Looking to get over the common cold? 3 ways to get better faster - brought to you by 'mother nature'

You probably know someone who is always sick. Maybe that someone is you. Regardless of how often you get sick, when you are sick or when you feel a cold coming on you want to get over it quickly. We have all heard many 'get well' quickly ideas. Below are some remedies brought to you by Mother Nature that HEY readers and bloggers alike have tested and feel confident in recommending...

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1. Oil of Oregano

Oil of oregano is one of nature’s most potent anti-viral, anti-parasitic, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial agents. When you feel a cold coming on, simply take 2 or more drops of oregano oil under your tongue or in water or juice. Do this a couple times a day and you will likely see the cold diminish and go away within a couple days. HEY recommends P73 drops. However, please note that P73 drops have a very strong flavor and are not tolerated by everyone. If you are one of those people, you can take Gaia's Oil of Oregano capsules. Those are usually tolerated easier (recommended dosage is on the label). Please note: just like with any anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-parasitic, or anti-viral, Oil of oregano is not intended for long term use. If your cold persists, please discontinue use and see your doctor.

2. Garlic

Ever hear of Allicin? Allicin is another one of nature’s most potent anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal agents. Allicin is produced as a natural defense by garlic. A garlic clove releases allicin when it senses an 'attack.'  An attack can be from the micro-organisms in the soil or it can be the sharp incision of a chef's knife. Allicin is only released for a short period of time and is most potent when garlic is raw. When you are fighting a cold try chopping garlic clove and after about 30-60 seconds pop a few of the chopped pieces in your mouth. Chew the garlic very well so all the allicin that is released is absorbed. As recommended in Healing with Whole Foods: "eat 1/2 a clove 3-4 times per day." It's also a great idea to cook with garlic. However, the allicin properties are diminished when garlic is heated. 

Don't think you're up for eating raw garlic? Allicin can also be found in supplements. HEY bloggers and readers use: Allimax. If your cold persists, please discontinue use and see your doctor.

Side note: allicin in garlic is so powerful that it has also been researched as an anticancer agent. There are many scientific studies available on this topic. Here's one example from PubMed: "Experiments have shown that allicin can be chemopreventive to gastric cancer by inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, arresting cell cycle at G2/M phase, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and mitochondria-mediated apoptosis, which includes the caspase-dependent/-independent pathways and death receptor pathway."  

3. Soothing repairing tea

What cold fighting regimen would be complete without tea? HEY tea recipe:

1. Three parts filtered water - proper hydration with quality water is essential for good health
2. One part fresh organic lemon juice - know to reduce mucus, anti-bacterial, soothes sore throats, and reduce coughs (you can also use lemon essential oil)
3. ​Fresh organic ginger root to taste - known to help with upset stomach, anti-viral, and phlegm reduction
4. Raw honey to taste (prefer Manuka honey) - known to sooth sore throats and relieve coughs (WARNING - some people are allergic to honey also NEVER use honey for infants)
5. (optional) chopped garlic to taste - benefits listed under the garlic section above 

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If your cold persists, please discontinue use and see your doctor.  

Remember to get plenty of rest and avoid stress as much as possible when you are trying to recover. As always, please check with your physician before making any changes to your health plan, supplements, and diet. 

References: 
PubMed
Webmd
Healing with Whole Foods