As the temperature continues to dip, the sounds of sniffles and muttered coughs can be heard throughout the house. That’s right, everyone. In case you forgot, we’re right smack dab in the middle of flu season. As our bank accounts are slowly recovering from the onslaught they took over the holidays, I wanted to put together a piece that will help you avoid going out and buying pricey (and let’s be honest, not always effective) over the counter flu medicines. I so hope you’ll find these natural flu remedies quite helpful for you and your family!
Dietary Adjustments
The easiest way to naturally boost your body’s ability to fight off the flu is to adjust your diet. Things like garlic, ginger, turmeric, and plenty of Vitamin C from fruits and leafy greens will go a long way in building up a strong internal defense. I’ll admit it, the last thing I want to do when I’m battling a fever is spend time preparing a meal for my family. Not to mention the fact that eating any solid foods while sick with the flu is nothing short of gag-worthy. Yet I have put together some recipes that will satisfy even someone with zero appetite and are super quick and easy! Promise.
‘Cure A Flu’ Chicken Noodle Soup http://www.a-life-from-scratch.com/cure-a-flu-chicken-noodle-soup
I’m pretty sure that chicken noodle soup is literally always a good idea when you are sick. In fact, I think there’s actually scientific proof that it’s the most soul-soothing thing that you can put into your body. Ok, while that might not be entirely true, one thing is certain: chicken noodle soup is excellent when you’re feeling under the weather.
- 2 pieces boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 onions, 1 halved and 1 chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 fresh bay leaf
- 2 TBS good olive oil
- 4 medium carrots, thinly sliced
- 4 celery stalks, thinly sliced
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 quart good chicken stock
- 1/3 lbs whole wheat noodles
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced on an angle
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill
- Zest and Juice of 1 lemon
- In a sauce pot, combine first 4 ingredients with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then down to simmer for 15 - 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a soup pot or dutch oven heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the vegetables are tender, around 8 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
- Remove the poached chicken from the liquid and add about 2 cups of the cooking liquid, pouring through a strainer, to the soup pot. Dice the poached chicken, then stir in the noodles along with the chicken and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add all the fresh herbs along with the lemon juice and zest. Season with salt and pepper, if needed.
- I do not like soggy noodles in my soup, so if you are going to let the soup simmer on low all day I would advise to keep the noodles separate and add to cook a bit before you dish up.
Sick Day Orange Smoothie
Oranges, clementines and other citrus fruits are jam packed with vitamin C, which is known to help with shortening the recovery time from the flu. Plus, who doesn’t like smoothies? This recipe includes ginger, which is very soothing to the stomach and helps with digestion. Huge. The bananas will also help with, um, issues, and the honey and coconut are also well known for their healing properties. Long story short, this is basically a secret weapon against the flu virus and it is absolutely delicious. Everyone in my family loves this recipe!
- 1 c. orange juice
- Juice from 3 clementines
- 1 ripe banana (peeled)
- ½ c. coconut milk
- 1 tsp ginger
- 4 T. raw honey
- 2-3 c. ice (depending on how thick you want it)
- Blend oj, clementines and bananas until smooth in blender.
- Add remaining ingredients, adding ice slowly until desired thickness.
- Clementine and oranges are packed with vitamin C, known to shorten the length of the flu
- • Ginger is soothing to the stomach and helps with digestion
- • Bananas are easy to digest and help with bowel issues (common with the flu)
- • Honey and coconut are known for their healing properties
It’s no secret that catching up on sleep and getting plenty of rest will help your body reset itself as your cells work to fight off infection. Having sick kids at home can be exhausting and sometimes overwhelming, but using the dietary suggestions above and some super simple at-home methods can help make this process a little less painful.
Even though the kids might not want to take a bath while they’re running a fever, it can be super helpful to add Epsom salt to the warm bath water. This is a proven method to reduce muscle pain that are common with the flu and help the body detox. Baths will also help the body hydrate itself.
Using a cold/warm compress on aching parts of the body during the flu will help a lot with long nights of tossing and turning. Not all of us have those pre-made ones sitting around at home, so I found a method to make one with stuff you probably have at home!
Check out this video for reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hC-CzsY1GM
You’ll need a clean tube sock (we all have one sitting around that doesn’t have a match), some string, a funnel, a scooper (cup measurer), scissors and rice. Put the funnel over the opening of the sock, and start to scoop the rice in. It’s really up to you how much rice you want to add. Once you reach the amount you desire, Then, use a small length of string/yarn and tie it around the sock to seal it up. Toss it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes and BAM. A homemade hot pack. Be careful when giving this to the kids because while it might not feel all that hot, it could need to cool down for a few minutes.
Nobody wants to get sick, but sometimes it’s just unavoidable. I hope these methods help you and your family save a bit of time and money on the road to recovery this flu season. Be well, friends!
C
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Courtney
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