Health Quick Tips – Health Tips For Common Ailments

Teas To Fight Colds–Health Quick Tips

We’re all familiar with the common cold–and our bodies are probably familiar with many of the more than 100 viruses known to cause it. Antibiotics will not cure a cold, which is caused by a virus;these drugs will only treat bacterial infections. A cold can take many forms, from head cold to chest cold, mild to miserable, as it runs its natural course from a runny nose to a hacking cough. Doctors joke that you can either do nothing to treat a cold and have it disappear in a week, or you can take medicine and feel better in seven days.

Herbalists don’t claim to have a cure for the common cold either, but folk traditions and home remedies from all over the world help to relieve the common miseries connected with it. Garlic steeped in honey is an old Italian remedy. Contemporary studies have shown that echinacea root, native to North American, has antiviral properties that can strengthen resistance to infection. Herbal teas such as rose hip tea contain vitamin C and bioflavonoids, immune-boosters and infection-fighters that may actually prevent colds.

Despite exhaustive efforts, a cure for the common cold remins elusive. Food remedies such as tea and chicken soup, however, are always popular, and for good reason. In the case of chicken soup, scientific studies have shown that it contains naturally occurring compounds that fight the inflammation responsible for most of a cold’s misery. But teas have enjoyed an even wider appreciation as a traditional remedy on every continent of the world. Japanese green tea is used to support the immune system. In India and China, ginger tea relieves chest and sinus congestion. Tart, tasty rose hip tea, abundant in vitamin C, is beloved in France. Other teas include:

Horehound – This is a common plant from the mint family whose Latin name, Marrubium, originates from a Hebrew word meaning “bitter juice.” Herbalists know it as a tea that expels phlegm from the chest, relieving congestion. Drink it either warm or hot to induce perspiration. Horehound lozenges have been used for hundreds of years as a cough remedy.

Thyme – Tea made from fresh or dried thyme leaves acts as an expectorant, assisting the body’s natural inclination to clear out the respiratory passages through coughing. Thyme’s relaxant effect can gently ease muscle soreness that may come from too much coughing.

Elder – Elder flower tea helps decongest the sinuses, soothes postnasal drip, and brings down a fever. You can also add the berries to the tea to ease a scratchy, sore throat.

Echinacea – Echinacea root is best used at the onset of a cold rather than as a preventative. Clinical research suggests that it supports immune system functioning, helping your body’s natural defenses. Echinacea possesses antiviral and antibacterial properties, making it one of the most popular herbal medicines in the West. Mix it with a teaspoon of licorice root, which soothes sore throats.

You might also try these other soothing teas for cold symptoms:

Licorice root: relieves sore throats

Ginger: treats the chills

Chamomile: overall soother

Peppermint: relieves congestion

Garlic: fights infection (steep crushed cloves in cold water for several hours)

To get the most health benefits from herbal teas, check with a herbalist, who can advise you as to whether a particular herb works best alone or in combination with others. For example, elder flowers work well alone, but they are often combined with peppermint, ginger, yarrow, or rose hips. Each herb brings its own strength, but blends offer more cold-fighting benefits.