Prevention:
* Astragalus- a Chinese immune-booster: 1/4 tsp extract in warm water twice a day.
* Echinacea- can be taken in tablet/tea/tincture form: take it throughout Winter as a prevention or during illness as cure.
* Garlic- another immune booster: can be bought as tablets if you'd prefer not to eat whole cloves of the stuff.
* Elderberry- prevents the 'flu virus from replicating: take a tablespoon three times a day.
Cures:
Chills -
* Ginger- 1 tsp ginger root, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon honey mixed with 500ml water will help fight chills aand ease a sore throat.
* Epsom Salts- 250g Epsom salts disolved in a bath will relax muscles, relieve aches and ward off chills. Add eucalyptus essential oil to ease muscle ache and unblock the nose or ginger essential oil to warm the body.
Congestion -
* Essential Oils- create a congestion relieving steam inhalation by adding 2 drops of tea tree oil, 2 drops of eucalyptus oil to a bowl of boiling water, cover your head and the bowl with a towel and breathe deeply, inhaling the steam for ten minutes.
Sore throat -
* Gargle several times daily with warm salt water. Add two tsp dried sage to relieve pain and clean the throat.
* Marshmallow tea- simmer 1 tsp marshmallow root, 1 tsp ginger root, 1 tsp peppermint in 250 ml water for five minutes. Strain and drink.
Coughs -
*Dab a drop of peppermint oil under the nose. Dilute ub vegetable oil for sensitive skin.
*Half a tsp honey and a squeeze of lemon juice dissolved in the mouth will ease a cough and throat pain.
Hope these help...