Colds
Natural Remedies

10 Cold and Flu Home Remedies

Grapefruit Seed Extract

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
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Posted by HPS (AVL, NC) on 02/18/2008
★★★★★

Grapefruit seed extract worked for me and my daughter I give her 3 drops 3 or 4 x day, myself about 30 drops x day mixed in juice, we keep taking it for at least 3 days after symptoms improve.


Guaicum, Peppermint, Echinacea

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Posted by Katie (Wrexham, Wrexham) on 01/14/2009
★★★★★

Catarrh, Colds, Coughs, Flu:

I use the following for myself and my son, with reguarly great success-

I make an decocation / infusion of a mixture of
1.guaicum - helps so much with coughs (it the herbal form of guaifeisin often used in cough medicine)
2.peppermint ('menthol'also found in cough medicines)
3.echinaecea

(about 1 tsp of each)
i also add chamomile often for added pain relief, relaxation. i think it may help with fever too.

Other herbs I may add also for extra support include:
Liquorice
Hawthorn Berries
Elderberries

Salt Water (1/4 tsp per 250ml if i remember correctly), is also excellent for clearing the nose-
it can be bought ready made as saline drops, or made at home.
It can be squirted up in a dropper, used as a nose bath, or in a neti pot(ceraminc perferably).
A neti pot is excellent for cleaning the nose out, you have to get it in the right position though for it to work, and for it to work without hurting!

Also-
Putting a few drops of either
eucaplytus
olbas oil or similar
a couple of menthol crystals
in hot water, and inhaling this (a towel over the head helps too) helps clear the nose well too.

I also make my own 'vicks vapourub', by diluting eucalyptus oil or olbas oil or similar in some grapeseed oil, and rubbing on the chest, neck etc.

I'm so glad I have these remedies- transforms a persistent repetative cough to an occassional or zero cough, to no cough at all.
Often after drinking the tea, my parents have doubted that my son had been ill at all, even though a hour or so earlier he had been coughing so much!

Without guaicum, the peppermint etc tends to last a few hours, with guaicum, it can last up to a whole night, I find- so we drink it every 6-8 hours until infection is cleared.

Replied by Rosy
(Orlando, Fl)
01/14/2009

I googled guaicum and couldn't find any other information on it. I was curious, does this have another name? I know some herbs have many names, and I wanted to know more about this one.

EC: Found two other names thus far:
Lignum Vitae: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lignum_vitae
Ironwood: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_wood

Google shopping gives you these products under "Guaifenesin":
http://www.google.com/products?btnG=Search+Products&hl=en&q=guaifenesin


Honey

1 User Review
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Posted by Alex (Nottm, United Kingdom) on 09/06/2007
★★★★★

honey has hydrogen peroxide in it. Having suffered from bronchitis boils carbuncles tonsilitis sinuvitis. Started taking honey 28 years ago, cut out the sugar totally. My drinks all have a spoon of honey-put a spoonful at back of the throat first thing morning last thing night total intakeone and half pound a week takes 3 to 9 month to take effect -subdues the streptocci, no coughs, no colds, no infections.


Honey Lime Drink for Summer Colds

1 User Review
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Posted by Mama To Many (Tennessee) on 06/13/2017
★★★★★

We have a bit of a summer cold going around. I offered one child some hot vinegar tea but no one wants a hot drink when it is hot outside. So off to the kitchen to make a healing summer cold drink.

  • 1 tablespoon of raw honey
  • 1 ounce of hot water to dissolve the honey
  • 3 ounces of cold water
  • juice of 1 lime
  • ice

Dissolve honey in hot water. Add cold water, lime juice and ice. Mix. Enjoy!
My kids loved this drink. It tastes like limeaid.

Son: Mommy, what is in this?

Mommy: Lime juice, honey, water

Son: What in this is good for a cold?

Mommy: Lime juice, honey, water

Lime has vitamin C, other nutrients and is alkalizing.

Honey is antiviral and antibacterial.

Water is hydrating.

So there you have it. A yummy drink for when you are sick or when you are not! :)

~Mama to Many~

Replied by Mmsg
(Somewhere, Europe)
06/13/2017

MtM, last summer I was making lemonade with honey and it took forever to melt the honey by stirring. Now I see how to do it: melt it in a little hot water!! Thank you!!


Hot and Cold Foot Baths

1 User Review
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Posted by Gusztav (Veszprem, Hungary) on 10/04/2007
★★★★★

Dear EC, I would like to post an effective treatment on cold. I learned this cure from a healer.

1) Prepare a basin of HOT water (as hot as your skin can just tolerate).
2) Prepare another basin of COLD water (as cold as possible - from the tap, is usually enough).
3) Put your two feet in the basin containing hot water, keep them in it for 2 minutes, then quickly put them in the other basin and keep them in it for 10 seconds, then back again in the hot water.
4) Repeat these steps for about 15 minutes.
5) Repeat the whole procedure 2-3 times a day. After 1-3 days, you'll definitely get better.

I have applied this treatment for almost 10 years now: it always helped me get rid of cold. Also, I got the positive feedback of some people who I told this.

I hope everyone suffering from cold will find this treatment useful.


Hot Tea with Lemon and Honey

1 User Review
1 star (1) 
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Posted by Marcin (Toronto, Canada) on 07/05/2015
★☆☆☆☆

A few years ago I believed that drinking hot tea with lemon juice and honey will cure my cold, sore throat and phlegm congestion. It failed every time I tried it. I wish I had known about ACV, cayenne pepper and ginger at the time. I believe that cinnamon, black pepper would also work, as well as other warming and decongesting herbs.


Hot Water

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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.

Replied by Olddude
(Chattanooga, Tn, Usa)
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.


Hydrogen Peroxide

1 User Review
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Posted by JT (USA) on 04/02/2020
★★★★★

Hello, My wife and I swab our ears and nostrils with 3% hydrogen peroxide any time we feel a cold coming on and she hasnt had a cold since 2014 and I havent had one since 2016 ( I felt it coming on that night and stupidly waited til the next morning to swab, LESSON LEARNED ). Now I always swab right away.


Hydrogen Peroxide Baths

1 User Review
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Posted by Cleoppa (Cleburne, Tx) on 05/03/2011
★★★★☆

There are a lot of excellent remedies on this site that I use. However, to really halt a cold it has to be stopped early. I thought I had allergies, so I didn't catch my cold early. I tried everything: apple cider vinegar, Jean's famous tomato tea, cayenne pepper pills, colloidal silver... Maybe some more I'm forgetting. Nothing seemed to help and I was definitely sensing that this was a cold that wasn't going to go away for at least a few days.

So, I went back to my favorite site and saw Ted's cold remedy. I didn't follow the whole thing, but I tried a hydrogen peroxide bath. The first time, I read it wrong and ended up putting the equivalent of a cup of 35% hp (about 12 cups of 3% hp). I immediately felt better--could breathe better, wasn't snotting everywhere, etc.

I wasn't totally better, but that was definitely the start of getting better. Went to work the next day, took a few more hp baths. This is definitely my new remedy I'll be researching and trying out!


Hydrogen Peroxide in Humidifier

3 User Reviews
5 star (3) 
  100%

Posted by Sharon (Greenville, S C Usa) on 08/12/2011
★★★★★

You can also use peroxide in your humidifer when suffering from flu, colds, etc. Add 1 cup of peroxide to the tank and fill with water. Set humidifer close to your bedside so you can breathe the mist. Works wonders in stuffy nose and congestion.


Hydrogen Peroxide in Humidifier
Posted by Alexandra (Toronto, On) on 11/11/2009
★★★★★

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to all of the wisdom on this site. I have been using all of the information for a couple of years but haven't written in till now. Two of my kids (14 and 18) came down with colds this week and then started running fevers. My daughter has also been vomitting so has not been able to do the lysine/Vit C remedy for flu. She also threw up the capful of HP in 1 litre of water remedy so I tried the HP in a cool mist humidifier... I added 2 capfuls to the resevoir of water and after 12 hours of sleep she woke up - no fever, no sore throat!

Replied by Lucia
(Moscow, Russia)
03/03/2011
★★★★★

I have just started this and it makes a difference.


Hydrogen Peroxide in the Ears

20 User Reviews
5 star (15) 
  75%
1 star (3) 
  15%
(2) 
  10%

Posted by Keisha (Tucker) on 04/17/2018
★★★★★

Yesterday I felt I was catching a cold that my kids had and did the peroxide in the ears remedy. I poured 3% into the cap and poured from the cap into one ear. Wow! Sent a shiver down the spine when it hits! Waited a few mins, then poured into the other ear. I can't believe it but I felt better within the hour and today back to normal.


Hydrogen Peroxide in the Ears
Posted by Anne (Chicago, Il) on 09/24/2009
★★★★★

H2O2 in ear for colds: I get sick almost every month, usually with a bad cold during, or right after, my period. I tried H2O2 in my ears right when I was getting that familiar tingle in the back of my throat and tired feeling I always get before a cold. I used about a half a capful of 3% hydrogen peroxide poured into my ears, one at a time, lying on my side and let it sit and fizz for about 10 minutes each before dumping it out. The itchy feeling started disappearing right away and the next day I wasn't sick as I was sure I would be. I normally get sick for a good week or two when I do, so I was really glad it worked!


Hydrogen Peroxide in the Ears
Posted by Rosan (Kalsipell, MT) on 04/13/2009

I have a cold and decided to try the Hydrogen Peroxide remedy I read about here. Took two drops hydrogen peroxide and deluted with 4 drops water. Gently put a drop in each ear while sitting up. Within a short time I was very dizzy and had a hard time walking for quite a while. Won't try that again. But I love this site and have found several remedies that have worked wonders for other things like my eye sty and migraines. Thank you so much.

Replied by Ki
(Australia)
11/23/2015

Of course , misuse of 35% food grade hydrogen peroxide can be dangerous. Use 1 drop Hp and 11 drops Distilled water to make 3% . Then it safe to use.

Replied by Tammy
(Spartanburg, Sc)
09/24/2020

You should not have added water to your hydrogen peroxide. I am quite sure that is why you didn't get good results. Best of health to you.

Brad
(Ontario)
09/17/2022

She used 35% H2O2, which can burn you at full strength. She didn't dilute it properly. I often find people misunderstanding the difference between 3% and 35% H2O2.


Hydrogen Peroxide in the Ears
Posted by Theresa (Auburn, Indiana ) on 01/02/2009
★★★★★

Hydrogen Peroxide kept me from getting the cold/flu I felt coming on. The first time I tried using Hydrogen Peroxide in my both of my ears was when I was visiting my sister in Illinois, about 5 years ago. I had just arrived from the 5 hour drive and could feel that I was getting a cold or flu. My sister suggested placing a few (6 to 7) drops of hydrogen peroxide in my ear, letting it fizz, then let it drain and repeat the process in the other ear. I went to bed that evening after using the hydrogen peroxide and woke up feeling great! I never did get that cold... I've repeated this process each time I felt as though I was coming down with the cold or flu. It has worked 90% of the time. The key is to catch it early! The longer you wait to use the hydrogen peroxide once you have the first symptoms, the less likely it will work. I've shared this with others, but most are hesitant to try it. I haven't had any bad experiences with this method.

Replied by Kari
(Phoenix, Az)
08/30/2009
★☆☆☆☆

Hydrogen Peroxide did not work for me at all! In fact, I went on to have the worst cold ever. I then tried the 3x a day raw garlic and that works like a charm.



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