Kitchen Remedies for Viruses

Remember the good old days, just a few weeks ago, when we shrugged off a virus or a stomach bug because everyone catches them sometimes, particularly in spring. Then we met Covid-19 and that all changed.

Now viruses, all viruses, inspire wide scale panic, mass hysteria, and quarantine. It could be a common head cold, or allergies, or the flu, or stress, it doesn’t matter because it could possibly be Covid-19. People who look, feel, and act perfectly healthy could be carrying it, a silent enemy threatening everyone and everything in it’s path.

Corona Viruses aren’ t new, Covid-19 is. We don’t know if it’s better or worse than the others, just that it’s new to us and our immune systems which is why it’s alarming. People throughout time have been battling viruses, and until fairly recently, they have use herbs and plants to do so. These medications were delivered in poultices, soups, teas, even baked into foods. Many were taken regularly to fortify the body against desease and many of them still are.

According to Easy Earth, these herbs in teas are very good flu fighters. The ones in bold are super filled with nutrients, the ones with the * should be well researched and handled with care, if use wrong it could harm rather than help. Nicole Faires suggests them as teas but some tea combinations taste terrible but can be added to broth just as easily and taken as a soup or warm drink. I have added some other suggested herbs from Healthline and Prevention as well.

1. Basil (or any of the Italian herbs)
2. * Black Elderberry
3. Catnip (bonus if you run out of weed)
4. Cayenne
5. Cloves
6. Dandelion
7. Black Tea
8. Garlic
9. Ginger
10. Green Tea
11. Lemon Balm
12. Nettle
13. Olive Leaf
14. Turmeric

There are also herbs to treat specific symptoms of the flu that I will address in the next post.

Remember that honey does more than sweeten tea and cake, it also has antiviral and antibacterial properties. You can buy specially brewed teas or brew them yourself, you can even grow your own if you don’t want to buy them.

Prevention also weighs in on the issue, sharing the 30 herbs that could help us get over the flu relatively fast. Healthline suggests suggests the usual remedies like rest, fluids, and a brat diet but also zinc, herbs, and essential oils. So try a soup with red meat or chicken and beans (zinc) small boiled veges, salt, cayenne pepper, tumeric, garlic, rice or pastinas, with a side of crackers. Or warm broth with herbs to sip. Bread with healing herbs baked into it tastes good as well, with soup and tea?

Herbs and herbal teas have been used by people for thousands of years and most of our current medications are less obvious plant derivatives. They may not be and usually aren’t FDA approved but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t effective. That being said, they could intrefer with some medications and a doctor should be consulted before starting on them if they are going to be used medicinally.

The nice thing about herbs and plants is that you can grow them yourself, in your house or outside, and always have some. They don’t take up much space and give any room a nice, earthy feeling. Just being in the presence of nature and earth has healing benefits. Plus, you know that there aren’t additives or preservatives in your tea or food.

In this current corona virus crisis, while you have time, opportunity, and space you could try your hand at gardening. You can grow from seed or buy them pre-grown. Just be careful that you know what you are growing and how to use it. Since we are in lock down, all we have is time so why not start a garden and be as self sufficient as you can, with herbs, vegetables, and flowers that offer many benefits without costing much.

The prices on medications an necessities will go up as demand does. R3 Contingencies can assist with funds to make essential (or non essential) things, or anything else that’s needed as well as if you get sick or arrested. Both of which are a distinct possibilities as the lock down to prevent the spread of sickness can and will be enforces with a police presence. Whether or not your daily doings are illegal, just doing them can get you in trouble or spread the fear that the virus might spread.

These are crazy times we live in, so have a plan in place, just in case!