Tblsp Honey. 2) Made a pot of Tomato Tea for the morning and afternoon getting about three mugs out of each. I used Half a bulb of Garlic (cloves smashed) to 20-30 oz V-8, the juice of two lemons, and multiple dashes of cayenne pepper. 3) Lemon, Juiced Ginger and Cayenne Pepper tea ( with honey).

The ACV immediately went to work reducing the swelling in my nasal cavaties allowing me to breath ( and have some hope). The tomato tea helped get the cold a moving. ( suffered through a sinus headache about 20 hours into the remedy period). The lemon/ginger/cayenne pepper tea was a bonus immune system booster.

While you have a cold you cannot smell anything. Also the tomato seems to mask the expected garlic smell. I didn't smell like garlic per the family I was with. And all teas tasted phenomenal to me despite having no ability to smell.

This saved me a $75 co-pay to visit an urgent care doctor, no medicine head, no dry nasal passages from antihistimines. Still drinking the tomato tea and ACV tea on day 5 - just one mug or two a day each as the cold is on its last leg.

Colloidal Silver

Posted by Llloyd (Seneca, SC) on 12/09/2012
★★★★★

All my life I've been prone to sinus infections and colds turning into chest colds. I've used ACV also but find colloidal silver... a tablespoon ever hour and sniffed into sinuses kills the virus more effectively than anything else.

Zinc

Posted by Joyce (San Marcos, Ca) on 10/16/2012
★★★★★

This is not a cure, but a preventive. About 17 years ago, when I moved from one location to another, I got a really bad cold -- one of the worst I've ever had. Since then, in 17 years, I have had only 3 colds, only 1 of which lasted more than a few days. My prescription is zinc lozenges. I can't remember where I heard about them, but they've worked wonders for me.

The key to their effectiveness, I think, is taking them immediately on the first sign of a cold -- a sore throat, sneezing or stuffiness. Chances are that sometimes I've taken them when a cold wasn't actually coming on, but I'd rather take the extra precaution than risk getting a cold.

I start out with just 1 lozenge and may take as many as 3 if the symptoms persist. A bottle of 100 will last for a couple of years, and they're quite inexpensive.

For years scientists have said that zinc lozenges were not effective in preventing colds. Now they're saying their studies show that they can shorten the length of a cold. I'm not sure what they've based their studies on, but I think, again, that taking them immediately upon any symptoms of a cold is the key to their effectiveness.

Sunlight

Posted by Uvaid (Fort Myers, Florida, Usa) on 09/22/2012
★★★★★

I believe prevention is the best medicine and while I like most of Ted remedies, let me offer a way for you to stay healthy. Your body produces hydrogen peroxide naturally through a process called photo-oxidation. Photo-oxidation occurs when the melanin in your skin is exposed to sunlight. This process is your body's first line of defense against disease all over your body including you ear, nose, and throat. There is a direct correlation between available sunlight hours and the occurrence of colds, flu, and ear infections. During the summer months your body produces enough hydrogen peroxide to keep you free of disease but during the winter months the process of photo-oxidation diminshes. In addition, a study under the direction of Dr. Cindy Dunn has found a significant reduction in bacterial colonies on human skin including the ears and nose after exposed to 365nm light. Exposing yourself to sunlight only for a few seconds everyday has proven health benefits. If you are not able to get out into the sun everyday, I suggest usinig a light supplement.

Gargling With H2O2

Posted by Uvaid (Fort Myers, Florida, Usa) on 09/20/2012

Your body produces hydrogen peroxide naturally through a process called photo-oxidation. Photo-oxidation occurs when the melanin in your skin is exposed to sunlight. This process is your body's first line of defense against disease all over your body including you ear, nose, and throat. There is a direct correlation between available sunlight hours and the occurrence of colds, flu, and ear infections. During the summer months your body produces enough hydrogen peroxide to keep you free of disease but during the winter months the process of photo-oxidation diminshes. In addition, a study under the direction of Dr. Cindy Dunn has found a significant reduction in bacterial colonies on human skin including the ears and nose after exposed to 365nm light.

Tomato Tea Feedback

Posted by Greenergoods (New Castle, In, USA) on 06/24/2012
★★★★★

I had some [spicy tomato juice]. First day of real cold symptoms, though I realize now it's been creeping up on me. Put some in a coffee mug, added half a garlic clove (crushed in garlic press), water, lemon juice, ______ Seasoning Spray and heated in microwave for 2 minutes. Finished it 5 minutes ago and already feel 80% better! No runny nose anymore, that quick! Noticed I have started to sweat a bit. Will drink some ACV in water throughout day and have another cup of this mid-day. Wonderful.

I have previously touted cayenne pepper "tea" as a cure for a sore throat (gargle it. don't drink---see this site for recipe) and realize now that the acidic properties of juice, antioxidants, raw garlic and peppers quickly cure whatever's ailing us.

Great recipe. Thrilled to find it. I can alwasy count of Earth Clinic!

EC: Tomato Tea is still the reigning cold conquering champion! Check out the original Tomato Tea for Colds Remedy here.

Apple Cider Vinegar, Cayenne

Posted by Mememe (USA) on 06/03/2012

Glad you are feeling better. Just want to point out that if it took you another 7 days to feel better... It might just have been whatever it was running its course. It would be kind of hard to say it was the prescriptions if it took that long to go away I would think. (mo) Just a thought.

Apple Cider Vinegar, Cayenne

Posted by Olddude (Chattanooga, Tn) on 06/03/2012
★☆☆☆☆

My story: went on vacation, got a bug/cold/running nose/coughing and so on. Came back, got worse. Tried all the Apple Cider Vinegar and cayanne, and so on. Did not cure it. finally went to the doctor, one steroid shot and nasal meds, got well sort of in 3 days. Its June 2, I am finally well, what I had was from zell. Ears got clogged up, sinusis bad, chest and lungs screw up somewhat. Yes the doctors meds killed all the stuff, but it still took another 7 days to finally leave my body, So, Apple Cider Vinegar and all these remedys did not kill this mess I had, but I kept taking them. I guess sometimes u gotta go see the doctor, IMHO

Hot Water

Posted by Olddude (Chattanooga, Tn, Usa) on 02/25/2012 21 posts

I'm new in here. I experimented with a cold by adding 2 oz of white vinegar into a cup of water and a teaspoon of cayenne pepper and heated that mixture almost to a boil and breathed the vapors. Wow, did that wake me up, slight stinging/burning sinsation in the nostrils, but no pain really. Now that cleared me up fast so I could breathe easier! It was not a cure all, but it did give relief and I would do this several times a day when I got real stuffy. IMHO it did a good job.

P.S. I drink or attempt to drink ACV daily with Mothers, 3 teaspoons, a pinch of cayenne pepper and a pinch of baking soda in 24 oz bottle of water. It has killed my acid reflux so I don't have to take pills for that, but I have to take my mix daily or the acid reflux will return, but that's due to my love of food, but I'm off my pills. Walk daily if u can, watch the sky, and read some good thoughts................. best to u all.

Hot Water

Posted by Hawaiian_nut (Stenungsund, Hi) on 02/21/2012
★★★★★

Let's just say, I've tried everything for common colds, especially during winter season. When it comes to catching any kind of sinus or chest cold I am like a magnet.

Preventative measures by gargling anti bacterial whether it be mouthwash, peroxide, vinegar, or salt water seem to be an important step, but once youre in the middle of the gritty cold then its really buggin and I would not suggest too frequent ingestion of vinegar or other acids as they can, in fact, have negative affects on the body and internal organs if overused.

ACV works a miracle on my skin problems but when it comes to beating a cold in the middle of its worst, it just didn't do it for me. A friend suggested to me as I was coughing, to drink hot water. Not hot tea, not hot chocolate, not hot anything else, just plain hot water.

Sip hot water throughout the day all day long, from morning to night, no sugars or dry/solid foods, the cold will clear in a very short amount of time.

Fasting

Posted by Julia (Spokane, Wa) on 12/23/2011
★★★★★

Short term fasting is an age old practice in almost every culture throughout history. If you google it, you will see countless studies documenting the therapeutic effects of fasting. Animals naturally fast when they are sick. It has resolved many of my own physical issues, including fighting viruses and germs.

Sea Salt

Posted by P (Middle, Fl) on 12/06/2011
★★★★★

Last couple of weeks I was assisting an elder to hospital & doctor visits and at the same time we cought a cold front. Well my hubby, son and myself caught a cold in the same order. Well I helped them get over it with my usual concoctions and made them to tea for myself, but I must have stopped a day too short because it hit me real hard the day after and man I haven't felt that in a long while! Being angry at myself for getting fever, running nose, sleep I went to EC my favorite site in the whole wide world! ;) and searched cold remedies, hoping to find a quicker remedy than the one I do; and low & behold I did!

1 teaspoon in a glass of water knocked it right out; like minutes later my congested head stop feeling congested, my nose immediately stopped running and my cough subsided, fever went down! Wow!

It suggests 2tsp, but I couldn't, it was too much! Maybe my new excitement will allow me to do it again.... U know; one for the road!

Apple Cider Vinegar, Cayenne

Posted by Julia (Gaithersburg, Maryland) on 11/18/2011
★★★★★

Someone posted on here a wonderful recipe which I tried, with a few modifications, and I just wanted to let you all know what I tried, because it was amazing. I have been fighting off a bug for a couple of weeks now (aches, sore throat, feeling run-down, a little sneezy) but it hadn't quite turned into something full-blown.

I made the following mixture: 1 tsp ACV, 1 tsp honey, 1/2 tsp powdered cayenne, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp ground cloves, 2 tsp water. Then sip it slowly (tiny sips). It is somewhat thick and will coat the back of your throat. It tastes surprisingly good, soothed my sore throat instantly, and started to clear up my sinuses and the "lump" in the back of my throat which was developing. I have taken this mixture a couple times a day for the past two days and I'm feeling much better.

Turmeric

Posted by Tina (Houston, Usa) on 11/13/2011
★★★★★

On the first sign of a cold and sore throat, I had 1 heaped teaspoon organic turmeric powder, mixed in 1/2 cup whole milk heated to a boil (apparently fat from milk is needed in properly digesting the turmeric), a bit of freshly ground pepper, and 1 teaspoon agave or any sweetener.

I had this concoction in between meals. I did this 3 times on the first day, and twice the next 2 days, and did not suffer from what would have been a full blown cold/cough and congestion. Incredible. Please try it!

The turmeric in my case made me slightly constipated, so I took some extra magnesium before bed those days.