Homeopathy for Cold and Flu Season
Winter can be a brutal time - any parent with babies, toddlers and/or school aged kids will be nodding their heads! And it gets even trickier when you’re juggling sick days with work and other commitments.
Research has shown that 51% of kids (0-4 years of age) take at least one course of antibiotics in the winter months!
Prevention is always better… right?! This is why focussing on your nutrition and health, all year round is ideal.
But, we live in the real world and we get exposed to a number of bugs. Remember it’s normal to have two or three colds a year, ideally lasting no longer than 7 days. But you don’t need to grin and bear it, there’s a few natural things you can do to support yourself/your family.
A popular homeopathic remedy, Anas barb 200C, can be taken monthly during winter months to support yourself, and also taken during the first sign of a cold/flu.
There’s a number of medical studies and scientific data that show the effectiveness of Oscillococcinum for prevention and management of upper respiratory infections.
The data shows Oscillococcinum homeopathic can prevent the onset of cold/flus and reduce the duration.
You can take a look at one of the studies here
I often educate parents on natural options BEFORE reaching for panadol or antibiotics. That’s the beauty of natural medicine and conventional medicine - it doesn’t need to be one or the other; they can complement each other. And homeopathy is just that - it gives you a tool that you can use in your home BEFORE you reach for something else.
You can read more about how homeopathy works here
There’s a handful of homeopathic remedies that can help with cold and flu symptoms. You can pick the remedy that best matches your symptom to take.
Homeopathy for cold and flus:
Oscillococcinum: Traditionally used as a preventative remedy; take a dose monthly to support immunity and keep colds and flu at bay. Useful for those that feel rundown or susceptible. (1 dose = 2 drops in a bottle of water and sip on it ). Take a dose if you come into contact with someone unwell and at the first sign of a cold (alongside Aconite), then select a suitable remedy based on symptoms.
Aconite: Traditionally used for the first sign of a cold/flu and for early stages of inflammation with cold/flu and dry, hacking, croupy cough. Often symptoms show after exposure to cold wind and are worse at night.
Belladonna: Traditionally used for sudden onset of a cold with high fever and red face. Useful for a dry, barking, tickling cough; worse at night. Thirsty.
Bryonia: Traditionally used for dry mucous membranes; dry cough with pain under sternum aggravated by coughing & movement. Dry throat.
Hepar Sulph: Traditionally used for a dry, hoarse cough. Croup with loose, rattling cough. Choking cough. Loses voice from coughing.
Pulsatilla: Traditionally used for congestion and discharge that can be thick and yellowish-green. Dry cough in evening and at night; must sit up in bed to get relief. Loose cough in the morning. Thirstless. Sad, weepy and crying. Seeks fresh air.
Spongia: Traditionally used for a cough that is dry, barking, croupy. Croup is worse during inspiration, and around midnight. Better for warm drinks.
Please note these 7 remedies are all included in the Homeopathy Family First Aid Kit, which you can pre-order here
Of course there’s a number of other remedies that can support you during winter months such as Allium cepa, Echinacea, Ferrum Phos, etc. but starting with these 7 remedies is usually a great starting point for using homeopathy for the winter lurgies.