Have you ever come down with a cold or the flu, but haven’t wanted to take pills or traditional medicine to get better? The all-too-familiar symptoms start showing up: a runny nose, cough, congestion, headaches, an achy body and possibly even a fever.

You start to get desperate for a healing solution because you don’t want to feel terrible. Your intentions for a natural way of getting healthy are good, but you’re too weak and tired to search through books and Google search results now. You’re in the thick of it and you need something that will get the job done quick so you head to the drug store and pick up some pills.

Yeah, we’ve totally been there, too.

If you’ve ever felt the negative effects, guilt, frustration or disempowerment that comes from relying on drugs or pharmaceuticals, this post is for you. There is a better way.  In fact, when it comes to a cold or the flu, ginger is the best remedy.

Here are two simple home remedies that use ginger to greatly relieve cold symptoms and speed up recovery:

Ginger, Cinnamon & Lemongrass Tea

• 1 inch ginger, peeled
• 1 stick cinnamon (or 1 tsp ground)
• 2 stalks lemongrass
• 1 cup water

Slice up the ginger and place in a saucepan with the water. Bring water to a boil. Steep the cinnamon and lemongrass in the water for 10 minutes. Strain and add honey if you like. Stir & sip.

Ginger, Cinnamon & Cardamom Tea

• 1/2 inch ginger, peeled
• 1 stick cinnamon (or 1 tsp ground)
• Pinch of cardamom
• 1 cup water

Slice up the ginger and place in a saucepan with the water. Bring water to a boil. Steep the cinnamon stick in the water for 10 minutes. Strain and add a pinch of cardamom and a drop of honey if you like. Stir & sip.

Note: Don’t combine ginger and Asprin. They’re both blood thinners and should not be taken together.

More Effective Natural Remedies

• For a cold with cough and congestion, mix 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 teaspoon honey. Eat this mixture 2 or 3 times a day.
• For flu, make a tea from 1 teaspoon tulsi (holy basil) in 1 cup of water. Boil for just 1 minute and then drink.
• An ayurvedic herbal formula for colds is 1 part sitopaladi and 1 part maha sudarshan churna. Combine these herbs in equal proportions and take 1/4 teaspoon with 1 teaspoon honey 2 or 3 times a day after eating.

General Recommendations

VITAMIN C – Take it. It helps recovery.

WARM WATER – Sipping on warm water throughout the day helps remove toxins from the body.

NASAL LUBE – Put some liquefied ghee or sesame oil and peppermint extract in each nostril in the morning and evening. The will keep the nasal passages lubricated and relieve any irritation.

NO DAIRY – Avoid dairy like the plague. Yogurt, cottage cheese, milk, eggs… just say no.

REST – Be sure to get lost of rest. It’s vitality important for healing. If you feel tired, take a nap, read a book or relax.

MILD EXERCISE ONLY – Ayurveda says it’s best not take part in vigorous exercise while under the weather with a cold or the flu. It can move the conditions into the chest. If you feel like moving your body, just do some gentle asanas or sun salutations. Shoulder stands (held for only 1 minute), headstands (held for only 1 minute) and forward bends help to prevent postnasal drip and help to drain the mucus through the nose.

STEAM IT OUT – Head to a steam room if you have one available to you. This is like heaven, trust me! Otherwise, boil 1 teaspoon ginger or a few eucalyptus leaves in a pint of water. Turn off the stove. Put a towel over your head and inhale the steam. This will relieve congestion and leave you feeling much better. If you’re working with the bare minimum, just plain old steam with no herbs added to it at all will be beneficial, too.

Prevention Rocks
You know the key is in the prevention. So, as a preventative measure during the winter and spring, take the herb amalaki. It’s a rejuvenative tonic and a good source of vitamin C and iron. Taking 1 teaspoon mixed into a warm glass of water at night (or the tablet version) will help to prevent the common cold. An alternative is taking triphala. This mixture of herbs already has amalaki in it.