Cold & Flu Busters: The Natural Approach, Part II

By Klaus Ferlow, Life-long Herbalist

As an addition to my first article with the same title I did some further research and would like to add on more information how to prevent and treat colds & flu.

In addition to elderberry juice with lemon juice and honey you can also use elderberry extract (sambucol), elderberry tea with a "shot" of elderberry flower syrup (In Canada we can buy it from IKEA, ingredients are juice from wild Swedish elderberry flowers, sugar and citric acid), elderberry tincture from the berries and flowers( sambucu nigra).  Rich in Vitamin A & C, it is very purifying to the lungs and skin. It promotes perspiration to lower fevers, soothes the nerves and works as a mild laxitive. Scientific studies report that ingredients extracted from the berries provide the first line of defense against different FLU strains by neutralizing and preventing the replication of different flu strains. It is a specific detoxifier for COLD, FLU and upper respiratory congestion such as hayfever, sinus, chronic nasal catarrh and spamodic croup. Clogged ears due to colds respond well to the flowers and both have anti-inflammatory properties to fight arthritis and rheumatic pains. It is also used as an ointment for tumours, burns, cuts, chapping, skin eruptions and inflammations. Also used for night sweats, dropsy (excessive body tissue) and syphilis. Elderberry wine is an old European tradition. Don't you agree that this is almost a miracle herb?

Another very powerfull ally fighting colds & flu is Grapefruitseed extract= Citricidal TM (Citrus paradisi), derived from fresh peel of the unsprayed grapefruit and it is anti-microbial, anti-fungal and can be used internally and you can gargle with it. You can also gargle with tea tree oil but have to spit it out.

Furthermore I would like to list a number of other herbs than can be used to prevent and be used in the treatment of  COLD & FLU especially now the media is "jumping" on and putting fear in people's mind with the so-called "Avian or Bird Flu", listing the common and botanical names: