Kitchen Herbs to Treat the Flu

Each year the flu mutates a little bit so we have a different virus to fend off.  Certain tried and true methods of dealing with flu symptoms start right in your kitchen.

Chicken Soup for the Flu

Don’t scoff!  Research has shown that your mother or grandmother had the right idea.  Chicken broth is nourishing, hydrating and helps to clear head and chest congestion.  If you make the chicken soup with onion and garlic, you get the benefit of some antibacterial and antimicrobial action.  Season your soup with herbs like rosemary for some additional antioxidant power.

Use generous doses of sage, cinnamon, black pepper, rosemary, marjoram, basil, thyme and peppermint in your cooking.  These common kitchen spices have natural antibiotic properties.  They taste good and make you feel better when you have the flu.

Have a Tea Party

You may not feel like partying, but a few cups of herbal tea each day can confer some medical benefits when you are trying to get over the flu.

Echinacea tea bags can be found in your supermarket or health food store.  This herb from the daisy family has healing properties in its flowers, leaves and roots.  Research studies have shown that Echinacea stimulates the production of white blood cells, T-cells, and natural killer cells in the immune system.  Echinacea is used in many cold and flu formulas in Europe to inhibit the flu.

Two teaspoons of dried sage leaves can be steeped in a cup of boiling water for ten minutes.  Drink this as a tea or use as a warm gargle to combat sore throat.

To combat sinus congestion, mix up a tea with one teaspoon each of peppermint leaves, elder flowers and yarrow flowers in a quart of boiling water.  Strain and drink several times a day.

Get Steam Relief

Use a humidifier to keep flu symptoms of head and chest congestion at bay.  Using a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil produces aromatic vapors that make breathing easier.

If you have trouble sleeping, add a few drops of essential oil of lavender to the humidifier to promote a restful sleep.