We’re still in the depths of winter here in the southern hemisphere (is there any end in sight?!).
And for many of us, the seemingly-endless cold weather spells seemingly-endless colds and flus.
Bad bugs striking you down whenever winter rolls around? It can be a relief to know you’ve got a bottle of echinacea or chewable vitamin C tucked away in the medicine draw… right?
But here’s the million dollar question: do all these natural remedies actually help us recover faster? We consulted the science on some of the key players.
Vitamin C
While vitamin C does play a vital role in immune function, apparently there’s no actual evidence to suggest it can prevent a cold or flu virus. It may slightly lessen the symptoms and duration, but scientists reckon they need to do more digging to know for sure.
Our verdict? Cold prevention or not, you do need to make sure you’re getting enough vitamin C in your diet for optimal health (that’s around 60–90mg per day). Kiwifruit, strawberries, leafy greens and citrus are all good sources.
Echinacea
Echinacea might be the most divisive natural remedy when it comes to fighting colds. Some studies show it to be a safe and effective form of treatment and prevention, others show no link at all.
“Research has shown echinacea to have antiviral action and to enhance immune parameters such as white cell count and interferon,” says naturopath Lara Briden. “But it hasn’t always done well in clinical trials, possibly because researchers used products that were poor quality or too low dose.”
Our verdict? While we’re still on the fence with this one, Lara says: “To be effective, echinacea should make your tongue tingle, which is a sign that it contains the active ingredient alkylamide.”
Chicken soup
Believe it or not, there are a handful of studies that suggest chicken soup does have a cock in this fight.
While the results are inconclusive, chicken soup’s flu-fighting properties could boil down to the fact that it’s packed with nutrients, aids hydration and gets the mucous moving, better equipping us to fend off those bad bugs.
Our verdict? We’re all for whole food that can at least offer some comfort when we’re feeling crappy! Try out Kung-Flu-Fighting Chicken Soup and judge for yourself.
Zinc
The jury’s still out on zinc as a cold and flu fighter, too. Some research suggests it can reduce a cold’s duration. “It works by blocking the rhinovirus and preventing it from entering cells,” says Lara. But scientists reckon more investigation is needed.
Zinc does help our bodies actually create the cells involved in immunity though. It also plays an important role in wound healing and thyroid function.
Our verdict? While the scientists nut out if zinc is a bonafide flu fighter, it’s still important to make sure you’re getting enough (about 8mg per day). You’ll find it in red and white meats, chickpeas and cashews.
Rest
Looks like adequate zzzs might be the only surefire way to prevent and shorten a cold. Scientists have even shown that those of us not spending enough time in bed are more than four times more likely to catch a cold than those who get their eight hours.
Our verdict? Resting allows the body to heal, which is what it really needs to get you back to full power as quickly as possible. If you struggle to nod off, try these 10 tips to help you rest better tonight.
What are your go-to cold and flu rememdies?
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