Medicinal Foods for Colds and Flu

Sea Salt water: Phlegm in nasal passages can be remedied by snorting warm sea salt water up first one nostril and then the other, until it is felt running down the throat, blowing the nose between each application. Salt water can help flush a bacterial infection out of the sinuses. (Sea Salt is available in most Health Food Stores.)

Ginger Tea can be effective for alleviating chills, and the body aches that accompany them. Ginger, is a herb used in Chinese formulas to warm the entire body, dispel clear or white phlegm, and sooth the stomach. Phlegm in the stomach is one cause of nausea. Ginger in food, raw or powdered has medicinal qualities but should be avoided in cases of heat, since it is a warming herb. Cases of heat include yellow mucous and sore throat.

Mint cools the body. Mint tea is soothing for sore throats and fevers. It should be avoided in cases of chills.

Garlic is antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-fungal. (Prolonged cases of sinus or lung infections are sometimes fungal. Using garlic with herbal formulas helps with these cases.) Garlic was used by the Roman legions to keep soldiers healthy, hence their nick name, Garlic Eaters. It was said the Roman army could be smelled down wind from a mile away. Many a battle was lost due to widespread illness of soldiers. Garlic was one of the reasons Roman soldiers were considered invincible.

Dairy products produce mucous, and should therefore be avoided at times of flu and cold, except in cases of an unproductive cough, when additional mucous can coat the dried phlegm that is already in the lungs to help bring it up.   

                                                                                 Health & Happiness,

                                                                                          Nancy Burton, L.Ac.